Language: Swedish
Calling code: 46
Currency: Swedish krone (SEK)
The Kingdom of Sweden is a parliamentary monarchy
in Northern Europe. The national territory covers the eastern part
of the Scandinavian peninsula and the islands Gotland and Öland .
Sweden is a member of the Nordic Council and since 1995 the European
Union , but not a member of NATO and militarily non- aligned.
Sweden borders the Kattegat , the states of Norway and Finland,
as well as the Baltic Sea . Since the opening of the Öresund Bridge
in 2000, there is also a direct land connection to Denmark . Sweden
has about 221,800 islands, Gotland (2994 km²) and Öland (1347 km²,
both in the Baltic Sea) and Orust (346 km², north of Gothenburg )
are the three largest. The longest extension from north to south is
1572 km, from east to west 499 km. The land border with Norway is
1619 km long, that of Finland 586 km.
While large parts of
the country are flat to hilly, along the Norwegian border, the
massifs of the Skanden rise to over 2000 m altitude. The highest
peak is the Kebnekaise with about 2,100 m. There are 30 national
parks spread over the country . The largest in terms of area are in
the northwest of the country.
Stockholm
Bohuslän
Dalarna
Lapland
Norrbotten County
Oland
Östergötland
Skåne
Småland
Västergötland
The name of the country comes from the Old Norse words svea and rige
- "the state of the Svei".
The official Swedish heraldry is the
yellow and blue flag, the national symbol "Three Crowns", the national
anthem, and the coat of arms in two versions: large and small. The
oldest images of a blue flag with a yellow cross that have survived to
this day date back to the 16th century. The very symbol of the yellow
cross in the Swedish army has been applied to banners and standards
since time immemorial. It is based on the outlines of the ancient coat
of arms of the kingdom with a blue background, divided into four parts
by a golden cross. The sign of the "three crowns" has been used as the
state emblem of Sweden since at least 1336, but long before that it was
known to Europeans as a symbol of the "Three Wise Kings".
Since
1916, the Swedish Flag Day has appeared in the Swedish calendar - June
6th. In 1983, it was renamed the National Day of Sweden, and in 2004 it
was proclaimed a public holiday and a day off. The date was chosen
immediately for two reasons: on June 6, 1523, the first Swedish king,
Gustav Vasa, ascended the throne, and on the same day in 1809, the
country adopted a new Constitution that granted citizens civil liberties
and rights.
The national anthem of Sweden is "Du Gamla, Du Fria"
("You are ancient, you are free"). Its text was composed by the
ballad-author, folklorist Richard Dübeck (1811–1877), and its musical
basis was a mid-19th-century folk tune from the province of Westmanland
in central Sweden. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, this
ballad gained such popularity that it was declared the national anthem
of Sweden.
Geographical position
Sweden is a country in
Northern Europe, located in the eastern and southern part of the
Scandinavian Peninsula. In terms of area (447,435 km²), Sweden ranks
third among the countries of Western Europe and fifth among the
countries of all of Europe. In the west, Sweden borders on Norway
(the length of the border is 1619 km), in the northeast - on Finland
(614 km). From the east and south it is washed by the waters of the
Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia, in the southwest by the Kattegat
and Skagerrak straits. The total length of the borders is 2233 km.
In the south, the Øresund, Kattegat and Skagerrak straits separate
Sweden from Denmark. Sweden consists of two large islands in the
Baltic - Gotland and Öland.
Despite being located in northern
latitudes, Sweden has a temperate climate, mainly due to the Gulf
Stream[9]. The northern, western and eastern regions of Sweden are
protected from the Atlantic winds by the Scandinavian mountains, so
winters here are colder relative to Norway, and summers are short.
The average January temperature is around -14°C, and in some areas
up to -16°C. In summer, the average temperature is +17°C. In the
southwest of Sweden from Gothenburg to Malmö and on the islands in
the Baltic, climate conditions are moderated by warm Atlantic winds.
Winters are warmer here, and summers are longer, but rainy.
In the northern parts, taiga forests (pine, spruce, birch, and
aspen) predominate; to the south, mixed coniferous-broad-leaved
forests; and in the extreme south, broad-leaved forests (oak and
beech). The subarctic climate dominates in the northern mountainous
regions. Part of the country is located beyond the Arctic Circle,
where the sun does not set at night in the summer, and the polar
night sets in in winter. The waters of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf
of Bothnia soften the climate even more in the eastern parts.
Sweden is characterized by hilly moraine landscapes, podzolic
soils, which are characterized by strong rockiness, low thickness,
the predominance of sandy and gravel varieties, high acidity, as
well as coniferous forests. Arable land occupies 8%. Most of the
country is covered with forests (53%). Taiga forests predominate on
podzolic soils, forming large massifs north of 60°N. sh. and
consisting mainly of pine and spruce, with an admixture of birch,
aspen and other hardwoods. To the south - mixed
coniferous-broad-leaved forests on soddy-podzolic soils, and on the
Skåne peninsula - broad-leaved forests of oak and beech on brown
forest soils. In the north, vast areas are occupied by the tundra
zone of Swedish Lapland. The coastline is heavily indented and
replete with skerries and island groups. The length of the coastline
is 3218 km.
Relief
On the territory of Sweden, two large
natural regions can be distinguished - northern and southern. The
relief in the north and west is dominated by plateaus and mountains,
the Scandinavian mountains stretch along the border with Norway,
where the highest mountain Kebnekaise has a height of 2126 m.
Between the Scandinavian mountains and the Gulf of Bothnia of the
Baltic Sea lie the Norland plateau, the Central Swedish lowland and
the Småland upland. The southern peninsula of Skåne is flat.
Average temperature level +12.7°С
Since the
territory of Sweden has a significant extent in the submeridional
direction, it is much colder in the north of the country and the growing
season is much shorter than in the south. Accordingly, the length of day
and night also differs. However, in general, Sweden is characterized by
a greater frequency of sunny and dry weather compared to many other
countries in Northwest Europe, especially in winter. In the mainland of
Sweden, the climate is temperate, heavily influenced by the Gulf Stream.
The average temperature in January is from -16°C in the north to +1°C in
the southwest, in July - from +2°C in the mountains to 17-18°C in the
south of the country. The absolute minimum temperature was recorded in
Laxbacken (−53.3°C). At the same time, this is the lowest temperature on
the territory of foreign Europe (the absolute minimum temperature in
Europe, equal to −58.1 ° C, was recorded in Russia). A close temperature
equal to −52.6°C was also observed in Vuoggachalm. The absolute maximum
was recorded in Mollilla and Ultuna and amounted to +38°C.
Geologically, most of Sweden is located within the
Baltic Shield, composed of ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks,
mostly granite.
The mining industry is represented by the mining
and enrichment of iron ore (share in world production - 2%, reserves -
3.4 billion tons), copper (1.2%, reserves - 1.6 million tons), lead
(3.8%, reserves - 2.3 million tons), zinc (3.7%, 2.4 million tons) and
sulfide ores. Sweden is the main exporter of iron ore in Europe. The
largest deposits of iron ore are located in northern Sweden (Kiruna,
Gällivare, Boitiken, etc.). Uranium, pyrite, gold, silver, tungsten,
arsenic, feldspar, graphite, limestone, quartz, sulfur, manganese, rare
elements and fluorite, as well as minerals are also mined. The raw
material potential of Sweden is quite large, it almost completely
provides its own production with the main types of raw materials, as
well as its export, but many deposits are difficult to develop. In
Sweden, special legislation has been developed in this regard, which
reduces the risk of misallocation of resources. The mining industry in
Sweden is well developed, but there are still many unexplored deposits,
and there is potential for exploration for many minerals.
About 10% of the country's area is occupied by lakes. The largest of them - Vänern (5545 km²) and Vättern (1898 km²) - are located in the south of the country. The rivers that carry their waters to the Baltic Sea and the Kattegat Strait are turbulent and rapids and have significant hydropower potential.
Mammals in Sweden are not very diverse (about 70
species), but there are many of them. In the north of Lapland you can
see herds of reindeer. Moose, roe deer, squirrels, hares, foxes, martens
are found in the forests, in the northern taiga - lynxes, wolverines,
brown bears. Muskrat and American mink were introduced from North
America several decades ago, but some individuals escaped and managed to
form viable populations in nature, which quickly spread throughout the
country (with the exception of the far north and some islands) and
displaced a number of local animal species from their ecological niches.
There are about 340 species of birds: ducks, geese, swans, gulls, terns
and other birds nest on the shores of the seas and lakes. About 160
species of fish live in the rivers: salmon, trout, perch, in the north -
grayling.
In 1910, Sweden became the first European country to
establish national parks. The beginning was laid in the mountains of
Norrland, a region in the north of the country. This helped to save one
of the last corners of virgin nature in Europe from destruction. Then,
all over Sweden, vast areas were declared nature reserves and protected
areas of cultural heritage.
In 1964, the Law on Environmental
Protection came into force. Now in Sweden there are 30 national parks
and about 900 nature reserves.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves include
5 territories, including nat. Fernebufjerden Park (valley of the
Dalelven river, ecotone of taiga and mixed forests), Blekinge
archipelago (typical landscapes of skerries).
After the melting of the glaciers, the territories of
the Scandinavian Peninsula began to be gradually settled by people whose
main occupation was hunting and gathering. Settlement began from the
southern part of the peninsula, which over time was divided into several
areas of influence, the most powerful of which was the region of
Svealand. Royal power increased in the 14th century, and the territories
of Northern Europe united in the Kalmar Union. The union broke up after
some time and, after a long war between supporters of independence and
the Danish Oldenburg dynasty, King Gustav Vasa (Gustav I) came to power
in Sweden.
In the 17th century, Sweden made a name for itself,
becoming a significant power in Europe thanks to its experienced and
efficient army. The country also made progress in trade (see Swedish
African Company). In the following century, the kingdom found itself
unable to maintain its vast conquests - as a result of the Great
Northern War and subsequent wars with Russia during 1721-1809, Sweden
lost the eastern half of its territories.
The industrialization
of the 19th century came to Sweden quite late, the beginning of the
construction of railways in the 1860s was an important factor for the
development of the country. The first enterprises began to appear, in
particular in the field of electrical engineering and chemistry.
Ericsson was founded in 1876. However, at the beginning of the 20th
century, Sweden remained at the agro-industrial level of economic
development, and the industrial infrastructure was just beginning to
take shape there. Sweden, in comparison with other countries of the
region, intensively developed metallurgical production and mechanical
engineering. The formation of an industrial society in this country was
hampered by the extremely low population density and its weak mobility.
Urban centers developed very slowly, the level of urbanization was low,
and the population remained predominantly rural. But among the
Scandinavian countries, Sweden was at that time the strongest state, its
economy was characterized by accelerated development rates, science was
actively developing, imports and exports were gradually increasing, in
connection with which there was an increase in living standards and an
improvement in the demographic situation.
Development at the
beginning of the 20th century
In Sweden at the beginning of the
century, the issue of the Swedish-Norwegian union was actively
discussed. In 1905, at a plebiscite, the Norwegians spoke out against
the preservation of the union. Russia was the first to recognize the
independence of Norway. The Swedes did not want to let the Norwegians go
so easily and even prepared an army, but did not receive the support of
the military powers.
1905-1920 - the time of a democratic
breakthrough. At this time, the liberal government of Karl Stoff was in
power. After the collapse of the Swedish-Norwegian Union, the issue of
suffrage was on the agenda. As a result of the reform in 1909, the
entire male population of the country was given equal voting rights (in
1921, this right was extended to women as well). The social and
political aspirations of the liberal government found expression in
extensive reformist work, especially in the legislative field relating
to labor protection; In 1913, the first law on universal national
pensions in the history of Sweden was adopted. It can be seen as a
prelude to the large-scale social legislation that is characteristic of
the 20th century.
Another issue concerned national defense. It
split the country into two camps: supporters of strengthening national
defense (conservatives, peasants, part of the liberals) and opponents of
increasing military spending (liberals and social democrats). In 1914,
the so-called "Peasant Campaign" was organized by supporters of
increased spending, in retaliation for it, the "Working Campaign" of
opponents was also organized. All this led to an internal political
crisis and Stoff's resignation in 1914.
Foreign policy at the
beginning of the 20th century
Foreign policy was largely determined
by two aspects of the international relations of that time: firstly,
these were the pre-war years, and the great powers had been preparing
for the First World War for quite a long time. Secondly, the foreign
policy activity of the Nordic countries was associated with their
different bloc orientation and emphasized neutrality in European and
world conflicts.
