The Country of Sweden
This chapter is about Sweden’s geography, climate, and nature. It also covers some important natural resources and how Sweden is working to manage climate change.

Geography, climate, and nature
Sweden is located in the Nordic region of northern Europe. The northernmost part of the country lies north of the Arctic Circle, in the Arctic region. Sweden is a long country stretching approximately 1,600 kilometers from its northernmost point, Treriksröset, to its southernmost point, Smygehuk.
Sweden has a long coastline. The sea on the east coast is called the Baltic Sea (Östersjön). This is also where Sweden’s two largest islands, Gotland and Öland, are located. The seas on the west coast are called Skagerrak and Kattegat.
Despite its northern location, Sweden has a mild climate compared to many other areas at the same latitude. This is because the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift transport warm water from the Gulf of Mexico across the Atlantic toward Europe. The ocean water warms the air, and the winds then carry the milder, moister air over Sweden.

The Nordic region is a part of northern Europe. There are five countries in the Nordic region: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Sweden is the largest country in the Nordic region.

Sweden’s nature
About 10,000 years ago, Sweden was covered by ice several kilometers thick. This period is called the Ice Age. When the ice eventually melted, it shaped the landscape and left clear traces behind, such as many lakes, archipelagos with thousands of islands, and plains with arable land. The ice has also influenced what the mountains look like today.

Mountains (Fjäll)
The Scandinavian Mountains (Skanderna) lie along the border with Norway and are referred to as the “fjäll”. The climate there is too cold and windy for trees to grow. The landscape is open and consists mostly of rocks, grass, and low-lying plants. Sweden’s highest mountain, Kebnekaise, which is approximately 2,000 meters high, is located here.

Forests, lakes, and islands
More than half of Sweden’s surface area is covered by forest. In the northern part of the country, where the climate is colder, coniferous trees like spruce and pine mostly grow. Further south, the climate is milder, making deciduous trees more common there.
Sweden has many lakes spread throughout the entire country. The three largest lakes are Vänern, Vättern, and Mälaren.
There are also several hundred watercourses (streams and rivers) in the country. The largest rivers flow in northern Sweden from the mountains down to the sea.

Archipelago (Skärgård)
An archipelago is a sea area with many islands close to the mainland. Archipelagos are found along the coast of northern Sweden, along the east coast down to Småland, and also on the west coast, outside Gothenburg and in Bohuslän.
There are approximately 250,000 islands in Sweden, more than in any other country in the world.

The division of Sweden
Sweden is usually divided into three major regions (landsdelar): Götaland, Svealand, and Norrland.
Götaland is located in southern Sweden, Svealand in central Sweden, and Norrland in northern Sweden. Norrland covers more than half of Sweden’s surface area.
Sweden is also divided into 25 provinces (landskap). In the past, the provinces were areas that had their own laws. Today, they have no significance for how Sweden is governed. Despite this, many Swedes feel a sense of belonging to the province where they were born or where they live. Sweden is also divided into 21 counties (län) and 290 municipalities (kommuner).

Sweden is divided into Götaland, Svealand, and Norrland.

Population
Almost 11 million people live in Sweden. The population is not evenly distributed across the country. Most people live in the southern part of Sweden and along the coasts. Approximately 85 percent of Sweden’s population lives in cities. The three largest cities are Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. About four million people live in and around these three cities.

Natural resources
Sweden is rich in several important natural resources: iron ore and other minerals, forests, agricultural land, and water.

Iron ore and minerals
Iron ore and other minerals are extracted from mines. The largest mines are located in Norrbotten County, for example, in Kiruna and Malmberget.
Iron is used to manufacture steel. But other minerals like copper, zinc, lead, and gold are also mined. Iron and steel have long been important to Sweden’s economy.

The largest iron ore mines are located in Norrbotten, and the ore is transported from there by train.

Water
Sweden has very good access to water in all its lakes, watercourses, and rivers. The water is used as drinking water, in agriculture, and in industry. But water is also an important energy source. In several rivers, there are hydroelectric power stations where flowing water is used to produce electricity. Hydroelectric power accounts for a large portion of Sweden’s electricity production.

Agricultural land
Sweden’s agriculture is adapted to the climate. It is harder to farm in the north where the climate is colder. Most of the agriculture is therefore located in southern Sweden.

Forests
Products from the forest are sold to many countries. This has been an important part of Sweden’s trade for a long time.
Some products that come from the forest:
Wood pulp (cellulose).
Paper and cardboard.
Wood used, for example, in the construction industry.

The forest industry is one of Sweden’s most important industries.

Climate change
The Earth’s climate has always changed, but today the warming is happening faster than before. Scientists worldwide, and reports from the UN’s climate panel, show that the main cause of this is human emissions of greenhouse gases from transportation, industries, and agriculture. As the Earth gets warmer, the climate changes. The ice at the poles melts, which contributes to rising sea levels. Extreme weather like heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and droughts also becomes more common.
In Sweden, climate change can lead to more frequent heavy rainfall, which causes flooding. More and more intense heat periods in the summer can also lead to drought and forest fires.

Sweden’s work to reduce climate threats
Sweden is working to reduce the consequences of climate change. Sweden has a climate law with climate policy goals. One goal is that Sweden’s emissions of greenhouse gases should be as close to zero as possible by the year 2045. This means that Sweden should not emit more greenhouse gases than nature can absorb.
Sweden also collaborates with other countries to use existing solutions, such as technology to produce more wind, water, and solar energy.

Sustainable development
Sustainable development is about using natural resources in a way that ensures future generations can also live well. This encompasses the environment, society, and the economy. States, companies, and individuals can all contribute. Governments and international organizations can make decisions and create rules to reduce emissions and protect the environment. Companies can reduce their impact on the climate, and individuals can contribute by living more sustainably and engaging politically.
To reduce emissions in everyday life and protect the environment, one can:
Use public transportation, for example, bus or train.
Save electricity and heating.
Sort garbage and recycle.

Near most residential areas, residents can recycle metal, glass, plastic, packaging, and newspaper.