The Guinness Encyclopedia

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Extensible Markup Language | 1995-06-13 | 6KB | 19 lines

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE card PUBLIC "-//Apple, Inc.//DTD card V 2.0//EN" "" > <card> <id>45811</id> <filler1>0</filler1> <cantDelete> <false /> </cantDelete> <showPict> <true /> </showPict> <dontSearch> <false /> </dontSearch> <owner>5472</owner> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet_3106.css" /> <content> <layer>background</layer> <id>31</id> <text>SWEDENOfficial name: Konungariket Sverige (Kingdom of Sweden)Member of: UN, EU/EC, OECD, OSCEArea: 449964 km2 (173732 sq mi)Population: 8727000 (1993 est)Capital: Stockholm 1471000 (city 679000; 1990 census)Other major cities: G├╢teborg (Gothenburg) 720000 (city 432000), Malm├╢ 466000 (city 235000; Lund 90000), Uppsala 171000 (city 168000), Link├╢ping 124000, Orebro 122000, Norrk├╢ping 121000, Vasteras 120000 (1990 census)Languages: Swedish (official; nearly 100%), small Lappish minorityReligion: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden (over 85%)GOVERNMENTSweden is a constitutional monarchy in which the King is ceremonial and representative head of state without any executive role. The 349-member Riksdag (Parliament) is elected for three years by universal adult suffrage under a system of proportional representation. The Speaker of the Riksdag nominates a Prime Minister who commands a parliamentary majority. The PM, in turn, appoints a Cabinet of Ministers who are responsible to the Riksdag.GEOGRAPHYThe mountains of Norrland ΓÇô along the border with Norway and in the north of Sweden ΓÇô cover two thirds of the country, rising at Kebnekaise to 2123 m (6965 ft). Svealand ΓÇô in the center ΓÇô is characterized by a large number of lakes. In the south are the low Smaland Highlands and the fertile lowland of Skane. Climate: Sweden experiences long cold winters and warm summers, although the north ΓÇô where snow remains on the mountains for eight months ΓÇô is more severe than the south, where Skane has a relatively mild winter.ECONOMYSwedenΓÇÖs high standard of living has been based upon its neutrality in the two World Wars, its cheap and plentiful hydroelectric power and its mineral riches. The country has about 15% of the worldΓÇÖs uranium deposits, and large reserves of iron ore that provide the basis of domestic heavy industry and important exports to Western Europe. Agriculture ΓÇô like the bulk of the population ΓÇô is concentrated in the south. The principal products include dairy produce, meat, barley, sugar beet and potatoes. Vast coniferous forests are the basis of the paper, board and furniture industries, and large exports of timber. Heavy industries include motor vehicles (Saab and Volvo), aerospace and machinery, although the large shipbuilding industry has ceased to exist. Rising labor costs, high inflation and labor unrest added to growing economic problems, and Sweden was badly hit by recession in the early 1990s. As a result, the state has reduced its activities and a program of privatization was implemented. Currency: Krona.HISTORYSweden became Christian in the 10th and 11th centuries, and a stable monarchy dominated much of the Middle Ages. In 1397, the crowns of Sweden, Norway and Denmark were united, and for just over a century Sweden struggled for independence and then with Denmark for dominance of Scandinavia. Stability returned with the accession in 1523 of Gustaf I (reigned 1523ΓÇô60), who founded the Vasa dynasty and confiscated Church lands, an act that led to the Reformation in Sweden. Under the Vasas, SwedenΓÇÖs role in northern Europe expanded considerably, particularly during the reign of Gustaf II Adolf (better known as Gustavus Adolphus; reigned 1611ΓÇô32), when Sweden played a major part on the Protestant side in the Thirty Years War. Gustavus Adolphus, a brilliant tactician, gained initial successes in Germany, and by the time of his death in battle at L├╝tzen (1632), Sweden was a great power. His able chief minister Axel Oxenstierna (1583ΓÇô1654) helped win a Baltic empire that by 1648 included Finland, Estonia, Latvia and parts of northern Germany.The military adventures of Charles XII (reigned 1697ΓÇô1718) in the Great Northern War (1700ΓÇô21) ended in defeat. The Battle of Poltava (1709) was a turning point in European history and marked the rise of Russia to prominence at the expense of Sweden. Throughout the 18th century Sweden was troubled by internal struggles between the monarchy and the aristocracy. Involvement in the Napoleonic Wars was SwedenΓÇÖs last conflict, and since then the country has enjoyed neutrality. The founder of the present Swedish dynasty, the French marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, was elected crown prince to the childless king (1810), and succeeded in 1818. In 1814 Sweden lost Finland and the last possessions south of the Baltic, but gained Norway from Denmark in compensation. The union of Norway and Sweden was dissolved in 1905 when King Oscar II (reigned 1872ΓÇô1907) gave up the Norwegian throne upon NorwayΓÇÖs vote for separation. In the 20th century neutral Sweden developed a comprehensive welfare state under social democratic governments. The country assumed a moral leadership on world issues but was jolted by the (unclaimed) assassination of PM Olof Palme (1986). In the 1990s economic necessity has obliged Sweden to dismantle aspects of the welfare system. The country became a member of the EU/EC in 1995.</text> </content> <name>Sweden</name> <script></script> </card>