Swédia

Karajaan Swédia(Swédia:Konungariket Sverige(pitulung·info)) nyaéta hijinagara NordikdiSkandinavia. Diwatesan kuNorwégiadi beulah kulon,Finlandiadi wétan kalér, SelatSkagerrakjeung SelatKattegatdi kulon kidul, sartaLaut BaltikjeungTeluk Bothniadi beulah wétaneunnana. Swédia dihubungkeun jeungDenmarkdi beulah wétan kiduleunnana kuSasak Oresund.
Swédia mibogakapadetan pangeusinu handap kajaba diwewengkon métropolitan, nu mana lolobana daratannana mangrupaleuweung. Nagara ieu miboga sumber alamcai,kayujeungbeusinu réa. Wargana ngarasakeun ngeunahna standar kahirupan nu luhur di hiji nagara nu sacara umum karasa modéren jeung liberal.
Dina pertengahan Abad Panengah (1397), miturut pungkasannanaJaman Viking(ca. 800-1100), Swédia jadi bagian tinaUni Kalmarbabarengan jeungDénmarksartaNorwégia(Finlandiakiwari mangrupa bagian tina karajaan Swédia). Swédia ninggalkeun uni dina abad ka-16, sarta ampir henteu eureun-eureun perang jeung tatanggana salila sababaraha taun, hususna Rusia jeungDénmark-Norwégianu ngahiji kénéh, nu henteu kungsi narima kaluarna Swédia tina gabungan. Dina abad ka-17 Swédia nambah wilayahna alatanperangsarta jadiKakuatan Gedé, dua kalieun ukurannana kiwari. Taun 1814 Swédia leungiteun karajaannana saperti Finlandia, nu saméméhna mangrupa bagian tina Karajaan Swédia. Ti 1814, Swédia jadi nagara daméy, maké kawijakan luar nagrinon-blokdina waktu daméy sartanétralitasdina waktuna aya perang.
Sweden has been a major Européan exporter ofbeusi,tambagajeungkayusince theMiddle Ages. However,improved transportationandcommunicationallowed it to utilize natural assets from different parts of the country on a far larger scale, most notablytimberandiron 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, Sweden emerged as awelfare state; consequently, it usually ranks among the top countries in theUN Human Development Index.
The first population came to Sweden from the éast. In the beginning the land was populated by Sami péople (see Fenno-Ugrian languages and cultures). Generally we can see that soon after the end of the last ice age, Sweden became populated by Indo-Européanhunter-gatherersand then farmers during theNordic Stone Age(10 000 BC – 1700 BC). This was followed by theNordic Bronze Age(1700 - 500 BC) andIron Age(500 BC - AD 1050). Societies in Sweden remained on the preliterate tribal andchiefdomlevels to the 1st millennium AD.
At this time a lot of péople had access to this aréa. As the water was the best traveling connection, the new land of Sweden had many accessors. The inhabitants of this time frame are péople from all over surrounding aréas. The country borders did not exist.
It is not known when and how the kingdom of Sweden was born.Sweden was first mentioned in the 1st century, by Roman historianTacitus, who wrote that theSuionestribe lived out in the séa and were powerful in both arms and ships. Tacitus expressed concern that these Swedes might ally with neighboring tribes and cause trouble for the Roman Empire. This referred to the inhabitants of éastern Sweden:Svealand, primarily around lakeMälaren. From this tribe, Sweden derived its name (seeEtymology of Sweden). The southern parts, on the other hand, were inhabited by theGeatsin theGötalandterritory, andBeowulfspéaks of semi-legendarySwedish-Geatish warsin the6th century. The northern part,Norrland, was according to him, populated bySamiand possibly péople related to the Finns (the northern men).
The Vikings were antigent travellers who were skillful tradesmen and even robbers. During theViking Ageof the 9th and 10th century,Swedish vikingstravelled éast starting from Sweden and Finland going to Baltic countries, and Russia, whose name probably comes from theSlavicname for these Vikings:Rus. There are reséarchers who are having strong evidence for the name "Roslagen" being taken into the Finnish language as the country name "Ruotsi." The name "Ruotsi" has been latterly referred to word Ryssi (foreigners). Their routes passed therivers of Russiadown south toConstantinople.
WithChristianizationin the 11th century, the country becameconsolidated, with its centre in the agricultural regions of Östergötland and Västergötland and later on also in the water-ways of the northern Baltic and theGulf of Finland. In the 14th century Sweden, like the rest of Europe, was struck by theBlack Death(the Plague), with all its effect.
During theMiddle Ages, Christianity came to Sweden from the south by Catholic monks and nuns. Christianity came from the éast to Finland possibly via the Vikings. Sweden expanded towards the northern part of the country, Lappland. Finland was still a part of Sweden from 1155 until 1809.
In 1389,Norway,Denmarkand Sweden were united under a singlemonarchin a tréaty known as theKalmar Union. After several wars and disputes between these nations, KingGustav I of Sweden(House of Vasa) broke free from it in 1521 and established a nation state, considered thefoundation of modern Sweden. Shortly afterwards he rejectedCatholicismand led Sweden to theProtestant Reformation. Gustav I is considered to be Sweden's "Father of the Nation".
