Officially known as The Kingdom of Sweden

Language Official language of Sweden is Swedish Swedish alphabet contains 29 letters with 3 vowels (å, ä, and ö) more than the English language Other languages spoken in Sweden Danish Yiddish Chinese Kurdish Greek

Attire Modern clothing is internationally influenced Swedish national costumes are worn rarely on special occasions such as Midsummer (centered upon the summer solstice) Dress very casually

Government Representative democracy Each person has the same right and opportunities Elections are held every 4 years King of Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf

Climate 3 types of climate Oceanic climate (southernmost part) Humid continental climate (central part) Subarctic climate (northernmost part) Stockholm (capital of Sweden) usually receives 18 hours of daylight in late June Average rainfall is 500-800 mm each year

Population Known as the third largest country in the European Union Total population of about 9.5 million 85% of people live in urban areas

Religion In 1951 the Law on Freedom of Religion was established Guaranteeing a full religious freedom to everyone by law 70% of the Sweden population belong to the Church of Sweden Professes the Luteran faith No official religion

Customs If you visit a Swedish home you should bring flowers or a box of chocolate If you are given a gift, open it upon receipt If you visit a family, it is a custom to take the children of that family a gift Don’t take the last helping from a plate

laws The Swedish Constitution Defines how Sweden is governed Includes four laws 1. The Instrument of Government 2. The Act of Succession 3. The Freedom of the Press Act 4. Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression

Swedish Food Swedish cuisine differs depending on the region due to its characteristic geography Common foods: Reindeer meat Kotbullar (Swedish Meatballs) Swedish Ham Mashed potatoes Fresh vegetables

Currency Official currency since 1837 Swedish Krona (SEK) 1 US dollar = 6.56 SEK 1, 5, and 10 Kronor coins 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 Kronor banknotes

Holidays Christmas: December 25 Pentecost: May 19, 2013 Begins with Advent, each Sunday before Christmas a candle is lit Christmas Day is spent in church Pentecost: May 19, 2013 Greek name for the feast of weeks Celebrates the visit of the holy spirit Popular day for weddings Walpurgis Eve: April 30 when spring is welcomed “Sing in the Spring” Other holidays celebrated in Sweden are: New Years, Good Friday, May Day, and Boxing Day

Gender Roles Men and women are treated equally They believe that this leads to a more democratic society Men and women have the same rights at school, in the workplace, and at home Parents are allowed 480 days of parental leave when a child is born or adopted

Personal Number (personnummer) All Swedish citizens have a personal number Considered official identification Based on date of birth The number is unique

Education system Mandatory from 7-16 years old Financed by taxes Kindergarten until master programs are free Schooling Kindergarten 1-5 years old Preschool Class 6 years old Primary school 7-16 years old Secondary school 16-19 years old University 2-5 years of studies Postgraduate programs

Manufacturing Major world exporter of forest products A dense road and rail network is used to transport timber Wood products produced: Paper Boards Prefabricated houses furniture

Sources Allaboutsweden.com En.wikipedia.org/wiki/sweden www.sweden.se/eng/home/society/equality/facts/gender-equality-in-sweden/ www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=SE En.wikipedia.org/wiki/culture_of_sweden#clothing www.sweden.se/eng/home/lifestyle/traditions/ www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/sweden.html www.visitsweden.com/sweden/sweden-facts/worth-knowing-about-sweden/public-holidays/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/576478/Sweden/30534/Manufacturing http://www.hemslojd.com/swedish_holidays.html