Sweden

Description of Sweden

Sweden is a North European country. It occupies the eastern and the southern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. In the west Sweden borders with Norway, in the north-east - with Finland. In the east and south is washed by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia. Sweden includes two large islands - Gotland and Öland, which are situated in the Baltic Sea.

The north and the west of the country are dominated by plains and mountains; on the border with Norway the Scandinavian mountains are stretched. There is a dense system of rivers and lakes in Sweden. The rivers flow in narrow valleys and have many rapids and waterfalls. Lakes make a characteristic feature of the Swedish landscape. They occupy more than 8% of the country. The largest of them are in low-lying parts of Sweden.

The relief of the northern and southern Sweden is diverse. In the northern and western parts of the country lie the Scandinavian mountains (the highest point is the Kebnekaise Mountain with a height of 2123 m), which represent a combination of ridges with lots of alpine terrain, plateaus and intermountain depressions. In northern Sweden, is a plateau Norland (with a height from 200 to 800 m), which drops from the Scandinavian mountains to the Gulf of Bothnia with some extensive steps and limited ledges. Southward, is the middle Swedish lowland, within which one can find mountain ridges and separate ranges treated by ancient glaciers, alternated with flat depressions, the main part of which is occupied by lakes.

Forests cover more than half of the country - more than 23 million hectares; in accordance to this, Sweden ranks first in Europe. The country is rich in taiga forests on podzolic soils, forming large massifs to the north of latitude 60 ° North and consisting mainly of pine and spruce, with a mixture of birch, aspen, and other hardwoods. Southward, are mixed coniferous-deciduous forests on sod-podzolic soils, and in the peninsula of Skåne - deciduous forests of oaks and beeches on brown forest soils.

About 14% of the country is occupied by marshes (mainly in Norland). In the Scandinavian mountains at an altitude of 900-950 m in the south and 350 - 400 m in the north, mountain taiga vegetation on mountain podzolic soils is located. Above this, are birch crooked trees, breaking into swampy mountain tundra with a combination of mosses, lichens, juniper, dwarf birch, and berry bushes on the mountain tundra and marsh soils. The tundra vegetation covers about 15% of the Swedish territory. Plains and coastlines are dominated by heaths, lands of meadows, and mixed forests: maple, ash, oak, and linden. In the extreme south and south-west there are beech forests.

Despite the entry of European countries to the European Union, Sweden has kept its national currency - Swedish krona - SEK. 1 krona is 100 oeras. Bank-notes of 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 kronas; coins of 50 oeras; coins of 1, 5 and 10 kronas are issued. Swedish krona exchange rate can be estimated as approximately 10 kronas = 1 Euro. You can always find a precise course in the banks.

Some facts about Sweden

Gallery of Sweden

Sweden video guide

More information about Sweden

Top cities of Sweden