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IN THE CONTENT BELOW:-
1.TRAVEL
2.ABOUT SWEDEN
3.MAJOR CITIES
4.TOURIST ATTRACTION
5.HOTELS
6.HISTORY
7.PHOTOS
Travel to Sweden
Sweden is situated in the north of Europe and forms the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Only two countries border Sweden - Norway lies west of its borders with Finland to the northeast.Sweden is an excellent place for a weekend break and has many places to visit - here are some of the best. Gothenburg: is a city on the west coast of Sweden, in the province Vastergotland and is the second largest city after Stockholm. There are many great places to visit in this stunning city, with the most popular situated in the south of the city called the Archipelago. These are a group of island within the city borders that and you can travel to them by boat.Gothenburg also boasts the largest amusement park in Scandinavia, called the Liseberg, located in the central part of the city. Not far away from the Liseberg is the Science discovery centre called the Universeum. When travelling around Gothenburg the tram is very efficient and is the largest light rail in northern Europe. Other means of transport through the city include a good bus service and the ferry.Gothenburg has many fine art museums and also has a new opera house. Its botanical garden is considered to be one of the best in Europe.Stockholm: is the capital of Sweden and is also the largest city. Located on the east coast of Sweden, Stockholm is the home to the Swedish government and the Swedish Royal Family. The central part of the city consists of fourteen islands and has its own national park. While there are many things to do in this great city, you cannot escape from the many museums. There are 70 museums in Stockholm, which attract over 9 million visitors each year. A visit to Stockholm’s Royal Palace, home to the King of Sweden, is a pleasurable experience. With in the walls of the palace are several museums and at certain times of the day you may see the changing of the Royal Guard.Drottningholm Palace, home to the Royal family, is another very popular attraction in Stockholm. Surrounding the palace are fabulous gardens.Lapland: is a very special place and very popular in the winter months. Lapland is situated in the north of Sweden and covers about a quarter of the surface area of Sweden. Lapland is an ideal spot for a family break or the nature lover. Several national parks and nature reserves are situated in Lapland. Its high mountains are full of wildlife and ideal for dog sledding and any other snow activity. Elk and reindeer are some of the more popular species of wildlife found in Lapland.The summers are very short and the winter in Lapland can reach -40°C. Best known as the home of Santa Claus, this is a special place for families to visit.Malmo: is a city situated in the south of the country and is well suited to the young traveller. It has a large range of pubs and clubs, making it a popular place for stag nights and parties. Malmo is the third largest city in Sweden and is often considered to be the most popular city in the country. There are many places to visit in Malmo including many impressive buildings, gardens and parks.Sweden is full of great places to see. The above is just a small insight into what awaits you.About the author:TJ Tierney is an award winning photographer and a freelance writer. To find out more information on Sweden visit his travel guide or his travel directory.
Article Source:http://www.free-articles-zone.com/Sweden
About sweden:-
the Kingdom of Sweden is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It has been a member of the European Union since 1 January1995. Its capital city is Stockholm.At 449,964 km² (173,720 square miles), Sweden is the third largest country by area in Western Europe and fifth in all of Europe. Sweden has a low population density of 20 people per square kilometre, except in its metropolitan areas; 84% of the population lives in urban areas, which comprise only 1.3% of the country's total land area. The inhabitants of Sweden enjoy a high standard of living, and the country is generally perceived as modern and liberal, with an organizational and corporate culture that is non-hierarchical and collectivist compared to its Anglo-Saxon counterparts. Nature conservation, environmental protection and energy efficiency are generally prioritized in policy making and embraced by the general public in Sweden.In the 1890s, universal schooling and industrialization enabled the country to develop a successful manufacturing industry and by the twentieth century, Sweden emerged as a welfar state, consistently achieving high positions among the top-ranking countries in the UN Human Development Index (HDI).
