III.

People

The population of Sweden was estimated at 9,031,088 in 2007. This gives the country an overall population density of 22 persons per sq km (57 per sq mi). Sweden as a whole is thinly populated, but regional population densities vary greatly. The vast majority of the population lives in the southern third of Sweden, especially in the central lowlands, the plains of Skåne, and coastal areas. It is especially dense around the cities of Stockholm, Göteborg, and Malmö. Large areas of the north are sparsely inhabited. About 83 percent of Sweden’s people live in urban areas.

Sweden’s population consists mainly of Scandinavians of Germanic descent. Sweden’s immigrant population and ethnic diversity have increased rapidly in recent decades. For many years, Sweden was a nation of emigrants. From 1860 to World War I, more than 1 million Swedes left the nation, mainly for the United States. Emigration declined significantly after 1930, as the nation industrialized and grew more prosperous. Sweden welcomed many refugees and displaced people after World War II. Since that time, immigration has accounted for nearly half of Sweden’s population growth. Many immigrants have come to Sweden as guest workers or as political refugees. Today, approximately one-fifth of the people are immigrants or have at least one foreign-born parent.

The largest immigrant groups in Sweden are from Finland and the neighboring countries of Norway and Denmark. About 17,000 Saami live mainly in Swedish Saamiland in the far north, although in recent decades many Saami have migrated south, especially to Stockholm. Sweden is also home to large numbers of immigrants who fled fighting in the former Yugoslavia, especially in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (see Wars of Yugoslav Succession); only Germany has received more refugees from that region. Other significant immigrant groups include people from Iran, Iraq, Hungary, Turkey, and Poland.

A.

Principal Cities

Sweden's three largest and most important cities are Stockholm, the nation’s capital; Göteborg; and Malmö.

Stockholm had a population of 761,721 in 2004. The city is located in east central Sweden on about 20 islands and a narrow strip of mainland between Lake Mälaran and the Baltic Sea. It is often compared to Venice because of its many bridges and waterways and its stately architecture. Stockholm’s famous historic quarter, the Old Town (Gamla Stan), located on three central islands in the city’s harbor, is home to the imposing Royal Palace, Stockholm’s city hall (the Stadshuset), and the Great Church, a part of which dates to the 13th century. Stockholm is Sweden’s financial, commercial, cultural, and administrative center.

Göteborg, Sweden's second largest city (478,055), is located on the Kattegat, a strait separating Sweden from Denmark. The city has an excellent harbor, the largest in Scandinavia, and is the country’s leading port. Göteborg is a transportation hub on the Göta Canal, and is home to an international airport. Although hard-hit by the closure of its shipyards since the 1970s, Göteborg remains an industrial city with plants producing automobiles, automobile parts, and telecommunications equipment. It is also a center for financial services, medical research and pharmaceuticals, and information technology. The city is home to the famous Göteborg Botanical Garden and to Liseberg, the largest amusement park in Scandinavia and one of Sweden’s most popular tourist attractions.

Malmö (267,171) is Sweden’s third largest city. It is one of the country’s major ports and is also a rail, air, and highway hub. Malmö is the center of Sweden’s pharmaceuticals industry and its state-of-the-art fiber optic cable networks support a vigorous information technology sector. In 2000 a 16-km (10-mi) bridge and tunnel opened connecting Malmö with Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, located just 24 km (15 mi) away across Öresund strait. The link, called the Øresundsbron (Øresund Bridge), makes it possible to travel between the two countries in just 15 minutes.

Other major cities include Uppsala, Linköping, Örebro, Norrköping, and Västerås.

B.

Religion

Lutheranism is the religion of about 68 percent of the Swedish people. The Evangelical Lutheran Church was the state church of Sweden from the 16th century until the end of the 20th century. From January 1, 1996, children no longer automatically acquired membership in the church at birth, and the separation of church and state was completed on January 1, 2000. Sweden is divided into 13 Lutheran dioceses, each one headed by a bishop. Other Protestant denominations present in Sweden are Baptists, Methodists, the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden, and the Pentecostal Movement. Sweden is home to small communities of Roman Catholics, Muslims (see Islam), Jews (see Judaism), Hindus (see Hinduism), and Buddhists (see Buddhism).

C.