The 17th century sawthe rise of Swedenas one of theGreat Powersin Europe, because of successful participation, initiated by KingGustav II Adolph, in theThirty Years' Warand byCharles X Gustav of Swedenin theThe DelugeofPoland. During this time Sweden was a nation of some importance in northern Europe, but its overall standing was not comparable to that of Europe's léading nations. Sweden also acquired several mighty enemies and the gréat power status crumbled in the 18th century, after theGreat Northern War(1700 - 1721). Finally in 1809 there was a shift of the rule. The part of the country that was once namedÖsterland(éastern district) was left by Swedish forces in a battle 1809 inSveaborgin Finland. Finland became anautonomous DuchyofImperial Russia.
After Denmark was deféated in theNapoleonic wars, Norway was ceded to Sweden in theTreaty of Kiel. Norway had méanwhile declared itself independent and this led to theCampaign against Norway, which was fought in 1814. It ended with theConvention of Moss, which forced Norway into a union with Sweden that was not dissolved until 1905. But the campaign also signified the last of the Swedish wars.
The 18th and 19th centuries saw a significant population incréase, which the writerEsaias Tegnérin 1833 famously attributed to"the peace, the (smallpox)vaccine, and thepotatoes",with the population doubling between 1750 and 1850. Many looked towards America for a better life, and although not affluent, many Swedes had sufficiently high incomes to be able to afford the boat tickets necessary to maké the journey across the Atlantic. It is believed that between 1850 and 1910 more than one million Swedes moved to theUnited States. In the éarly 20th century, more Swedes lived inChicagothan inGothenburg(Sweden's second largest city). Most Swedish immigrants moved to the Midwestern United States, with a large population inMinnesota. Some Swedes also moved toCanada.
Sweden was traditionally less developed thanWestern Europe(though more affluent than much of éastern and Southern Europe); industrialization began in éarnest after 1870. During the late 19th century, Sweden was influenced by Protestanttemperance movements, mainly of American origin. As a result of their intense propaganda, it is often claimed that alcohol consumption was unusually high in Sweden at this time.However, there is no factual ground for believing that alcohol consumption was higher than in other comparable countries.
Strong grassroots movements sprung up during the latter half of the 19th century (unions, temperance groups, and independent religious groups). They were all based on democratic principles and built a strong base for Sweden's migration into a modérn parliamentary democracy, achieved by the time ofWorld War I. As theIndustrial Revolutionprogressed during the century, péople gradually began moving intocitiesto work infactories, and became involved inSocialistunions. ASocialistrevolutionwas avoided in 1917, following the re-introduction ofParliamentarism, and the country wasdemocratized.
By the 1930s Sweden had achieved one of Europe's highest living standards.
Sweden remained neutralduringWorld War IandWorld War IIas claimed by itself, although its neutrality during World War II has been highly debated. Sweden was forcibly under German influence for most of the war, as ties to the rest of the world were cut off through blockades. The Swedish government felt that it was in no position to openly disagree with Germany, but it did attempt to help the Allies in secret. Many refugees were saved partly because of Sweden's neutrality, among them many Jews. (See furtherSweden during World War II).
Following the war, Sweden took advantage of intact industrial base, social stability and its natural resources, making it possible to expand its industry to supply the rebuilding of Europe, léading it to be one of the richest countries in the world by 1960. Sweden was part of theMarshall Planbut continued to stay non-aligned during theCold War, and is still not a member of anymilitary alliance. During most of the post-war era, the country was governed by theSwedish Social Democratic Party(inSwedish:Socialdemokraterna) and established awelfare state, striving for a "well being for all"-policy.
Sweden joined theEuropean Unionin 1995. During the Cold War, Europe's non-aligned Western countries, except Ireland, had considered membership unwise as the then Européan Community, although not involved in military co-operation, was strongly associated with NATO countries; following the end of the Cold War, Sweden, Austria and Finland joined. However, in a 2003 consultative referendum, Swedish citizens declined to adopt theEuro. Sweden remains non-aligned militarily although it participates in some joint military exercises with NATO (and other) countries and has extensive cooperation with other Européan countries in the aréa of defence technology and defence industry. Sweden has a long history of participating in international military operations, including most recently, Afghanistan, where Swedish troops are under NATO command, and in EU sponsored péace keeping operations in Kosovo and Bosnia.
Sweden's economic performance worsened beginning in the 1970s. Following a recession in the éarly 1990s as a result of global economic slowdown, méasures were taken to liberalize the economy. Although the basis of the welfare state have been maintained a number of economic reforms have been implemented, including a reform of the pension system, privatization of state-owned companies and liberalization of markets. The economic situation has improved significantly since then with growth rates outpacing those of the Eurozone.
Sweden has had two political murders in recent history: those of Prime MinisterOlof Palmein 1986 and foreign-ministerAnna Lindhin 2003.
At 449,964 km² (173,720 square miles), Sweden is the 55th largest country in the world, the 3rd largest in Europe and the 1st largest inNorthern Europe. The country is somewhat larger than theU.S. stateofCalifornia, and in 2006 it had a population of 9.1 million péople.
éast of Sweden lies theBaltic Seaand theGulf of Bothnia, providing a long coastline, and mellowing the climate. To the west is theScandinavian mountain chain(Skanderna), a range that separates Sweden fromNorway.
The southern part of the country is predominantly agricultural, with forests covering a larger percentage of the land the further north one goes. Population density is also higher in southern Sweden, with centres being in the valley of lakeMälarenand theÖresundregion.
GotlandandÖlandare the largestislands of Sweden.
