1997 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
Results -- Ladies
Table:
Rank

Name[2][3]

Nation

TFP

QA

QB

SP

FS

1

Sydne Vogel
United States
2.0

2
1

2

Elena Sokolova
Russia
2.5

1
2

3

Elena Ivanova
Russia
7.0

6
4

4

Fumie Suguri
Japan
7.0

4
5

5

Elena Pingacheva
Russia
8.5

5
6

6

Julia Lautowa
Austria
9.0

12
3

7

Lucinda Ruh
Switzerland
12.5

3
11

8

Shizuka Arakawa
Japan
13.0

10
8

9

Shelby Lyons
United States
13.5

13
7

10

Fanny Cagnard
France
13.5

9
9

11

Gwenaëlle Jullien
France
14.0

8
10

12

Anna Neshcheret
Ukraine
15.5

7
12

13

Anina Fivian
Switzerland
21.0

14
14

14

Veronika Dytrt
Germany
22.5

19
13

15

Elena Volokhova
Ukraine
23.5

17
15

16

Joanne Carter
Australia
23.5

11
18

17

Sanna-Maija Wiksten
Finland
25.0

18
16

18

Zoe Jones
United Kingdom
27.0

20
17

19

Annie Bellemare
Canada
27.5

15
20

20

Klara Bramfeldt
Sweden
29.0

16
21

Considering the provided table and the context snippets listed below.

Solve the question: What was the year of birth of the number 1 ranked competitor in the 1997 World Junior Figure Skating Championships ? Return your answer as JSON: {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