Long before the First World War, Sweden
experienced a strong German influence. Sweden was inclined towards an
alliance with Germany and intensified military preparations, justifying
them by the danger from Russia caused by Russia's policy in Finland. At
the beginning of the war, all the Scandinavian countries declared their
neutrality. But this neutrality still leaned in favor of one or another
of the warring parties. Sweden was favorable to Germany.
At the beginning of the war, Sweden declared its
neutrality. During the war between the political parties in Sweden,
civil peace was maintained. There was a special management system and a
card system. The neutral position favorably affected the development of
the economy. Already in the first years of the war, Sweden was inundated
with orders from the warring parties, in connection with which the state
managed to expand production, pay off debts on foreign loans, and
accumulate large gold reserves. The intelligence services of Germany,
Russia and Great Britain were active on the territory of Sweden.
Sweden supplied industrial raw materials to Germany. Swedish enterprises
began to earn very well on the supply of military goods, iron and food
to Germany (in general, in Sweden there was a movement in support of
Germany - the “activist movement”). But this caused a protest from
England, which blocked the Swedish shipping. This, combined with a poor
harvest, caused a severe food crisis in 1917-1918. Political
contradictions escalated to such an intensity that it seemed that Sweden
was on the verge of a revolution. After the Entente allies blockaded
Sweden, a conflict almost began, which was extinguished with great
difficulty. In the last period of the war, the whole of Scandinavia was
already oriented towards an alliance with the Entente. The decisions of
the Paris Peace Conference were important for this region. The defeat of
Germany in 1918 brought to life even more insistent demands for further
democratization.
Domestic politics in the interwar period
After the war, in the elections to the second chamber of the Riksdag,
the Liberals and the Social Democrats got together the majority, the
leaders of the two parties, Niels Eden and Hjalmar Branting, united to
form a government. This majority coalition is usually seen as a definite
breakthrough in the history of parliamentarism in Sweden. The reform of
1909 did not satisfy many parties, so demands were made for further
democratization of the electoral system.
The political situation
in Europe and Sweden contributed to the fact that the Eden-Branting
cabinet reached an agreement on the constitutional issue at an emergency
session of the Riksdag in 1918. In 1921 it acquired the status of a
constitutional law. The new law on suffrage abolished the existing
property qualification in communal elections. The law gave women, along
with men, the right to vote and the right to be elected. The complete
democratization of the electoral system meant the strengthening of the
influence of industrial workers and, consequently, of the Social
Democratic Party on politics.
1920-1932 - Parliamentary minority
governments in power. In 1920, Sweden joined the League of Nations and
actively participated in its work. The question of the Åland Islands was
raised again: it was necessary to decide who would have sovereignty over
the Ålands after they received the right to self-determination, the
issue was raised in the League of Nations and decided in favor of
Finland, but the islands were recognized as a broad autonomy, which
assumed the protection of Swedish culture there and language.
Between 1920 and 1932, no party won a majority in the Riksdag. The
position in parliament did not allow the formation of a strong
government and during this period Sweden had at least 11 prime ministers
in nine different cabinets, with important political decisions being
made by parliamentary committees. The short stay in power of governments
did not lead to any serious social reforms.
In terms of economic
development, this period can be divided into three parts: the post-war
depression of 1920-1922, the economic recovery of 1922-1930, the
international economic crisis and the Great Depression of 1930-1933.
Sweden was expected to recover quickly after the war, but here, as
in the rest of Europe, a depression set in due to deflation after the
First World War, which led to a drop in industrial production by 25%
below the level of 1913. Unemployment has exceeded 25%. But in the
mid-1920s, the situation began to improve, unemployment fell, which
raised the standard of living of large sections of the population. In
1930, Sweden was overtaken by the world economic crisis: the demand for
exported products fell sharply, which caused a reduction in production
and high unemployment up to 30%. Reduced foreign exchange reserves,
Sweden was forced to abandon the exchange of paper money for gold.
Social democratic welfare policy (1932-1939)
The 1932 elections
brought victory to the Social Democrats and the Peasants' Union. The
election results allowed the Social Democrats under the leadership of
Per Albin Hansson to form a government. Their task was to mitigate the
effects of the economic crisis and to overcome unemployment. For this
purpose, an anti-crisis program was developed. The primary goal of the
new policy was to create a crisis-free economy through active government
intervention. In 1933, the so-called "deal" was concluded between the
Social Democrats and the Peasants' Union. It was necessary, since the
Social Democrats did not have a majority in parliament. As a result, the
bloc of bourgeois parties opposing the Social Democrats was destroyed,
and the Social Democracy took a strong position, the legitimacy of the
parliamentary system was strengthened, the foundation was laid for the
long stay of the Social Democrats in power, as voters believed in their
ability to manage the Swedish economy.
The Second World War
At
the beginning of World War II, neutrality was officially declared.
Sweden supported Finland during the Soviet-Finnish War - various kinds
of assistance to Finland were organized: volunteers fought on its side,
arms and food were supplied.
Despite formal neutrality, Sweden
provided Germany with all sorts of privileges and made almost any
concessions that were requested by the German side. Through the
territory of Sweden during the war there was a transit of weapons to
German formations in the north. Sweden intensively armed Nazi Germany,
providing it with loans, supplying its own weapons and being the largest
supplier of iron ore for the needs of the German military industry.
Thanks to its cautious policy of "double standards", Sweden was able to
easily endure the war period, and political life was generally calm.
During the Second World War, the Swedes supported the Jews in the
territories controlled by the Nazis. So, for example, in the spring of
1944, with the assistance of Swedish diplomats in Hungary,
representatives of the Swedish Red Cross rented empty houses in Budapest
and hung signs on them: “Swedish Library”, “Swedish Research Institute”.
So the buildings impregnable for the Germans, assigned to neutral
Sweden, became a shelter for the Jews.
In the last months of
World War II, Raoul Wallenberg, a representative of one of the richest
families in Sweden, who worked in the Swedish embassy in Budapest,
saved, according to various sources, from 20 to 100 thousand Hungarian
Jews from extermination by the Nazis. Showing extraordinary courage, he
issued Swedish passports to the persecuted and found refuge for them
under the Swedish flag.
Sweden also actively accepted refugees
from Scandinavia and the Baltic countries. And although many of them
returned to their homeland after the end of the war, many remained -
especially refugees from the Baltic countries.
Post-war period
(1946-1951)
In 1945, the coalition government resigned and was
replaced by the purely social democratic cabinet of Per Albin Hansson,
who was succeeded by Tage Erlander in 1946. Already in 1944, the Social
Democrats put forward a "post-war program of the labor movement" aimed
at laying the foundations for a universal social security system that
would cover all citizens, as well as the creation of an efficient
private enterprise economy through planned farming. However, the social
policy section of this program has been completed; were adopted, for
example: universal sickness insurance, child allowance, a new law on
labor protection (1948), holidays were increased, a nine-year school was
introduced.
In 1946 Sweden became a member of the UN.
The
period of the "red-green" coalition (1951-1957)
During this period, a
tough economic policy was carried out, due to rising prices and
inflation. In 1951, a coalition government of the Social Democrats and
the Peasants' Union was formed. The years of political cooperation were
relatively quiet for Sweden. Government parties have focused on carrying
out the reforms they have begun: sickness insurance, indexation of
pensions and child benefits, scholarships for students, and so on. The
real increase in wages in the 1950s made possible an annual increase in
the standard of living for all sections of the population, the demand
for goods and services was higher than ever, but the 1950s were a time
of housing crisis. By 1957 the coalition had collapsed.
"Swedish
model"
The steady economic growth trend that characterized
the development of the Swedish economy after the Korean War continued
throughout the 1960s and into the early 1970s. Between 1950 and 1973,
the value of industrial output in Sweden increased by 280% in constant
monetary terms. The "Swedish model" reached its peak during these years.
Cooperation between labor and capital, the conclusion of centralized
contracts, liberal economic policies aimed at increasing economic growth
- all this contributed to the creation of a relationship of trust
between the parties in the labor market. The standard of living in
Sweden has become one of the highest in the world. Profits and wages in
industry grew at a record pace. The policy of solidarity in the field of
wages was put forward as a fundamental principle of action in the labor
market. There was a significant expansion of the public sector, which
was a logical consequence of the creation of a welfare society.
Infrastructure - roads, hospitals, schools, communications - developed
rapidly. A post-industrial society began to take shape. In 1974, a new
constitution was adopted, the king was deprived of all political power,
he remained only the head of the foreign policy committee, the bicameral
parliament was replaced by a unicameral Riksdag.
Since the
mid-1970s, due to the intensification of competition in foreign markets
and a deep crisis in production, the country's economic situation has
become noticeably more complicated. Separate industries that fell into a
deep structural crisis began to receive state assistance, and on a huge
scale. As a result, some economists have spoken of the collapse of the
Swedish model, a crisis in the welfare state, excessive personal
taxation, and a booming public sector that is crowding out private
firms. In the 1970s, commodity dependence changed from the basis of
Swedish prosperity to a factor that greatly complicates economic growth.
After the 1976 Riksdag elections, the Social Democrats lost power
for the first time since 1936. A centre-right coalition of the Center
Party, People's Party and the Moderate Coalition Party formed a
government led by Prime Minister Thorbjørn Feldin. A regular alternation
of center-left and center-right governments began.
The leading
economic development trend in Sweden in the 1980s was the transition
from traditional dependence on iron ore and iron and steel to advanced
technology in the production of vehicles, electrical goods,
communications, chemical and pharmaceutical products. In the early
1980s, political debates centered on such issues as the almost complete
cessation of economic growth, the decline in Sweden's competitiveness in
the world market, the impact of inflation and budget deficits, and the
appearance - for the first time since the 1930s - of significant
unemployment (4% in 1982). The Palme government, backed by trade unions,
published its program for a "third way" between communism and
capitalism. Palme shared the ideas of Finnish President Urho Kaleva
Kekkonen on securing a nuclear-free status for Northern Europe.
In February 1986, Olof Palme was killed on a street in Stockholm. Ingvar
Karlsson, Palme's successor, faced a growing labor movement, scandals,
and a rapid economic downturn after 1990. For the second time, foreign
and local analysts have been talking about the crisis and the collapse
of the Swedish model since the early 1990s, when new acute social,
economic and political problems. The public sector, which had been
efficient in the 1950s and 1960s, was in a state of permanent crisis.
Unemployment reached 13%, an exceptionally high figure by Swedish
standards. Strikes became more frequent. The size of the national debt
approached the volume of annual GDP, and the state budget deficit
reached 11%. Strong contradictions arose between the previously united
trade unions and the Social Democrats. Problems with public finances and
growing political divisions have been accompanied by growing ethnic
tensions in the country, a controversial decision to join the European
Union and an ongoing debate about the meaning of Swedish neutrality.
The economic recession of the early 1990s led to a sharp increase in
unemployment, public debt and budget deficits in the public sector. The
streamlining of public finances and the introduction of a low-inflation
policy, as well as the development of the communications and information
technology sectors, made it possible to achieve high rates of economic
growth in the second half of the 1990s. The peak was reached in 2000;
after that, the global economic downturn began to affect the Swedish
economy. The growth of Swedish exports is constrained by low demand for
cars and communications technology in foreign markets, as well as slower
economic growth in the euro area.
By the beginning of the 1990s, the unemployment rate
in Sweden reached the average European level and ranged from 10 to 14%.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Swedish policy of total
neutrality was revised and the government expressed its desire to join
the European Union. Sweden became a member of the EU in 1995. From
September 19, 2005 to October 15, 2007, analogue television was turned
off in Sweden.
Election 2006
The 2006 election was won by the
conservative coalition Alliance for Sweden, which includes the Moderate
Coalition Party (UCP), the Center Party, the People's Party - Liberals
and the Christian Democratic Party, received 48.1% of the vote. In these
elections, the UKP won a record number of votes for itself - 26.1%. In
support of the Social Democratic Party, in alliance with the Green Party
and the Left Party, 46.2% of voters spoke out. On October 5, 2006, the
parliament approved the candidacy of the country's new prime minister.
They became Fredrik Reinfeldt, leader of the UKP and the right-wing
Alliance for Sweden. 175 out of 349 deputies voted for Reinfeldt (169
voted against, 5 were absent). Fredrik Reinfeldt replaced Göran Persson
(Social Democratic Party), who had been Prime Minister for ten years.