Language

Most Swedes speak Swedish, a Germanic language closely related to Norwegian, Danish, and Icelandic. English and German are widely spoken. Finnish, Saami languages, and other languages are mother tongues for minority groups.

D.

Education

Educational facilities in Sweden are extensive and excellent, and illiteracy in the country is practically nonexistent. Sweden first introduced compulsory education for all children in 1842. Today, all children must attend primary school, called the grundskola, from the age of 7 to 16. Most children attend free coeducational schools run by local municipal authorities, although there are a small number of private schools that charge tuition. Students typically begin learning English around the age of 10.

After the compulsory school there is a secondary school, called the gymnasium, to which nearly all children go. Following reforms implemented in the early and mid-1990s, all secondary school programs last for three years. The programs are geared to prepare students for a wide range of vocational and technical careers or for further studies at the university level. Slightly less than one-third of Swedish students who complete secondary school proceed to study at the university level.

Sweden has numerous state universities, where tuition is free. The two oldest ones are the University of Uppsala, founded in 1477, and the University of Lund, founded in 1666. The University of Stockholm, founded in 1877 as a private university, became a state university in 1960. Göteborg University was also originally founded as a private university in the 19th century. In 1976 affiliated universities were established at Örebro, Växjö, and Karlstad. Linköping became a state university in 1970, and Luleå University was founded in 1971. Malmö University opened in 1998 and is popular with foreign students; the school is part of the Öresund University system, which combines educational institutions in Denmark and Sweden across the Öresund strait.

Adult education is widespread. Apart from the outstanding universities in all its major cities, Sweden is home to more than 60 national institutions of higher education, including medical and technical institutes for advanced study as well as higher vocational schools. About 100 of the Scandinavian folk high schools, run by county councils and voluntary bodies, offer courses for young adults with no formal education beyond compulsory schooling.

E.

Food and Recreation

Swedish food tends to be simple and healthy. Perhaps Sweden’s most famous culinary invention is the smörgåsbord, a self-service buffet that includes an assortment of cold and hot foods. Smörgåsbords frequently include a variety of cold fish dishes, such as gravlax (cured salmon), lutefisk (cod or pollock marinated in potash lye), and pickled herring, and warm dishes such as sausages and Swedish meatballs. Breads, egg dishes, pies, and salads are also commonly included. Daily fare is generally simpler and frequently includes boiled or fried potatoes served with fish or meat. Boiled hot dogs purchased from street vendors (called gatukök) and American-style fast food are especially popular among younger Swedes. Apart from special occasions, most bread served in Sweden is thin and crispy. Swedes love strong coffee, which is served with most meals, and they rank among the world’s highest consumers of coffee per capita. Popular alcoholic beverages include beer, vodka, and aquavit, an aromatic liqueur made with caraway seeds.

Swedes are renowned for their love of sports and the outdoors. One out of five Swedes is a member of a sports club, and nearly all participants in sports are amateurs. Gymnastics are an important part of the physical education curriculum in public schools, and gymnastics teams compete throughout the country. The most popular sport is soccer. In winter Swedes are avid skiers, and many Swedes enjoy ice skating on frozen lakes and canals—especially the canals of Stockholm. Every March thousands of Swedes, joined by many athletes from abroad, participate in the famously grueling cross-country ski race called the Vasaloppet (Vasa Race). Orienteering, a sport that involves navigating using a map and compass, originated in Sweden as a military exercise. It remains a popular summer activity, especially in the challenging wilds of northern Sweden. Many Swedes own or have access to summer cottages for weekends or vacations.

F.

Holidays and Festivals

Swedes enjoy several popular festivals during the year. Midsummer Eve celebrations welcoming the return of summer are held during the weekend nearest to the summer solstice. Maypoles are raised and open-air dancing continues until sunrise. Saint Lucia Day on December 13 marks the beginning of the Christmas season. The roots of Saint Lucia Day date to the Viking era; the holiday followed the longest night of the year and marked the return of longer days. In Saint Lucia family celebrations, the eldest daughter dresses in white, wears a crown of candles, and serves her family coffee and cookies in the early morning. Swedes celebrate Christmas, the most important holiday, on Christmas Eve. Traditionally, Swedes enjoy a Christmas smörgåsbord dinner and afterward exchange gifts.