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Revision as of 18:53, 5 February 2007 view sourceMathmo (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Rollbackers7,135 edits ←Reverted revision 105851705 by 81.5.165.42 (talk) using undo is link spam← Previous edit Revision as of 19:58, 5 February 2007 view source 64.150.0.1 (talk) I upgraded some of the facts on Sweden.Next edit →
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Okay let me tell u the real story of Sweden cuz all dis stuff on here is not true. To let u all know I am part Swedish so hey. Sorry for my use og grammar dis is how I type unless it is an homework assignment or project that is due buy n wayz. Sweden is a country ni bigger than the U.S. state California. So That's all folks
{{otheruses}}
{{Infobox Country or territory
|native_name = {{lang|sv|''Konungariket Sverige''}}
|conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Sweden
|common_name = Sweden
|image_flag = Flag of Sweden.svg
|image_coat = Sweden greater arms.png
|symbol_type = Coat of arms
|image_map = LocationSweden.png
|national_motto = ]&nbsp;{{lang|sv|''För Sverige - I tiden''}}&nbsp;<sup>a</sup><br /><small>"For Sweden - With the Times" </small>
|national_anthem = {{lang|sv|'']''}}<br /><small>"Thou ancient, thou free"</small><br>]: {{lang|sv|'']''}}<br /><small>"The King's song"</small>
|official_languages = ]<br />('']'')<sup>b</sup>
|capital = ]
|latd=59 |latm=21 |latNS=N |longd=18 |longm=4 |longEW=E
|largest_city = Stockholm|government_type = <small>]&nbsp;]&nbsp;democracy<br>under a ]</span></small>
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_name2 = ] (])
|accessionEUdate = ] ]
|area_rank = 55th
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
|area = 449,964
|areami² = 173,732
|percent_water = 8.67
|population_estimate = 9,110,972 (November 2006)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scb.se/templates/tableOrChart____25890.asp |title=Preliminar Population Statistics 2006 |publisher=Statistiska centralbyrån |accessdate=2006-10-13}}</ref>
|population_estimate_rank = 85th
|population_estimate_year = 2006
|population_census = 8,587,353
|population_census_year = 1990
|population_density = 20
|population_densitymi² = 52
|population_density_rank = 185th
|GDP_PPP = $285.1 billion
|GDP_PPP_rank = 35th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2006
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $31,600
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 19th
|GDP_nominal = $371.5 ]
|GDP_nominal_rank = 20th
|GDP_nominal_year = 2006
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $42,694
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 9th
|sovereignty_type = ]
|sovereignty_note = prehistoric
|HDI = {{profit}} 0.951
|HDI_rank = 5th
|HDI_year = 2004
|HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font>
|currency = ]
|currency_code = SEK
|country_code = SWE
|time_zone = ]
|utc_offset = +1
|time_zone_DST = ]
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|cctld = ]<sup>c</sup>
|calling_code = 46
|footnotes = <sup>a</sup> {{lang|sv|''För Sverige - I tiden''}} has been adopted by Carl XVI Gustaf as his personal motto. Former king Gustaf VI Adolf's motto was {{lang|sv|''Plikten framför allt''}}, "Duty above all".<br /><sup>b</sup> The ] is the '']'' national language. Five other languages are officially recognized as minority languages.<br /><sup>c</sup> The ] domain is also used, as it is shared with other ] member states. The ] domain is another commonly used TLD ("nu" means "now" in Swedish).
}}

The '''Kingdom of Sweden''' (]: ''{{Audio|Sv-Konungariket_Sverige.ogg|Konungariket Sverige}}'') is a ] in ]. It is bordered by ] in the west, ] in the northeast, the ] Strait and the ] Strait in the southwest, and the ] and the ] in the east. It is connected to ] in the southwest by the ].

Sweden has a low ] except in its ], with most of the inland consisting of ]s. The country has large natural resources of water, timber, and iron ore. Its citizens enjoy a high standard of living in a country that is generally perceived as modern and ]. The Swedes share a tradition of ] like the ] (Denmark), ] and the ] as one of Europe's most innovative cultural epicenters in the development of sociopolitical liberal trends.{{fact}}

In the midst of the Middle Ages (1397), following the end of the ] (ca. 800-1100), Sweden became part of the ] together with ] and ] (] at this time was a part of the Swedish kingdom). Sweden left the union in the beginning of the 16th century, and more or less constantly battled its neighbours for many years, especially Russia and the still united ], which never completely accepted Sweden leaving the union. In the 17th century Sweden extended its territory through ] and became a ], twice its current size. By 1814 Sweden had lost its empire as well as Finland, previously an integral part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Since 1814, Sweden has been at peace, adopting a ] foreign policy in peacetime and ] in wartime.

Sweden has been a major European exporter of ], ] and ] since the ]. However, ] and ] allowed it to utilize natural assets from different parts of the country on a far larger scale, most notably ] and ]. Economic liberalization as well as universal schooling contributed to the rapid ], and by the 1890s the country had begun to develop an advanced manufacturing industry. In the 20th century, Sweden emerged as a ]; consequently, it usually ranks among the top countries in the ] or ''HDI''.

==History==
{{main|History of Sweden www.sweden4u.piczo.com}}

===Prehistory===
{{see|Prehistoric Sweden}}
].]]

The first population came to Sweden from the east. In the beginning the land was populated by Sami people (see ] and cultures). Generally we can see that soon after the end of the last ice age, Sweden became populated by ] ]s and then farmers during the ] (10 000 BC – 1700 BC). This was followed by the ] (1700 - 500 BC) and ] (500 BC - AD 1050). Societies in Sweden remained on the preliterate tribal and ] levels to the 1st millennium AD.
At this time a lot of people had access to this area. As the water was the best traveling connection, the new land of Sweden had many ancestors. The inhabitants of this time frame are people from all over surrounding areas. The country borders did not exist.