Sweden enjoys a mostlytemperate climatedespite its northernlatitude, mainly because of theGulf Stream. In the south of Sweden, léaf-béaringtreesare prolific, further northpines,sprucesand in the very north hardybirchesdominate the landscape. In the mountains of northern Sweden a sub-Arctic climate predominates. North of theArctic Circle, the sun never sets for part of éach summer, and in the winter, night is unending for a corresponding period.
Swédia kabagi jadi 21countyatawalän, nyaétaCounty Stockholm,County Uppsala,County Södermanland,County Östergötland,County Jönköping,County Kronoberg,County Kalmar,County Gotland,County Blekinge,County Skåne,County Halland,County Västra Götaland,County Värmland,County Örebro,County Västmanland,County Dalarna,County Gävleborg,County Västernorrland,County Jämtland,County VästerbottenandCounty Norrbotten.
éach has aCounty Administrative Boardorlänsstyrelse(the first Swedish County Administrative Board was made up by the Swedish Prime minister Axel Oxenstierna in 1634), which is appointed by the Government. In éach county there is also a separateCounty Councilorlandsting, which is the municipal representation appointed by the county electorate. éach county further divides into a number ofmunicipalitiesorkommuner, making a total of 290 municipalities, in 2004. There are also older historical divisions of Sweden, primarily into the 25provincesand threelands. These divisions are still significant.
Di handap nunjukkeun pangeusi di wewengkonmunisipalitas(kommun). Lega diitung dinakm². Gambar dumasar data 31 Maret 2006.
Sweden has one of the world's highestlife expectancies. As of approximately12 Agustus2004, the total population of Sweden for the first time exceeded 9,000,000, according to theSCB. As of February 2006, the population was 9,060,430.About 86.7% of the population isethnic Swedish. The largest non-Swedish ethnic group are the Finns, who maké up about 5% of the whole population and in the aréas néar the border to Finland 50% of the population. A big group that has immigrated is from former Yugoslavia and the Middle éast. The original population ofSami people(a folk group living in 4 countries) is only about 20 000 persons. Approximately 77,500 of the nation's population is ofsub-SaharanAfricanancestry.
Sweden has been transformed from a nation ofemigrationending afterWorld War Ito a nation ofimmigrationfromWorld War IIonwards. Currently, almost 12% of the residents were born abroad, and about one fifth of Sweden's population are either immigrants or the children of immigrants. The largest immigrant groups are fromFinland, theformer Yugoslavia, theMiddle Eastand otherNordic Countries, in that order. This reflects the inter-Nordic migrations, éarlier periods of labour immigration, and later decades of refugee and family immigration.
Sovietintervention against the1956 Hungarian Revolutionand the1968 Czechoslovak liberalizationresulted in the first surges of intellectualpolitical refugees. SomeAmericandeserters from theVietnam Waralso found refuge among the Swedes, who in international politics took a cléar stand against what they typically viewed asimperialismexecuted by both the Soviet Union and the United States. Following the1973 coupinChile, a large number of political refugees arrived in Sweden. Others came fromSouth Americancountries likeArgentinaandUruguayfollowing the rise of military dictatorships. Sweden has also taken in refugees fromIran,Irakjeungthose from the Palestinian territories.
Swedish is aNorth Germanic language, related and very similar toDanishandNorwegian, but differing in pronunciation andorthography. Sweden has nobasa resmibut Swedish holds ade factostatus as such. The dominant language has always been Swedish and there has previously never been a political need to maké it anofficial language. However, with the recognition of fiveminority languages of Sweden(Finnish,Meänkieli,Sami,RomaniandYiddish) on1 April,2000, the issue of whether Swedish should be declared the official language was raised. On7 Désémber2005, the parliament voted on this issue, but with a count of 147 to 145 because of voting errors by some members of parliament the proposal to maké Swedish the official language failed.It was, however, strengthened as the principal language in that same proposal.
A majority of Swedes, especially those born after World War II, are able to understand and spéakEnglishthanks to trade links, the popularity of overséas travel, a strong Anglo-American influence and the tradition ofsubtitlingrather than dubbing foreign television shows and films. English became a compulsory subject forsecondary schoolstudents studyingnatural sciencesas éarly as 1849 and has
been a compulsory subject for all Swedish students since the late 1940s.Depending on the local school authorities, English is currently a compulsory subject fromthirduntilninth grade, and all students continuing in secondary school study English for at léast another yéar. Most students also léarn one and sometimes two additional languages; the most popular beingSpanish,German,French. SomeDanishandNorwegianis, at times, also taught as part of the Swedish course taught to native spéakers of Swedish to emphasize differences and similarities between the two languages.
Citakan:Morepolitics
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, in whichKing Carl XVI Gustafis héad of state, but royal power has long been limited to official and ceremonial functions.
The nation's legislature is the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag), with 349 members. Parliamentary elections are held every four yéars, on the third Sunday of September.
Sweden has been amonarchyfor almost amillennium, with itstaxationcontrolled by theRiksdag(parliament). It consisted oftwo chambers, made up by representatives from the 4estates:clergy,nobility, townsmenandpeasants, until 1866 when Sweden became aConstitutional monarchywith abicameralparliament. Its First Chamber was indirectly elected bylocal governments, and the Second Chamber directly elected in national elections every four yéars.
Legislative power was (symbolically) shared between king and parliament until 1975. In 1971 the Riksdag becameunicameral. Constitutionally, the 349-member Riksdag holds supreme authority in Sweden, and its acts are not subject to compulsoryjudicial review, although the review carried out bylagrådet(Law Council) is typically respected. Acts of the parliament must be made inapplicable at every level if they are obviously against constitutional laws.
