ÖSTRA MELLANSVERIGE - Geography and history
ÖSTRA MELLANSVERIGE (East-Central Sweden) consists of five counties: Uppsala, Södermanland, Östergötland, Örebro and Västmanland and has an area of 38 432 km2. There are no great differences between the counties as regards population density. Almost one fifth (52 of 290) of Sweden's municipalities are situated in this region. The shares of densely populated areas vary in most municipalities between 60 and 95%. In all, there are 22 urban areas with more than 10 000 inhabitants in the region. The biggest city is Uppsala with a population of 125 000.
East-Central Sweden is situated in the middle part of Sweden and is easily accessible by road, rail or air. The north-eastern and south-eastern parts of the region are bounded by the Baltic Sea. Within the region there are two large water systems, Lakes Hjälmaren and Mälaren.
About three fifths of the surface of the region is forested and one fifth is agricultural land. There are considerable differences of culture and history in the region. Agriculture has historically been important in the flat land found in Östergötland and Södermanland and around Uppsala. There is also a developed industrial structure in these areas. In the north-eastern part of the region there is a long tradition of steel and iron manufacturing, which goes back several centuries.
Varying culture of enterprises
Socio-economic conditions vary tremendously in the region: there are both densely populated areas with many high-tech enterprises and areas with stagnant industries. The University of Uppsala, the oldest in the country, was founded in 1477. The University of Linköping has in recent decades contributed to the development of many industries with advanced technical research around Linköping. Other parts of the region, mainly in the northeast, are dependent on the old steel and mining industry. In this area there are several localities with serious structural problems and high unemployment.
Even the incomes vary in the region. The highest GDP per capita is found in the counties of Västmanland and Uppsala. In other parts of the region the GDP levels are relatively equal.
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