Sweden Fact File
Location: Sweden is in Northern Europe and is part of Scandinavia. It has borders with Norway and Finland, and Denmark can be reached by bridge.
Capital: Stockholm (also the largest city in Sweden)
Population: 9.5 million (approx)
Area: 449,964 km sq
Currency: Swedish Krona
Official Language: Swedish
The Flag of Sweden
Other Facts About Sweden
- Vikings from Sweden, known as the Rus, travelled east and south from Sweden. During the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th centuries they visited many places, such as: Finland, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
- Sweden was officially neutral during both World War 1 and World War 2.
- Sweden is a member of the European Union – it joined in 1995.
- Some of the largest cities in Sweden are: Stockholm (the capital), Gothenburg, Malmo and Uppsala.
- The Swedish language is very similar to Norwegian and Danish.
- Many popular bands have come from Sweden, such as: ABBA, Roxette, The Cardigans and The Hives.
- Astrid Lindgren, the author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, was born in Sweden.
- Stieg Larsson, the writer of the Millennium crime trilogy, was from Sweden, as was the detective fiction writer, Henning Mankell.
- Sweden is well-known for its meatballs (served with gravy and lingonberry jam), boiled crayfish and herring.
- The actresses Ingrid Bergman and Greta Garbo were both Swedish.
- Sport is incredibly popular in Sweden. Many famous sportsmen and sportswomen have come from Sweden, including: Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, Stefen Edberg and Robin Soderling (tennis), Carolina Kluft (athletics), Annika Sorenstam (golf), Henrick Larsson, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (football), and Ingemar Johansson (boxing).
- The 1912 Summer Olympic Games were held in Sweden.
- The mobile phone company Ericsson and the furniture chain IKEA are both Swedish companies, as are Electrolux and Zanussi.
- Sweden has a good reputation in the field of car manufacture. Volvo and Saab are Swedish car manufacturers.
- The Icehotel in Sweden is the first hotel made completely from blocks of ice. In the Spring the hotel melts.
- There are about 100,000 lakes in Sweden.
- A Smorgasbord is a lavish Swedish buffet.