Election 2010
On September 19, 2010, regular elections were held,
as a result of which the center-right coalition won the second victory
in a row for the first time in history, although it failed to obtain an
absolute majority in the Riksdag. The Alliance's leading party, the
Moderate Coalition, gained 30.0%, which was the best result in the
party's history. The Social Democrats received the smallest number of
votes since 1914 (30.9%), but managed to remain the most popular party
in the country. In total, the Alliance for Sweden, which unites four
centre-right parties, gained 49.3% of the vote, receiving 172 out of 349
deputy mandates in parliament. 43.7% voted for the coalition of three
left and center-left parties, the Red-Greens, which provided it with 157
seats in parliament. For the first time in the history of elections to
the Riksdag, the far-right nationalist party Swedish Democrats entered
the Parliament. 5.7% of voters voted for her - 20 seats.
Election
2014
According to the results of the 2014 elections, the Social
Democratic Party, together with the Green and Left parties, won 43.8% of
the vote. For the conservative coalition led by Prime Minister Fredrik
Reinfeldt, 39.3% of voters cast their votes.
As a result of these
elections, Stefan Löfven became Prime Minister of Sweden, although his
coalition of Social Democrats and the Greens did not receive a majority
of votes. The Social Democrats and the Greens were able to form a
government on their own, as Sweden has a system of negative
parliamentarianism, in which the government can remain in power if it is
not opposed by a majority in parliament.
This created a difficult
situation in the Riksdag. A minority center-left coalition entered the
government, but an alliance of right-wing parties had great influence in
parliament. The Swedish Democrats won about 13% of the vote, sparking
heated political debate throughout the country.
Election 2018
In the elections to the Riksdag held on September 9, 2018, the Alliance
of Center-Right Parties (40.3% of votes) and the ruling red-green bloc,
which includes the Social Democrats, the Green Party and the Left Party
(40. 6%). The far-right Swedish Democrats won 17.6% of the vote,
delaying the formation of a new government. On January 18, 2019, on the
third attempt, the Riksdag supported the candidacy of the Social
Democrat Stefan Löfven for the post of Prime Minister, with the passive
support of the center parties.
The head of state is the king (since September 1973,
this is King Carl XVI Gustaf). He has no political powers and does not
participate in political life. The king performs mainly ceremonial
(representative) functions, being a symbol of Sweden both for his own
subjects and throughout the world.
Legislative power is vested in
the parliament, the Riksdag, which is re-elected by universal suffrage
under a proportional system every four years. It consists of 349
deputies. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been unicameral. To become a
member of the Riksdag, you must be a Swedish citizen and be at least 18
years old.
According to the results of the last parliamentary
elections held in 2018, eight parties are represented in the Riksdag:
Social Democrats (100 seats)
Moderate coalition party (70 seats)
Swedish Democrats (62 seats)
Green Party (16 seats)
Center Party
(31 seats)
Left Party (28 seats)
Liberals (20 seats)
Christian
Democrats (22 seats)
Swedish elections are characterized by
consistently high voter turnout (85.8% in 2014 and 87.1% in 2018). Many
factors influence high turnout: trust in democratic institutions,
respect specifically for the electoral system, and the fact that local
and regional authorities are elected at the same time as parliament.
Also, Swedish laws allow residents of the EU, Norway and Iceland to vote
in local elections (municipalities and regional authorities) without
exception, and the rest if they have lived in Sweden for more than three
years.
Executive power is vested in the government headed by the
prime minister, responsible to the Riksdag and bound to have the support
of the parliamentary majority on key issues.
The Riksdag appoints
the prime minister, whose task it is to form the government. The prime
minister personally selects the ministers for his cabinet and decides
which ministries will report to them. According to the Constitution, it
is the government, and not the head of state (monarch), who is
authorized to make state decisions.
It is not uncommon for
ministers to represent the ruling political party or parties in the
ruling coalition. In most cases, ministers are appointed from among the
deputies of the Riksdag, but they also retain seats in parliament for
the period of work in the cabinet of ministers. Their parliamentary
duties at this time are performed by deputies. Members of the Cabinet of
Ministers cannot vote in the Riksdag, but they have the right to
participate in parliamentary debates. During the official opening of the
Riksdag session in September, the Prime Minister usually reports on the
government's goals for the next year and talks about the priorities of
the state's domestic and foreign policy.
The government leads
Sweden, implements the decisions of the Riksdag, initiates new laws and
makes amendments to existing ones. The powers of the government are
currently quite extensive. The Cabinet of Ministers is responsible for
all major issues of economic, social and political life. At one time,
the government was transferred to such powers of the king as the
appointment of senior officials, judges, the formation of certain
departments, the determination of foreign policy, and the leadership of
the armed forces. The government has the right to dissolve the Riksdag,
but this right is limited by certain conditions. For example, a newly
elected parliament cannot be dissolved earlier than three months after
the start of the first session.
The Constitution is made up of several legislative
acts: the Form of Government of 28/2/1974, the Act of Succession of
26/9/1810 and the Act of Freedom of the Press of 27/2/1974 (1949).
The Swedish constitution governs the relationship between the
legislative and executive powers, and also establishes the fundamental
rights and freedoms of citizens. The constitution consists of four main
laws:
The Government Act guarantees citizens the right to
demonstrate, join political parties and practice their religion.
The Act of Succession determines the rights of members of the Bernadotte
dynasty to the Swedish throne.
The Freedom of the Press Act
establishes the principles of an open society and guarantees public
access to official information. According to it, any person has the
right of access to the documentation of the Riksdag, the government and
other state bodies, including any financial reports. Another important
principle of the Freedom of the Press Act is freedom of communication,
which means that Swedish citizens have the right to provide the media
with any information. At the same time, a journalist or publisher does
not have the right to disclose his source if the person who provided it
wishes to remain anonymous.
The Freedom of Expression Act, which
came into force in 1992, largely reflects the principles already
enshrined in the Freedom of the Press Act, such as the unconditional
prohibition of censorship, freedom of communication, and the right to
anonymity.
The provisions of the Constitution take precedence
over all other legislative acts, and no law may contradict it. In order
to amend the Constitution, the Riksdag must pass it in two readings -
before and after the next parliamentary elections.
Leading political parties: Social Democratic Workers'
Party of Sweden, Moderate Coalition Party, Swedish Democrats.
Left
Left Party (Vänsterpartiet) - leftist socialist
Feminist
initiative (Feministiskt initiativ) - feminist
Center-left
Social Democratic Workers' Party of Sweden (Sveriges socialdemokratiska
arbetarepartiet) - social democratic
The Green Party (Miljöpartiet de
gröna) is an environmentalist
centrist
Center Party
(Centerpartiet) - liberal, agrarian
centre-right
Moderate
Coalition Party (Moderata samlingspartiet, Moderaterna) -
liberal-conservative
Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) -
Christian Democratic, conservative
Liberals (Liberalerna) - liberal
Rights
Swedish Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) - Nationalist
Unions
The largest trade union center is the Central Organization
of Trade Unions of Sweden (Landsorganisationen i Sverige, LO, TSOPSH),
which includes 14 branch trade unions:
Swedish Union of Transport
Workers (Svenska Transportarbetareförbundet)
Swedish Paper Industry
Association (Svenska pappersindustriarbetareförbundet)
Swedish
Electrical Association (Svenska Elektrikerförbundet)
Swedish Union of
Construction Workers (Svenska byggnadsarbetareförbundet)
Union of
trade workers (Handelsanställdas förbund)
Industrial Trade Union
"Metal" (Industripacket Metall)
Union of Food Workers
(Livsmedelsarbetareförbundet)
Swedish Musicians Union (Svenska
musikerförbundet)
Swedish Union of Artists (Svenska målareförbundet)
Swedish Union of Public Workers (Svenska kommunalarbetareförbundet)
Telecommunication Workers Union (Seko, Service- och
Kommunikationsfacket)
Trade Union of Forestry and Woodworkers (GS
Facket för skogs-, trä- och grafisk bransch)
Trade Union of
Restaurant and Hotel Workers (Hotell- och restaurangfacket)
Housing
Workers Union (Fastighetsanställdas förbund)
TsOPSh consists of
districts (distrikt) one per flax. The supreme body of the TSOPS is the
congress (Kongressen), between congresses - the representative office
(Representantskapet), between the representative offices - the board
(Styrelsen), the highest body of the district is the annual meeting
(årsmöte), between annual meetings - the board (styrelse) The TSOPS does
not include the Central Organization of employees (Tjänstemännens
centralorganisation) and the Swedish Central Organization of Scientists
(Sveriges akademikers centralorganisation). Historically, the TsOPSh is
closely associated with the Social Democratic Party.
There is
also a syndicalist trade union, the Central Organization of Swedish
Workers (SAC), which is based on the principles of libertarian
socialism.
Legal system
The highest court is the Supreme Court
(Swedish: Högsta domstolen), the courts of appeal are court courts
(hovrätt), the courts of first instance are the courts of tings
(tingsrätt), consisting of lagman (lagman) and ratmans (rådman) (until
1970 - county courts (häradsrätt), headed by geradsgevding
(sv:häradshövding), and town hall courts (rådhusrätt)), the highest
court of administrative justice - the Higher Administrative Court
(Högsta förvaltningsdomstolen), the courts of appeal of administrative
justice - chamber courts (Kammarrätt), courts the first instance of
administrative justice is the administrative courts (Förvaltningsrätt),
until 1974 there was the State Court (Riksrätt), which tried the chief
officials, the highest judicial instance of labor justice is the labor
court (Arbetsdomstolen), the highest judicial instance of commercial
justice is the commercial court (Marknadsdomstolen ), the highest
position of prosecutorial supervision is the Chancellor of Justice
(Justitiekanslern).
Sweden is divided into 21 len (Swedish län), each len,
in turn, is divided into communes (Swedish kommun), the total number of
which is 290.
Previously, Sweden was divided into regional
communes (landstingskommun), and regional communes into urban communes
(stadskommun) and rural communes (landskommun)).
The king is
represented in each of the fiefs by the governor (landshövding), the
representative body of the fief is the regional duma
(landstingsfullmäktige), until 1991 - the land assembly (landsting); the
executive body elected by the population is the regional board
(landstingsstyrelse or landstingsråd), consisting of regional councilors
(landstingsråd) and a regional director (landstingsdirektör).
The
representative body of the commune is the communal council
(kommunfullmäktige); until 1954, in small communes, a communal assembly
(kommunalstämma), consisting of all the inhabitants of the commune;
bodies elected by the population until 1971 - the communal council
(kommunalfullmäktige) or the city council (stadsfullmäktige); the
executive body is the communal board (kommunstyrelse); until 1971 in
city communes - city government (stadsstyrelse); until 1953 -
magistrates (magistrat), consisting of a burgomaster and ratmans
(rådman)), consisting, in turn, of communal councilors (kommunråd), and
until 1971 - from communal burgomasters (kommunalborgmästare)) and a
communal director (kommundirektör) elected by communal councils.
There is also a historical division of Sweden into provinces and
regions.
Sweden is characterized by a diversified and
competitive economy - according to the latter indicator, it is in ninth
place in the world. According to the World Bank, Sweden is ranked 12th
in the ranking of the most convenient international trading partners.
Swedish companies sell the widest range of goods abroad. The country
from year to year maintains a positive trade balance.
Sweden has
50 global companies, including ABB, Atlas Copco, Oriflame, IKEA, Saab
AB, Saab Automobile AB, Scania, Volvo, Volvo Trucks, Ericsson, Tele2, AB
Electrolux, TORNUM, TetraPak, Alfa Laval, SKF, H&M. It is in the first
place in the production of bearings. The country has a high level of
innovation, a highly developed and constantly modernized infrastructure,
an excellent state of technology, well-educated staff who speak English.
Nearly 60% of GDP comes from taxes, the highest figure in the OECD.
Over the past decades, Sweden has also made breakthroughs in the
modern sectors of the economy - digital technology and
telecommunications. The share of information technology in the country's
economy has grown to 16%, and 5% of the working population is already
employed in the IT industry. The loudest examples of success are the IP
telephony developer Skype or the music streaming service Spotify.