Sydne Vogel ( born June 20 , 1979 ) is an American former competitive figure skater . She is the 1996 Skate America bronze medalist and 1997 World Junior champion .
The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. or US ) or America , is a country consisting of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . [ g ] At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) , it is the world 's third or fourth-largest country by total area [ b ] and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe . Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico . With an estimated population of over 328 million , the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the most populous city is New York City . Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783 , leading to independence . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century - gradually acquiring new territories , displacing Native Americans , and admitting new states - until by 1848 it spanned the continent . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery in the United States . The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed the country 's status as a global military power .
Elena Sergeyevna Sokolova ( Russian : Еле́на Серге́евна Соколо́ва ; born 15 February 1980 ) is a Russian former competitive figure skater . She is the 2003 World silver medalist , a three-time European medalist ( 2003-2004 , 2006 ) , and a three-time Russian national champion ( 2003-2004 , 2006 ) .
Russia ( Russian : Росси́я , tr . Rossiya , IPA : [ rɐˈsʲijə ] ) , or the Russian Federation , [ e ] is a European country located in Eastern Europe with a vast expanse of territory that stretches across Northern Asia . At 17,125,200 square kilometres ( 6,612,100 sq mi ) , it is by far the largest country in the world by area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , spanning eleven time zones , and bordering 16 sovereign nations . The territory of Russia extends from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east , and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and the Caucasus in the south . With 146.7 million inhabitants living in the country 's 85 federal subjects as of 2020 , Russia is the most populous nation in Europe and the ninth-most populous nation in the world . Russia 's capital and largest city is Moscow ; other major urban areas include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod , Kazan and Chelyabinsk . The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states , until it was finally reunified by the Grand Duchy of Moscow in the 15th century . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east . Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic ( Russian SFSR ) became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR/Soviet Union ) , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state .
Elena Ivanova ( Russian : Елена Иванова ; born 8 November 1979 ) is a Russian former competitive figure skater . She is the 1995 Finlandia Trophy champion , 1998 Nebelhorn Trophy silver medalist , and 1996 World Junior champion .
Fumie Suguri ( 村主 章枝 , Suguri Fumie , born December 31 , 1980 ) is a Japanese figure skater . She is a three-time World medalist , a three-time Four Continents champion , the 2003 Grand Prix Final champion , and a five-time Japanese national champion .
Japan ( Japanese : 日本 , Nippon [ ɲippoꜜɴ ] ( listen ) or Nihon [ ɲihoꜜɴ ] ( listen ) ) is an island country located in East Asia . It is bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east , and spans more than 3,000 kilometers ( 1,900 mi ) along the coast of the continent from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Philippine Sea in the south . Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire , Japan encompasses a stratovolcanic archipelago of about 6,852 islands , with five main islands ( Hokkaido , Honshu , Kyushu , Shikoku , and Okinawa ) comprising 97% of the country 's total area of 377,975 square kilometers ( 145,937 sq mi ) . Japan is officially divided into 47 prefectures and traditionally into eight regions . Approximately two-thirds of the country 's terrain is mountainous and heavily forested , and less than one-eighth of land is suitable for agriculture . Consequently , Japan is among the most densely populated and urbanized countries in the world , with over 90% of its population living in urban areas . The largest of these is the metropolitan area centered on the capital city of Tokyo , which is the most populous in the world and home to more than 38 million people . Japan itself is the world 's eleventh most populous country with a population of 126.2 million , of which 97.8% are ethnically Japanese . The kanji ( or Chinese characters ) that make up the name of Japan in the Japanese language mean sun origin ; in the Western world , the country is often known by the sobriquet Land of the Rising Sun . Periods of influence from other regions , primarily China , followed by periods of isolation , particularly from Western Europe , have characterized the history of Japan . While archaeological evidence indicates that Japan was inhabited as early as the Upper Paleolithic period , the first written mention of the archipelago appears in Chinese texts from the first century AD . Between the fourth and ninth centuries , the kingdoms of Japan became gradually unified under an Emperor and imperial court based in Heian-kyō ( modern Kyoto ) .
Elena Pingacheva ( Russian : Елена Пингачева ; born 31 March 1981 ) is a Russian former competitive figure skater . She is the 1996 World Junior silver medalist . Following her retirement from competitive skating , she began skating professionally in the Moscow Stars on Ice ice theater .