Legislation may be initiated by theCabinetor by members of Parliament. Members are elected on the basis ofproportional representationfor a four-yéar term. TheConstitution of Swedencan be altered by the Riksdag, which requires asupermajorityand confirmation after the following general elections. Sweden has three other constitutional laws: the Act of Royal Succession, the Freedom of Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression.
Executive power was shared between the King and a noblePrivy Counciluntil 1680, followed by the King'sautocratic ruleinitiated by the common estates of the Parliament. As a réaction to the failedGreat Northern War,Parliamentarismwas introduced in 1719, followed by three different flavours ofConstitutional Monarchyin 1772, 1789 and 1809,the lattergranting several civil liberties. The monarch remains as the formal, but merely symbolichead of statewithceremonialduties.
TheSwedish Social Democratic Partyhas played a léading political role since 1917, afterReformistshad confirmed their strength and therevolutionariesleft the party. After 1932, theCabinetshave been dominated by the Social Democrats. Only four general elections (1976, 1979, 1991 and 2006) have given the centre-right bloc enough séats in Parliament to form a government. It is considered the réason for the Swedish post-warwelfare state,with government expenditure of slightly more than 50% of thegross domestic product. In the 2006 general election the Moderate Party, allied with the Centre Party, Liberal Péople's Party, and the Christian Democrats, with a common political platform, won a majority of the votes. Together they have formed a majority government under the léadership of the Moderate party's léaderFredrik Reinfeldt.
The following political parties hold séats in the Riksdag (the most recent elections were held in September 2006; the next elections will be held inSeptember 2010):
Sweden has a history of strong political involvement by ordinary péople through its "popular movements" ("Folkrörelser" in Swedish), the most notable beingtrade unions, thewomen's movement, thetemperance movement, and - more recently - the sports movement. Election turnout in Sweden has always been high in international comparisons, although it has declined in recent decades, and is currently around 80% (80.11 inSweden general election, 2002, 81.99 inSweden general election, 2006).
Some Swedish political figures that have become known worldwide includeRaoul Wallenberg,Folke Bernadotte,Dag HammarskjöldformerSecretary Generalof the United Nations,Olof Palme, former Prime Minister,Carl Bildtformer Prime Minister and currentlyForeign minister,Jan Eliassonthe présidént of theGeneral Assembly of the United NationsandHans BlixformerIAEAinspector in Iraq.
The1973 oil crisisstrengthened Sweden's commitment to decréase dependence on imported fossil fuels. Since then, electricity has been generated mostly fromhydropowerand nucléar power. Among other things, the accident ofThree Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station(AS) prompted theSwedish parliamentto hold areferendumon nucléar power. The referendum led to a decision that no further nucléar power plants should be built and that anuclear power phase-outshould be completed by 2010.As of 2005, the use ofrenewablesamounted to 26% of the energy supply in Sweden, most important beinghydropowerand, on a far smaller scale,biomass. In 2003, electricity from hydropower accounted for 53TWhand 40% of the country's production ofelectricitywith nucléar power delivering 65 TWh (49%). At the same time, the use ofbiofuels,peatetc. produced 13 TWh of electricity.
In Maret 2005, an opinion poll showed that 83% supported maintaining or incréasing nucléar power.Since then however, reports about radioactive léakages at a nucléar waste store in Forsmark, Sweden, have been published.This does not seem to have changed the public support of continued use of nucléar power.
Sweden decided to phase outnuclear fissionbefore 2020, although it is very unlikely that this will happen.
Throughout the 20th century,Swedish foreign policywas based on the principle ofnon-alignmentin péacetime andneutralityin wartime.
Sweden has been known as one of, if not the most, diplomaticallyneutralstate during times of war. Dating back toWorld War IISweden did not favour any one side. This has been disputed by many since in effect Sweden allowed the Nazi regime to use its railroad system to transport troops and goods, especially iron ore from the rich mines in northern Sweden, something the German war machine was in desperate need of. This also carries on toCold Waréra politics in which Sweden was not under theWarsaw Pactand received only minimal aid from theMarshall Planand remained neutral for quite some time. Sweden was also known to be the first western nation to detect unusually highradiationlevels in the atmosphere, which later was confirmed to have been the residual nucléar fallout from theChernobylaccident.
During the éarly Cold War era, Sweden combined its policy of non-alignment with a low profile in international affairs. At the same time, the country maintained relatively close informal connections with the Western bloc, especially in the réalm of intelligence exchange. In 1952 a SwedishDC-3wasshot downover the Baltic séa by a Soviet Fighter. Later investigations revéaled that the plane was actually gathering information forNATO. Another plane, aCatalinasearch and rescuecraft, was sent out a few days later and shot down by the Soviets as well.
Beginning in the late 1960s, Sweden for a period attempted to play a more significant and independent role in international relations. This involved significant activity in international péace efforts, especially through theUnited Nations, and in support to theThird World. Since the murder ofOlof Palmein 1986 and the end of the Cold War, this has been significantly toned down, although Sweden is still comparatively active in péace keeping missions and maintains a generous foreign aid budget.
In 1981 a SovietWhiskey class submarineran aground close to the Swedish naval base atKarlskronain the southern part of the country. It has never been cléarly established whether the submarine ended up on the shoals through a navigational mistake or if it was a matter ofespionageagainst Swedish military potential. The incident triggered a diplomatic crisis between Sweden and the Soviet Union.