In the rankings of the largest exporters of video games, Sweden
occupies the top lines. In 2010-2012 alone, the local gaming industry
has more than doubled. The annual turnover of the entire industry,
according to the International Game Developers Index, is about 3.7
billion SEK (about 400 million euros). The undisputed leaders of Swedish
cyber exports are the video games Minecraft by Mojang and Battlefield by
Dice. In 2015, over 250 million users played Candy Crush Saga, a caramel
puzzle game from King Studios.
Stockholm is recognized as one of
the best cities in Europe for launching digital start-ups.
This
is the main, but far from the only economic hub. The wealth in Sweden is
distributed across its regions much more evenly than anywhere else in
Europe. This is the only country of the Old World, in which in every,
even the poorest corner of it, the share of GDP per capita is higher
than the European average.
This is also facilitated by a fairly
low level of corruption in society. Thus, according to the annual
research of the international anti-corruption movement Transparency
International, Sweden, in terms of the Corruption Perception Index
(CPI), as a rule, occupies the first positions in the ranking (in 2018,
3rd place). This means that the level of corruption in society is
perceived as unusually low.
As of March 2020, the average monthly
salary of non-professional workers in the private sector was SEK 42,590
gross. The hourly average wage of workers in the private sector was
174.7 SEK gross. For comparison, in 2017, wages in Sweden are 34,000 kr
(€3,246.91, gross) and 26,162 kr (€2,498.40, net) per month.
In accordance with Swedish law, payers of income tax
are commercial organizations and branches operating in Sweden. The
income tax rate is 22%. The tax base includes the worldwide income of
companies resident in Sweden (a company is resident if it is registered
in the Swedish Business Register), as well as the income of companies
that are not resident in Sweden, received from Swedish sources. The tax
period is 12 months (fiscal year), which may not coincide with the
calendar year. In this case, the financial year, as a rule, ends on
December 31, April 30 or August 31.
Income tax payers in Sweden
are individuals who are residents of Sweden, individuals who previously
lived in Sweden, in the case of having a home (“permanent home”) or
family in Sweden, as well as foreigners, in case of staying in Sweden
for more than 183 days during tax period (calendar year). Sweden has a
progressive taxation system with income tax rates ranging from 30% to
55%. Income tax in Sweden consists of two parts: municipal tax from 28.9
to 34.2% (depending on the commune) and national tax from 20 to 25%. It
is paid by those who earn more than 490,700 crowns per year. Those whose
annual income exceeds 689,300 kroons, in addition to municipal and state
taxes, must also pay 5% of the amount exceeding this threshold.
The tax base includes business income, employment income and capital
income.
VAT in Sweden is paid by individuals and legal entities
selling goods and services in Sweden. The tax is levied at any stage of
production, sale of products and provision of services. The basic rate -
25% - applies to most goods and services; reduced - 12% - to food
products, hotel services, the sale of artists' own works of art,
cultural and sports events, restaurants and catering services (with the
exception of alcoholic and alcohol-containing products, beer and beer
drinks - the main VAT rate is applied); reduced rate - 6% - for
newspapers, magazines, books, public transport, etc. VAT is not charged
in case of sale of products to a buyer registered as a VAT payer in an
EU country (the buyer declares VAT in his country), as well as in case
of export products, regardless of the status of the buyer.
Most
taxes go to social protection (41% of all tax revenues), health care
(13%) and education (13%). The police, fire service, defense (6%),
housing construction, roads, labor market support (9%), management,
administration (14%) and others are also financed from taxes.
The
activities of the State Tax Service (Skatteverket) are not limited to
collecting payments from citizens. In addition, it assigns to every
person born in Sweden or permanently residing (or intending to
permanently reside for more than one year) in the country an individual
tax number (personnummer), registers at the place of residence and
issues identification cards.
Swedish transport is represented by road, rail, air,
water (sea, river and lake) and pipeline. In settlements and in
intercity communication, public transport for passenger transportation
operates. The geographical position of Sweden allows you to control the
sea transport routes between the waters of the North and Baltic Seas
through the Danish Straits; road connection to the mainland for Norway
and Finland via the Øresund bridge; ferry service with the Baltic
countries.
In Sweden, they are successfully working on creating a
barrier-free environment in public transport. Elevators, ramps,
dedicated parking lots, additional infrastructure at airports, subways,
railways, ferries have become the norm. The government and municipal
authorities are working to make bus and tram stops more accessible
throughout the country.
The Swedish transport system is
characterized by the search for environmentally friendly solutions. The
Swedes are actively replacing combustible fuels and gasoline with
alternative sources - biofuels obtained from food and organic waste,
electricity and ethanol. Many enterprises, as well as almost all
government agencies, are replacing the fleet, getting rid of flammable
fuel vehicles and switching to environmentally friendly electric
vehicles. Almost all city and intercity buses have switched to biofuel
and ethanol. One of the priorities of Swedish environmental policy is to
rid the fleet of fossil fuels by 2030.
The Armed Defense Forces (Försvarsmakten) consist of
four branches of service:
Swedish army
Swedish navy (Svenska
marinen)
Swedish Air Squads (Svenska flygvapnet)
"Patriotic
Defense" (Hemvärnet)
In 2017, compulsory military service and
military duty were restored. Women are also eligible, but not all.
Demography
As of December 31, 2019, the population
of Sweden was 10,327,589 people, 97.4 thousand more than in December
2018. Population growth is largely due to immigration processes,
although their importance is decreasing compared to previous years.
According to statistics for 2019, approximately equal numbers of
women and men live in the country. At the same time, the number of
minors (0-17 years old) is 21.1%, and the elderly (more than 65) - 20%.
On average, during this period, 11.1 children were born per 1,000 people
in Sweden, and 8.6 people died.
Average life expectancy is 83
years (81.3 years for men and 84.7 years for women).
As of
December 31, 2018, out of 10.2 million people living in Sweden, 930
thousand (9.1%) were citizens of other countries. 1.1 million Swedish
citizens were born abroad. 2.5 million people (24.9% of the total
population of the country) have foreign roots (that is, they or both of
their parents were born abroad).
85% of Swedes live in cities,
the largest of them are Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.
Ethnic
composition
In addition to the Swedes, more than 17,000 Saami live in
Sweden, more than 50,000 native Finns, as well as more than 450,000
ethnic Finns who immigrated to the country during the 20th century, as
well as their descendants.
Sweden, being a country of emigration
in the 20th century, has now turned into a country, first of all, of
immigration. Historically, Sweden has always been an ethnically
homogeneous country, the majority of the population were Swedes and an
ethnic minority - the Sami, who in the XVIII-XIX centuries roamed the
territory of Northern Europe, and now live in the north of the country.
About 10 million people live in Sweden itself. The time from the
middle of the 19th century until the 1930s was a period of mass
emigration, when people left the country in search of a better life due
to poverty, religious persecution, lack of faith in a happy future,
political restrictions, because of the desire for adventure and on the
wave of "gold rush". During the First World War and after its end,
emigration slowed down due to the restriction of immigration to the
United States.
After World War II, Sweden becomes a country of
immigration. Before the war, the country remained ethnically
homogeneous; during the war, the bulk of immigrants were refugees; in
the 1930s, Swedes returning from the United States immigrated to the
country. Since the 1930s, and to this day, with the exception of a few
years in the 1970s, immigration has exceeded emigration. In the 1950s
and 1960s, a large flow of immigrants poured into the country due to the
growth of industry and the need for labor resources, as well as a large
number of war refugees from Germany, Scandinavian neighbors, and
residents of the Baltic states. Many of them subsequently returned to
their homeland, a larger number remained, especially for people from the
Baltic countries. In the post-war period, the country supplemented its
labor force with immigrants from other parts of Scandinavia, Yugoslavia,
Greece, Italy and Turkey. Since the late 60s, regulated immigration has
been introduced in Sweden.
By the 1980s, in order to slow down
the negative economic consequences of the demographic aging of the
population, Sweden adopted a liberal immigration policy. By the end of
the decade, refugees from Somalia, Iran, Iraq, a number of Arab
countries and immigrants from Africa, Asia, and Latin America began to
actively move to Sweden. Thus, as of 2021, Sweden is a multinational
state with a wide ethno-cultural, religious, racial and national
diversity. In 2020, people of foreign origin accounted for 98.8% of the
population growth in Sweden, while people of Swedish origin only
accounted for 1.2% of the population growth. As of 2020, every fourth
resident of the country (25.9% of the population) is an immigrant, and
as of 2017, every third resident of the country (32.3% of the
population) had at least one parent born abroad. Thanks to these new
Swedes, a previously monolingual Swedish society with a homogeneous
ethnic structure became a multinational and international society. To
visually see the increase in immigration processes in the country, it is
worth paying attention to the fact that population growth in 2007 by 75%
(1.2 million foreigners in total lived in Sweden in 2007) consisted of
immigration inflow into the country, and only 25 % population increased
due to the birth rate in the country. There is a percentage increase in
immigrants from Iraq, Romania, Bulgaria and Poland.
Under the
influence of immigration flows from different parts of the world,
society itself is changing, as well as the economic situation in Sweden,
on the one hand, refugees can be consumers of social benefits and state.
budget, and on the other hand, an increase in the population, especially
the young population and the working-age population, increases:
consumption in the country and consumer activity, dynamism in the labor
market, and in the economy as a whole, and the growth of the country's
GDP, and also prevents stagnant processes in the country's economy, the
emergence stagnation and deflation.
On the one hand, granting asylum to refugees creates a
significant burden on the budget. Moreover, in Sweden there is a large
gap in employment between Swedes and migrants. This, according to
researchers, has a negative impact on social security in the country,
and also undermines faith in state institutions.
On the other
hand, a meta-analysis of the scientific literature on immigration in
Sweden indicates a positive effect of this phenomenon on the country's
economic growth, especially at the expense of highly educated migrants.
Moreover, according to Bloomberg, it was immigration that was one of the
key factors behind the economic boom in Sweden in 2015. The growth of
the service sector to help a record number of refugees during the
European migration crisis helped to reduce domestic unemployment.
The Swedish government also denies the negative impact of
immigration on the situation in the country, citing facts that show that
the economy is on the rise, and the long-term unemployment rate is one
of the lowest in the EU. The Swedish authorities are also refuting the
common stereotype that allegedly because of migrants in Sweden there is
an increase in crime.
The government is taking steps to improve
the situation in the country by improving legislation, creating
specialized structures dealing with this issue, developing strategies
for tolerance between ethnic and cultural groups within the state. The
Government of Sweden declares its goal to achieve harmony, real
political, cultural, social equality and equality of various groups of
the population. For this, the policy of multiculturalism is being
implemented, but its implementation is accompanied by a number of social
problems, which leads to a revision of the state's immigration policy,
its goals and directions. In this regard, legislation in the immigration
field is being tightened, new bills are being adopted and amendments are
being made to existing laws. The procedure for accepting immigrants into
the country, obtaining refugee status, issuing a residence permit,
employment, etc. is changing. Most immigrants live in the agglomerations
of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.
The official language is Swedish. Standard Swedish,
the so-called rikssvenska, is based on the dialects of the Stockholm
region. There are also about a hundred other dialects of the Swedish
language, which the inhabitants of the country use both in private and
in public life, for example, on television.
The majority of the
population speaks English quite well. Moreover, some TV channels
broadcast in English with subtitles in Swedish.
The following are
recognized as national minority languages: Sami, Meänkieli, Finnish,
Gypsy and Yiddish. The first three of them can be used in state and
municipal institutions, courts, kindergartens and nursing homes in some
parts of the county of Norrbotten.
According to statistics for 2018, 5.9 million Swedes
(57.7% of the total population of the country) formally belong to the
Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan).
Until 2000, this Lutheran
church, according to the law on the church of 1951, was considered a
state and communal organization, and priests were considered civil
servants (with the obligation to register birth and marriage, organize
burials and care for cemeteries) for which they received a salary from
the state. It was not until 1 January 2000 that the Church of Sweden was
completely separated from the state under the Church of Sweden Act 1998
(Lag om Svenska kyrkan (SFS 1998:1591).
Back in the early 1960s,
the Swedish Church began ordaining priests and women. Now the clergy are
almost equally composed of both men and women. Today, about 45% of all
priests in Sweden are women. The General Synod is made up of 121 women
and 130 men who make key decisions regarding the development and future
of the Church of Sweden.