It is not known when and how the kingdom of Sweden was born.<ref name="sh">Hadenius, S; Nilsson, T and Åselius, G. (1996:13):
{|
|-
| &nbsp;
|Hur och när det svenska riket uppstod vet vi inte. Först under 1100-talet börjar skriftliga dokument produceras i Sverige i någon större uppfattning
| &nbsp;
|How and when the Swedish kingdom appeared is not known. It is not until the 12th century that written document begin to be produced in Sweden in any larger extent
|}</ref> Sweden was first mentioned in the 1st century, by Roman historian ], who wrote that the ] tribe lived out in the sea and were powerful in both arms and ships. Tacitus expressed concern that these Swedes might ally with neighboring tribes and cause trouble for the Roman Empire. This referred to the inhabitants of eastern Sweden: ], primarily around lake ]. From this tribe, Sweden derived its name (see ]). The southern parts, on the other hand, were inhabited by the ]s in the ] territory, and '']'' speaks of semi-legendary ] in the ] (600's AD). The northern part, ], was probably mostly populated by ].

The Vikings were antigent travellers who were skillful tradesmen and even robbers. During the ] of the 9th and 10th century (900's AD), ] travelled east, going to Finland, Baltic countries, and Russia, whose name probably comes from the ] name for these Vikings: ''Rus''. There are researchers who are having strong evidence for the name "Roslagen" being taken into the Finnish language as the country name "Ruotsi." The name "Ruotsi" has been latterly referred to word Ryssi (foreigners). Their routes passed the ] down south to ], now present-day ], ].

===Middle Ages===
{{further | ] and ]}}

], Medieval city in ]]]

With ] in the 11th century, the country became ]. In the 14th century Sweden, like the rest of Europe, was struck by the ] (the Plague), with all its effect.

During the ], Christianity came to Sweden from the south by Catholic monks and nuns. Christianity came from the east to Finland possibly via the Vikings. Sweden expanded towards the northern part of the country, Lappland. Finland was gradually incorporated in the kingdom of Sweden during the 12th and 13th centuries, and remained so until 1809.

In 1397, ], ] and Sweden were united under a single ] in a treaty known as the ]. After several wars and disputes between these nations, King ] (]) broke free from it in 1521 and established a nation state, considered the ]. Shortly afterwards he rejected ] and led Sweden to the ]. Gustav I is considered to be Sweden's "]".

=== The Emergence of a Great Power ===
{{see|Rise of Sweden as a Great Power|Swedish Empire|Sweden and the Great Northern War|Absolute Monarchy in Sweden|Sweden-Finland|Union between Sweden and Norway}}
] in 1658 (orange) overlaid by present day Sweden (red).]]

The 17th century saw ] as one of the ]s in Europe, because of successful participation, initiated by King ], in the ] and by ] in the ] of ]. During this time Sweden was a nation of some importance in northern Europe, but its overall standing was not comparable to that of Europe's leading nations. Sweden also acquired several mighty enemies and the great power status crumbled in the 18th century, after the ] (1700 - 1721). Finally in 1809 there was a shift of the rule. The part of the country that was once named ] (Eastern district) was left by Swedish forces in a battle 1809 in ] in Finland. Finland became an ] of ].

After Denmark was defeated in the ], Norway was ceded to Sweden in the ]. Norway had meanwhile declared itself independent and this led to the ], which was fought in 1814. It ended with the ], which forced Norway into a union with Sweden that was not dissolved until ]. The 1814 campaign also signified the last of the Swedish wars.

===Modern history===
{{see|Modernization of Sweden}}

The 18th and 19th centuries saw a significant population increase, which the writer ] in 1833 famously attributed to ''"the peace, the (]) ], and the ]"'',<ref>{{cite book
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors = Paul Robert Magocsi
| year = 1998
| title = Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples
| publisher = University of Minnesota Press
| location =
| pages = 1220
| id = ISBN 0-8020-2938-8
}}</ref> with the population doubling between 1750 and 1850. Many looked towards America for a better life, and although not affluent, many Swedes had sufficiently high incomes to be able to afford the boat tickets necessary to make the journey across the Atlantic. It is believed that between 1850 and 1910 more than one million Swedes moved to the ]. In the early 20th century, more Swedes lived in ] than in ] (Sweden's second largest city). Most Swedish immigrants moved to the Midwestern United States, with a large population in ]. Some Swedes also moved to ], and others in smaller numbers went to ] (see ]) but most of the Argentine Swedes "returned" to Sweden under easy immigration programs to admit foreigners of Swedish parentage, in the late 20th century. {{fact}}
Sweden was traditionally less developed than ] (though more affluent than much of Eastern and Southern Europe); industrialization began in earnest after 1870. During the late 19th century, Sweden was influenced by Protestant ]s, mainly of American origin. As a result of their intense propaganda, it is often claimed that alcohol consumption was unusually high in Sweden at this time.<ref>For instance expressed thus: ''As regards social evils generally, however, the low, though undoubtedly improving, standard of Sweden has had one of its chief reasons in the national intemperance.'' .</ref> However, there is no factual ground for believing that alcohol consumption was higher than in other comparable countries.

Strong grassroots movements sprung up during the latter half of the 19th century (unions, temperance groups, and independent religious groups). They were all based on democratic principles and built a strong base for Sweden's migration into a modern parliamentary democracy, achieved by the time of ]. As the ] progressed during the century, people gradually began moving into ] to work in ], and became involved in ] ]. A ] ] was avoided in 1917, following the re-introduction of ], and the country was ].

===Recent history===
{{see|Post-war Sweden}}

] during ] and ] as claimed by itself, although its neutrality during World War II has been highly debated. Sweden was forcibly under German influence for most of the war, as ties to the rest of the world were cut off through blockades. The Swedish government felt that it was in no position to openly disagree with Germany, but it did attempt to help the Allies in secret. Many refugees were saved partly because of Sweden's neutrality, among them many ]s from Nazi-occupied Europe. (''See further ]''). In the period between two world wars, Sweden welcomed "back" a small wave of Russian Swedes from ] and the ], descendants of settlers from ] went to Eastern Europe in the 12th century, were pushed out. (see ], a now-extinct ethnic group believed to have Gotlander or Scandinavian ancestors in the ]). {{fact}}

Following the war, Sweden took advantage of intact industrial base, social stability and its natural resources, making it possible to expand its industry to supply the rebuilding of Europe, leading it to be one of the richest countries in the world by 1960. Sweden was part of the ] but continued to stay non-aligned during the ], and is still not a member of any ]. During most of the post-war era, the country was governed by the ] (in ]: ''Socialdemokraterna'') and established a ], striving for a "well being for all"-policy. After the first three decades of the 20th century, Socialist principles lead to idealist policies to improve Sweden's quality from life once held as the least developed in Europe before World War I. By the ], Sweden had achieved one of Europe's highest living standards and this title continued well into the mid-20th century.