Major Cities are: -
·. Stockholm
· Gothenburg
· Malmo
· Uppsala
· Vasteras
· Orebro
Helsingborg
· Norrkoping
· Jonkoping
· Lund
Tourist Attractions:-
One of the most important tourist locations is the Tyresta National Park which is famous for its virgin forests including 500 years old pine tree. The main attraction of Sweden is its beautiful landscape and scenery. Stockholm is the main city of attraction. The whole of Sweden can be seen at a glance in Stockholm. The city has great historical sights, excellent locations, museums, parks, shops and night life. There are also a number of beaches in Sweden. The best among them are found in the Baltic island of Gotland, which attracts thousands during the summers. The landscape is excellent for cycling. The town of Visby is on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO and is an excellent place to visit. The region of Dalarna is a famous tourist destination during summers. Lake Siljan is located in the heart of Dalarna and is a centre of folklore and tradition. Mining is one of the most important tourist attractions in Sweden. The most famous of all of them are located in Falun, Dalarna and the iron ore mines of Kiruna and Gallivare in Lapland. National Parks and Nature Reserves are immensely present in Sweden. In the Northern area the most exotic scenery is present in Lapland. The most famous among them is Abisko which is a great spot with Lapporten landmark.
Major Hotels in sweden:-
Stockholm
Crystal Plaza Hotel
Gustav Vasa Hotel
Best Western Time Hotel
Stallmästaregården Hotel & Restaurant
Hotel Riddargatan
Göteborg
Avalon Hotel
Quality Hotel Panorama
Hotel Allén
Hotel Örgryte
Quality Hotel 11
Malmö
Ibis Hotel Malmö
Elite Hotel Residens
First Hotel Garden
Elite Hotel Savoy
Hotel Plaza
History
Sweden, as well as the adjacent country Norway, has a high concentration of petroglyphs ] or throughout the country, with the highest concentration in the province of Bohuslän. The earliest images can, however, be found in the northern province of Jämtland, dating from 9000 BC. They depict wild animals such as elk, reindeer, bears and seals The period 2300–500 BC was the most intensive carving period, with carvings of agriculture, warfare, ships, domesticated animals, etc Also, petroglyphs with themes of sexual nature have been found in Bohuslän; these are dated from 800–500 BC
A foundation date of the nation Sweden cannot be determined with any degree of certainty, since it evolved from a warfare center of power, Svea Rike, centered in old Uppsala, which might have had many increases and decreases in power and influence. The existence of such a power is stated already by Tacitus around 100 AD. The neighboring areas of West and East Geats probably also played a very important historical role in defining the nation. About 1000, the first certain king over Svea and Göta Riken is documented to be Olof Skötkonung, but the further history is obscure with kings whose periods of regency and actual power is unclear. In the 12th century, Sweden was still consolidating with the dynastic struggles between the Erik and Sverker clans, which finally ended when a third clan married into the Erik clan and founded the Folkunga dynasty on the throne. This dynasty gradually consolidated a pre-Kalmar-Union Sweden to an actual nation, which essentially fell apart after the Black Death.
The conversion from pre-Christian beliefs to Christianity was a complex, gradual, and at times possibly violent (see Temple at Uppsala) process. The main early source of religious influence was England due to interactions between Scandinavians and Saxons in the Danelaw, and Irish missionary monks. The German influence was less obvious in the beginning but gradually emerged as the dominant religious force in the area Despite the close relations between Swedish and Russian aristocracy there is no direct evidence of Orthodox influence, possibly because of language barriers.
This consolidated state of Sweden already included Finland presumably from an early crusade into the area of Tavastland in central current day Finland.
After the Black Death and internal power struggles in Sweden, Queen Margaret I of Denmark united the Nordic countries in the Kalmar Union in 1397, with the approval of the Swedish nobility. Continual tension of economic nature within the countries and within the union gradually led to open conflict between the Swedes and the Danes in the 15th century, however. The union's final disintegration in the early 16th century brought on a long-lived rivalry between Denmark on one side and Sweden on the other.
In the 16th century, Gustav Vasa fought for an independent Sweden, crushing an attempt to restore the Kalmar Union and laying the foundation for modern Sweden. At the same time, he broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Reformation.
