Posted by Interesting facts about Sweden
Sweden is a Scandinavian country that borders Norway and Finland. Sweden has been ruled by many different empires, including the Roman Empire, but was eventually taken over by Denmark in 1658. This lasted until 1814 when it became an independent nation. Its population is 9 million people with the capital is Stockholm. The official language of Sweden is Swedish which is spoken by about 94% of its residents (most other languages are considered to be minority languages).
The Swedish flag is red and blue with a yellow cross. The color of the Swedish flag has meaning. Blue symbolizes liberty and freedom, while yellow stands for the sun’s light coming from the east; as well as faith, hope, and love. It is a way to show your patriotism for Sweden while also having an appreciation for its history. The cross in between these colors represents Christianity that was introduced by missionaries into Scandinavia around 1000 AD. In 1844, King Oscar I made it official when he added it to the coat of arms which had been used unofficially since 1523 at least.
Sweden is a country with an unusual history. It has been invaded and occupied by many different countries throughout its past, but it’s never taken the same path as other European countries. The Swedish government is highly innovative in their approach to social welfare programs, which makes Sweden one of the best places in the world to live!
In this blog post we will discuss interesting facts about Sweden. This would include how many people live there today.
Here are Interesting and Fun Facts About Sweden 2021:
- Celsius is Swedish
- Sweden is large
- Sweden has many dialects
- Sweden is 50% forest
- Sweden has highest number of patents
- Sweden is the land of Midnight sun
- Sweden is the 6th oldest country in Europe
1. FIKA IS A THING
The word “Fika” is common Swedish slang meaning a coffee but is also used to refer to any type of break or snack. Swedes have a reputation for being hard-working, but they know it’s important to take time out and enjoy life too!
The Swedish workforce has the highest work productivity in Europe and workers only use half the hours compared to other European countries on average.
2. SO IS ADVENT
In the last 20 years, Sweden has become one of Europe’s most popular destinations for adventure tourism.
The Swedish landscape is beautiful and varied- everything from wild mountain ranges to coastal cliffs in a variety of magnificent colors!
Sweden also offers some great family fun too such as amusement parks with roller coasters and water rides where even small children can enjoy themselves safely. While Sweden may be cold in winter, it does not stop people from enjoying activities outside like skiing, skating on frozen lakes and playing ice hockey.
3. CELSIUS IS SWEDISH
The Celsius temperature scale was invented in Sweden and is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701-1744).
Celsius realized that 0° on his scale corresponded to the boiling point of water, while 100° corresponds to its freezing point.
He called this new measurement unit a “centigrade,” from Latin words meaning “hundred steps.” The name centigrade was eventually shortened into one word: Celsius.
Celsius’s original thermometer also has red lines at each millimeter increment so it could be read easily without using a magnifying glass or microscope–an innovation not seen before then!
Today, every country except two uses the measurements established by Anders Celsius as their standard for degrees Fahrenheit or Cent.
4. SWEDEN HAS THE BEST ICE CREATIONS IN THE WORLD
The world’s most popular ice cream flavor is vanilla. In second place? Swirls of chocolate and strawberry, a favorite in Sweden known as “klassik.” The recipe for this creamy concoction has been around since the 1940s when an enterprising Swedish dairy farmer mixed his fresh milk with some leftover berries from his farm to feed his cows.
In addition to being delicious on its own, klassik can be used as a topping for wafers or fruit juice drinks–or anything else you like!
Another common Swedish specialty that will make your mouth water is semlor: These sweet buns are baked round at Christmastime and contain whipped cream flavored with almond paste, hot milk sponge cakes soaked in rum and raisins, and whipped cream.
Semlor are believed to have originated in the 1800s when a baker from Stockholm wanted his buns to taste better after they had been sitting out for too long on display shelves. He soaked them in rum overnight before adding almond paste made with whole eggs, sugar and flour–a recipe that has remained unchanged ever since!
Weird facts about Sweden
5. THE VERY FIRST PACEMAKER OPERATION TOOK PLACE IN STOCKHOLM IN 1958
The first pacemaker operation was performed in Stockholm, Sweden by Rune Elmqvist–who had been working on the idea of a heart-rate regulator for over ten years. The patient– a 64-year-old man named Arne Larsson who was suffering from atrial fibrillation–was walking around and eating his lunch just hours later!
6. ALFRED NOBEL WAS A SWEDISH
Alfred Nobel was born in Sweden to a Swedish mother and inventor father. He achieved success as an engineer, industrialist, and armaments manufacturer–but also invented dynamite which led him to become the world’s first billionaire!
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7. STOCKHOLM IS THE LARGEST CITY IN SWEDEN
Stockholm is the capital and largest city in Sweden. With a population of approximately 900,000 people, it is also one of the most populated cities in Scandinavia!
