Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe, bordered by Norway and Finland. Covering 450,295 square kilometers, it is the largest Nordic country and the fifth-largest in Europe. Stockholm is the capital and largest city, with a population of 10.6 million, primarily concentrated in urban areas.
Human habitation in Sweden dates back to around 12,000 BC, with the formation of a unified state in the late 10th century. Sweden was part of the Kalmar Union with Denmark and Norway from 1397 to 1523, later expanding its territories during the Thirty Years’ War to form the Swedish Empire, a major European power until the early 18th century. By 1814, Sweden had entered a personal union with Norway that lasted until 1905.
Today, Sweden is a highly developed country with a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. It features a robust social welfare system, universal healthcare, and is ranked highly in quality of life and economic competitiveness. Sweden joined the European Union in 1995 and NATO in 2024, along with various international organizations.
Image Credit | By Rob984 – Derived from Germany on the globe (Germany centered).svg, CC BY-SA 4.0 [Accessed 27/03/2025]