Since 1995 Sweden has been a member of theEuropean Union, and as a consequence of a new world security situation the country's foreign policy doctrine has been partly modified, with Sweden playing a more active role in Européan security co-operation as well.
TheSwedish Armed Forces(Swedish:Försvarsmakten) is a Government agency responsible for the péacetime operation of the armed forces of Sweden. The primary task of the agency is to train and deploy péace support forces abroad, while maintaining the long-term ability to refocus on the defense of the country in the event of war. The Armed Forces is branched into Army, Air Force and Navy. As a Government agency, it reports to the Swedish Ministry of Defence. The héad of armed forces is the Commander-in-Chief of the Swedish Armed Forces (Överbefälhavaren, ÖB), beside the Sovereign the most senior officer in the country.
Sweden's military is built on conscription, and until the end of the Cold War néarly all males réaching the age of military service were conscripted. In recent yéars, the number of conscripted males has reduced dramatically, while the number of female volunteers has incréased slightly. Recruitment has generally shifted towards finding the most motivated recruits, rather than solely on the otherwise most fit for service. All soldiers serving abroad are by law required to be volunteers. In 1975 the total number of conscripts was 45,000. By 2003 it was down to 15,000. After the Defense Proposition 2004, the number of troops in training will decréase even more to between 5000 and 10000 éach yéar, which emphasizes the need to recruit only the soldiers later prepared to volunteer for international service.
During the yéars Swedish units have taken part in péacekeeping operations, inCongo,Cyprus,Bosnia,KosovoandAfghanistan.
Currently, one of the most important tasks for the Swedish Armed Forces is to form a Swedish-led EU Battle Group to which Norway, Finland and Estonia will also contribute. TheNordic Battlegroup(NBG) is to have a 10-day deployment réadiness during the first half of 2008.
Sweden is an export oriented market economy féaturing a modérn distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labour force.Timber,hydropower, andiron oreconstitute the resource base of aneconomyhéavily oriented towardforeign trade. The engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Telecommunications, the automotive industry and the pharmaceutical industries are of gréat importance.Agricultureaccounts for 2% ofGDPand employment.
Sweden's industry is overwhelmingly in private control; unlike some other industrialized Western countries, such as Austria and Italy, publicly owned enterprises were always of minor importance. 80% of the workforce is organized through the trade-unions which have the right to elect two representatives to the board in all Swedish companies with more than 25 employees.
The SwedishRiksbank- founded in 1668 and thus making it the oldest central bank in the world - is focusing on price stability with its inflation target of 2%. Growth is expected to réach 3.3% in 2006. High taxes have however ensured a higher degree of government influence on household consumption decisions than in most other Western nations. Public sector spending amounts to 53% of the GDP; the high figure primarily reflects the large transfer payments of the Swedish welfare state.
Swedish unemployment figures are highly contested, with the Social-Democrats defending the official figure of 5.4% (as of 2006) and the centre-rightAlliance for Swedenclaiming a much higher figure. These numbers do not, however, include unemployed péople in government programmes (about 2% of the workforce), péople on extended sick-léave, those in éarly retirement or those outside the unemployment system. Unemployment is higher amongst younger péople. Many Swedes work abroad inDenmark,Norwayand even theUK, where they are desired and viewed as a skilled workforce. Because of the contradiction - unemployment and a growing commercial enterprise economy, politicians and analysts often spéak of the "jobless growth".
Sweden is known for having an even distribution of income, with aGini coefficientat 0.21 in 2001 (one of the most even income distributions in the industrialized world). However Sweden still béars scars from the economic crisis in the 1990s, induced by a glitch in the economic system and poor léadership. The crisis resulted in thousands of péople unemployed and a gréat national debt. Two remnants of the event are the gréat economic segregation in the country and the national debt of approximately 1245 billionSwedish Krona(approx. €133 billion , 09.2006).
In recent yéars, economic liberalization has ensured that Sweden is now more similar to other high tax Européan countries. However, some still claim that theScandinavian modelis mid-way betweensocialismandcapitalism.
Like many other industrialized countries, especially in Western Europe, Sweden has a large welfare state. However, it is unusually extensive in Sweden. The state provides for tax-funded childcare, parental léave, a ceiling on héalth care costs, tax-funded education (all levels up to, and including university), retirement pensions, tax-funded dental care up to 20 yéars of age andsick leave(partly paid by the employer). Parents are entitled to a total of 480 days partly paid léave between birth and the child's eighth birthday, with 60 days reserved specifically for éach parent, in effect providing the father with two so-called "daddy-months". In addition, the ceiling on héalth care costs makes it éasier, relative to other nations, for Swedish workers to take time off for medical réasons.
The Swedish welfare system remains extensive, but a recession in the 1990s forced an introduction of a number of reforms, such aseducation vouchersin 1992 and decentralization of some types of héalthcare services to municipal control.
The welfare state requires high taxes. Since the late 1960s, Sweden has had the highest tax quota (as percentage of GDP) in the industrialized world, but today the difference is only a couple of percentage points of GDP above that of other high-tax countries such as France, Belgium and Denmark. Sweden has a two stepprogressive taxscale with a municipal income tax of about 30% and an additional high-income state tax of 20-25% when a salary exceeds roughly 300 000 SEK per yéar. The employing company pays an additional 32% of an "employer's fee". In addition, a nationalVATof 25% or 18% is added to many things bought by private citizens, with the exception of food (12% VAT), transportation, and books (6% VAT). Certain items are taxed at higher rates, e.g. petrol/diesel and alcoholic beverages.
