GENERAL FACTS

ON THIS PAGE

  GENERAL PHYSICAL FACTS

  SERVICES – PHONE, POST, INTERNET
  NATIONAL ANTHEM
  FACT GUIDES
  MAPS
  WEATHER
  WEBCAMS

          GENERAL PHYSICAL FACTS

Area: 449,964 sq km (173,732 sq miles).

Population: 8,873,000 (2000).

Population Density: 19.7 per sq km.

Capital: Stockholm.

Geography: Sweden is bordered by Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, with a long Baltic coast to the east and south. Approximately half the country is forested and most of the many thousands of lakes are situated in the southern central area. The largest lake is Vänern, with an area of 5540 sq km (2140 sq miles). Swedish Lapland to the north is mountainous and extends into the Arctic Circle.

Government: Constitutional monarchy. Head of State: King Carl XVI since 1973. Head of Government: Prime Minister Göran Persson since 1996.

Language: Swedish. Lapp is spoken by the Sámi population in the north. English is taught as the first foreign language from the age of nine.

Religion: Church of Sweden (Evangelical Lutheran), separated from the state in January 2000; other Protestant minorities.

Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October). Check Sweden in World Time Server for current time (E)

Electricity: 230 volts, three-phase AC, 50Hz. two-pin continental plugs are used.

          SERVICES – PHONE, POST, INTERNET

 

For directories and information about changing address, see Useful to Know

 

Telephone: Full IDD is available. Country code: 46. Outgoing international code: 00. There are three types of payphone: they take cash, phonecards or credit cards. Credit card phones (indicated by a ‘CCC’ sign) are widely available. Phonecards can be bought from newsagents’ shops or kiosks.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900/1800 networks are available. Main network providers include: Telia (E) (S), Europolitan (Vodaphone) (S) (E), Djuice and Comviq Coverage is available across most of the country.

Internet: Main ISPs include Telia, Telia2, Spray, SBBS, Bottnia, Dataphone, Calypsonet, Telenordia, Calvia and Svenska Internet Centralen (S) Internet cafes exist in all of the main urban areas and at public libraries. You can get some locations at EuroCyber and also at Internet cafeer.

Post: Post offices are open during normal shopping hours (Mon-Fri 0900-1800; Sat 1000-1300). Some branches may be closed Saturday during July. Post boxes are yellow and grey. Stamps and aerogrammes are on sale at post offices and also at most bookstalls and stationers. Airmail within Europe takes three to four days, a week to ten days to Australia. More information at Posten.

          NATIONAL ANTHEM

Sweden Du Gamla Du Fria Includes music and lyrics in both Swedish and English. This is a must to learn as Swedes are fond of flag raising and anthem singing.

Australia Advance Australia Fair Unfortunately, no Swedish translation, but a nice reminder of home.

          FACT GUIDES

Sweden.se A Virtual guide to Sweden (S) (E)

Swedish Institute has an English fact sheet (E)

Altapedia also has Swedish factual info (E)

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs DFAT has a page on Sweden (E)

Sweden Life A casual guide to living, working or visiting Sweden (E)

World Fact Book Facts on where, what, why and how about Sweden (E)

About Sweden Basic facts on Sweden (E)

          MAPS

Info Sverige Site has a digital map of Sweden (E)

Gateway has a map, too and it is great for finding your way around (E)

Sveriges Geografi National Atlas of Sweden (E)

Sveriges Geologiska Undersökning Geological Survey of Sweden (S) (E)

Satellite Image of Sweden Earth View live shot. Wow, the place looks great from space (E)

          WEATHER

Dagens Nyheter The DN weather site is very good. It’s in Swedish, but has piccies and anyway you should learn the Swedish weather terms very quickly as it is the No. 1 topic of conversation in Sweden. It defaults to Stockholm, but you can do a search for your town. (S)

Vadertjänst also has up-to-date weather all over Sweden and is very accurate.(S) (E)

CNN Europé has a Sweden forecast (E)

Intellicast is US based but has local Swedish weather as well as a 10 day forecast (E)

Yahoo also has a weather link to Sweden. You can choose the town for which you need the forecast. There is also a weather map of Sweden here.(E)

Aussie Weather The two sites I like are Laurier Williams and Wunderground. Just to see what I’m missing

          WEBCAMS

Aussie Snow Cams Just in case you are missing the snow in July! Check out Chill Factor or for the NSW snowfields check here and Victoria’s snowfields here.

Aussie Surf Cams Yeah, torture yourself at Surf Cams or check out favourites like Avalon, or Sydney’s Northern beaches and more are seen at Coastal Watch or W.A’s Surfsite

Swedish Web Cams There is a list of links here

Gällivare This webcam shows a view of small Swedish town above the arctic circle

Kristianstad This is a view from the water tower, looking across the town and another of Lillö

Nynäshamn (shameless plug for my home town, I know!) Camera views of Nynäshamn harbour camera 1 and camera 2.

Stockholm This is a live view of Riddarfjärden. There is a nice view of around Stadshuset and another from Sveavägen

Åre Live views of Åre in Jämtland. Åre is the biggest ski resort in Sweden.

Bear Park in Grönklitt They have a live bear cam during the warmer months (when are they again???)