Sweden joined the ] in 1995. During the ], Europe's non-aligned Western countries, except Ireland, had considered membership unwise as the then European Community, although not involved in military co-operation, was strongly associated with NATO countries; following the end of the Cold War, Sweden, ] and ] joined. However, in a ] consultative referendum, Swedish citizens declined to adopt the ]. Sweden remains non-aligned militarily although it participates in some joint military exercises with ] (and other) countries (i.e. ] that Sweden had positive diplomatic relations with, and ], another pacifist oriented country) and has extensive cooperation with other European countries in the area of defence technology and defence industry. Sweden has a long history of participating in international military operations, including most recently, ], where Swedish troops are under NATO command, and in EU sponsored peace keeping operations in ], ], and ].

Sweden's economic performance worsened beginning in the ] followed by being hit in the ] embargos of ]-] and ]-]. ] Swedes began to organize in complaints on the mishaps of Socialist "welfare state" policies in the ]. Following a ] in the early ] as a result of the global economic slowdown, national measures were taken to liberalize the economy. Although the basis of the welfare state have been maintained a number of economic reforms have been implemented, including a reform of the pension system, privatization of state-owned companies and liberalization of markets. The economic situation has improved significantly since then with growth rates outpacing those of the "Eurozone". A country known for very low crime rates compared to other developed countries, esp. with the ] due to Sweden's inaccessibility to firearms and historic ] laws, Sweden has had two political murders in recent history: those of Prime Minister ] in ] that been a 25-year mystery to find the assassin, and foreign minister ] in ].

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Sweden}}
]]]
] in ]]]

At 449,964&nbsp;km² (173,720 square miles), Sweden is the 55th largest country in the world, the 3rd largest in Europe and the 1st largest in ]. The country is somewhat larger than the ] of ], and in 2006 it had a population of 9.1 million people.
] is the largest tract of unspoiled natural land in ]]]

East of Sweden lies the ] and the ], providing a long coastline, and mellowing the climate. To the west is the ] (Skanderna), a range that separates Sweden from ].

The southern part of the country is predominantly agricultural, with forests covering a larger percentage of the land the further north one goes. Population density is also higher in southern Sweden, with centres being in the valley of lake ] and the ] region.

] and ] are the largest ].

Sweden enjoys a mostly ] despite its northern ], mainly because of the ]. In the south of Sweden, leaf-bearing ]s are prolific, further north ]s, ]s and in the very north hardy ]es dominate the landscape. In the mountains of northern Sweden a sub-Arctic climate predominates. North of the ], the sun never sets for part of each summer, and in the winter, night is unending for a corresponding period.

==Administrative divisions==
===Counties===
{{main|Counties of Sweden}}

] from ] in northern ].]]

Sweden is divided into 21 ] or {{lang|sv|'']''}}. They are ],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
],
] and
].

Each has a ] or ''länsstyrelse'' (the first Swedish County Administrative Board was made up by the Swedish Prime minister Axel Oxenstierna in 1634), which is appointed by the Government. In each county there is also a separate ] or ''landsting'', which is the municipal representation appointed by the county electorate. Each county further divides into a number of ] or ''kommuner'', making a total of 290 municipalities, in 2004. There are also older historical divisions of Sweden, primarily into the 25 ] and three ]. These divisions are still significant.
{{clear}}

===Largest municipalities===
] ] in northern ].]]
] in southern ].]]

Denotes inhabitants in the ] (''kommun'') area. Area is in ]. The figures are as of March 31, 2006.<ref> from the ] website.</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-style="background: #efefef;"
!align=right| Rank
!align=left| Municipality
!align=right| Population
!align=right| Land Area
!align=right| Density
|-align=right
|1 ||align=left| ] || '''1 912 787''' || 187.74 || 4,124.91
|-align=right
|2 ||align=left| ] || '''489 425''' || 450.71 || 1,080.58
|-align=right
|3 ||align=left| ] || '''272,634''' || 155.56 || 1,752.60
|-align=right
|4 ||align=left| ] || '''183,911''' || 2,189.10 || 84.01
|-align=right
|5 ||align=left| ] || '''137,949''' || 1,435.80 || 96.08
|-align=right
|6 ||align=left| ] || '''132,344''' || 962.78 || 137.46
|-align=right
|7 ||align=left| ] || '''128,170''' || 1,380.11 || 92.87
|-align=right
|8 ||align=left| ] || '''124,729''' || 1,503.61 || 82.95
|-align=right
|9 ||align=left| ] || '''122,349''' || 346.25 || 353.35
|-align=right
|10 ||align=left| ] || '''121,229''' || 1,488.75 || 81.43
|-align=right
|11 ||align=left| ] || '''110,919''' || 2,331.39 || 47.58
|-align=right
|12 ||align=left| ] || '''102,452''' || 430.27 || 238.11
|-align=right
|13 ||align=left| ] || '''99,645''' || 915.22 || 108.88
|-align=right
|14 ||align=left| ] || '''94,121''' || 3,208.70 || 29.33
|-align=right
|15 ||align=left| ] || '''92,257''' || 1,615.07 || 57.12
|}
{{see|List of municipalities of Sweden by population}}

==Demographics==
{{details|Demographics of Sweden}}

Sweden has the world's highest ]. As of approximately ] ], the total population of Sweden for the first time exceeded 9,000,000, according to the ]. As of February 2006, the population was 9,060,430.<ref></ref> About 86.7% of the population is ]. The largest non-Swedish ethnic group are the Finns, who make up about 5% of the whole population and in the areas near the border to Finland 50% of the population. A big group that has immigrated is from former Yugoslavia and the Middle East. The original population of ] (a folk group living in 4 countries) is only about 20,000 persons. Approximately 77,500 of the nation's population is of ] ] ancestry. The majority of ''Afro-Swedes'' are immigrants who came for political refuge and economic opportunity, including ] whom fled from Communist rule in the ] and ], and ] fled the Somalian civil war during the ].

