Sweden is one of the countries on earth located furthest from the Equator. In terms of area it is similar to Spain, Thailand or California. In population, it is in the same league as Belgium, Bolivia or New Jersey.

A land of ancient bedrock, Sweden was settled later than most countries; yet its national government has relatively old roots. By the 16th century Sweden had evolved into a strongly centralized nation, with Stockholm as its capital. The size of the country has changed over the centuries: Finland was part of Sweden until 1809. What is now southern and western Sweden was conquered in 1658 from the then Danish-Norwegian union. During certain periods Sweden also had provinces on the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, and even colonies in North America and the West Indies. In 1905, a nearly century-old union with Norway was dissolved, but since 1812 Sweden’s borders have been unchanged and the country has been spared from war since 1814.

Today the Nordic countries (Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland), whose central portion is called Scandinavia, cooperate closely in many fields. Through its membership in many international organizations, including the United Nations (since 1946) and the European Union (since 1995), Sweden plays an active role in international cooperation.