View
214
Download
1
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Geography
Surface area: 449 964 km2
Population: 9,0 millions
Largest cities:
Stockholm ( apr. 1 million)
Göteborg (apr. 500 000)
Malmö (apr. 270 000)
Uppsala (apr. 180 000)
Linköping (apr. 140 000)
Geography (cont.)
Population density: 20/km2
Compare with e.g. India: 324/km2
About 80% of population live south of Uppsala
Geography (cont.)
Highest mountain: Kebnekaise (2111m)
Biggest lakes: Vänern (5 585 km2) and Vättern
Longest river: Torneälv
Geography (cont.)
Sweden is relatively close to the north pole. This means long days in the summer, short in the winter
North of the arctic circle, the sun won’t rise at all at the end of December and it will never set at the end of June
Flag etc.
Swedens flag
Origin and symbolism debated, but the flag has been the same since about 16th century
National coat of armsSymbols for different kings and rulers between 13th and 16th century
The monarchy
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy
King: Carl XVI Gustav
Queen: Silvia Princesses Victoria
(crown princess) and Madeleine
Prince Carl Philip
Government
Parliamentary system with one chamber: Riksdagen (349 delegates)
No president, King official head of state but the ”Statsminister” (Prime minister) holds actual power.
Elections every 4th year
Government (cont.)
Government parties: Moderaterna (Right-wing), Folkpartiet (Liberal Party), Centern (Centre Party) and Kristdemokraterna (Cristian Democrats)
Other big parties: Socialdemokraterna (Social democrats). Vänsterpartiet (Left-wing) Miljöpartiet
Government (cont.)
State body devided into three levels: Stat (national) Landsting (regional, 21 in all of Sweden)
Linköping belongs to Östergötlands län Kommun (city, county, 290 in all of
Sweden) We live in Linköpings kommun
European Union
Sweden has belonged to the European Union (EU) since 1994
In a 2004 referendum we voted not to join the European Monetary Union (EMU).
Sweden is one of the EU-countries where the EU has lowest rate of popularity
Currency
Krona (SEK) Aprox. 9 Euros, or 6.2 US$ 100 öre = 1 krona, only pieces of 50 öre
are used Bills of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 kronor Famous swedes on bills include:
Carl Von Linné (botanist and naturalist, 100 kronor bill)
Jenny Lind (soprano singer, 50 kronor bill) Selma Lagerlöf (writer, 20 kronor bill)
Religion
Official religion is Lutheran church About 82% belong to this church but
Sweden is a highly secularised society and church attendance is generally low
Catholic church: about 180 000 members Muslim communities: about 130 000
members (estimated in 2003) Orthodox church: about 100 000
members
Religion (cont.)
Small comunties of almost every other faith in the world: Jewish, Hindu, Buddist etc.
In religious terms, Sweden is a very tolerant society
Demography (cont.)
Average life expectancy 77 years for men (3rd highest in the world) 82 years for women (5th highest in the
world) Mortality and fertility is generally low
(on average, every woman gives birth to 1.7 children)
Population increase almost exclusively due to immigration
Festivites Christmas - Jul
24th of December most important, that’s when Santa Claus shows up with present for the kids
25th and 26th of December also national holidays
Originally celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem
Christmas dinners usually include ham, swedish meatballs, sill and porridge.
The snaps
Snaps is a traditional swedish strong liquor, similar to vodka but with spices.
Every region and many destilleries have their own way of making snaps and there are literally hundres of different kinds.
We drink it at most of the traditional festivities
Festivities (cont.)
New years eve - Nyårsafton Celebrated on the 31th of
December People dress up, have
dinner or party. When the clock strikes
24.00, fireworks are shot off and we toast in champagne
Festivities (cont.)
Easter - Påsk Dates change from year to year.
In 2008 easter week is 20th to 24th of March with the most important night, Påskafton on the 22th of March
People get together and eat easter dinner consisting of, among other things eggs, Janssons frestelse and sill
For the kids, parents hide eastereggs filled with candy in the house or garden.
Festivities (cont.)
Valpurgis Night On the 30th of April Bonfires are lit and
songs are sung to commemorate the conquest of spring over winter
Festivities (cont.)
National day – Nationaldagen 6th of June Not widely celebrated but it is a national
holiday Origin: among other things, Gustav Vasa, a
famous swedish king in the 16th century, was coronated on the 6th of june 1523
Festivities (cont.) Midsummer’s eve –
Midsommarafton Always on the Friday closest to the
longest day of the year. In 2008 that happens on the 20th of June
Based on old heathen tradition and fertility rituals
In olden days, this night had a number of magical properties (compare to e.g. ”A midsummer nights dream” by William Shakespeare)
People get together, eat the new seasons’ potatoes, sill and drink snaps. Also, we dance silly dances imitating frogs.
Festivities (cont.)
Kräftskiva No specific date but parties are held during the
crayfish season in the end of August We eat crayfish, sing songs and drink snaps
Famous Swedes
Alfred Nobel Inventor of dynamite whose fortune is the basis for the Nobel
prize Ingrid Bergman Hollywood ABBA
Popgroup with international successes in the 1970’s Olof Palme
Politician and statsminister with many international ties, assasinated in 1986
Ingvar Kamprad Founder of IKEA
Björn Borg Famous tennisplayer in the 1970’s
Selma Lagerlöf Nobel Prize winner in literature