Sweden has been transformed from a nation of ] ending after ] to a nation of ] from ] onwards. Currently, almost 12% of the residents were born abroad, and about one fifth of Sweden's population are either immigrants or the children of immigrants. The largest immigrant groups are from ], Southern Europe (i.e. ], ], ], ] and ]), the ], the ] (i.e. "guest workers" from ]), a sizable community from the ] (], ] and ]) since the ] but these countries restored independence after the USSR collapsed in ]/]., and other ], in that order. This reflects the inter-Nordic migrations, earlier periods of labour immigration, and later decades of refugee and family immigration.

] intervention against the ] and the ] resulted in the first surges of intellectual ]s. Some ] deserters from the ] also found refuge among the Swedes, who in international politics took a clear stand against what they typically viewed as ] executed by both the Soviet Union and the United States. {{fact}}Following the ] in ], a large number of political refugees arrived in Sweden. Others came from ] countries like ] and ] following the rise of military dictatorships. Sweden has also taken in refugees from the Middle East: ], ], ], ] and ]. And some ] and ] immigration (], ], ], ]s and ] into Sweden should be noted.
The increase of Iraqi immigrants has been notable during the last years. {{fact}}

==Language==
{{details|Swedish language}}{{details|Languages of Sweden}}

Swedish is a ], related and very similar to ] and ], but differing in pronunciation and ]. The dominant language has always been Swedish and there has previously never been a political need to make it an ]. However, with the recognition of five ] (], ], ], ] and ]) on ], ], the issue of whether Swedish should be declared the official language was raised. On ] ], the parliament voted on this issue, but with a count of 147 to 145 because of voting errors by some members of parliament the proposal to make Swedish the official language failed.{{citation needed}} It was, however, strengthened as the principal language in that same proposal.

A majority of Swedes, especially those born after World War II, are able to understand and speak ] thanks to trade links, the popularity of overseas travel, a strong Anglo-American influence and the tradition of ] rather than dubbing foreign television shows and films. English became a compulsory subject for ] students studying ]s as early as 1849 and has
been a compulsory subject for all Swedish students since the late 1940s.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www3.lu.se/info/lum/LUM_07_99/01_engelska.html
| title = English spoken - fast ibland hellre än bra
| publisher = Lund University newsletter 7/1999
| language = Swedish
}}
</ref> Depending on the local school authorities, English is currently a compulsory subject from ] until ], and all students continuing in secondary school study English for at least another year. Most students also learn one and sometimes two additional languages; the most popular being ], ], ] and ]. Some ] and ] is, at times, also taught as part of the Swedish course taught to native speakers of Swedish to emphasize differences and similarities between the two languages.

==Politics==
<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->
{{morepolitics|country=Sweden}}
=== Political system ===
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, in which ] is head of state, but royal power has long been limited to official and ceremonial functions.

The nation's legislature is the Swedish Parliament (]), with 349 members. Parliamentary elections are held every four years, on the third Sunday of September.

Sweden has been a ] for almost a ], with its ] controlled by the ] (parliament). It consisted of ], made up by representatives from the 4 ]: ''clergy, ], townsmen'' and '']'', until 1866 when Sweden became a ] with a ] parliament. Its First Chamber was indirectly elected by ]s, and the Second Chamber directly elected in national elections every four years.

] building, Stockholm .]]
]

Legislative power was (symbolically) shared between king and parliament until 1975. In 1971 the Riksdag became ]. Constitutionally, the 349-member Riksdag holds supreme authority in Sweden, and its acts are not subject to compulsory ], although the review carried out by ''lagrådet'' (Law Council) is typically respected. Acts of the parliament must be made inapplicable at every level if they are obviously against constitutional laws.

Legislation may be initiated by the ] or by members of Parliament. Members are elected on the basis of ] for a four-year term. The ] can be altered by the Riksdag, which requires a ] and confirmation after the following general elections. Sweden has three other constitutional laws: the Act of Royal Succession, the Freedom of Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression.

Executive power was shared between the King and a noble ] until 1680, followed by the King's ] initiated by the common estates of the Parliament. As a reaction to the failed ], ] was introduced in 1719, followed by three different flavours of ] in 1772, 1789 and 1809, ] granting several civil liberties. The monarch remains as the formal, but merely symbolic ] with ] duties.

The ] has played a leading political role since 1917, after ]s had confirmed their strength and the ] left the party. After 1932, the ] have been dominated by the Social Democrats. Only four general elections (1976, 1979, 1991 and 2006) have given the centre-right bloc enough seats in Parliament to form a government. It is considered the reason for the Swedish post-war ],{{fact}} with government expenditure of slightly more than 50% of the ]. In the 2006 general election the Moderate Party, allied with the Centre Party, Liberal People's Party, and the Christian Democrats, with a common political platform, won a majority of the votes. Together they have formed a majority government under the leadership of the Moderate party's leader ].

The following political parties hold seats in the Riksdag (the most recent elections were held in September 2006; the next elections will be held in ]):
* ] (s, Social Democrats): 130 seats, 35.0% (2002: 39.8% of votes, 144 seats)
* ] (m, Moderates): 97 seats, 26.2% (2002: 15.2% of votes, 55 seats)
* ] (c, Centre Party): 29 seats, 7.9% (2002: 22 seats, 6.1% of votes)
* ] (fp, Liberal People's Party): 28 seats, 7.5% (2002: 13.3% of votes, 48 seats)
* ] (kd, Christian Democrats): 24 seats, 6.6% (2002: 33 seats, 9.1% of votes)
* ] (v, Left Party): 22 seats, 5.8% (2002: 28 seats, 8.3% of votes)
* ] (mp, Greens): 19 seats, 5.2% (2002: 17 seats, 4.6% of votes)
* Other parties (], Feministiskt initiativ, ], Junilistan, Sjukvårdspartiet) 5.7%

Sweden has a history of strong political involvement by ordinary people through its "popular movements" ("Folkrörelser" in Swedish), the most notable being ], the ], the ], and - more recently - the sports movement. Election turnout in Sweden has always been high in international comparisons, although it has declined in recent decades, and is currently around 80% (80.11 in ], 81.99 in ]).