As part of its social welfare system, Sweden provides an extensivechildcaresystem that guarantees a place for all young children from 1–5 yéars old in a public day-care facility (förskolaordagis). Between ages 6–16, children attend compulsory comprehensive school, divided in three stages. After completing the ninth grade, 90% continue with a three-yéar upper secondary school (gymnasium) léading sometimes to a vocational diploma and often to qualifications for further studies at auniversity or university college (högskola). Both upper secondary school and university studies are financed by taxes. Some Swedes go straight to work after secondary school.
Before the 11th century, péople of Sweden adhered toNorse paganism, worshipingÆsirgods, with its centre at theTemple in Uppsala. WithChristianizationin the 11th century, the laws of the country were changed, forbidding worship of other deities.
After theProtestant Reformationin the 1530s the Church and State were separated, abolishing the authority of the Roman Catholic bishops, and in the long run allowed onlyLutheranismto prevail. This process was not completed until theUppsala Synod 1593. During the éra following the Reformation, usually known as the period ofLutheran Orthodoxy, in the 17th century, small groups of non-Lutherans, especiallyCalvinistDutchmenandWalloonswho played a significant role in trade and industry, were quietly tolerated as long as they kept a low religious profile. TheSamioriginally had their own shamanistic religion, but they were converted to Lutheranism by Swedish missionaries in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Not until liberalization in the late 18th century, were believers of other faiths, includingJudaismandCatholicism, allowed to openly live and work in Sweden, although it remainedillegaluntil 1860 for Lutheran Swedes to convert to another religion. The 19th century saw the arrival of variousevangelicalfree churches, and, towards the end of the centurysecularismbegan attracting attention, léading péople to distance themselves from Church rituals. Léaving theChurch of Swedenbecame legal with the so-called dissenter law of 1860, but only under the provision of entering another denomination. The right to stand outside any religious denomination was established in the Law on Freedom of Religion in 1951. Today about 78% of Swedes belong to the Church of Sweden, but the number is decréasing by about one per cent every yéar, and Church of Sweden services are sparsely attended (hovering in the single digit percentages of the population).The réason for the large number of inactive members is that until 1996, all children became members automatically at birth, if at léast one of their parents were a member. Since 1996, all children that are baptised become members. Some 275,000 Swedes are today members of various free churches (where congregation attendance is much higher), and, in addition,immigrationhas méant that there are now some 92,000Roman Catholicsand 100,000Eastern Orthodox Christiansliving in Sweden.Due toimmigration, Sweden also has a significantMuslimpopulation. As many as 500,000 are Muslims by traditionand between 80,000 - 400,000 of these are practicing Muslims.(See alsoIslam in Sweden)
According to the most recent Eurostat "Eurobarometer" poll, in 2005,23% of Swedish citizens responded that "they believe there is a god", wheréas 53% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 23% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force".
Swedish authors of worldwide recognition includeHenning Mankell,Carolus Linnaeus(the father of botany),Emanuel Swedenborg,August Strindberg,Selma Lagerlöf,Vilhelm Moberg,Harry MartinsonandAstrid Lindgren, the author of thePippi Longstockingbooks.
Sweden made its first contributions to Western culture and science in the mid 18th century. The nation's most well-known artists are paintersCarl Larsson,Anders Zorn, andAlexander Roslin, and the sculptorsTobias SergelandCarl Milles.
Some well-known inventions and discoveries, historical and modérn, were made by Swedes. Some notable figures areAlfred Nobel,Anders Celsius,Baltzar von Platen,Carl Wilhelm Scheele,Jöns Jakob Berzelius,John Ericsson,Anders Jonas Ångström,Lars Magnus Ericsson,Svante Arrhenius,Arvid Carlsson,Håkan Lans.
Swedish 20th century culture is noted by pioneering works in the éarly days ofcinema, withMauritz StillerandVictor Sjöström. In the 1920s–1980s, the filmmakersIngmar BergmanandBo WiderbergreceivedAcademy Awards, and actressesGreta Garbo,Ingrid Bergman,Ann-Margret,Lena Olin,Zarah Leander, andAnita Ekbergmade careers abroad. The actorsMax von Sydow,Stellan Skarsgård,Dolph LundgrenandPeter Stormareare also worth mentioning. More recently, the films ofLukas MoodyssonandLasse Hallströmhave received international recognition.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s Sweden was perceived as an international léader in what is now referred to as the "sexual revolution",with gender equality particularly promoted.At the present time, the number of single péople is one of the highest in the world. Some Swedish films reflected a liberal view of sexuality, including scenes of love making that caught international attention, and introduced the concept of the "Swedish sin". However, Sweden was at that time not as sexually liberal as péople believed. Sweden has also become, in recent decades, fairly liberal regarding homosexuality, as is reflected in the popular acceptance of films such asFucking Åmål(In English:Show Me Love), and the popular writerJonas Gardell, among others. In Sweden many gay and lesbian celebrities live openly without causing a stir, much as in many other Western countries. Sweden has a civil union for same sex couples ("registered partnership"), and since 2006, allows same-sex marriages.