Julia Lautowa ( Russian : Юлия Лаутова ; born 5 October 1981 ) is an Austrian former competitive figure skater in ladies ' singles . She is the 1996 Cup of Russia silver medalist , a two-time Karl Schäfer Memorial champion , and a six-time Austrian national champion . She placed in the top ten at five ISU Championships .
Austria ( /ˈɒstriə/ ( listen ) , /ˈɔːs-/ ; German : Österreich [ ˈøːstɐʁaɪ̯ç ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Austria ( German : Republik Österreich , listen ( help·info ) ) , is a landlocked East Alpine country in the southern part of Central Europe . It is composed of nine federated states ( Bundesländer ) , one of which is Vienna , Austria 's capital and its largest city . It is bordered by Germany to the northwest , Czech Republic to the north , Slovakia to the northeast , Hungary to the east , Slovenia and Italy to the south , and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west . Austria occupies an area of 83,879 km2 ( 32,386 sq mi ) and has a population of nearly 9 million people . While German is the country 's official language , many Austrians communicate informally in a variety of Bavarian dialects . Austria initially emerged as a margraviate around 976 and developed into a duchy and archduchy . In the 16th century , Austria started serving as the heart of the Habsburg Monarchy and the junior branch of the House of Habsburg - one of the most influential royal dynasties in history . As an archduchy , it was a major component and administrative centre of the Holy Roman Empire . Early in the 19th century , Austria established its own empire , which became a great power and the leading force of the German Confederation but pursued its own course independently of the other German states . Following the Austro-Prussian War and the compromise with Hungary , the Dual Monarchy was established . Austria was involved in World War I under Emperor Franz Joseph following the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand , the presumptive successor to the Austro-Hungarian throne . After the defeat and the dissolution of the Monarchy , the Republic of German-Austria was proclaimed with the intent of the union with Germany , which eventually failed because of the Allied Powers and the state remained unrecognized .
Lucinda Martha Ruh ( born 13 July 1979 ) is a three time Swiss National gold medalist competitive figure skater . She is also the 2000 and 2001 world professional bronze medalist . She is known as the Queen of Spin for her one of a kind outstanding spinning ability and for being a ballerina on ice . In April 2003 , Ruh set a Guinness world record for the most continuous spins ( 115 ) on one foot . She is the longest and fastest spinner on ice in the world ever clocking at six rotations a second . She has also created over twenty different new spin positions now required at competitions . She toured with Stars On Ice , Champions on Ice , and numerous other world wide tours skating live to Seal , Aretha Franklin , Gloria Gaynor etc . she also published her book Frozen Teardrop .
Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a country situated in the confluence of western , central , and southern Europe . [ note 4 ] It is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons , with federal authorities seated in Bern . [ note 1 ] Switzerland is a landlocked country bordered by Italy to the south , France to the west , Germany to the north , and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east . It is geographically divided among the Swiss Plateau , the Alps , and the Jura , spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 ( 15,940 sq mi ) , and land area of 39,997 km2 ( 15,443 sq mi ) . While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory , the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million is concentrated mostly on the plateau , where the largest cities are located , among them the two global cities and economic centres of Zürich and Geneva . The establishment of the Old Swiss Confederacy dates to the late medieval period , resulting from a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy . Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 . The Federal Charter of 1291 is considered the founding document of Switzerland which is celebrated on Swiss National Day . Since the Reformation of the 16th century , Switzerland has maintained a strong policy of armed neutrality ; it has not fought an international war since 1815 and did not join the United Nations until 2002 . Nevertheless , it pursues an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world . Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross , one of the world 's oldest and best known humanitarian organisations , and is home to numerous international organisations , including the second largest UN office . It is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association , but notably not part of the European Union , the European Economic Area or the Eurozone .
Shizuka Arakawa ( 荒川 静香 , Arakawa Shizuka , born December 29 , 1981 ) is a Japanese figure skater . She is the 2006 Olympic Champion and the 2004 World Champion . Arakawa is the first Japanese skater to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating and the second Japanese skater to win any Olympic medal in figure skating , after Midori Ito , who won silver in 1992 . She is also the second Japanese woman to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics , following skier Tae Satoya . She was the only Japanese medalist at the 2006 Winter Olympics . Arakawa retired from competitive skating following her Olympic win and began skating professionally in ice shows and exhibitions . She also works as a skating sportscaster for Japanese television .