Some Swedish political figures that have become known worldwide include ], ], ] former ] of the ], ], former Prime Minister, ] former Prime Minister and currently ], ] former President of the ] and ] former ] inspector in Iraq.

===Energy politics===
:''For more details on this topic, see: ]; ]''

The ] strengthened Sweden's commitment to decrease dependence on imported fossil fuels. Since then, electricity has been generated mostly from ] and nuclear power. Among other things, the accident of ] (]) prompted the ] to hold a ] on nuclear power. The referendum led to a decision that no further nuclear power plants should be built and that a ] should be completed by 2010. ], the use of ] amounted to 26% of the energy supply in Sweden, most important being ] and, on a far smaller scale, ]. In 2003, electricity from hydropower accounted for 53 ] and 40% of the country's production of ] with nuclear power delivering 65 TWh (49%). At the same time, the use of ]s, ] etc. produced 13 TWh of electricity.<ref></ref>

In March 2005, an opinion poll showed that 83% supported maintaining or increasing nuclear power.<ref></ref> Since then however, reports about radioactive leakages at a nuclear waste store in Forsmark, Sweden, have been published.<ref></ref> This does not seem to have changed the public support of continued use of nuclear power.

Sweden decided to phase out ] before 2020, although it is very unlikely that this will happen.{{fact}}

===Foreign policy===
Throughout the 20th century, ] was based on the principle of ] in peacetime and ] in wartime.

Sweden has been known as one of, if not the most, diplomatically ] state during times of war. Dating back to ] Sweden did not favour any one side. This has been disputed by many since in effect Sweden allowed the Nazi regime to use its railroad system to transport troops and goods, especially iron ore from the rich mines in northern Sweden, something the German war machine was in desperate need of. This also carries on to ] era politics in which Sweden was not under the ] and received only minimal aid from the ] and remained neutral for quite some time. Sweden was also known to be the first western nation to detect unusually high ] levels in the atmosphere, which later was confirmed to have been the residual nuclear fallout from the ] accident.

During the early Cold War era, Sweden combined its policy of non-alignment with a low profile in international affairs. At the same time, the country maintained relatively close informal connections with the Western bloc, especially in the realm of intelligence exchange. In 1952 a Swedish ] was ] over the Baltic sea by a Soviet Fighter. Later investigations revealed that the plane was actually gathering information for ]. Another plane, a ] ] craft, was sent out a few days later and shot down by the Soviets as well.

Beginning in the late 1960s, Sweden for a period attempted to play a more significant and independent role in international relations. This involved significant activity in international peace efforts, especially through the ], and in support to the ]. Since the murder of ] in 1986 and the end of the Cold War, this has been significantly toned down, although Sweden is still comparatively active in peace keeping missions and maintains a generous foreign aid budget.

In 1981 a Soviet ] ran aground close to the Swedish naval base at ] in the southern part of the country. It has never been clearly established whether the submarine ended up on the shoals through a navigational mistake or if it was a matter of ] against Swedish military potential. The incident triggered a diplomatic crisis between Sweden and the Soviet Union.

Since 1995 Sweden has been a member of the ], and as a consequence of a new world security situation the country's foreign policy doctrine has been partly modified, with Sweden playing a more active role in European security co-operation as well.

==Military==
{{main|Swedish Armed Forces}}
The '''Swedish Armed Forces''' (Swedish: ''Försvarsmakten'') is a Government agency responsible for the peacetime operation of the armed forces of Sweden. The primary task of the agency is to train and deploy peace support forces abroad, while maintaining the long-term ability to refocus on the defense of the country in the event of war. The Armed Forces is branched into Army, Air Force and Navy. As a Government agency, it reports to the Swedish Ministry of Defence. The head of armed forces is the Commander-in-Chief of the Swedish Armed Forces (Överbefälhavaren, ÖB), beside the Sovereign the most senior officer in the country.

Sweden's military is built on conscription, and until the end of the Cold War nearly all males reaching the age of military service were conscripted. In recent years, the number of conscripted males has reduced dramatically, while the number of female volunteers has increased slightly. Recruitment has generally shifted towards finding the most motivated recruits, rather than solely on the otherwise most fit for service. All soldiers serving abroad are by law required to be volunteers. In 1975 the total number of conscripts was 45,000. By 2003 it was down to 15,000. After the Defense Proposition 2004, the number of troops in training will decrease even more to between 5,000 and 10,000 each year, which emphasizes the need to recruit only the soldiers later prepared to volunteer for international service.

During the years Swedish units have taken part in peacekeeping operations, in ], ], ], ] and ].

Currently, one of the most important tasks for the Swedish Armed Forces is to form a Swedish-led EU Battle Group to which Norway, Finland and Estonia will also contribute. The ] (NBG) is to have a 10-day deployment readiness during the first half of 2008.

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Sweden}}
] (GRP) per capita in thousands of crowns (2004)]]
Sweden is an export oriented market economy featuring a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labour force. ], ], and ] constitute the resource base of an ] heavily oriented toward ]. The engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Telecommunications, the automotive industry and the pharmaceutical industries are of great importance. ] accounts for 2% of ] and employment.

Sweden's industry is overwhelmingly in private control; unlike some other industrialized Western countries, such as Austria and Italy, publicly owned enterprises were always of minor importance. 80% of the workforce is organized through the trade-unions which have the right to elect two representatives to the board in all Swedish companies with more than 25 employees.<ref>http://www.samhallsguiden.riksdagen.se/sg-295.asp#P1687_231108</ref>

The Swedish ] - founded in 1668 and thus making it the oldest central bank in the world - is focusing on price stability with its inflation target of 2%. Growth is expected to reach 3.3% in 2006. High taxes have however ensured a higher degree of government influence on household consumption decisions than in most other Western nations. Public sector spending amounts to 53% of the GDP; the high figure primarily reflects the large transfer payments of the Swedish welfare state. <!-- Note that it is wrong to say that public sector spending contributes 53% to GDP, as much of that is transfer payments -->

Swedish unemployment figures are highly contested, with the Social-Democrats defending the official figure of 5.4% (as of 2006) and the centre-right ] claiming a much higher figure. These numbers do not, however, include unemployed people in government programmes (about 2% of the workforce), people on extended sick-leave, those in early retirement or those outside the unemployment system. Unemployment is higher amongst younger people. Many Swedes work abroad in ], ] and even the ], where they are desired and viewed as a skilled workforce. Because of the contradiction - unemployment and a growing commercial enterprise economy, politicians and analysts often speak of the "jobless growth".