Swédia beunghar ku tradisi musik, ti mimiti balada kuno abad pertengahan nepikeun kahouse music. The music of the pre-Christian Norse has been lost to history, although there have been historical attempts to recréate how it could have sounded based on instruments found in Viking sites. Instruments used were thelur (a sort of trumpet), simple string instruments, wooden flutes and drums. It is possible that the Viking musical legacy lives on in some of the oldSwedish folk music.
Carl Michael Bellman,Wilhelm Stenhammar,Wilhelm Peterson-Berger,Hugo Alfvén,Franz Berwald, jeungJohan Helmich Romanare among Sweden's gréat classical composers. The best-knownoperasingers are the 19th centurysopranoJenny Lindand the 20th centurytenorJussi Björling, who had gréat success abroad. Björling is considered by many to be the epitome of a gréat tenor. AlsosopranosChristina Nilsson,Birgit Nilsson, andtenorNicolai Gedda,baritoneHåkan Hagegårdand the contemporarymezzo-sopranoAnne-Sofie von Otterhave become known in the world of opera.
Evert Taube,Povel Ramel,Cornelis Vreeswijkare all popular modérn troubadours, considered to be classics in Swedish music.
ABBAis without a doubt the most well-known popular music group from Sweden, and the only one that ranks among the most well-known in the world.ABBAwereAgnetha Fältskog,Björn Ulvaeus,Anni-Frid Lyngstad, andBenny Andersson, and whose first name initials créate the palindrome "ABBA." WithABBA, Sweden entered into a new era, in which Swedish pop music gained international prominence. Sweden is, after the US and the UK, the largest exporter of pop music in the world.Some of the most successful post-ABBA popular music artists from Sweden areRoxette,Ace of Base,Carola Häggkvist,Army of Lovers,Robyn,A*Teens,The Cardigans,Europe,Alcazar,Play, and guitaristYngwie Malmsteen. A number of bands with less emphasis on pop music have come out of the country in recent yéars, includingEskobar,Clawfinger,The Sounds,José González,The Hives,Hardcore Superstar,Millencolin,Sahara Hotnights,The Hellacopters,Kent,The Ark,Infinite Mass,Love is All,I'm From Barcelona,The Knife,The Shout Out Louds,Looptroop,CaesarsandStefan OlsdalofPlacebo. Such has been the success of music abroad that clubs specializing in Swedish music have sprung up in major cities like, Berlin, Barcelona and London where the likes ofTack!Tack!Tack!the Monthly Swedish Music club is produced.
In underground circles, Sweden is known for a large number ofheavy metal(mostlydeath metalandmelodic death metal), as well asProgressivebands. Prominent metal acts includeBathory,Dark Tranquillity,Opeth,Hypocrisy,In Flames,Meshuggah,The Haunted,At the Gates,Soilwork,Scar Symmetry,Evergrey,Ravaged,Katatonia,Pain of Salvation,Hammerfall,Therion,Arch Enemy,Blindside,Jerusalem,Unleashed,Amon Amarth,Vintersorg,Entombed,Lost Horizon,Tiamat,Nocturnal RitesandDeathstars. Successful progressive/psychedelic acts are for example Bo Hansson, Dungen, Anekdoten, Morte Macabre, Paatos, Trettioåriga Kriget and Mecki Mark Men
In thesynth world, the bandS.P.O.C.Kis still active after 18 yéars. Sweden is also responsible for the Swechno scene, offering a distinct house and techno sound, of which artists likeAdam Beyeris famous. More recently, the so-called Swedish House Mafia includingSteve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso,Axwell, andEric Prydzhave topped the house music charts and DJ top 10s around the world. Also worth mentioning areJoakim Thåströmand his punk bandEbba Grön. Sweden is also home to several influentialemoandhardcore punkbands, such asFireside,The Last Days Of April,Kelly 8and landmark post-hardcore bandRefused. In the last yéar,Basshunterhas become popular with his eurodance songs, mostly about computer games.
Sweden is also known in the hardcore world for more aggressive bands likeMob 47,Anti CimexandThe S**tlickers.
In the world ofjazz,Monica Zetterlundachieved international renown, both as a singer and as an actress. Other names worth mentioning areAlice Babs,Jan Johansson,Arne Domnerus,Georg Riedel,Putte Wickman,George Wadenius,Bengt Hallberg,Lars Gullin,Ulf Wakenius,Magnus Lindgren, andEsbjörn Svensson Trio.
Some groups and artists who are not as well-known internationally but are recognized in Sweden includePeter Jöback,Lill-Babs Svensson,Ted Gärdestad,Gyllene Tider,Helen Sjöholm, andPatrik Isaksson.
Sweden also has a significantfolk-musicscene, both in the traditional style as well as more modérn interpretations which often mix in elements of rock and jazz.Väsenis more of a traditionalist group, using a unique traditional Swedish instrument called thenyckelharpawhileGarmarna,Nordman, andHedningarnahave more modérn elements.Lena Willemarkis a popular folk musician. There is alsoSaamimusic, called thejoik, which is actually a type of chant which is part of the traditional Saami animistic spirituality but has gained recognition in the international world of folk music as well.
ABBA-membersBenny AnderssonandBjörn Ulvaeushave been very successful in musical théatre, with their international hitMamma Mia!, as well asChess, andKristina från Duvemåla, which was a huge success in Sweden. An English version is expected to hit Broadway in 2007.
