Sweden is situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula to the east of the mountain ridge, which separates it from Norway. Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union, with a total area of 449 964 km2, of which the land area is 410 934 km2. Lakes and rivers cover about 40 000 km2 (or 9%) of the national territory and there are about 90 000 lakes larger than one hectare. The climate varies considerably: the southern parts of the country have a climate similar to that of Denmark, whereas an area of 64 430 km2 (or one seventh of the total area) is situated north of the Arctic Circle with very harsh winter conditions. More than half of the territory is forested, while approximately 8% is agricultural land.
In relation to its total area, Sweden has few inhabitants in comparison with many of the central European countries. Sweden has only 22 inhabitants per km2 but there are substantial differences between the regions as regards population density. In the five southern regions, approximately 80% of the population live on 30% of the total area. The sparsely populated rural areas in northern Sweden have on the other hand very few inhabitants per km2.
Since the beginning of the 19th century Sweden has enjoyed a period of uninterrupted peace.
In the last 100 years Sweden has developed from an agrarian society to an industrial welfare society. This development is due to supplies of raw materials, traditions and competence, as well as to the way of organising society and enterprises.
A domestic market of a size sufficiently large to consume the total industrial production has not been available and, as a consequence, many industrial enterprises have had to look for markets abroad. Today, Sweden has many big enterprises with a global outlook.
The regional government consists of 21 counties, which have been changed only marginally since 1810. There is a county administrative board in each county. In the past, each county administration has been responsible for issues such as regional planning, culture and environmental matters. Since the first of January 2003, the municipality-coordinating bodies can be responsible for drawing-up programmes concerning matters such as regional development in the counties where they are established. The county administrative boards are responsible in other counties. At the moment coordinating bodies have taken over in 9 counties, and will take over in 2 more over the next year (2004).
There are now 290 municipalities in Sweden. Formerly there were about 2 500, but their number was reduced by a series of administrative reforms in the 1950s and 1960s. Conducive to this process was the fact that the scope of municipal activities was gradually expanded, which called for the creation of larger and economically stronger administrative units.
By tradition, the municipalities are juridical entities and have taxation rights. Their activities include social services, primary and secondary education, residential and urban planning, environmental protection and recreational and cultural activities.
There are 20 county councils endowed with taxation rights. One municipality (Gotland) has this right. The county councils are primarily responsible for health care.
Several administrative tasks, which were formerly the responsibility of the central government, have been transferred to the municipalities as part of decentralisation. The municipalities also administer health care for elderly people.