Sweden is known for having an even distribution of income, with a ] at 0.21 in 2001 (one of the most even income distributions in the industrialized world). However Sweden still bears scars from the economic crisis in the 1990s, induced by a glitch in the economic system and poor leadership. The crisis resulted in thousands of people unemployed and a great national debt. Two remnants of the event are the great ] ] in the country (Sweden's class divisions had eventually increased in the late 20th century, with semi-educated immigrants, low-income refugees and "guest workers" the most affected), and the ] of approximately 1,245 billion ] (approx. €133 million , 09.2006).<ref>(2006).</ref>

==Welfare state==
{{see|Swedish welfare}}
], the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Sweden]]

In recent years, economic liberalization has ensured that Sweden is now more similar to other European countries with comparatively high tax rates. However, some still claim that the ] is mid-way between ] and ]. The Swedish "welfare state" model of the 20th century is an example (some economists and socialists said) on effective use of national taxes, but the Swedish middle class are said to benefit less from getting back their taxes' worth in the country's once highly-ranked ] programs that even surpassed that of the ] in the ]. The Swedish welfare system remains extensive, but a recession in the ] forced an introduction of a number of reforms, such as ]s in ] and decentralization of some types of healthcare services to municipal control.<ref></ref>

Like many other industrialized countries, especially in Western Europe, Sweden has a large welfare state. However, it is more extensive in Sweden, compared with other countries. The state provides for tax-funded childcare, parental leave, a ceiling on health care costs, tax-funded education (all levels up to, and including university), retirement pensions, tax-funded dental care up to 20 years of age and ] (partly paid by the employer). Parents are entitled to a total of 480 days partly paid leave between birth and the child's eighth birthday, with 60 days reserved specifically for each parent, in effect providing the father with two so-called "daddy-months". In addition, the ceiling on health care costs makes it easier, relative to other nations, for Swedish workers to take time off for medical reasons.

The welfare state requires high taxes. Since the late 1960s, Sweden has had the highest tax quota (as percentage of GDP) in the industrialized world, but today the difference is only a couple of percentage points of GDP above that of other high-tax countries such as France, Belgium and Denmark. Sweden has a two step ] scale with a municipal income tax of about 30% and an additional high-income state tax of 20-25% when a salary exceeds roughly 300 000 SEK per year. The employing company pays an additional 32% of an "employer's fee". In addition, a national ] of 25% or 18% is added to many things bought by private citizens, with the exception of food (12% VAT), transportation, and books (6% VAT). Certain items are taxed at higher rates, e.g. petrol/diesel and alcoholic beverages.

==Education==
{{main|Education in Sweden}}

As part of its social welfare system, Sweden provides an extensive ] system that guarantees a place for all young children from 1-5 years old in a public day-care facility (''förskola'' or ''dagis''). Between ages 6-16, children attend compulsory comprehensive school, divided in three stages. After completing the ninth grade, 90% continue with a three-year upper secondary school (''gymnasium'') leading sometimes to a vocational diploma and often to qualifications for further studies at a ]. Both upper secondary school and university studies are financed by taxes. Some Swedes go straight to work after secondary school.

==Religion==
{{main|Church of Sweden}}

Before the 11th century, people of Sweden adhered to ], worshiping ] gods, with its centre at the ]. With ] in the 11th century, the laws of the country were changed, forbidding worship of other deities lasted until the late 19th century. However, ancient paganism has slowly but subsquentially returned in Swedish life by forms of ] during the "pagan revival" of Europe in the 20th century. Today according to some Swedish demographers, ] claims over 100,000 adherents in the ] rite, another 100,000 in ] sects and 50,000 in other Viking-based faiths have ], ], ] or ] theology. Sweden is behind ] and ] in percentage and the number of European neopagans, but they represent a tiny segment of the Swedish population. {{citation needed}}

After the ] in the 1530s the Church and State were separated, abolishing the authority of the Roman Catholic bishops, and in the long run allowed only ] to prevail. This process was not completed until the ]. During the era following the Reformation, usually known as the period of ], in the 17th century, small groups of non-Lutherans, especially ] ], the ] and ]s or ] from ], played a significant role in trade and industry, were quietly tolerated as long as they kept a low religious profile. The ] originally had their own shamanistic religion, but they were converted to Lutheranism by Swedish missionaries in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Not until liberalization in the late 18th century, were believers of other faiths, including ] and ], allowed to openly live and work in Sweden, although it remained ] until 1860 for Lutheran Swedes to convert to another religion. The 19th century saw the arrival of various ] ]es, and, towards the end of the century ] began attracting attention, leading people to distance themselves from Church rituals. Leaving the ] became legal with the so-called dissenter law of ], but only under the provision of entering another denomination. The right to stand outside any religious denomination was established in the Law on ] in ].

Today about 78% of Swedes belong to the Church of Sweden, but the number is decreasing by about one per cent every year, and Church of Sweden services are sparsely attended (hovering in the single digit percentages of the population).<ref>, </ref> The reason for the large number of inactive members is that until 1996, all children became members automatically at birth, if at least one of their parents were a member. Since 1996, all children that are baptised become members. Some 275,000 Swedes are today members of various free churches (where congregation attendance is much higher), and, in addition, ] has meant that there are now some 92,000 ] and 100,000 ] living in Sweden.<ref></ref> Due to ], Sweden also has a significant ] population. As many as 500,000 are Muslims by tradition<ref></ref> and between 80,000 - 400,000 of these are practicing Muslims. ''(See also ])''

According to the most recent Eurostat "Eurobarometer" poll, in 2005,<ref> (] format)</ref> 23% of Swedish citizens responded that "they believe there is a god", whereas 53% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 23% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force". Sweden ranks aside with ] and ] on having a large minority of its citizens who have ], despite recent trends of new and renewed religious practices in the country.