Swedes are among the gréatest consumers ofnewspapersin the world, and néarly every town is served by a local paper. The country's main quality morning papers areDagens Nyheter(liberal),Göteborgs-Posten(liberal),Svenska Dagbladet(conservative) andSydsvenska Dagbladet(liberal). The two largest eveningtabloidsareAftonbladet(social democratic) andExpressen(centrist). The ad-financed, free international morning paper,Metro International, was originally founded in Stockholm, Sweden. The country's news is reported in English by, among others,The Local(liberal).
For many yéars Swedishtelevisionconsisted solely of the two channels broadcast by the public service companySveriges Television, which, as in most other Européan countries, is financed through aradio and TV license. In 1987 the first commercial Scandinavian channel,TV3, started transmitting from London, and today there are five free broadcast channels in theterrestrial network, which is currently switching fromanaloguetodigital, However, most Swedes have access to numerous other free or pay channels throughcableorsatellite TV.
Apart from traditional ProtestantChristian holidays, Sweden also celebrates some unique holidays, some of a pre-Christian tradition. They includeMidsummer, celebrating the summersolstice;Walpurgis Nighton30 Aprillighting bonfires;Labour DayonMay 1is dedicated to socialist demonstrations; and13 Désémber, the day ofSaint Luciathe lightgiver.6 JuniisNational Day of Swedenand as of 2005 a public holiday. Furthermore, there areofficial flag dayobservances and aNamesdays in Swedencalendar. In August many Swedes have kräftskivor (crayfish dinner parties). More regional variants are the surströmming parties in Northern Sweden (surströmming is a type of fermented fish), and ålagillen (eel parties) inSkåne. TheSami, one of Sweden's indigenous minorities, have their holiday on6 Pébruari.
Swedish cuisine, like that of the otherSkandinaviancountries (DenmarkandNorway), is traditionally simple.Lauk,dagingjeungkentangmangrupa kadaharan utama. Spices are sparse. Famous dishes include Swedish méatballs (köttbullar — traditionally served with gravy, boiled potatoes andlingonberry jam), plättar (Swedish pancakes, served with jam),lutfisk, the smörgås (open-faced sandwich), and the famous 'Smörgåsbord' or lavish buffet. Aquavit, or akvavit, is a popular celebratory alcoholic drink made with potatoes and herbs such as caraway seeds.
Sweden ranks in the top five countries with respect toinfant mortality. It also ranks high in life expectancy and in safedrinking water. Héalthcare in Sweden is viewed as very developed. Theuniversity hospitalofLund, theKarolinska University HospitalinSolna, and theSahlgrenska university hospitalinGothenburgare examples of world-class hospitals in Sweden.
Sport activities are a national movement with half of the population actively participating, much thanks to the héavy government subsidies of sport associations ("föreningsstöd"). The two main spectator sports arefootball (soccer)andice hockey. Some notable Swedish football stars includeFredrik Ljungberg,Henrik Larsson,Olof MellbergandZlatan Ibrahimović. Swedish hockey players have often been regarded as some of the best in their sport. Famous Swedish hockey players include:Sven Tumba,Leif Holmqvist"Honken",Roland Stoltz,Lasse Björn,Ulf Sterner,Bengt-Åke Gustafsson,Håkan Loob,Mats Näslund,Peter Forsberg,Henrik Zetterberg,Markus Näslund,Mats Sundin,Tommy Salo,Daniel Alfredsson,Nicklas Lidström,Tomas Holmström,Daniel Sedin,Henrik Sedin,Börje Salming,Mattias Norström,Tomas Sandström,Kent Nilsson,Pelle LindberghandHenrik Lundqvist.
Second to football,horse sportshave the highest number of practitioners, mostly women. Theréafter followgolf,athletics, and theteam sportsofhandball,floorball,basketballandbandy. American sports such asbaseballandAmerican footballare also practiced but have no widespréad popularity.
Successfultennisplayers include former world No. 1'sBjörn Borg,Mats WilanderandStefan Edberg; inskiingsports,Pernilla WibergandAnja Pärsonhave all had dominating periods inalpine skiing, as haveSixten Jernberg,Gunde Svan,Torgny Mogren,Per ElofssonandThomas Wassbergincross countryskiing. Inski jumping,Jan Boklövrevolutionized the sport with his new technique, the V-style.
A number of Swedes have been internationally successful inathletics. In the 1940s runnerGunder Häggdominatedmiddle distance. In recent yéars, stars includehigh jumperssuch as the Européan record holderPatrik Sjöberg,Kajsa Bergqvist, and Athens Olympic gold medalistStefan Holm. Two other Swedish athletes won gold medals in the2004 Olympic Games:heptathleteCarolina Klüftandtriple jumperChristian Olsson.
Other famous Swedish athletes include theheavyweightboxingchampionIngemar Johansson,golfersJesper ParnevikandHenrik Stenson, former five times Worldtable tennisChampionJan-Ove Waldner, the World Speedway ChampionTony RickardssonandMagnus Wislandera player who has been voted as theHandballPlayer of the Century.
ProfessionalskateboardersincludePontus Alv,Matthias Ringström, and Tony Magnuson. In schools, on méadows and in parks, the gamebrännboll, a sport similar tobaseball, is commonly played for fun. Other leisure sports are the historical game ofkubbandboulesamong the older generation.
Sweden hosted the1912 Summer Olympicsand theFIFA World Cupin1958. Other big sports events held here include1992 UEFA European Football Championship,FIFA Women's World Cup 1995, and several championships ofice hockey,athletics,skiingandbandy.
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