Shelby Lyons ( born May 24 , 1981 in Oswego , New York ) is an American retired competitive figure skater who competed in both singles and pairs . She originally competed as a single skater on the novice level before teaming up with Brian Wells . They won four medals at the United States Figure Skating Championships between 1995 and 1998 , and competed with twice at the World Figure Skating Championships , placing 10th in 1996 and in 1998 . Their partnership ended in 1998 . During this time , Lyons had been competing in singles . She was the 1996 U.S . Junior national champion in singles and had competed on the Junior Grand Prix . Following the end of the partnership , Lyons went back to focusing on skating singles . She has since retired and has skated professionally on Disney on Ice . She now teaches singles , pairs , and dance in Colorado .
Fanny Cagnard ( born 17 March 1981 ) is a French former competitive figure skater . She finished in the top ten at two World Junior Championships - 1997 and 1998 - and competed at three Champions Series events . After retiring from competition , she began coaching in Amiens . During her career , She also obtained 5 titles on French championships in Minime / Espoir / Junior categories and 3 titles as Vice Champion in Minime / Cadette / Junior She competed for the French team from 1993 to 2000
France ( French : [ fʁɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ) , officially the French Republic ( French : République française , pronounced [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ( listen ) ) , is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . [ XIII ] The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . It is bordered by Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast , Switzerland and Italy to the east , and Andorra and Spain to the south . The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . The country 's 18 integral regions ( five of which are situated overseas ) span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres ( 248,573 sq mi ) and a total population of 67.02 million ( as of July 2019 [ update ] ) . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban areas include Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux , Lille and Nice . France , including its overseas territories , has the most number of time zones of any country , with a total of 12 . During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . Rome annexed the area in 51 BC , holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476 , who formed the Kingdom of Francia . The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned Francia into East Francia , Middle Francia and West Francia . West Francia , which became the Kingdom of France in 987 , emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , following its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337-1453 ) .
Gwenaëlle Jullien ( born 5 December 1982 ) is a French former competitive figure skater . She won bronze at the 1997 European Youth Olympic Festival , silver at the 1998 Junior Grand Prix in China , and finished in the top 15 at two World Junior Championships - 1997 ( Seoul ) and 1999 ( Zagreb ) . She is a two-time senior national medalist , having won bronze in 1997 and silver in 2000 . She trained in Amiens .
Anna Neshcheret ( born 2 November 1981 ) is a Ukrainian former competitive figure skater . She finished 12th at the 1997 World Junior Championships in Seoul , South Korea , and 5th at the 1999 Winter Universiade in Žilina , Slovakia .
Ukraine ( Ukrainian : Україна , romanized : Ukrayina , pronounced [ ʊkrɐˈjinɐ ] ( listen ) ) is a country in Eastern Europe . It is bordered by Russia to the north-east ; Belarus to the north ; Poland , Slovakia and Hungary to the west ; and Romania , Moldova , and the Black Sea to the south . Ukraine is currently in a territorial dispute with Russia over the Crimean Peninsula , which Russia annexed in 2014 . Including Crimea , Ukraine has an area of 603,628 km2 ( 233,062 sq mi ) , making it both the largest country entirely within Europe and the 46th largest country in the world . Excluding Crimea , Ukraine has a population of about 42 million , making it the 32nd most populous country in the world . Its capital and largest city is Kiev . Ukrainian is the official language and its alphabet is Cyrillic . The dominant religion in the country is Eastern Orthodoxy . The territory of modern Ukraine has been inhabited since 32,000 BC . During the Middle Ages , the area was a key centre of East Slavic culture , with the powerful state of Kievan Rus ' forming the basis of Ukrainian identity . Following its fragmentation in the 13th century , the territory was contested , ruled and divided by a variety of powers , including the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , Austria-Hungary , the Ottoman Empire and Russia . A Cossack republic emerged and prospered during the 17th and 18th centuries , but its territory was eventually split between Poland and the Russian Empire .
Anina Fivian ( born 25 March 1981 ) is a Swiss former competitive figure skater . She is a two-time Swiss national champion and reached the free skate at three ISU Championships - 1997 Europeans in Paris , 1997 Junior Worlds in Seoul , and 1998 Junior Worlds in Saint John , New Brunswick . Fivian was coached by Karlheinz Zitterbart and belonged to Eislauf-Club Thun . After retiring from competition , she performed in ice shows and then became a police officer .