==Culture==
].]]
] skyscraper in ], is 190 metres tall and is the highest ] in Sweden and the second-highest residential one in ].]]
Swedish authors of worldwide recognition include ], ] (the father of botany), ], ], ], ], ] and ], the author of the ] books.

Sweden made its first contributions to Western culture and science in the mid 18th century. The nation's most well-known artists are painters ], ], and ], and the sculptors ] and ].

Some well-known inventions and discoveries, historical and modern, were made by Swedes. Some notable figures are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ].

Swedish 20th century culture is noted by pioneering works in the early days of ], with ] and ]. In the 1920s&ndash;1980s, the filmmakers ] and ] received ], and actresses ], ], ], ], ], and ] made careers abroad. The actors ], ], ] and ] are also worth mentioning. More recently, the films of ] and ] have received international recognition.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s Sweden was perceived as an international leader in what is now referred to as the "]",{{citation needed}} with gender equality particularly promoted.{{citation needed}} At the present time, the number of single people is one of the highest in the world. The early Swedish film ] (1967) reflected a liberal view of sexuality, including scenes of love making that caught international attention, and introduced the concept of the "Swedish sin". However, Sweden was at that time not as sexually liberal as people believed. Sweden has also become, in recent decades, fairly liberal regarding homosexuality, as is reflected in the popular acceptance of films such as '']'' (In English: ''Show Me Love''), and the popular writer ], among others. In Sweden many gay and lesbian celebrities live openly without causing a stir, much as in many other Western countries. In the absence of legislation on same-sex marriages, Sweden has a civil union for same sex couples ("registered partnership").

===Music===
{{see|Music of Sweden}}

Sweden has a rich musical tradition, ranging from medieval folk ballads to ]. The music of the pre-Christian Norse has been lost to history, although there have been historical attempts to recreate how it could have sounded based on instruments found in Viking sites. Instruments used were the ], simple string instruments, wooden flutes and drums. It is possible that the Viking musical legacy lives on in some of the old ], but Sweden and neighboring ] are mostly Christian countries doesn't indicate the rising interest of Viking or Germanic neo-pagan religious elements in 21st century ] culture.

], ], ], ], ], and ] are among Sweden's great classical composers. The best-known ] singers are the 19th century ] ] and the 20th century ] ], who had great success abroad. Björling is considered by many to be the epitome of a great tenor. Also ]s ], ], and ] ], ] ] and the contemporary ] ] have become known in the world of opera. ], ], ] are all popular modern troubadours, considered to be classics in Swedish music.

In the world of ], ] achieved international renown, both as a singer and as an actress. Other names worth mentioning are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Some Swedish easy listening/contemporary groups and artists who are not as well-known internationally but are recognized in Sweden include ], ], ], ], ], and ].

Sweden also has a significant ] scene, both in the traditional style as well as more modern interpretations which often mix in elements of rock and jazz. ] is more of a traditionalist group, using a unique traditional Swedish instrument called the ] while ], ], and ] have more modern elements. ] is a popular folk musician. There is also ] music, called the ], which is actually a type of chant which is part of the traditional Saami animistic spirituality but has gained recognition in the international world of folk music as well. Sweden has a major market for ] and ] or ] aware music, as well a large portion of pop and rock music have ] and ] political messages, a testiment to Sweden's tradition of free expression.

] is without a doubt the most well-known popular music group from Sweden, and the only one that ranks among the most well-known in the world. ] were ], ], ], and ], and whose first name initials create the palindrome "ABBA." With ], Sweden entered into a new era, in which Swedish pop music gained international prominence. Sweden is, after the US and the UK, the largest exporter of pop and rock music in the world. {{fact}} ]-members ] and ] have been very successful in musical theatre, with their international hit ], as well as ], and ], which was a huge success in Sweden. An English version is expected to hit Broadway in ].

Some of the most successful post-ABBA popular music artists from Sweden are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and guitarist ]. A number of bands with less emphasis on pop music have come out of the country in recent years, including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ],], ], ], ] and ] of ]. Such has been the success of music abroad that clubs specializing in Swedish music have sprung up in major cities like, Berlin, Barcelona and London where the likes of the Monthly Swedish Music club is produced.

In underground circles, Sweden is known for a large number of ] (mostly ] and ]), as well as ] bands. Prominent metal acts include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Successful progressive/psychedelic acts are for example Bo Hansson, Dungen, Anekdoten, Morte Macabre, Paatos, Trettioåriga Kriget and Mecki Mark Men, and the controversial ] "grindcore"/] band ] had a greater audience in Sweden than in the US, since back in the country where many rock fans find the song's subject matter as ].

In the ], the band ] is still active since the late 1980s. Sweden is also responsible for the Swechno scene, offering a distinct house and techno sound, of which artists like ] is famous. More recently, the so-called Swedish House Mafia including ], Sebastian Ingrosso, ], and ] have topped the house music charts and DJ top 10s around the world. Also worth mentioning are ] and his punk band ]. Sweden is also home to several influential ] and ] bands, such as ], ], ] and landmark post-hardcore band ]. In 2005, ] has become popular with his eurodance songs, mostly about computer games. Sweden is also known in the hardcore world for more aggressive bands like ], ], ], and ]. In the 1990s, ] was a folk-techno band known to sing both ], Viking/old Swedish and ] lyrics nearly rival that of German techno-rock band ], but the two bands openly oppose ] and ].

