Sweden

10th Century (around 960 CE): Unification of Sweden under King Olof Skötkonung

1523 (June 6, Tuesday): Gustav Vasa becomes King of Sweden, marking the beginning of the Vasa dynasty

1632 (November 16, Wednesday): Battle of Lützen, where King Gustavus Adolphus dies during the Thirty Years’ War

1700-1721 (November 30, Monday): Great Northern War ends with Sweden losing its empire

1809 (May 7, Sunday): Sweden adopts a new constitution following the loss of Finland to Russia

1905 (June 6, Tuesday): Union with Norway dissolved, with peaceful separation

1944 (March 19, Sunday): The Soviet Union bombs Sweden during World War II, but no casualties are reported

1965 (March 1, Monday): Sweden’s welfare state is established, paving the way for modern social policies

2004 (December 26, Sunday): Sweden is affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, with some Swedish casualties abroad

2006 (September 17, Sunday): Sweden holds parliamentary elections, leading to the formation of a new government

2013 (August 29, Thursday): Sweden experiences severe flooding due to heavy rains in southern Sweden

2020 (March 13, Friday): Sweden adopts a unique approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, avoiding full lockdowns

2022 (August 4, Thursday): Wildfires spread across Sweden during a heatwave

2023 (April 6, Thursday): Sweden experiences a significant earthquake (magnitude 4.7), centered near the southern region

Continent: Europe
Location: Northern Europe, on the Scandinavian Peninsula
Capital: Stockholm
Language: Swedish (official)
Currency: Swedish Krona (SEK)
Population: ~10.5 million (last updated: April 2025)
Time Zone: Central European Time (CET) / UTC +1

Borders: Norway (west), Finland (east), Baltic Sea (south)
Landscape: Mostly mountainous in the west, forested plains in the central and eastern regions, and coastal lowlands in the south
Major Rivers: Göta älv, Klarälven, Lule River, Dalälven
Major Mountains: Kebnekaise (highest point), Fulufjället, Sarek Mountains
Deserts: None
Lakes: Väddöviken, Lake Väddöviken, Lake Stora Le
Volcanoes: None
Highest Point: Kebnekaise (2,097 m / 6,880 ft)
Lowest Point: Lake Hammarsjön (2 m below sea level)
Climate: Temperate climate, subarctic in the north, and maritime in the south
Geological Features: Forests, mountains, glacial valleys, rivers, and lakes

Ethnic Groups: Predominantly Swedish, with significant immigrant communities from Finland, Syria, Iraq, and other countries
Religion: Secular country, but predominantly Christian (Lutheran, Church of Sweden)
Urban Population: ~87% (last updated: 2023)
Aging Population: ~21% aged 65+ (last updated: 2024)

Famous For: Design (Ikea, H&M), Swedish cuisine, Vikings, Nobel Prize
Cuisine: Swedish meatballs, gravlax, herring, lingonberry jam, cinnamon buns
Arts: Swedish cinema, literature, music (ABBA, Avicii, etc.), and painting
Sports: Ice hockey, football (soccer), skiing, handball

Economy Type: Advanced mixed economy, highly developed welfare state
GDP: Approx. $620 billion USD (last updated: 2024)
Major Industries: Automotive, telecommunications, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, forestry
Key Exports: Machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, and chemicals
Unemployment Rate: ~6.1% (last updated: 2024)
Economic Regions: Manufacturing hub in southern Sweden, resource extraction in the north

Government Type: Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
Head of State: King Carl XVI Gustaf (as of April 2025)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (as of April 2025)
Legislature: Unicameral (Riksdag, the Swedish Parliament)
Constitution: In effect since 1974, with several amendments

Stockholm: Royal Palace, Gamla Stan (Old Town), ABBA Museum
Gothenburg: Liseberg amusement park, Gothenburg Museum of Art
Kiruna: Northern lights, Icehotel, nearby Abisko National Park
Visby: Medieval town on the island of Gotland, UNESCO World Heritage site
Vasa Museum: A museum in Stockholm housing the famous Vasa warship