SWEDEN
(Kingdom of Sweden)

Capital: Stockholm

Flag: the national flag dated 1569 and using the blue and gold motives used in the middle of the 14th century consists of a yellow cross with the extended right horizontal position on the blue field.

Anthem: Du gamla, du fria, du fjallhoga nord (O Nice Old Mountain Earth of the North).

MONETARY BLOCK: The krone (Кр) is paper currency in 100 euros. There are coins of 50 ore and 1, 2, 5 and 10 kronor and also notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 kroner. Kr1 = $0.13661 (or $1 = Kr7.32) as of 2005.

SCALES AND MEASURES: the metric system is the legal standard, but some old local measures are still used, especially Swedish mile (10 kilometers).

HOLIDAYS: New year, on January 1; Epiphany, on January 6; Labor Day, on May 1; Day of a summer solstice, Saturday, the next on June 24; All Saints' Day, on November 5; Christmas, on December 25-26. Moveable religious feasts include Good Friday, Easter Monday, Rise and Uitmondey.

TIME: 13:00 - 12:00.

ARRANGEMENT, SIZE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The fourth in size among the countries of Europe, Sweden is the biggest of the Scandinavian countries, and about 15% of its total area are located to the north from the Polar circle. Extreme length of n-s is 1574 km (978 miles), and the greatest width of e-w is 499 km (310 miles). Sweden has the total area of 449 964 sq.km (173 732 quarter. Miles): area of the land plot, 410 934 sq.km (158 663 quarter. Miles); water area, 39 030 sq.km (15 070 sq. miles), including about 96 000 lakes. Rather, the area occupied with Sweden is a little more, than the State of California. Sweden is limited to Finland, on the bank of the Gulf of Bothnia, on the coast of the Baltic Sea, on the Oresund, Kattegat and Skagarrak River and also on Norway, with the total length of border of 5 423 km (3,370 miles) from which 3218 km (2000 miles) are the coastline. Two largest Swedish islands in the Baltic Sea are Gotland and Eland. The capital of Sweden, Stockholm, is located on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea.

TOPOGRAPHY

Northern Sweden (Norrlandiya) climbs down Mountains Kyyolen along the Norwegian border (with a high point in Kebnekayze, 2,111 m / 6,926 feet) to the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. Many rivers - especially Gyota, Dahl, Angerman, Ume and a Lule-stream, as a rule, to the southeast also cut out the surface of the plateau; falls abound. The central Sweden consisting of the low-lying lowland has several large lakes from which Vanern (5 584 sq.km / 2 156 quarter. Miles) is the largest in Europe outside the former USSR. To the south from a lake belt Uplands Smolanda and its small, but fertile appendage the Scan rise. The lower lands were once shipped in water and therefore got cover of the fertile, salted soils. The most part of Sweden consists of the ancient rock; the big erosion of ice brought to usually low sandy or stony soils.