Part of the Pietists, Baptists and
Methodists is represented by the United Church of Sweden
(Equmeniakyrkan), established in 2011 by combining the Swedish Baptist
Union (Svenska Baptistsamfundet), the United Methodist Church
(Metodistkyrkan i Sverige) and the Church of the Covenant Mission of
Sweden (Svenska Missionskyrkan). Catholicism is represented by the
Diocese of Stockholm.
The number of Orthodox in 2017 was
estimated at 140 thousand people (about 1.4% of the population). A
significant part of them are Serbs, Greeks, Romanians, Russians, but
there are also small communities of Orthodox Finns, Estonians,
Georgians.
The number of Jehovah's Witnesses is 22,426.
Between 250,000 and 450,000 Muslims live in Sweden as a result of
immigration, and more than 18,000 Jews. There are also Catholics and
Baptists in the country. Part of the Saami professes animism.
The
results of the Eurobarometer poll from 2005 show that Sweden is third
from the bottom (fewer believers only in the Czech Republic and Estonia)
in the list of believing countries in the EU: only 23% of Swedes believe
in God, 53% believe in some kind of spirit or life force, 23% do not
believe in God, nor in any spirit or power of life.
7.7% of GDP is allocated for education in Sweden (2014
data).
From the age of six, every child in Sweden has the right
to a free education at school. The Swedish Education Act mandates nine
years of compulsory schooling for all children, as well as a preparatory
class, which has become compulsory for all six-year-olds since 2018.
Now compulsory school education in Sweden involves several stages of
education: a preparatory class - förskoleklass; elementary school -
lågstadiet (grades 1-3), middle grades - mellanstadiet (grades 4-6),
senior grades - högstadiet (grades 7-9). Compulsory secondary school is
followed by gymnasium education (grades 10-12).
In order to enter
upper secondary school, students must have passing scores in Swedish,
English and mathematics. Education at the gymnasium is not mandatory,
however, it is necessary to complete it for those who are going to enter
the university, as well as to get a job in some specialties immediately
after school. In 2018, approximately 77.6% of students received their
12-year high school diplomas.
Overall, 83% of adults aged 25-64
in Sweden have achieved a high school (gymnasium) diploma, compared with
about 75% of adults across the OECD on average.
Until the sixth
grade, students in Swedish schools are not given grades, so as not to
interfere with individual development and not cause a feeling of
competition and stress.
Over the past hundred years, Sweden has
tried many knowledge assessment systems. In 2011, Swedish schools
switched from a three-point scale to a six-point scale. Students can be
given the following grades: A (excellent), B (very good), C (good), D
(satisfactory), E (adequate), F - failing.
According to the 2015
PISA ranking, which assesses the educational achievements of students,
Sweden, along with France, ranked 25th (495.7 points) out of 70
countries participating in the assessment. In the 2018 PISA ranking,
Sweden improved its results (506 points in reading, 502 in mathematics,
499 in science). In reading, 15-year-old Swedish students were fifth in
Europe (after Estonia, Finland, Ireland and Poland).
There are
more than 30 higher educational institutions in the country, of which
about a third are universities.
Swedish universities offer degree
programs according to the European standard: bachelor's, master's and
doctoral studies. Undergraduate (core higher education program) -
program after high school; usually lasts three years (180 ECTS academic
credits). Master (graduate program of higher education) - more advanced
study of selected subjects, as a rule, ends with writing a master's
thesis; may last one or two years (60 or 120 ECTS credits). Doctorate -
research work and preparation of a dissertation for several years. The
length and content of PhD programs vary from Swedish university to
university.
The oldest university in Sweden is Uppsala
University, founded in 1477. He, along with the Karolinska Institute, as
well as Stockholm University, is one of the hundred best institutions of
higher education, according to the Academic Ranking of World
Universities (ARWU). In 2020, the Karolinska Institute ranked 45th,
Stockholm 69th, and Uppsala University 77th. 14 Swedish universities are
in the top 1000.
Sweden is one of the countries in the world with
a large proportion of international students. According to the OECD, in
2010 Sweden had PhD students from 80 countries and 7.5% of students were
foreigners, a figure that has risen sharply over the years. In the
2017/2018 academic year, about 38,000 foreign students studied at
Swedish universities. Of these, 36% came on an exchange, and 64% on
their own.
Higher education is free for Swedish citizens,
citizens of EU countries, as well as holders of a residence permit
obtained for a reason other than education, for example, for family
reunification.
Swedish scientists have made a significant
contribution to the development of world science. The naturalist Carl
Linnaeus (1707–1778), who founded the Royal Academy of Sciences in 1739,
had an enormous influence on the development of science. He laid the
foundations for the systematics of flora and fauna. His contemporary
astronomer and physicist Anders Celsius (1701-1744) created the oldest
astronomical observatory in Sweden and introduced the centigrade scale
for thermometers. A great contribution to the development of chemistry
was made by Jöns Jakob Berzelius (1779–1848), who developed
electrochemical and atomistic theories and created scientific
mineralogy, and Svante Arrhenius (1859–1927), who created the theory of
electrolytic dissociation and received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in
1903. Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) owned about
355 patents. But perhaps his most famous invention is dynamite.
In the history of technology, the names of Jon Eriksson (1803-1889), the
designer of the first ship propellers, steamships and steam locomotives,
and engineer Carl Gustav Laval (1845-1913), who invented the steam
turbine and separator, are known.
In modern Sweden, the main part
of state-funded research work is carried out at universities and other
institutions that are part of the country's higher education system. The
leading universities include Uppsala, Stockholm, Lund, Karolinska
Institute and others. The largest part of research spending at
universities goes to medicine (25%), technological developments (22%),
natural sciences (19%), social sciences (11%), humanities (6%). Research
costs are covered from the state budget, as well as from external
sources - national research councils, government agencies and scientific
foundations. Also, the amount of funds for scientific research allocated
by the private sector is constantly increasing.
The Nobel Prize is the property of the Swedish
scientist, inventor and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel. He bequeathed his
entire fortune to the creation of a fund, the funds from which should be
awarded to those who during the past year made a special contribution to
the history of mankind. At the same time, Nobel insisted that this award
be given to outstanding scientists, writers and public figures,
regardless of their country of origin.
The award has been awarded
since 1901 in five categories: in physics, chemistry, physiology and
medicine, in literature, as well as for achievements in the field of
peacekeeping. The solemn ceremony of awarding the prize takes place
annually on the same day - December 10th. Laureates in the first five
nominations come to Stockholm in order to receive from the hands of the
Swedish king a gold medal with the silhouette of Alfred Nobel, a diploma
and a cash prize. Its exact amount is not called, however, according to
existing data, it is about 1 million dollars or 8 million Swedish
kronor. The amount may vary from year to year, and also depending on how
many laureates share the award in one nomination.
After the
ceremony, they will have a magnificent banquet in the city hall, where,
in addition to the laureates and their families, royal persons, the
prime minister and representatives of parliament and a number of
high-ranking guests from different countries are invited. The Nobel
Peace Prize is awarded at the Opera House in Oslo on the same day.
Applicants for the Nobel Prizes are selected and considered by
several scientific institutions.
The Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences has the right to award Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry.
The winner of the Alfred Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics is also
chosen there. The Academy of Sciences was founded in 1739 as an
independent organization designed to advance science and promote the
practical application of discoveries. At present, the Academy of
Sciences has 450 Swedish and 175 foreign members.
The Swedish
Academy is a separate organization responsible for selecting candidates
for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Founded in 1786, usually consists of
18 members who are elected for life.
The Nobel Committee at the
Karolinska Institute annually awards the Nobel Prize to those who have
made significant discoveries in the field of medicine and physiology.
Applications for the Nobel Prize in Medicine are studied by 50
professors at the Karolinska Institute, who also choose the winners.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is responsible for awarding the Peace
Prize, which is awarded to those who have made a significant
contribution to "strengthening brotherhood among peoples, disarming
armies and promoting peace". The Norwegian Committee was founded in 1897
and consists of five members appointed by the Norwegian Parliament.
Ultrasound echocardiography / ultrasound
Ultrasound is the invention of the physician Inge Edler and the German
scientist Karl-Helmut Hertz, who developed a device for monitoring
cardiovascular diseases.
Automatic identification systems
With
the help of Swedish inventor Håkan Lance's development of Automatic
Identification Systems (AIS), it is possible to track any moving object,
such as a marine vessel, as well as find out how many people are on
board, how long the vessel has been in touch and whether it has deviated
from the route. These systems help prevent accidents and ship
collisions.
HIV tracker
The ultra-sensitive sensor is able to
capture the smallest concentrations of dangerous viruses, such as HIV,
in liquids. A recent invention belongs to a group of Swedish scientists
from Lund University led by Martin Hedström. Academia has already
recognized it as invaluable in the fight against bioterrorism.
PowerTrekk Battery
Portable charger runs on eco-fuel and water,
turning them into electricity. If you pour a tablespoon of water into
the device and install a cassette with special chemicals, you can charge
a mobile phone, laptop, navigator or camera from it.
Tetra Pak
packaging
Sealed paper packaging allows you to store and transport
food, juices, dairy products. The idea of such packaging was proposed
in 1946 by Eric Wallenberg, and another Swede, Ruben Rausing, was able
to implement it.
Pacemaker
Back in 1958, the inventor Rune
Elmqvist developed an artificial device for stimulating the activity of
the heart, powered by a battery. The first pacemaker was successfully
implanted in a heart patient in Stockholm, at the Karolinska Medical
University Hospital. A pacemaker, sewn under the skin of the patient,
generates electrical impulses that contribute to the proper functioning
of the heart muscle. This invention saves more than half a million lives
every year.
Three-point seat belt
The seat belt was invented
and introduced by the Swedish engineer Nils Bohlin in 1959 for Volvo
cars. After trying many options and testing them on himself, he settled
on a belt model with three points of support. Today, the presence of
three-point belts is mandatory for all cars without exception.
Swedish cuisine
Swedish cuisine, like all
Scandinavian cuisine, is characterized by simplicity. It has absorbed
the traditions of peasant food (cheese, bread, sausage), is rich in
fish, minced meat, game dishes and is known for its desserts and
pastries. Swedes highly appreciate the gifts of local nature: berries,
mushrooms, spices, as well as locally produced food (milk, cheese,
sausage).
Typical Swedish dishes:
Pickled herring
No
festive table in Sweden is complete without pickled herring (sill). The
tradition of marinating herring, which is found in abundance in the
North and Baltic seas, has existed since the Middle Ages. Various
marinades for herring: with mustard, onions, garlic, dill, beets, curry.
Herring is most often eaten with boiled potatoes, sour cream, finely
chopped green onions, aged hard cheese, sometimes with boiled eggs, and,
of course, with crispbread.
Crispbread
The invariable
ingredient of any lunch or dinner is bread (knäckebröd). They began to
be baked in Sweden more than 500 years ago, and initially bread was
considered the food of the poor. With proper storage, crispbread retains
its taste for at least a year. They are different in shape, thickness,
composition, texture and taste.
Shrimp sandwich
The
Swedish tradition of sandwiches began in the 15th century when thick
slices of bread were used as plates. One of the most popular is the
shrimp sandwich (räksmörgås). Consisting of a mixture of finely chopped
boiled eggs, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers, this seafood appetizer is
often topped with caviar sauce (romsås), sour cream mixed with dill
sprigs and caviar.
Variation - Smörgastorte sandwich cake.
Gravlax
Gravlax is a truncated gravad lax ("buried salmon"): this
is the name of the old Swedish method of preserving fish in the ground.
Serve gravlax with mustard sauce and usually with potato salad, which
goes well with salty-sweet red fish.
Pea soup and pancakes
In
Sweden, pea soup and pancakes (ärtsoppa och pannkakor) are traditionally
eaten on Thursdays. There are different opinions about the origins of
the gastronomic ritual: according to one version, Catholics (and Sweden
was a Catholic country until the 16th century) do not eat meat on
Fridays, and therefore ate hearty pea soup on Thursdays, according to
another, pea soup was an easy-to-prepare dish for servants who worked
half-days on Thursdays.
"The Temptation of Janson"
Potato
casserole with marinated anchovies and cream is an important part of
Swedish feasts. There is a version that this dish is named after Pelle
Janson, a Swedish opera singer and great gourmet who lived in the second
half of the nineteenth century. On the other hand, few people heard of
this recipe until the 1940s, when it was first published. Another
version is related to the 1928 film of the same name, which a certain
wealthy resident of Stockholm liked so much that she named her dish for
the New Year's party after him. Since that party, the casserole recipe
has sold out among Swedish housewives.
