of feeling, awareness of strength of doom, absence of sentimentality, principle, avoidance of the visitor. Alerttravellers willnoticeaparticulartonehere thathints atmanythings:depth aesthetics–allofgallows humourand stark which, insomeform,atpoint,will confront lation. Sweden’sliterature of drama blendedwith andcinema favour Gothicsense aweighty, country’s out-there positiononthemap.But there’s more at work here thangeographical iso- spend here, thestranger andmore wonderfullyforeign itbecomes. It’stempting toblamethe

1116 conflict, a sombre things matter. convictionthatcertain Ofcourse, such won’t likely intangibles Sweden like aterriblyAt first notseem outlandish glance, Swedenmight place. Butthemore timeyou HIGHLIGHTS © LonelyPlanetPublications „ „ „ „ „

etnto i See (p1135) Sweden in destination track Off-the-beaten multicultural city ( p1136 ) Malmö (p1145) north Ice Hotel (p1140) city’ ‘second Göteborg cobblestoned backstreets of GamlaStan ( p1123 )

() or small (Stockholm archipelago). (Gotland) orsmall(Stockholm style,digintoUppsala, GöteborgSoak upStockholm andMalmö,explore someislands–big ROAMING SWEDEN hostels andfriendlinesstowardsfree camping. Eat outatlunchtime,buyyouralcoholduty-free, advantageofSweden’s excellent andtake TRAVEL HINTS „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ FAST FACTS

(yes), Phrases UK£1 =Skr12.06;US$1Skr7.96 ¥100 =Skr8.40;NZ$1Skr4.66; C$1 =Skr6.75;€1Skr10.70; Money minority languages Languages ABBA, meatballs,Ikea Famous for Country code Capital Budget Area Getting as close tothecontinentaspossiblewithoutleaving thecountry inthis asclose Getting 449,964sqkm nej Enjoyingafrostybeverage andafrozenbedatthisultracooljewelinthefar Explore cutting-edge styleandthesecrets of theunderground inSweden’s Swedishkrona(Skr);A$1=Skr5.95; Stockholm Touring thewaterways, andwanderingthe exploringtop-notch museums Skr700toSkr1000perday

(no), hej Swedishplusfive official (hello), Vikings, Volvos,blondes, Vikings,

tack % Doingabicyclelooparoundtheislandof Gotland,thebestbudget 46 (thanks) hej då (goodbye), ja

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of uptothree months Visas Population notneededformostvisitorsstays 9.02million SWEDEN 1117 (similar to ice ) (similar to ) Sweden’s overall approach to family life is to family life approach Sweden’s overall There are about 17,000 Sami (the indige- about 17,000 Sami (the are There Alpine competitions are held an- competitions are Ice hockey is another big in Sweden. Ice hockey on has moved Borg star Björn Some 87% of the Swedish population is the Swedish population is Some 87% of dominated is still a popular one in Sweden. dominated , sailing and also common. are Nordic race called nually and the huge in March. year place each takes attend church services. church attend SPORT football, the than a million play More country’s most popular sport. The most high- football is probably in Swedish name profile Sven- coach, England’s former national team Göran Eriksson, famed for his scandalous love the 2006 FIFA Eriksson left the job after life. in Germany. World Cup communi- in most teams amateur are There in the premier teams ties and 12 professional Swedish of The handsome visage league. graces Forsberg ‘Foppa’ star Peter hockey the country. all over advertisements come from other European countries, includ- come from other European Poland Yugoslavia, ing Russia, the former eth- non-European The largest and Greece. people. Assyrian/Syriac nic group consists of a sizeable pres- have Chile and Somalia also 45,000 Roma. around are ence, and there tendencies. in line with its socially progressive maternity/pater- state-mandated The extensive – equally between parents is shared nity leave it’s as common to see pushing strollers fathers as it is to see Gay and lesbian couples mothers. the same rights as heterosexual married have been have law, and couples under Swedish 2003. since able to adopt children Lutheran, although 10% regularly only about the population lives in Norrland, which takes up takes in Norrland, which lives the population area. geographical the country’s two-thirds of sometimes called Scandinavia, nous people of in the concentrated Lapps) in Sweden, largely popula- Sweden’s than 17% of north. More immigrants have Most foreign-born. tion are to designing underpants, but the sport he to designing underpants, but the sport he SWEDEN •• History

Since 1995 Sweden’s welfare state has un- Since 1995 Sweden’s welfare The 1950s and ’60s saw a rapid rise in the

In recent years Sweden has grown away years In recent By 1900 almost one in four Swedes lived in Swedes lived By 1900 almost one in four It’s an exciting time to visit, too – the small country with its long history of consistent consistent its long history of the small country with time to visit, too – It’s an exciting Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö – only 12% of and Malmö Stockholm, Göteborg making it Scandinavia’s most populous country. most making it Scandinavia’s of in the urban centres those folks live Most of Around nine million people call Sweden home, Around nine million people call from the Social Democrats to the centre-right from the Social Democrats to the centre-right in power. Alliance for Sweden, who remain THE CULTURE status quo, in the general election of September election of status quo, in the general shifted Sweden’s government 2006, control of with greater social diversity. Whether because social diversity. with greater or dissatisfaction with the this new diversity of and economically. Immigration and a new corresponded on the IT industry have reliance from its homogeneous past, both culturally from its homogeneous by the murder just days before of Sweden’s of by the murder just days before Anna Lindh. minister, popular foreign improved. A 2003 referendum on whether on whether A 2003 referendum improved. in a adopt the euro resulted Sweden should was overshadowed The referendum ‘no’ vote. economy and national confidence shaken, economy and national confidence shaken, the EU. to join Swedes voted and the economy has tough reforms dergone world recession of the early 1990s led to mas- of world recession Their the . devaluationsive of standard of living for ordinary Swedes. But the standard of in power since 1932, introduced a welfare in power since 1932, introduced a welfare the war. state after radicalised. Sweden declared itselfradicalised. neutral at Sweden declared WWI. The Social Democrats, of the outbreak cities and the level of industry was increasing. industry was increasing. cities and the level of working class was In this environment the constitutional amendment divided legislative divided legislative constitutional amendment and parliament. between king powers under the young nobleman Gustaf Vasa, Gustafunder the young nobleman Vasa, who was crowned Gustafa I in 1523. In 1809 from Denmark) reigned. A century of Swedish A century of from Denmark) reigned. in rebellion erupted nationalist grumblings Byzantine territories. Along with pagan gods, Along Byzantine territories. chosenthe aristocrats and their kings (many the 9th century; Vikings made their mark in the 9th century; Vikings with (and pillaging) Russia, as well as trading HISTORY HISTORY under way by was getting Viking Age The moderation just happens to be embracing rapid change. Swedish music, fashion, food and art Swedish music, fashion, rapid change. just happens to be embracing moderation things up. Don’t politics is shaking dull world of the usually vibrant. Even more couldn’t be it’s hot. in while to get miss the chance make it into your post-trip slide show. But the mysterious Swedish sensibility Swedish But the mysterious enhances every show. slide into your post-trip it make experience. a traveller’s of aspect lonelyplanet.com