The Kingdom of Sweden is a country of great diversity. Few similarities are found between the people from Skåne in the south and the small Sami communities in the North, but this diversity only increases the incentive for traveling to Sweden.

Stockholm the Capital of Sweden
During the summer period few places in Europe can beat the atmosphere in the Swedish capital of Stockholm. Stockholm is also known as the "Latin Capital of Scandinavia" and when visitors experience the vivid life on the streets in Gamla Stan ("The Old Town") they are likely to think that they have suddenly been transferred to a neighborhood in Southern Europe. Stockholm is the cultural and historic center of Sweden where some of the absolute highlights are the impressive museums of Skansen and Vasa. Stockholm is also the home of the Swedish Royal family, and a boat trip to the island of Drottningholm where the royal family resides is an almost compulsory element of a visit to Stockholm.

Nature
Sweden, nevertheless, has much more to offer than the throbbing city life in Stockholm. Sweden is first and foremost a country with a spectacular nature. Sweden consists of more than 24,000 islands and across the Swedish territory you will find a large number of national parks which were created in order to maintain the original natural experiences in Sweden. When driving through Sweden visitors will experience just how different the forest areas are - some are very organized and clearly created for industrial purposes while others are a complete wilderness.

The Swedish Lapland in the Northern part of the country is a very popular destination especially during the winter time. During the winter guests can stay in one of the spectacular Ice Hotels and enjoy exciting activities such as riding snow mobiles, skiing or dog team riding. In other words Sweden is a destination which can be enjoyed all year around.

History
During the course of its history, Sweden has, of course, received many important influences from abroad. Most prominent was probably the German influence during the Middle Ages, when the Hanseatic League dominated trade in northern Europe. French culture, on the other hand, was adopted at court and among the upper class in the 18th century, while German cultural influence had a revival in the 19th century.

The period from about 1750 to 1850 saw a far-reaching modernization of agriculture. If you compare a map of a rural area from the 18th century with one from today, you will get an idea of what happened in this period. On the old map, living houses, barns etc. belonging to several families were standing close together in a village, perhaps with a church in the middle of it. The cultivated area was split up into several small lots, the result of centuries of inheritance and marriages. The new map, on the other hand, shows separate farms far apart, where each farm has a few large fields around it. The old village has been split up and the farming land redistributed among the families. In addition, pasture-land that used to belong to the villagers collectively has been divided into individual lots and cultivated.

Agonizing as this change sometimes was to the families affected, it did result in an increased agricultural production, which was necessary in a country with a rapidly growing population. But the concentration of farming land and the increase in population meant that there were more and more people who did not own any land at all. A prolitariat of farm laborers without property started forming. Some of them tried to find jobs in the rapidly growing towns, where the developing industries needed more workers. Emigration was another possibility. All in all, almost one million people left the country this way, many of them ending up in America.

Around 1930, the area used for agricultural production had reached its maximum, and 50 percent of the population were engaged in agriculture. Twenty years later, only some 20 percent lived on the countryside.

We have mentioned the mass exodus from Sweden in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We should not forget, however, that Sweden is also a country of immigrants. From the end of the glacial period and onwards, people have settled in the area which is now called "Sweden". Today, as a result of economic and political changes, many different cultures are represented in the population. Equally important is the foreign influence reaching us through TV, music, fashion, food, etc. As can be expected, the US is a major contributor here. Although some people regard this as a form of 'cultural imperialism', most of us find it hard to imagine what life would be like in a monolithic, 'purely Swedish' culture.

1994, a further step towards internationalism was taken, when the Swedish people decided in a referendum to join the EU. Whether one thinks it is right or not to give up parts of what used to be sovereign rights, the membership will most likely simplify international contacts and exchange, and hopefully contribute to the stability of Europe and neighbouring areas.

Welcome to our Vision of Sweden.