Stockholm – Gotland – Kiruna

The midnight sun, the snowbound winters, meatballs, herring, Vikings and Volvos, ABBA and the Hives – whatever your pre-existing notions about Sweden may be, a visit to this multifaceted country is bound to both confirm and confound them. While tradition reigns in places like Dalarna in the Swedish heartland and the Sami territory up north, much of Sweden today buzzes with a more contemporary energy. Urban centres like Stockholm, Goteborg and Malmo consistently churn out cultural artefacts for an international audience. The Island of Gotland lying roughly equidistant between Sweden and Latvia, is Sweden’s most richly historical area but also has a hip party vibe. Travellers come to Sweden as much for the flash clubs and ground-breaking new restaurants as they do for wilderness hikes and visits to wooden-horse factories.

Brief overview

Country name: Kingdom of Sweden
Population: 9.3 million (UN, 2010)
Capital: Stockholm
Area: 449,964 sq km (173,732 sq miles)
Major language: Swedish
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 80 years (men), 84 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Swedish krona = 100 ore
Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, paper products, chemicals
GNI per capita: US $48,930 (World Bank, 2009)
Internet domain: .se
International dialling code: +46