But in Sweden and neighboring Norway, the countries are crucial centers of controversial rock music genres: ], ], and ] techno-rock movements since the ] and ], tests the limits of freedom of expression in a "liberal" country like Sweden that does have staunch anti-] laws. Many Swedish and other European anti-"shock rock" activists dislike the bands' messages on teens and young adults, and undoubtedly, most Swedes usually don't tolerate songs glorifying ], ] and ]; and some radical kinds, like ] combines Norse/Viking pagan with ] or ] lyrics, also their songs are about subjects contain excessive ] or ]; ], ] and ]-wing lyrics. {{citation needed}}

===Media===
{{details|Media in Sweden}}

Swedes are among the greatest consumers of ]s in the world, and nearly every town is served by a local paper. The country's main quality morning papers are ] (liberal), ] (liberal), ] (conservative) and ] (liberal). The two largest evening ]s are ] (social democratic) and ] (centrist). The ad-financed, free international morning paper, ], was originally founded in Stockholm, Sweden. The country's news is reported in English by, among others, ] (liberal).

For many years Swedish ] consisted solely of the two channels broadcast by the public service company ], which, as in most other European countries, is financed through a ]. In 1987 the first commercial Scandinavian channel, ], started transmitting from London, and today there are five free broadcast channels in the ], which is currently switching from ] to ], However, most Swedes have access to numerous other free or pay channels through ] or ].

===Holidays===
{{details|Holidays in Sweden}}

].]]

Apart from traditional Protestant ], Sweden also celebrates some unique holidays, some of a pre-Christian tradition. They include ], celebrating the summer ]; ] on ] lighting bonfires; ] on ] is dedicated to socialist demonstrations; and ], the day of ] the lightgiver. ] is ] and as of 2005 a public holiday. Furthermore, there are ] observances and a ] calendar. In August many Swedes have kräftskivor (crayfish dinner parties). More regional variants are the surströmming parties in Northern Sweden (surströmming is a type of fermented fish), and ålagillen (eel parties) in ]. The ], one of Sweden's indigenous minorities, have their holiday on ].

===Cuisine===
{{main|Swedish cuisine}}

Swedish cuisine, like that of the other ]n countries (] and ]), is traditionally simple. ], ] and ] play prominent roles. Spices are sparse. Famous dishes include Swedish meatballs (köttbullar — traditionally served with gravy, boiled potatoes and ]), plättar (Swedish pancakes, served with jam), ], the smörgås (open-faced sandwich), and the famous ']' or lavish buffet. Aquavit, or akvavit, is a popular celebratory alcoholic drink made with potatoes and herbs such as caraway seeds.

==Public health==
Sweden ranks in the top five countries with respect to ]. It also ranks high in life expectancy and in safe ]. Healthcare in Sweden is viewed as very developed. The ] of ], the ] in ], and the ] in ] are examples of world-class hospitals in Sweden.

==Sports==
{{main|Sport in Sweden}}

Sport activities are a national movement with half of the population actively participating, much thanks to the heavy government subsidies of sport associations ("föreningsstöd"). The two main spectator sports are ] and ]. Some notable Swedish football stars include ], ], ] and ]. Swedish hockey players have often been regarded as some of the best in their sport. Famous Swedish hockey players include: ], ] "Honken", ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].
Second to football, ] have the highest number of practitioners, mostly women. Thereafter follow ], ], and the ]s of ], ], ] and ]. American sports such as ] and ] are also practiced but have no widespread popularity.

Successful ] players include former world No. 1's ], ] and ]; in ] sports, ], ] and ] have all had dominating periods in ], as have ], ], ], ] and ] in ] skiing. In ], ] revolutionized the sport with his new technique, the V-style.

A number of Swedes have been internationally successful in ]. In the 1940s runner ] dominated ]. In recent years, stars include ]ers such as the European record holder ], ], and Athens Olympic gold medalist ]. Two other Swedish athletes won gold medals in the ]: ] ] and ]er ].

Other famous Swedish athletes include the ] ] champion ], ]ers ], ] and ],former five times World ] Champion ], the World Speedway Champion ] and ] a player who has been voted as the ] Player of the Century.

Professional ] include ], ], and Tony Magnuson. In schools, on meadows and in parks, the game ], a sport similar to ], is commonly played for fun. Other leisure sports are the historical game of ] and ] among the older generation.

Sweden hosted the ] and the ] in ]. Other big sports events held here include ], ], and several championships of ], ], ] and ].

==International rankings==
* Amnesty Report 2005
* - ] per capita
**2005: 19th of 232 countries
*]: (] file)
**Mothers' index rank: 1st of 119 countries
**Women's index rank: 1st of 119 countries
**Children's index rank: 10th of 119 countries
**]: 4th of 226 countries
**% seats in the national government held by women: 50% (highest)
*] ] (2006)
** 5th of 177 countries
*] Global Competitiveness Report (2006-2007)
** 3rd <!-- 5.72 --> of 125 countries
* ] world-wide press freedom index 2006:
**8th of 168 countries
*] Intelligence Unit's (] file):
**1st of 167 countries
*] Intelligence Unit's (] file):
**5th of 111 countries
*'s list by economic importance:
**19th of 25 countries
*'s list by technological achievement:
**4th of 68 countries
*]'s European rankings on protection of civil liberties:
**24th of 25 countries (second last)

==See also==
{{portal|Sweden|Flag of Sweden.svg}}
{{sisterlinks|Sweden}}
{{wikiatlas|Sweden}}
*] (Right of public access to the wilderness)
*]
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==Notes==
<!-- ----------------------------------------------------------
See http://en.wikipedia.org/Wikipedia:Footnotes for a
discussion of different citation methods and how to generate
footnotes using the<ref>, </ref> and <reference /> tags
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<div class="references-small">
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==References==
*
*] -
*] -

==External links==
*{{wikitravel|Sweden}}
* - Official website of the Swedish Royal House
*
* - Official travel and tourism website for Sweden
* - The Official Gateway to Sweden
* - Sweden's news in English, commercial
* - Public service
* - Official site
* - Official guide to studying in Sweden
* - Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (governmental)
* - EH.Net Encyclopedia

{{Sweden_ties}}
{{Europe}}
{{Baltic}}
{{EU members}}
{{Nordic Council|Nordic countries}}
{{Monarchies}}
{{Germanic Europe}}

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Revision as of 19:58, 5 February 2007

Okay let me tell u the real story of Sweden cuz all dis stuff on here is not true. To let u all know I am part Swedish so hey. Sorry for my use og grammar dis is how I type unless it is an homework assignment or project that is due buy n wayz. Sweden is a country ni bigger than the U.S. state California. So That's all folks