Sweden flag

Sweden

History

Viking Age trade, raids and settlements connected Sweden with the Baltic, river routes and Byzantium.
Christianization and regional power centers shaped the early Swedish kingdom.
The Kalmar Union placed Sweden, Denmark and Norway under one crown.
Gustav Vasa became king, ending the union era and marking a national starting point.
Sweden rose as a Baltic great power before the Great Northern War ended the empire.
Sweden lost Finland to Russia and adopted a new constitution.
The union with Norway was dissolved peacefully.
Sweden joined the EU in 1995 and NATO in 2024.
Europe thumbnailPart ofEuropeMore countries, cities and routes.
CapitalStockholm
Population10.6M
Area450,295 km2
CurrencySwedish krona

Short facts

RegionNorthern Europe / Scandinavia
LanguageSwedish
Time zoneCET (UTC+1)
Drives onRight

Worth seeing

  • Stockholm Archipelago: Thousands of islands and inlets surrounding a capital built on water.
  • Northern Lights: Swedish Lapland offers aurora borealis from September through March.
  • Midsommar: Sweden's midsummer solstice festival of dancing, flowers and singing.

Find a city in Sweden

Showing all cities

Stockholm thumbnailStockholmCityGothenburg thumbnailGothenburgCityMalmö thumbnailMalmöCityUppsala thumbnailUppsalaCityVisby thumbnailVisbyCityHelsingborg thumbnailHelsingborgCityKiruna thumbnailKirunaCityÖrebro thumbnailÖrebroCityLinköping thumbnailLinköpingCityJönköping thumbnailJönköpingCityAbisko thumbnailAbiskoCity

Planning questions

What is Sweden known for?Stockholm Archipelago, Northern Lights, Midsommar.
What is the capital?Stockholm.
Which language is useful?Swedish.
When is the national day?6 June.
How should I browse it here?Start with the facts, jump to linked cities, then check events and topics.

Upcoming events

Sweden National Day thumbnailSweden National Day6 Jun 2026 · Sweden

Use Stockholm as the first planning anchor for Sweden, then compare the city, food and worth-seeing notes on this page.

Food & drink

Meatballs thumbnailMeatballsSignature dishCoffee thumbnailCoffeeLocal drink

Known for

Stockholm ArchipelagoThousands of islandsNorthern LightsMidsommarflowerssinging.
Eurovision Song Contest thumbnailMusic & CultureFestivals, concerts and cultural calendars.Sweden thumbnailNordic outdoorsArchipelago, forests, lakes and seasonal light.