Swedish meatballs with
lingonberry sauce
These meatballs, with a classic accompaniment of
mashed potatoes and lingonberry and brown sauce, have become one of the
most famous Swedish dishes around the world thanks to IKEA. Crackers or
bread crumbs soaked in milk are an extremely important component: they
give the meatballs a special delicate texture.
Cake "Princess"
The princess cake (prinsesstårta) consists of several layers of biscuit
spread with jam and vanilla cream, topped with whipped cream, and topped
with a thin layer of sweet green marzipan. Decorate the cake with a
scarlet sugar rose. Dessert made his debut in 1920 with the light hand
of Jenny Åkerström. She was the teacher of the daughters of Prince Carl
Bernadotte, brother of King Gustav V, Princesses Margareta, Martha and
Astrid, who loved this cake so much that over time it began to be named
after them. Even though the official Princess Cake Week is the third
week of September, this popular treat is widely used to celebrate
special occasions. Today, it comes in a variety of colors, from classic
green to yellow for Easter, red for Christmas, orange for Halloween, and
white for weddings.
Buns according to the calendar
Swedish
sweets have special days on the calendar. Cinnamon Snail Day
(Kanelbullens dag) is celebrated on October 4th. Every year, only on
this day, 7,000,000 buns are sold (the population of Sweden is 10
million people). Saffron buns - lussekatta - on Saint Lucia's Day on
December 13th. Semla buns filled with cream and almond paste (semlor)
are traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday (fettisdagen), the day before the
start of Lent. Freshly baked waffles (våfflor) are eaten on March 25th,
and a creamy biscuit decorated with a chocolate or marzipan silhouette
of King Gustav Adolfs (Gustav Adolfs-bakelse) is eaten on November 6th
in memory of the Swedish monarch, who was killed on this day in 1632 at
the Battle of Lützen.
Seven types of cookies
Coffee in Sweden is supposed
to be served with strictly seven types of cookies, so as not to be
considered stingy or immodest.
Sweets on Saturdays
The average
Swedish family of two adults and two children eats 1.2 kg of candy a
week - most of them on Saturday, the official day of sweets. This
tradition is connected with a long-standing medical experiment. In the
1940s and 1950s, in the Lund Psychiatric Hospital, patients were fed
large amounts of sweets as part of a study to deliberately induce tooth
decay. Based on the results of an experiment that established a direct
link between eating sweets and tooth decay, the National Medical Council
recommended that Swedes limit sweets to once a week. Many families
adhere to this unwritten rule to this day.
Lagom is the Swedish ethic of moderation, which
preaches a reasonable attitude to life: when everything is not too much
and not too little, but exactly just right. The birth of the lagoma
tradition is usually attributed to the times of the Vikings: passing a
cup of drink around, it was necessary to swallow just enough so as not
to offend others and in order to get enough and enjoy yourself. Thus, a
certain attitude to life and the world arose from everyday practice,
which made it possible to avoid excesses and spread to all practical
spheres of activity. In a sense, this is a normative setting that
creates a delicate balance between individualism and collectivism.
Lagom became a global fashion trend in 2017, after an article in
Vogue magazine. It lagom was presented as a practical philosophy of life
- an eco-friendly Aristotelian golden mean for conscious citizens of the
21st century, implying moderation in consumption, as well as in design.
However, for the Swedes, lagom is not only an individual choice of
lifestyle, but a kind of way to balance between the individual and the
collective. In the realm of politics, this approach has created what is
often called “capitalism with a human face”: that is, with free and
affordable social services and a fairly low level of social inequality.
The Swedish public was first introduced to cinema on
June 28, 1896 at an industrial exhibition in Malmö, where the first film
footage was shown. Already in 1897, the first Swedish-made short films
were shown at an exhibition in Stockholm. In the following years, thanks
to touring screenings of films, interest in cinema grew in Sweden, and
at the beginning of the 20th century, permanent cinemas gradually began
to appear here. In 1907, Svenska Biografteatern (Svenska Bio) was
founded in Kristianstad.
During these years, directors Viktor
Sjöström and Maurits Stiller actively worked, who managed to achieve
international recognition. Filming mainly based on Swedish classical
literature, they revealed the themes of man and nature, the foundations
of Swedish society. So, after the famous film by Sjöström “Ingeborg
Holm” (Ingeborg Holm, 1913), which criticizes the Swedish laws on the
poor, the adaptation of the epic poem by Henrik Ibsen “Terje Vigen”
(Terje Vigen, 1917), as well as the novel by Selma Lagerlöf “The
Charioteer” (Körkarlen , 1921). At this time, Stiller was filming Herr
Arnes pengar's Money (1918), Erotikon (1920), and Gösta Berling's Saga
(1924), the film that introduced Greta Garbo to the audience. Later,
Stiller and Garbo accept an invitation from Louis Barth Mayer to work in
Hollywood, thus establishing a trend where Swedish directors and actors
such as Ingrid Bergman, Ingmar Bergman, Max von Sydow, Bo Wiederberg and
the Skarsgard acting dynasty actively filmed and starred in the USA.
In 1919, all the major film companies in Sweden merged into Svensk
Filmindustri (SF), headed by Charles Fredrik Magnusson.
The
development of Swedish cinema was not hindered by the hardships of the
First World War, as Sweden remained neutral in the war. Thus the golden
age of Swedish silent cinema continued until the 1920s, when the advent
of sound cinema changed things dramatically.
The decline in
international demand for films understood by only a few million people,
the emigration of stars such as Garbo and Stiller, the appearance of
Hollywood films on Swedish screens, caused a crisis in the development
of high-quality cinema in the 1930s. Those few bright films shot during
that period, such as Gustav Mulander's Intermezzo (Intermezzo, 1936),
where Ingrid Bergman and Josta Ekman played, did not save the situation.
It got to the point that film industry workers staged protests to draw
attention to the problem of low standards in Swedish cinema.
The
situation leveled off during the Second World War, in which Sweden also
acted as a neutral side. The thirst for change in the film environment
and the problems with the supply of imported films breathed new life
into Swedish cinema. And this period saw the films The Divine Game
(Himlaspelet, 1942) and The Hounding (1944) by Alf Sjöberg, Crime (Ett
brott, 1940) by Anders Henrikson, Money (Pengar — en tragikomisk saga,
1946) by Nils Poppe and "Night at the Port" (Natt i hamn, 1943) by Hampe
Faustmann.
Other reasons include the literary movement of writers
in the 1940s, who abandoned the idealized image of Swedish society and
pastoral landscapes - against the background of disillusionment with the
post-war nuclear era, they were more interested in the inner experiences
of a person than in a detached observation of social processes. The new
management of SvenskFilmindustri also played a role. Carl Anders Dymling
headed the structure, Viktor Sjöström became the artistic director.
Dümling believed that artists should be treated with patience, allowed
to make mistakes and learn from them.
Under such conditions, Hans
Ekman created his best films, including "The Girl and the Hyacinths"
(Flicka och hyacinter; 1950), and Alf Sjöberg's "Fröken Julia" (1951)
again brought worldwide fame to Swedish cinema. At the same time, the
film career of Ingmar Bergman was rapidly going up, whose comedy "Smiles
of a Summer Night" received a prize and general attention at the 1956
Cannes Film Festival. Subsequently, Bergman became a recognized classic
of world cinema, and his films The Seventh Seal, Strawberry Field
(1957), Silence (1963), Persona (1966), Whispers and Cries (1973), Fanny
and Alexander (1982) had a significant impact on many directors. During
his long film career, Bergman was nominated 12 times for the Oscar film
award and became its winner three times.
In the late 1950s, the Swedish cinema was in crisis,
which was largely due to the advent of television. Simultaneously with
the decline in the number of viewers and the closure of cinemas, film
companies have become reluctant to take artistic risks. The time has
come for sexually liberated paintings. The Swedish nude proved to be a
good seller, and during the 1960s Swedish cinema was best known abroad
for films such as Angels... Do They Really Exist? (Änglar, finns dom?,
1961), "Dear Jon" (Käre John, 1964), "I'm Curious - Yellow" (Jag är
nyfiken - gul_ 1967) and "The Language of Love" (Kärlekens språk, 1969).
At the same time, the film adaptations of children's works by Astrid
Lindgren, carried out by Ulle Hellbum, were in demand among the public.
The artistic component of Swedish cinema was saved by the film
reform of 1963, the essence of which was the financial support of the
state for the production of highly artistic films. A significant role in
this process was assigned to the newly created Swedish Film Institute.
This approach soon brought results and allowed such young directors as
Vilgot Schoemann, Bo Wiederberg, Mai Setterling, Jan Truell, Cel Grede
and Roy Andersson to make their film debuts.
The 1970s and 1980s
were characterized by growing economic and artistic instability. With
the advent of cable and satellite television, the decline in cinema
attendance continues. At this time, comedy films such as The Adventures
of Picasso (Picassos äventyr; 1978), Leif (Leif; 1987), Charter Flight
(Sällskapsresan, 1980) and My Dog Life (Mitt liv som hund, 1985).
Several female directors are emerging in Sweden: Marianne Arne,
Marie-Louise Ekman and Susanne Osten. In the 1990s, Rikard Hubert
created a name for himself with a series of films about the seven deadly
sins (Glädjekällan, Höst i paradiset, Spring för livet, etc.). At the
same time, Lukas Moodysson began his film career, whose fame was brought
by the film “Show Me Love” (Fucking Åmål, 1998).
The development
of cinema in the 21st century is closely connected with the names of Roy
Andersson (“Songs from the second floor”, (Sånger från andra våningen,
2000), “You, who live” (Du levande, 2007), “A dove sat on a branch,
thinking about being” (En duva satt på en gren och funderade på
tillvaron, 2014), Lisa Olin (“Simon and the Oaks” (Simon och ekarna,
2011), Lisa Langseth (“Towards Something Beautiful” (Till det som är
vackert, 2009) ; Hannes Holm ("The Second Life of Uwe" (En man som heter
Uve, 2015); Helena Bergström's "Merry Damn Christmas" (En underbar jävla
jul, 2015) and others. And Ruben Ostlund is the director of the films
"Volunteer Forced" (De ofrivilliga, 2008) and Force Majeure (Tourist,
2014) - in 2017 he received the Palme d'Or for the satirical drama The
Square (The Square, 2017).
As in other Scandinavian countries, until the middle
of the 19th century, the fine arts of Sweden lagged far behind central
Europe. In Sweden, the creative activity of the German artist Albertus
Piktor took place. His most famous work is the fresco "Death Playing
Chess" (Swedish: Döden spelar schack) in Töby Church (Swedish: Täby
kyrka), made on a non-canonical subject.
From the middle of the
19th century, Swedish painting developed, and by the beginning of the
20th century it reached its peak. The most recognizable Swedish artist
and illustrator is Carl Larsson, who developed a unique style.
Impressionism is represented by the paintings of Anders Zorn, famous for
his images of the nude, Bruno Liljefors and the landscapes of Prince
Eugene. Symbolism is very well developed, the most prominent
representative of which was Eugen Janson, who at the beginning of his
creative activity painted characteristic sunrise and sunset landscapes
in blue tones. Ivar Arosenius depicted semi-dark interiors with human
figures. One of the representatives of Swedish expressionism was Albin
Amelin. In the mid-1920s, under the influence of the work of K. S.
Malevich and V. V. Kandinsky, the first works of Swedish abstractionism
appeared (W. Eggeling, O. G. Karlsund, J. Adrian-Nilson). We can talk
about Swedish surrealism starting with the performance of the so-called
Halmstad group led by Eric Olson.
The origins of Swedish literature go back to runic
inscriptions, which most often told about the glorious deeds of one or
another noble family. The first literary text is considered to be a rune
stone from Rök, carved in the Viking Age around the 8th century AD. e.
After converting to Christianity around 1100 A.D. e. Christian
literature is also developing, mainly in Latin, for example, the
manuscripts of St. Brigid of Wadstena. However, several texts in Old
Swedish also survive.
Swedish literature flourished only after
the standardization of the Swedish language in the 16th century, largely
due to the complete translation of the Bible into Swedish in 1541 - the
so-called Gustav Vasa Bible.