After winning wars against Denmark-Norway, Russia, and Poland during the 17th century, Sweden emerged as a Great Power, despite having scarcely more than 1 million inhabitants. Its contributions during the Thirty Years' War under Gustavus Adolphus helped determine the political, as well as the religious, balance of power in Europe.
By the treaties of Brömsebro, 1645, and Roskilde, 1658, Sweden acquired important provinces of Denmark and Norway. Following the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, Sweden ruled Ingria, in which Saint Petersburg later would be founded, Estonia, Livonia, and important coastal towns and other areas of northern Germany.
Formation of the Swedish Empire, 1560-1660
Russia, Saxony-Poland, and Denmark-Norway pooled their power in 1700 and attacked the Swedish empire. Although the young Swedish King Charles XII won spectacular victories in the early years of the Great Northern War, his plan to attack Moscow and force Russia into peace proved too ambitious; he was shot during the siege of Frederiksten fortress in Norway in 1718. In the subsequent peace treaties, the allied powers, joined by Prussia and by England-Hanover, ended Sweden's reign as a great power and introduced a period of limited monarchy under parliamentary rule.
Following half a century of parliamentary domination came the reaction. A bloodless coup d'état perpetrated by King Gustav III brought back absolute monarchy, a state of affairs that would last until involvement in the Napoleonic wars forced Sweden to cede Finland to Russia in 1809.
The following year, the Swedish King's adopted heir, French Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, was elected Crown Prince Charles by the Riksdag. In 1813, his forces joined the allies against Napoleon. In the Treaty of Kiel, the king of Denmark-Norway ceded Norway to the Swedish king. Norway, however, declared its independence, adopted a constitution and chose a new king. Sweden invaded Norway to enforce the terms of the Kiel treaty. After a short war, the peace of Moss established a personal union between the two states. The union lasted until 1905, when it was peacefully dissolved at Norway's request.
Sweden's predominantly agricultural economy shifted gradually from village to private farm-based agriculture during the Industrial Revolution, but this change failed to bring economic and social improvements commensurate with the rate of population growth. About 1 million Swedes emigrated to the United States between 1850 and 1890. The 19th century was marked by the emergence of a liberal opposition press, the abolition of guild monopolies in trade and manufacturing in favour of free enterprise, the introduction of taxation and voting reforms, the installation of national military service, and the rise in the electorate of three major party groups – Social Democrat, Liberal, and Conservative.
During and after World War I, in which Sweden remained neutral, the country benefitted from the world-wide demand for Swedish steel, ball bearings, wood pulp, and matches. Post-war prosperity provided the foundations for the social welfare policies characteristic of modern Sweden. Foreign policy concerns in the 1930s centered on Soviet and German expansionism, which stimulated abortive efforts at Nordic defence co-operation. Sweden followed a policy of armed neutrality during World War II and currently remains non-aligned.
Sweden was one of the first non-participants of World War II to join the United Nations (in 1946). Apart from this, the country tried to stay out of alliances and remain as neutral as possible during the cold war. As the social democratic party held government for 44 years (1932-1976), they spent a big part of the 1950s and 1960s building Folkhemmet (The People's Home), the Swedish welfare state. One of the reasons this was possible was that Sweden had stayed out of World War II and was able to help build Europe after the war, which meant the Swedish economy blossomed. After falling upon harder times in the 1970s, the economy stagnated somewhat and in 1976, the social democrats lost their majority to the opposition. When the 1980s came and the economy started to get back on track again, the social democrats returned.
On February 28, 1986, the social democratic leader and Swedish prime minister Olof Palme was murdered, after which many people felt Sweden had "lost its innocence". In the beginning of the 1990s there occurred once again an economic crisis with high unemployment and many banks and companies going bankrupt. Sweden became a member of the European Union in 1995, after which the country more and more has started to frain from its post-war and cold war neutrality. In a referendum held in 2003, the majority of the population voted against the adoption of the Euro as the country's official currency