Veronika Dytrtová ( born 18 June 1980 ) is a Czech former competitive figure skater . She is the 1998 Nebelhorn Trophy bronze medalist and a four-time Czech national medalist . In the first half of her career , she competed for Germany under the surname Dytrt , winning the bronze medal at the 1997 German Championships . Her best ISU Championship results were 14th at the 1997 World Junior Championships and 17th at the 1997 European Championships . She began competing for the Czech Republic in the 1998-99 season . She is the sister of Anette Dytrt . Her coaches included Steffi Ruttkies , Karin Gaiser , and Vlasta Kopřivová .
Germany ( German : Deutschland , German pronunciation : [ ˈdɔʏtʃlant ] ) , constitutionally the Federal Republic of Germany ( German : Bundesrepublik Deutschland , listen ( help·info ) ) , [ f ] is a country in Central and Western Europe . It borders Denmark to the north , Poland and the Czech Republic to the east , Austria and Switzerland to the south , France to the southwest , and Luxembourg , Belgium , and the Netherlands to the west . Germany includes 16 constituent states , covers an area of 357,386 square kilometres ( 137,988 sq mi ) , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With 83 million inhabitants , it is the second most populous state of Europe after Russia , the most populous state lying entirely in Europe , as well as the most populous member state of the European Union . Germany is a very decentralised country . Its capital and largest metropolis is Berlin , while Frankfurt serves as its financial capital and has the country 's busiest airport . Various Germanic tribes have inhabited the northern parts of modern Germany since classical antiquity . A region named Germania was documented before AD 100 . Beginning in the 10th century , German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire . During the 16th century , northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation . After the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire , the German Confederation was formed in 1815 . The German revolutions of 1848-49 resulted in the Frankfurt Parliament establishing major democratic rights .
Joanne Jo Carter ( born 17 April 1980 ) is an Australian former competitive figure skater . She is the 1998 Piruetten champion , the 1996 Golden Spin of Zagreb silver medalist , the 2004 Karl Schäfer Memorial bronze medalist , and a seven-time Australian national champion . She reached the free skate at the 1998 Winter Olympics and fifteen ISU Championships - four World , eight Four Continents , and three World Junior Championships .
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia , is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the island of Tasmania , and numerous smaller islands . It is the largest country in Oceania and the world 's sixth-largest country by total area . The population of 26 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard . Australia 's capital is Canberra , and its largest city is Sydney . The country 's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne , Brisbane , Perth , and Adelaide . Indigenous Australians inhabited the continent for about 65,000 years prior to the first arrival of Dutch explorers in the early 17th century , who named it New Holland . In 1770 , Australia 's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788 , a date which became Australia 's national day . The population grew steadily in subsequent decades , and by the time of an 1850s gold rush , most of the continent had been explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies established . On 1 January 1901 , the six colonies federated , forming the Commonwealth of Australia . Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy , comprising six states and ten territories . Australia is the oldest , flattest , and driest inhabited continent , with the least fertile soils . It has a landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres ( 2,941,300 sq mi ) .
Sanna-Maija Wiksten ( born 28 July 1980 ) is a Finnish former competitive figure skater . She is the 1998 Nordic champion , 1999 Nebelhorn Trophy silver medalist , and 1999 Finnish national champion . She reached the free skate at three ISU Championships - 1997 Junior Worlds , 1999 Europeans , and 2000 Europeans . She represented Tikkurilan Skating Club in Vantaa and Espoon Jäätaiturit in Espoo .
Finland ( Finnish : Suomi [ ˈsuo̯mi ] ( listen ) ; Swedish : Finland [ ˈfɪ̌nland ] ( listen ) , Finland Swedish : [ ˈfinlɑnd ] ) , officially the Republic of Finland ( Finnish : Suomen tasavalta , Swedish : Republiken Finland ( listen to all ) ) , [ note 1 ] is a Nordic country in Northern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea , Gulf of Bothnia , and Gulf of Finland , between Sweden to the west , Russia to the east , Estonia to the south , and north-eastern Norway to the north . The capital and largest city is Helsinki . Other major cities are Espoo , Tampere , Vantaa , Oulu , Turku , Jyväskylä , Lahti and Kuopio . Finland 's population is 5.52 million as of July 2019 , the majority of whom live in the central and south of the country and speak Finnish , a Finnic language from the Uralic language family , unrelated to the Scandinavian languages . Finland is the eighth-largest country in Europe and the most sparsely populated country in the European Union . It is a parliamentary republic of 310 municipalities , and includes an autonomous region , the Åland Islands . Over 1.4 million people live in the Greater Helsinki metropolitan area , which produces one third of the country 's GDP . Swedish is the second official language of Finland , which is mainly spoken in certain coastal areas and on Åland . A large majority of Finns are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church . Finland was inhabited when the last ice age ended , approximately 9000 BC . Comb Ceramic culture introduced pottery 5200 BC and Corded Ware culture coincided with the start of agriculture between 3000 and 2500 BC . The Bronze Age and Iron Age were characterised by extensive contacts with other cultures in the Fennoscandian and Baltic regions .