In the 17th century, with the
improvement of education and the development of civil liberties due to
secularization, several iconic names appeared in Sweden. Among them:
"the father of Swedish poetry" Georg Shernjelm (XVII century), the first
who began to compose poetry in Swedish; poet and critic Johan Henrik
Cjölgren (18th century), author of burlesque ballads Karl Mikael Belman
(late 18th century), and August Strindberg (late 19th century) - a
world-famous writer and playwright.
At the beginning of the 20th
century, writers Hjalmar Söderberg, Selma Lagerlöf (Nobel Prize winner
in 1909), Per Lagerkvist (Nobel Prize winner in 1951) worked. A total of
7 Swedish writers have won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
After
the First World War, fame came to Wilhelm Muberg, who later wrote one of
the masterpieces of Swedish literature, the tetralogy "Emigrants"
(Utvandrarna).
Scandinavian noir is developing. One of the first
such works was the detectives of the writer couple Mai Chevall and Pera
Valle. The novels of these writers do not just tell crime stories, they
quite critically and quite realistically describe the social
environment, working conditions and private relationships of police
officers through the narratives of the criminal investigations of Chief
Inspector Martin Beck; some of them were successfully filmed. Another
popular author of this genre is Henning Mankel, whose works have been
translated into 37 languages. His main character Kurt Wallander is also
a hit in the movies. In the spy fiction genre, the most successful
writer is Jan Guillou.
In recent decades, many Swedish writers
have become world stars, such as Henning Mankel or Stieg Larsson.
If we talk about literature for children, then here the cult names
are Elsa Beskov (“The Girl with Blooming Hair”, “The Brownie in the
Window”), Astrid Lindgren (“Pippi Longstocking”, “The Kid and Carlson”,
“Mio, My Mio”, "Brothers Lionheart"), Sven Nurdqvist (Series of books
about Petson and Findus), Barbru Lindgren ("Loranga, Mazarin and
Dartagnan"), author of detective stories for children Martin Widmark
(series about the Lasse-Maya detective agency). Adult writers such as
Selma Lagerlöf and Henning Mankell also wrote children's books.
It is impossible not to mention the famous modern writer Frederick
Backman, whose novels have gained international fame and have been
filmed.
Over the past few centuries, the history of Swedish
architecture has borrowed elements from other cultures and, combining
them with national color, has created its own unique form.
Swedish architectural culture in the Middle Ages was not distinguished
by pomp, proof of this are the preserved noble houses. However, since
1600 everything has changed: with the growth of Sweden's ambitions in
the international arena, architectural ambitions have also increased.
The first steps, which subsequently led to the creation of the
national style of Sweden, were taken by the architects Jean de la Vallee
(1620-1696), Nicodemus Tessin the Elder (1615-1681) and his son
Nicodemus Tessin the Younger (1654-1728), who were in the service of
Kings Charles XI and Charles XII. During this period, the Knights' House
in Stockholm, the Oksenstjern Palace, the Drotningholm Palace, the
building of the State Bank, as well as the Royal Palace in Stockholm
were built.
During the reign of Gustav III (1771-1792), the
architect Jean-Eric Ren built the Opera House in Stockholm (dismantled
in 1892), the architecture of which was still under the strong French
influence of those years.
At the end of the 18th century, the
French "Empire" began to break through, the initiator of which in Sweden
was the French architect Jean Louis Despres (1743-1804). Despres
commissioned the king to draw up projects for civil buildings and
ensembles, of which the most famous is the project for the luxurious
Haga Palace, made in the antique spirit. This building, begun in 1788,
was never completed.
Since 1820, the construction of a number of
public buildings in the forms of a laconic but monumental Swedish Empire
has intensified. These include the building of the University Library
(1819–1826) in Uppsala (architect K. F. Sundval, 1754–1831) and the
hospital of the Stockholm garrison (architect K. G. Gjervel). Especially
strict and spartan is the architecture of the Stockholm barracks, devoid
of any ornamentation. The author of the barracks arch. Frederik Blom
(1781-1853) designed the church on the island of Skeppsholmen in
Stockholm, which is a miniature copy of the Pantheon, as well as the
country palace Rosendal near Djurgården. The latter has beautifully
decorated interiors, which can be considered the best example of Karl
Johan's style, that is, the Swedish Empire style.
In the middle
of the XIX century. in the cities of Sweden, as in many cities in
Europe, a period of historicism began, imitation of the historical
styles of all countries and all times. In the 20s of the XX century.
many major architects again returned to the classical forms of
antiquity, but this neoclassicism was in fact the last echo of
historicism.
Now the architectural "visiting cards" of Sweden can
be credited to:
The wooden church in the northern city of Kiruna
(architect Gustav Wikman, built in 1912) is recognized by the Swedes as
the most beloved building of all time in a national vote. Due to the
expansion of neighboring iron ore mines, in the coming years the church
will be dismantled, moved and rebuilt in a different place - like the
whole of Kiruna.
The Stockholm City Hall, built in 1923 by Ragnar
Östberg, is an example of Swedish national romanticism. 365 steps lead
to the top of the 106-meter bell tower, which is crowned with a spire
with the Three Crowns - the national emblem of Sweden.
Ericsson Globe
is the world's largest sphere building. The snow-white globe rises above
the surrounding neighborhoods of Stockholm, like a huge golf ball. The
arena, designed by architect Svante Berg, was opened in 1989. Its
diameter is 110 meters and its height is 85 meters.
The Øresund
Bridge (opened in 1999) connects Sweden with Denmark and the rest of
Europe. The project, which also includes a tunnel and an artificial
island, was designed by COWI. It became the longest cable-stayed bridge
in the world, combining rail and road traffic. In 2002 he was awarded
the main prize of the International Association of Bridge Builders and
Design Engineers (IABSE).
The only skyscraper in the world that
spirals around its axis is the Turning Torso in Malmö (architect
Santiago Calatrava, opened in 2005). The 190-meter tower is the tallest
structure in Scandinavia.
The building of the Tusen restaurant in the
Ramundberget ski resort was designed in 2008 by the architectural bureau
Murman Arkitekter. The restaurant's menu includes local and Sami dishes.
The house in the form of a vezha - a traditional Sami dwelling - located
at an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level, fits perfectly into the
surrounding landscape - it is built from a birch bar, the only tree that
can take root in a mountainous landscape.
A separate building for an
ultra-precise electron microscope designed by Tham & Videgård on the
campus of the University of Linköping.
The futuristic shopping mall
Emporia in Malmö, built by architects Gert Wingård in 2012, features a
giant depression that creates the effect of a melting building.
Another hallmark of modern urban planning in Sweden is
the desire for the rational use of natural resources and concern for the
environment. The transformation of the former industrial area of
Hammarby in Stockholm into a model of ecological urban planning was
such an exemplary project. The newly built residential area has smart
power grids, affordable and environmentally friendly public transport,
bike paths and parking lots, waste collection and disposal.
A
similar transformation from an industrial area to a residential area has
taken place in Malmö. Today, Västra hamnen is a carbon-neutral area with
a thermal energy storage system. The water is stored during the summer,
then pumped using wind power to heat homes during the cold season. The
water is then reused to cool buildings in the summer.
According to research by Joel Waldfogel and Fernando
Ferreira of the Wharton School of Business at the University of
Pennsylvania, Sweden is the number one pop music exporter in the world
in terms of GDP. It is followed by Canada, Finland, Great Britain, New
Zealand and the USA (according to data for 1960-2007).
Among the
reasons for the success of the Swedish music industry are the popularity
and accessibility of children's music schools, amateur choirs, the use
of digital technology and even government support. For example, in 1997,
the Swedish government established its own Music Export Prize, which is
awarded to those who have achieved particular success in the global
music market. Previous winners have included Swedish House Mafia, singer
Robin, music producer Max Martin, members of ABBA, The Hives, The
Cardigans and Roxette.
The five Swedish music sales records (both
albums and singles are taken into account):
1. ABBA - over 300
million
2. Roxette - over 70 million
3. Ace of Base - 50 million
4. Europe - more than 20 million
5. The Cardigans - over 15 million
The Swedes have won the Eurovision Song Contest six times, and thus
are second only to Ireland in terms of victories in this music
competition:
1974, Brighton - ABBA "Waterloo"
1984, Luxembourg -
Herrey's "Diggi-loo Diggy-ley"
1991, Rome - Carola "Fångad av en
stormvind"
1999, Jerusalem - Charlotte Perelli "Take Me to Your
Heaven"
2012, Baku - Loreen "Euphoria"
2015, Vienna - Mons
Selmerlöw "Heroes"
Swedish music has entered the avant-garde of
world pop culture not only thanks to musicians and producers, but also
thanks to the visual range. The Swedish videos were able to both express
the notorious Nordic character and teach the world how music videos can
work with the physicality or, for example, with contemporary art. The
Swedish video makers have also filmed for The Prodigy, Madonna, Beyoncé,
Lady Gaga, Coldplay and many more.
The Swedish combination of high style and low prices
has become a competitive advantage of Stockholm in comparison with other
fashion capitals. Popular Swedish brands include Filippa K, Tiger of
Sweden, Swedish Hasbeens, Gudrun Sjödén, Uniforms for the Dedicated,
Nudie, Cheap Monday, Acne, Hope.
Over half of Sweden's
multibillion-dollar fashion industry comes from H&M, a giant with 4,000
stores in 62 countries and 150,000 employees. For comparison: in the
rest of the industry in the country, a little more than 50 thousand
people are employed. Realizing its basic principle that good clothes
should and can be affordable, H&M regularly releases special collections
with famous designers. The list of invited celebrities, along with
Stella McCartney, Karl Lagerfeld and Donatella Versace, includes pop
stars: Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Beyoncé.
In general, conciseness
and functionality in clothes can be called the basis of the Swedish
style. To this we can add a modern trend of respect for the environment,
the reuse of materials and the organization of fair working conditions.
For example, an ambitious research program Mistra Future Fashion has
been launched in Sweden. Her goals are to achieve dramatic environmental
reforms in the fashion industry and change the attitude of consumers
themselves to what they wear. To develop a new collection, establish a
supply chain, sell finished goods and recycle used clothes - for each
stage, the Mistra Future Fashion team issues scientific recommendations
on respect for natural resources and environmental protection. H&M,
Lindex, Eton and Nudie Jeans, the biggest players in the Swedish fashion
industry, collaborate with the project.
The Swedish Olympic Committee was created and
recognized by the IOC in 1913. Swedish athletes won their first gold
medal in 1900 (Paris) in a tug-of-war competition. In 1912, the V
Olympic Games were held in Stockholm; in the informal The team standings
was dominated by the Swedish team (24 gold, 24 silver, 17 bronze
medals). The Swedish national football team won the Olympic Games in
London (1948), was the bronze medalist of the European Championship
(1992). The Swedish Open Tennis Championship is traditionally held in
Båstad (since 1948).
In Sweden, sport is an obligatory part of
leisure time, about half of the country's population regularly goes in
for sports. About 2 million people (20% of the population) are members
of sports clubs. The most popular sports are ice hockey, bandy and
football. Handball (handball), athletics, skiing, tennis, golf,
equestrian sports, artistic gymnastics, and various types of martial
arts are also common. In turn, broadcasts of football, hockey, handball
matches, as well as golf and car racing competitions gather the largest
audience on TV screens.
Recreational sports include brännboll
(ball game), pétanque, kubb, as well as skiing, swimming, walking,
cycling, dancing, etc.
In 2018, Sweden became the third country
in the world in terms of sports achievements per capita. In the entire
history of the Olympic Games, Swedish athletes have won 648.5 medals:
484.5 (one medal shared with Denmark) at the summer and 164 at the
winter Olympics.
The most outstanding Swedish athletes of the
20th century: seven-time world swimming champion and three-time Olympic
medalist Sara Sjöström, football players Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gunnar
Nurdal, tennis players Stefan Edber, Mats Wilander, Bjorn Borg, skiers
Anja Person, Ingemar Stenmark, Charlotte Kalla, Pernilla Wieberg, hockey
players Peter Forsberg, Niklas Lidström, golfer Annika Sörenstam, high
jumpers Patrick Sjöberg, Kaisa Bergqvist, curler Anette Nurberg and
others.
St. Knut's Day
Knut Day is celebrated on January
13th. This day marks the end of Christmas celebrations and school
holidays. On the Day of the Whip, the Christmas tree is removed from the
house.
All Hearts Day - February 14
Valentine's Day, named
after the Roman martyr, is known in Sweden as All Hearts Day (Alla
hjärtans dag).