Stockholm is one of the most popular cities to visit in Europe. It is a global city and has the best quality of life when compared with other world capitals!
A stockholmer can reach many major European cities within three hours by car, train, bus and plane! Stockholm has an extensive public transit system consisting mainly of a subway network with stations in the city center as well as regional trains and buses which connect outlying suburbs with each other through central Stockholm (Sveriges Kommunalförbund).
Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and a major international hub, but it doesn’t hold as many people. The next largest city in population size after Stockholm is Gothenburg with around 500 000 residents.
8. SWEDEN IS A MONARCHY
King Carl XVI ascended the throne on September 15th, 1973 and has been Sweden’s longest-reigning monarch since his ascension. His reign is characterized by a strong focus on human rights, which he delivers with an eloquent tenacity that inspires others to fight for what they believe in.
9. SWEDEN CELEBRATES MIDSUMMER WITH BOILED POTATOES
Boiled potatoes with dill is more than just a delicacy, but also an art. The Swedish people have been boiling and flavoring these vegetables for centuries making it one of the most versatile dishes around! Filled with rich spices like cardamom, cloves or pepper (or any combination of flavors), this dish will not only satisfy your taste buds but enlighten them as well by introducing you to new cultures through flavor profiles from all over the world.
Boiled potatoes are often boiled together in large pots full of water until they’re fork-tender – that means soft enough so that when prodded gently with a sharp utensil such as a knife on their surface, there’s no resistance whatsoever.
10. SWEDEN IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN THE WORLD TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
Every year, Sweden experiences a large number of tourists coming to the country in order to view these beautiful lights. You can see them most anywhere in Scandinavia, but this is one of the best places because it’s also home to some incredible natural phenomena like ice caves and glaciers.
– The Swedish Meteorological Institute provides information on when you might be able to see the Northern Lights: “In wintertime auroras are visible very often from dark locations with clear skies.” They may also occur between October and April, though they’re more difficult to spot during that time period.
– If you’re lucky enough to witness such an event for yourself, make sure not take any pictures without using a tripod or other stabilizing device.
11. SWEDEN IS BIG
Sweden is 4th in the EU by land size. That’s shocking, but it shouldn’t be a surprise!
The country of Sweden has an area of 450,295 square miles and ranks 4th out of 28 European countries based on total land size. The Scandinavian nation was recently found to have the highest quality life expectancy among all other OECD nations- Swedes live about 80 years according to World Bank data from 2015 (pretty good for 1/3rd as much). For comparison sake, America clocks in at 76 with Nordic neighbors Denmark coming close behind at 78 years – that’s 8 more years than Americans can expect to enjoy!
12. SWEDEN HAS MUSIC
Sweden is the birthplace of many international hits, including “Waterloo” by Abba and Ace’s “The Sign.” The Scandinavian country has even graced our radios with artists like Robyn. In fact, Sweden exports more music than any other nation in the world!
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13. SWEDEN SPEAKS MANY LANGUAGES
The Swedish language is derived from Old Norse and has many dialects. Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Faroese are also languages that stem from the same root!
facts about sweden culture
14. THE SWEDISH GOVERNMENT HAS A GREAT NAME
Sweden is the third-largest country in Northern Europe by area, after Finland and Norway.
15. SWEDEN IS 50% FOREST
Sweden is a country where you’re never too far from the great outdoors. With over 100 000 lakes and 24 000 islands, it’s an outdoor lover’s paradise! Half of this amazing Nordic nation comprises woodland, so if hiking through nature sounds like something up your alley then Sweden should definitely be on your itinerary next time you travel abroad.
For some reason, I envision hikers when thinking about my home in Sweden – with half the country being wooded and full of natural beauty that would make any hiker happy to wander these incredible lands for hours on end without forgetting what they love most: getting back out into Mother Nature again after months or years spent indoors working away at their desk job all day long.
16. A BRIDGE AS A BORDER
Sweden is a country with both land and water borders. It’s connected to Norway by the bridge over Malmöbäcken, as well as Finland across an international border via ferry or ship service from Turku in southwestern Finland amid what was formerly Sweden-Finland territory; see Åland Islands for more information on this fascinating history.
17. EU BUT NO EUROS
One interesting thing about Sweden is that it joined the European Union in 1995, but does not have a euro as its currency.
This European country has its own currency, Swedish krona. The “kr” is written in all capital letters and not part of the Euro system.
This Nordic nation uses their own unique currency – a symbolized with KR that stands for Kronor or Krone which means “the crown.”
