Sweden is a fairly large country, larger than both Germany and the UK, but with a population of only 10,3 million so it is not crowded. Despite a small population, Sweden is one of Europe’s strongest industrial nations. Many global companies have their headquarters here including Volvo, IKEA, H&M and Ericsson.

Sweden is known around the world for being democratic, safe, clean, and not least for having beautiful nature and a rich wildlife. If you travel from north to south, you will see deep forests and mountainous terrain as well as farmland and white sandy beaches. In Sweden, the general public have the right to access both public and privately owned land due to a law called Allemansrätten, which roughly translates to “the right to roam”. Being able to stroll around freely is fantastic and gives you a unique opportunity to really experience the wilderness. But don’t worry, contrary to popular belief there are no polar bears in Sweden.

Another common misconception is that all Swedes are tall and blond. The modern Swedish society is in fact multicultural and nearly fifteen percent of the population was born in another country. In the last fifty years, the number of immigrants has steadily increased. These days large communities of people from all parts of the world are living in Sweden. 

The official language in Sweden is Swedish, but English is taught as a second language in School and most Swedes speak and understand English well.  

The Swedish climate is not as cold as you might think. Due to the Gulf Stream, temperatures can reach around 30 degrees C during summertime (about 85 degrees F), although winters usually bring snow and much colder weather, especially in the northern parts of Sweden. Sweden is also the home of the legendary northern midnight sun, tourist attractions such as the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, many lakes and natural reservoirs as well as a beautiful and wild archipelago. The Swedish summers are very light whereas the winters dark.