Since the Middle Ages, it has been celebrated on
February 14 in England, Scotland and France. In the 19th century, the
custom spread to the United States: there, on this day, they exchanged
heart-shaped postcards and expensive gifts. In the 1980s, the holiday
began to be celebrated in Sweden, mainly among children and adolescents.
On Valentine's Day, a lot of roses, jelly hearts, sweets, jewelry and
toys are sold here.
Easter
In Sweden, Easter is predominantly
a secular holiday. Statistically, Swedes don't go to church often. And
even if the number of parishioners at services slightly increases on
Easter, the majority still celebrates at home or goes out of town with
family and relatives.
A traditional Easter lunch usually consists
of various types of marinated herring, smoked salmon, and Janson's
Temptation, a potato casserole with onions, marinated anchovies, and
cream. For dinner, they usually eat roast lamb with potato gratin and
asparagus. The house is decorated with birch branches with colored
feathers.
Also on Easter, children dress up as Easter witches:
they put on long skirts, old-fashioned sweaters, aprons, multi-colored
scarves, paint their cheeks red and draw freckles. They go from house to
house and give their neighbors homemade Easter cards. In return, they
receive sweets. Children are also given fake Easter eggs filled with
sweets.
Walpurgis Night – April 30
The celebration of
Walpurgis Night marks the final onset of spring. Throughout Sweden on
the evening of April 30, people gather in thousands, kindle large fires
and enjoy spring songs performed by choirs (most often male).
The
tradition of lighting bonfires (majbrasor, kasar) dates back to the
beginning of the 18th century. The fire was not limited to: the peasants
fired from rifles, rang bells, squealed and shouted. In some parts of
Sweden, on Walpurgis Night, boys and girls went from house to house,
singing festive songs - such guests were supposed to be treated.
International Workers' Day - May 1
The first of May has been a public
holiday in Sweden since 1939. On this day, various demonstrations take
place in the country, although for many it is just another day off.
National Day of Sweden - June 6
Since 1983, Sweden has officially
celebrated its national holiday on June 6th. On this day in 1523, King
Gustav Vasa came to the throne, and in 1809 a new constitution was
adopted. Initially, the idea to celebrate June 6 belonged to Arthur
Hazelius, an ethnographer, founder of the Skansen open-air museum in
Stockholm. On his initiative, National Day June 6 has been celebrated in
Skansen since the 1890s. However, at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago,
Sweden introduced the Midsummer Midsummer as a national holiday - hence
the proposal to officially approve this particular date. Hazelius,
however, continued the celebrations at Skansen on 6 June. Thus, in
Sweden there were two national days at once. In 1916, the Hazelius
version was officially approved: June 6 became Swedish Flag Day. This
day became a day off only in 2004.
On this day, a solemn ceremony
is held in Skansen with the participation of the royal couple. The blue
and yellow national flag is hoisted, and children in national costumes
present bouquets of flowers to the king and queen. Ceremonies are held
across the country to congratulate new Swedish citizens on receiving a
Swedish passport.
Summer Solstice Festival
Midsommar (Swedish:
Midsommar), the midsummer festival was originally celebrated on June 24
in honor of John the Baptist. In 1953, it was moved to the next
Saturday.
Midsommar, or the summer solstice, falls at the end of
June and is celebrated on the Saturday closest to the day of the summer
solstice. By this time, the sun's rays are already reaching the
northernmost corners of the country, and the sun no longer sets beyond
the Arctic Circle. The celebration begins the night before with the
fortune-telling of the girls “for the betrothed”: it is believed that if
you pick flowers of seven different types and put them under your
pillow, then at night you will dream of the betrothed. The remaining
flowers are used to decorate the “Maypole”, wreaths are woven from them
- both for people and for houses. The hoisting of the "Maypole" is the
signal for the start of traditional round dances to the violin,
accordion and guitar.
The festive dinner menu always includes
various types of pickled herring, boiled young potatoes with fresh dill,
sour cream and onions. After that, hot, grilled, such as ribs or salmon
are served. A traditional dessert is young strawberries with whipped
cream.
Cancer Day - Second Wednesday of August
In Sweden,
crayfish have been eaten since the 16th century. For several centuries,
this delicacy has gone from the table of the aristocracy to universal
recognition. However, Swedish crayfish have been threatened with
infections more than once - and then the population has sharply
decreased. In order to preserve these arthropods, restrictions were
introduced on their catching at the beginning of the 20th century. The
season for catching crayfish, then reduced to a couple of months, began
in August. This was the basis for the celebration.
On the second
Wednesday of August, the Swedes gather on the terraces with their
families to taste boiled crayfish. The decoration of the festive evening
is colored paper lanterns, colorful fake caps on their heads, bibs.
Sauerkraut Day - Third Thursday in August
In the northern half of
Sweden, crayfish are not caught; instead of crayfish day, they celebrate
the day of surströmming - pickled herring, in honor of which a festival
is also held, starting on the third Thursday of August. Surströmming is
usually wrapped in tunnbrød (thin bread cakes) along with mandelpotatis
(small potatoes) and chopped onion.
All Saints' Day - early
November
The Swedes celebrate this memorial holiday on Saturday
between October 31 and November 6, visiting cemeteries and leaving
wreaths, flowers, and lit candles on the graves of their loved ones.
This tradition has its roots in the Middle Ages. In 731, the church
proclaimed November 1 as the day of commemoration of the departed
saints. And in the XI century, November 2 became the day of
commemoration of all the dead, regardless of status - it was called the
day of all souls. For centuries, prayers for the dead were heard and the
bell rang, but the custom was forgotten after the Reformation. In 1772,
All Saints' Day was moved to the first Sunday in November, and in 1953
to a Saturday between October 31 and November 6.
Halloween -
October 31
All Saints' Day in the American version of the holiday
reached Sweden in the 1990s. It is celebrated mainly by children and
teenagers. They dress up as witches and ghosts, light lanterns and
wander the streets, scaring neighbors and late passers-by. Many bars and
restaurants decorate the halls with spooky decorations and throw holiday
parties.
Saint Martin's Day (Morten Goose) - November 11
The
tradition of celebrating Saint Martin's Day has its roots in the Middle
Ages. According to legend, when Saint Martin of Tours tried to avoid
consecration as a bishop, he hid in a goose coop - but the geese gave
him away by crying. After that, he chose the image of a goose as his
coat of arms.
Saint Martin's Day is celebrated in November, when
geese are traditionally slaughtered. The custom of eating goose came to
Sweden from France. At first, this tradition was observed by artisans
and wealthy citizens. Not all peasant families could afford a goose, so
many ate duck or chicken.
Today, the goose is eaten mainly in the
southern province of Skåne and in university towns, although this custom
also existed in Stockholm and its environs in the past. Some families
still prepare the holiday dinner themselves, but most go to a
restaurant.
Lunch begins with a bowl of thick, sweet and sour
black soup (svartsoppa), made from blood and broth flavored with fruit
puree, strong tincture and spices. It is served with offal, goose liver
sausage, stewed prunes and potatoes. The goose carcass is stuffed with
apples and prunes and slowly baked in the oven. Apple charlotte is
usually served for dessert.
Saint Lucia's Day - December 13
The tradition of
this holiday can be traced both to Saint Lucia of Syracuse, a martyr who
died in 304, and to the Swedish legend of Lucia, Adam's first wife.
Legend has it that the latter was in touch with the devil and that her
children became invisible in the underworld. Thus, the name can be
associated with both the word lux (lat. light) and the name of the devil
(Lucifer), and its true origin is difficult to determine. The custom
that the Swedes follow today is the result of the interweaving of
different traditions.
On this day, traditionally, children
prepare breakfast for their parents (homemade cookies and hot chocolate)
and, dressed in outfits (girls in white dresses, and boys in an
astrologer costume), congratulate their elders. Special songs, hymns,
psalms are performed at Lucia. It is also customary that on this day,
schoolchildren visit teachers in the morning. Traditional food is sweet
buns with saffron (Sw. lussekatter). They look like curled up kittens
with raisin eyes. They eat these buns with glög or coffee.
Since
the 1920s, when the competition for the most beautiful Lucia of the city
was first held in Stockholm, a corresponding tradition has been
established, and now Lucia is elected annually not only in every city or
town, but also in every school.
Christmas Eve and Christmas -
December 24-25
The celebration of one of the most important Swedish
holidays, Christmas, is preceded by a long and thorough preparation.
Since the beginning of December, streets and houses have been decorated
with electric garlands and lamps. A few days before Christmas Eve, the
Swedes rush in search of the perfect Christmas tree. Christmas trees are
decorated, according to family traditions, with flags, tinsel or colored
balls. At home - tapestries depicting the Swedish version of Santa Claus
Yltomten, winter landscapes, tablecloths with Christmas patterns,
candlesticks and figurines.
At 3pm on December 24th, everyone in
Sweden sits down in front of the TV and watches Disney cartoons, the
same year after year since the 1960s.
Traditional dishes:
Christmas ham (first boiled, then glazed with egg, breadcrumbs and
mustard), pork sausage, egg and anchovy mixture (gubbröra), herring
salad, pickled herring, homemade liver pate, rye bread with beer wort (
vörtbröd), potatoes and a special fish dish called lutfisk. To prepare
lutefisk, the fish is soaked in an alkaline solution and then soaked in
water. Yulmust is a traditional Swedish Christmas drink.
After
the feast, it is customary to open gifts.
The classic description
of Swedish Christmas is Ingmar Bergman's Oscar-winning film Fanny and
Alexander, set in the early 20th century: a time of abundance and
delicious food, happiness and fun.
New Year
If Swedes
celebrate Christmas with their families, they prefer to celebrate the
New Year with friends - often on the street, watching the fireworks with
a glass of champagne in their hands.
A few minutes before the New
Year, live from the Skansen Open Air Museum, a famous Swedish actress or
actor reads Alfred Tennyson's New Year's poem "Ring Out, Wild Bells".
Then the outgoing year is escorted to the sound of bells. This tradition
is over a hundred years old.
The postal operator until 1994 was Postverket, in 1994-2008 - Posten AB, since 2008 - PostNord Sverige; the operator of telephone communications, wired (cable) television and the Internet network - Televerket, until 1946 - Kungliga Telegrafverket; in large cities there are networks owned by private companies.
On December 2, 1766, censorship was abolished in
Sweden and the world's first law guaranteeing freedom of speech was
passed. Subsequently, its main provisions were included in the
Constitution of the country.
The Swedish press in the 18th and
19th centuries developed as the press of political parties. The
multi-party newspaper market reached its quantitative peak in the 1920s,
after which the popularity of newspapers of political parties began to
decline gradually. In the 1950s and early 1960s, Swedish economists even
started talking about the period of the “death of newspapers”. Then, in
1965, in order to maintain a high level of party pluralism and keep the
presence of competing media independent of political parties, in 1965
the Swedish state created a system of financial support for newspapers.
Largely thanks to the systemic efforts of the state, the Swedish
press managed to maintain its popularity. According to UNESCO, in the
mid-2000s, the country was one of the world leaders in reading
newspapers: there were about 400 copies of newspapers for every 1,000
Swedes. And despite the decline in this indicator (in 2014 the number of
newspapers per 1000 people was reduced to just over 200), it remains
very high in comparison with other countries.
Like many Western
European countries, Sweden has public service television (SVT) and
public radio (SR). Public broadcasting in Sweden was created as a
non-political institution serving society as a whole. This was reflected
in the ownership structure: in the 1960s, it included a variety of
social forces - labor unions, consumer organizations, the church, the
press and business. As a result, SVT and SR gained a high level of
independence from the state, which increased their political influence
in society. Another distinguishing feature of public broadcasting in
Sweden is funding by all viewers and listeners in the country: they
regularly pay a license for the use of television and radio.
News
Agency - Swedish Telegraph Bureau TT (Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå, TT
Nyhetsbyrån) - a joint stock company of Swedish newspapers. The state
newspaper is Post-och Inrikes Tidningar. It has been published since
1645 (since 2007 only on the Internet), which makes it the oldest
newspaper published in our time. A number of private newspapers are also
published and distributed, for example, Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter,
Expressen, Svenska Dagbladet and others.
Radio and television
broadcasting is carried out both by public radio and television, and by
numerous private channels. Streaming services are actively developing.
The asteroid (329) Svea, discovered in 1892 and named after the Old Norse name for Sweden Svea, is named after Sweden.