18. CRAYFISH PARTIES IN THE SUMMERTIME
A kräftskiva is a Swedish tradition that can be traced back as far back in time as the 17th century. The word means “crayfish party” and it’s traditionally done during summertime, where people gather around for drinks like beer or wine with boiled potatoes and dill on top. For those who are vegetarian (or don’t eat crayfish), there are always other options available such as salads, burgers, different kinds of sauces to put onto breads…etcetera!
19. THE MEATBALL LOVE IS REAL
IKEA’s Swedish meatballs are world-famous and popular in Sweden. They have the dish on their menu every day with boiled potatoes and gravy, which is a traditional Swedish meal that represents how much they love food.
20. MOOSE ARE NOT JUST FOR CANADA
From the top of their snow-capped mountains, moose have traditionally called out to visitors for centuries.
Sweden also has a love for these giant animals and you’ll find them roaming freely through the forests – it’s not uncommon to spot one as big as an elephant walking slowly down city streets or swimming in lakes. They’re so revered that there are even designated moose crossing signs at busy intersections!
21. MORE MCDONALDS THAN ANYONE ELSE
Apparently, in Sweden, they have more Mcdonald’s restaurants per capita than anywhere else. It’s true; I saw it on the TV last night! The presenter said Swedes are tall and lean because of all those burgers they eat at every meal.
22. Sweden’s Secular Society
The secular constitution of Sweden is guaranteed by article 14 in The Fundamental Law. This means that freedom of religion is protected and no one can be forced to practice a certain faith or belief system, making it freer than other countries with similar constitutions such as France (article 13) and Spain (Article 16). It also states that religious or other beliefs are private matters that should not affect the rights of another person and everyone has the right to be treated equally.
23. The highest number of patents in Europe
Sweden ranks as the country that has had the most patents granted in Europe. It is also one of only two countries on earth where there are more female than male inventors (the other being Italy).
24. Home to the world’s largest scale model of the Solar System
The largest scale model of the Solar System is located in Sweden. It depicts all nine planets and even includes features on Earth like big cities, mountains, oceans, etc.
Sweden is a global pioneer in astronomy and has the world’s largest scale model of the solar system. The sun represents Ericsson Dome – Sweden’s biggest hemispherical building located in Stockholm- which measures 950 km away to Kiruna where Termination Shock –the endpoint of our solar system is marked as well. Each object on this enormous map is represented with a monument or statue; for example, Mercury can be found at 3 km from the center while Earth sits 7,6km away and Pluto 300km beyond that distance.
25. The only country in the world where donations stand at more than 1% of GDP
Sweden is the only country in the world where donations stand at more than one percent of GDP. With a population just over ten million, this equates to an average donation of around $100 per person and place Sweden on top when it comes to generosity. This figure can be explained by one thing; Swedes are heavily involved in social work and philanthropy.
Sweden has one of the most generous social welfare systems in the world, with a majority of Swedes donating to charitable causes on an annual or monthly basis. A recent study found that 80% of Swedish respondents had donated money within 12 months compared to just over 50% internationally.
26. A land of Midnight sun
Sweden is one of the best places in the world to experience the midnight sun. The country has more than 11 hours of daylight at midsummer, and 24 hours during the winter solstice.
The country of Sweden has incredible variance in daylight hours due to it’s geographical location on the far north. At summer’s peak, northernmost regions experience a phenomenon known as midnight sun where they enjoy 24-hour days without any darkness. Further south this creates “white nights” with up to 17 extra hours of sunlight!
27. Making light of endless dark days
The dark, cold winters in Northern Sweden can be a difficult time for many people. Often the sun shines less than five hours per day and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is not uncommon as it affects those living across Europe’s far north countries. The Swedish city of Kiruna has taken an innovative approach to combat SAD with its bus stops being fitted with light boxes that give commuters some extra daylight during these long winter days where darkness prevails otherwise.
28. The Swedes are descendants of Vikings
The first Swedish Viking raids took place around 800 AD. They attacked the Christian coastal areas in Western Europe for trade and booty, but also to spread their pagan religion among other peoples. The word “Viking” originally meant “pirate raid”.
29. Emergence of the Kingdom of Sweden
a kingdom since the 13th century. The current royal family, House of Bernadotte, has reigned since 1818 and is descended from Charles XIV John of Sweden (born Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte) who came to power through his career in France’s army.
30. Sweden is the 6th oldest country in Europe
The country has a vibrant 1,000-year-long history as its own sovereign state. This is the sixth oldest nation in Europe and among the world’s most ancient countries to have maintained sovereignty for more than 1000 years.
31. Sweden is the world’s 8th oldest Kingdom
The Kingdom of Sweden is the 8th oldest existing monarchy with a current heir, Carl XVI Gustaf. Founded in 970 AD by Eric the Victorious, this country has seen many changes over time and continues to thrive today thanks in part to its people’s creativity.