3. Информация о странах и городах Sweden

Sweden, with an area of 449,964 square kilometers, occupies the greater part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, which it shares with Norway. The narrow strait separates Sweden from Denmark in the south. Sweden is the fourth-largest country in Europe.

Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a well-established parliamentary democracy that dates from 1917. At peace since 1814, Sweden has followed the doctrine, enunciated in every document on foreign policy since World War II, of “nonalignment in peace aiming at neutrality in war”.

Historically Sweden rose from backwardness and poverty into a highly developed postindustrial society and advanced welfare state with a standard of living and life expectancy that rank among the highest in the world. Its innovative health, welfare, pension, retirement, housing, immigration, and other programs are models for many to copy.

Like all of northwestern Europe, Sweden has a generally favourable climate.

Stockholm

Stockholm has been the permanent capital of Sweden since 1523. Sweden’s capital is also its most beautiful city, with stunning views across the clear blue Baltic Sea. You can take a day trip around its archipelago of 24,000 islands and then, in the evening, wander through the narrow streets to one of the many restaurants serving their world famous smorgasbord.

Stockholm is a truly fascinating Scandinavian capital. This clean and well-planned city offers a multitude of excellent restaurants, great museums, concerts and festivals for various tastes, as well as many historic sights.

The Royal Palace in Stockholm is one of the largest and most living palaces in Europe. It houses a historical collection of European and Swedish art from the Middle Ages through to the present day.

The Royal Palace is the official residence of His Majesty the King of Sweden.

The Royal Guard is a popular tourist attraction. Military units from all over Sweden take turns to stand guard.

Norway

The country has an area of 125,004 square miles. Norway is 1,650 miles at its longest and varies in width from 4 to 270 miles. Nearly half its length lies north of the Arctic Circle.

Norway’s long coastline is cut by deep fjords. The highlands are cut by fertile valleys and rapid rivers and are dotted with lakes. These mountainous areas occupy 72 percent of the land, with forests covering 24 percent. Less than 4 percent of the land is arable, although the people have cultivated every crust of soil to such an extent that Norway now is self-sufficient in many kinds of grains and vegetables.

Next to Iceland, Norway is Europe’s most thinly populated country. Nearly half of the inhabitants of the country live in the far south, in the region around Oslo.

Norwegians are healthy, outdoor-minded, with a "rugged" appearance, probably resembling their Viking ancestors. They are more apt to have red hair than other Scandinavians. Norwegians revel in the outdoors and are practically born on skis. They bathe, fish, and sail among the 150,000 islands dotting the coasts. They hunt for elk, reindeer, salmon, and trout.

Oslo

Oslo has been called the Viking Capital of the World. The Viking ships (there is even an own museum reserved for them) are the unofficial symbols of Oslo. The Viking and other eras of Norwegians can be viewed in Oslo’s numerous museums, such as the Maritime Museum, Kon-Tiki / Ra Museum, Norwegian Folk Museum and even the world’s oldest Ski Museum next to the famous Holmenkollen ski-jump overlooking the city.

Like the other Scandinavian capitals, Oslo is compact and therefore very accessible: everything in the downtown area is within easy reach and you don’t have to waste valuable time on travel. Oslo is a cultural capital too, offering you a flurry of high-class entertainment from philharmonic music to theatre. The summer months are full of festivals for every taste focusing on chamber music, jazz, rock, sports events and fascinating season’s festivals like the "St. Hansaften", a Norwegian Midsummer’s Eve at Holmenkollen. Whatever your favourite activity during your stay here, the magnificent natural beauty of this unique city at the head of the blue Oslo Fjord is bound to make an impression.