Zoe Jones , formerly Wood and Wilkinson ( born 14 January 1980 ) is a British figure skater . She is a two-time ( 2000 , 2001 ) British national champion in ladies ' singles . She reached the free skate at three ISU Championships and qualified for the 1998 Winter Olympics , but could not compete because of injury .
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK or U.K. ) or Britain , [ note 11 ] is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland . Existing under its current name since 1921 , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north­eastern part of the island of Ireland , and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland . Otherwise , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to the east , the English Channel to the south and the Celtic Sea to the southwest , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea separates Great Britain and Ireland . The total area of the United Kingdom is 94,000 square miles ( 240,000 km2 ) . The United Kingdom is a unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy . [ note 12 ] The current monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 1952 , making her the world 's longest-serving current head of state . The United Kingdom 's capital and largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million . Other major cities include Birmingham , Manchester , Glasgow , Leeds and Liverpool . The United Kingdom consists of four constituent countries : England , Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland . Their capitals are London , Edinburgh , Cardiff , and Belfast , respectively .
Annie Bellemare ( born January 2 , 1980 ) is a Canadian former competitive figure skater . She is the 2000 Four Continents bronze medallist , 2004 Bofrost Cup on Ice bronze medallist , and a five-time Canadian national medallist .
Canada is a country in the northern part of North America . Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean , covering 9.98 million square kilometres ( 3.85 million square miles ) , making it the world 's second-largest country by total area . Its southern border with the United States , stretching some 8,891 kilometres ( 5,525 mi ) , is the world 's longest bi-national land border . Canada 's capital is Ottawa , and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto , Montreal , and Vancouver . As a whole , Canada is sparsely populated , with most of its land area dominated by forest and tundra . Its population is highly urbanized , with over 80 percent of its inhabitants concentrated in large and medium-sized cities , and 70 percent residing within 100 kilometres ( 62 mi ) of the southern border . Canada 's climate varies widely across its vast area , ranging from Arctic climate in the north to hot summers in the southern regions , with four distinct seasons . Various indigenous peoples inhabited what is now Canada for thousands of years before European colonization . Beginning in the 16th century , British and French expeditions explored and later settled along the Atlantic coast . As a consequence of various armed conflicts , France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 . In 1867 , with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation , Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces . This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom .
Klara Bramfeldt ( born 20 July 1979 ) is a Swedish former competitive figure skater . She is a three-time ( 1999-2001 ) Swedish national champion and three-time Nordic bronze medalist . She reached the free skate at three ISU Championships - the 1996 Junior Worlds in Brisbane , 1997 Junior Worlds in Seoul , and 1999 Europeans in Prague . She placed 33rd in her only appearance at the World Figure Skating Championships , in 1999 .
Sweden ( Swedish : Sverige [ ˈsvæ̌rjɛ ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Sweden ( Swedish : Konungariket Sverige [ ˈkôːnɵŋaˌriːkɛt ˈsvæ̌rjɛ ] ( listen ) ) , is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe . It borders Norway to the west and north and Finland to the east , and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund Strait . At 450,295 square kilometres ( 173,860 sq mi ) , Sweden is the largest country in Northern Europe , the third-largest country in the European Union and the fifth largest country in Europe by area . The capital city is Stockholm . Sweden has a total population of 10.3 million of which 2.5 million have a foreign background . Persons who have foreign backgrounds are defined as persons who are foreign born , or born in Sweden with foreign born parents . It has a low population density of 22 inhabitants per square kilometre ( 57/sq mi ) and the highest urban concentration is in the central and southern half of the country . Sweden is part of the geographical area of Fennoscandia . The climate is in general mild for its northerly latitude due to significant maritime influence . In spite of the high latitude , Sweden often has warm continental summers , being located in between the North Atlantic , the Baltic Sea and the vast Eurasian Russian landmass . The general climate and environment varies significantly from the south and north due to the vast latitudal difference and much of Sweden has reliably cold and snowy winters . Southern Sweden is predominantly agricultural , while the north is heavily forested and includes a portion of the Scandinavian Mountains .