Facts about Sweden

Land & people

Area: 450,000 sq km
Capital: Stockholm
Population (November 2006 est.): 9.1 million
Languages: Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Per capita GDP (2006 est.): $31,600

Largest of the Scandinavian countries, Sweden in Northern Europe borders Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark via the bridge of Öresund (Öresundsbron). The country is surrounded by Norway (west), Finland (northeast), the Skagerrak, Kattegat and Oresund straits (southwest) and the Baltic Sea (east). Sweden lies west of the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Bothnia, providing a long coastline. To the west is the Scandinavian mountain chain (Skanderna), a range that separates Sweden from Norway.

Sweden has three main regions. Norrland, covering about three-fifths of the country, is mountainous and has vast forests and large ore deposits. Svealand has undulating glacial ridges and contains most of the country's 90,000 lakes. Götaland comprises the stony Småland highlands and the rich Skåne plains.

About 15 per cent of Sweden lies north of the Arctic Circle. Southern Sweden is predominantly agricultural, with increasing forest coverage northward. The highest population density is in the Öresund region in southern Sweden, and in the valley of lake Mälaren in central Sweden.
Gotland and Öland are Sweden's largest islands, and Vänern and Vättern, its largest lakes.

The country's administrative divisions include 21 counties: Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens, Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, and Vastra Gotalands.

Useful addresses

Embassy of Sweden,
P.O. Box 31867, Abu Dhabi.
Tel: 02-6210162;
Fax: 02-6394941

Swedish Business Council,
P.O. Box 25906, Dubai.
Tel: 04-3371410;
Fax: 04-3376343;
E-mail: sbc@swedchamb.ae

Visit Sweden, Box 90, SE- 881 22 Sollefteå, Sweden.
E-mail: info@swetourism.se

Passports/visas

A valid passport entitles EU and North American citizens to a three-month stay in Sweden. For further information on entry requirements, check with the nearest Swedish diplomatic representative office.

Credit cards/cash

Major credit cards are widely accepted. Most shops and restaurants require an identity card while paying with credit card.

When to go

The climate of Sweden varies from the north to the south. While the north has cool summers with cold, snowy winters, the south has warm sunny summers with lots of rain. June to August is ideal to visit the country when most of the country's attractions, including open-air museums, are open and thousands flock to the north of Sweden to enjoy the midnight sun.

Shopping

Best buys include high-quality cutlery, china, sports equipment, textiles, handicrafts, furs, crystal, jewellery, silver, fine glassware, pottery, furniture, quality cars and mobile phones. Look for the special signs indicating sales — 'REA' indicates a sale; 'Extrapris', used along with red price labels, indicates discounts of at least 10 per cent; and 'Fynd' indicates special offers.