The Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish: ) is a Nordic country in Scandinavia. It is bordered by Norway in the west, Finland in the northeast, the Skagerrak Strait and the Kattegat Strait in the southwest, and the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia in the east. Sweden has a low population density except in its Metropolitan areas of Sweden, with most of the inland consisting of forests. The country has large natural resources of water, timber, and iron ore. Its citizens enjoy a high standard of living in a country that is generally perceived as clean, modern, and liberal.

Following the end of the Viking Age, Sweden became part of the Kalmar Union together with Denmark and Norway (Finland at this time was a part of the Swedish kingdom). Sweden left the union in the beginning of the 16th century, and more or less constantly battled its neighbours for many years, especially Russia and the still united Denmark-Norway, which never completely accepted Sweden leaving the union. In the 17th and 18th centuries Sweden extended its territory through warfare and became a Great Power, twice its current size. By 1814 Sweden had lost its empire as well as Finland, previously an integral part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Since 1814, Sweden has been at peace, adopting a non-aligned foreign policy in peacetime and neutrality in wartime.

Sweden had been a major European exporter of iron, copper and timber since the middle ages. However, improved transportation and communication allowed it to utilize natural assets from different parts of the country on a far larger scale, most notably timber and iron ore. Economic liberalization as well as universal schooling contributed to the rapid industrialization and by the 1890s the country had begun to develop an advanced manufacturing industry. In the 20th century a welfare state began to emerge. Today, Sweden is a generally considered a modern post-industrial country dominated by social liberal political ideas.

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The Local - Sweden's news in English

'Millennium' trilogy heading to Hollywood
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:11:00 +0100
A major Hollywood studio is close to finalizing a deal to produce an English-language film adaptation of Swedish author Stieg Larsson's wildly successful "Millennium" trilogy of crime novels.
Diplomat and wife jailed for smuggling cigarettes
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:36:00 +0100
A North Korean diplomat and his wife have been sentenced to eight months in prison by a court in Stockholm for attempting to smuggle more than 230,000 cigarettes into Sweden.
Sweden braces for more wild winter weather
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:56:00 +0100
Another blast of winter weather is set to barrel down across southern and eastern Sweden starting on Wednesday night, with strong winds and heavy snowfall reaching as far as the Baltic island of Gotland.
Swedes keep lapping up juicy Tiger tidbits
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:23:00 +0100
Amid new reports that Elin Nordegren is set to sign a sponsorship deal with the rival of one of golfer husband Tiger Woods' strongest corporate supporters, Swedes continue to swoon over every new revelation in the ongoing drama.
Plot thickens over Russian pantyhose probe
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:36:00 +0100
The mystery surrounding why exactly a Swedish diplomat was selling smuggled pantyhose in a Moscow kiosk grew on Tuesday as the Swedish foreign ministry alleged the Russian media portrayal of the incident was a deliberate smear attempt.
Two degree climate deal unlikely: Reinfeldt
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:04:00 +0100
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has said the Copenhagen summit is unlikely to result in a pledge to try to cap the rise of global temperatures since the dawn of the industrial era at two degrees Celsius.

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Stockholm helicopter ride: Approaching Stockholm from Nacka, passing the city and landing at Bromma airport (ESSB). The clip is from June 2003.