A land of gentle hills
Sweden is a relatively flat country, with the highest area lying to the northwest with the Scandes mountain range, the Scandinavian Alps. There are a few peaks (including Kebnekaise, 2,100 metres above sea level) overlooking large plateaus through which rivers flow towards the Baltic. The lowest zone is Norrland (between 200 and 500 metres above sea level) and consists of areas without any real level differences, dominated by monadnocks, a kind of residual relief. Further south, there is a hilly area and Lake Vänern. In Småland, one of the largest provinces in southern Sweden, there are high plateaus that form plains with extremely high tree tops.
The omnipresence of water
Sweden is bounded by a huge coastline opening the country to the Baltic Sea. The Swedish coastline is typically rocky, with hundreds of small, sometimes forested islands. All molded by the ice in one direction, they have a common rounded shape. This type of coastline, called skärgård, can be found in the east as well as in the west, especially around Stockholm and Gothenburg. The Stockholm archipelago is the second largest archipelago in Scandinavia and has more than 30,000 islands, islets and reefs that extend into the Baltic Sea up to 60 km east of the city and more than 100 km along the coast. On the western side of the country, the Gothenburg archipelago consists of rocky islands, often bare, which sometimes barely emerge from the surface of the water.
If the sea is very important in Sweden, the lakes, rivers and streams are not left behind. The main rivers of the country have their source in the mountains of Norrland and flow towards the southeast, with many falls and rapids, to flow into the Gulf of Bothnia or the Baltic Sea. The longest river, however, Klarälven, originates in Norway and flows for 719 km to Lake Vänern. From there it continues to the North Sea, and on its southernmost course are the famous Trollhättan Falls. The Muonio River and the Torne River form the border with Finland, while in the south the Dalälven River marks the transition to Svealand. The rivers, except in the far north where they are protected, are sources of hydroelectric power.
Sweden in three main regions
Norrland : Norrland is the largest region in Sweden, covering more than half the country's surface, but also the least populated. It is a hilly region with hills, large lakes and vast river valleys. To the west lies the Kölen mountain range, characterized by numerous glaciers, the southernmost of which is on Helags Mountain (Helagsfjället). This range also marks the border between Sweden and Norway. In the far north of the region, north of the Arctic Circle, are Sweden's highest peaks: Mount Kebnekaise, which rises to 2,096.8 meters, and Mount Sarek (Sarektjåkkå), which rises to 2,089 meters in the beautiful Sarek National Park.
Between Norrland and Finland lies the province of Lappland, or Sápmi, which is the homeland of the Sami people. Sápmi is known as the home of the Vindelfjällen nature reserve, one of the largest in Sweden.
Svealand: In the center of Sweden lies Svealand, an expanse of lowlands in the east and highlands in the west. This region stretches across the width of Sweden, from the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia in the east, to the Norwegian border in the west. Svealand is a region of fertile plains and forested heights, large forests and numerous lakes.
Götaland: In the south of the country is Götaland, which includes the highlands of Småland and, at the southern end, the small but rich plains of Skåne. The total area is 87,712 km² with about 4.9 million inhabitants, and includes the largest urban areas in Sweden. There are also deep forests in the province of Småland, a lot of farmland in Skåne, and a little of both in Västergötland and Östergötland. Water is very present in this region, as the two largest lakes in the country are hidden here. As for the coastline, it is relatively flat and consists of rocks and beautiful sandy beaches.
Off the southern coast of the Baltic Sea are the country's largest islands, Öland and Gotland. They are large, flat islands made of layers of sandstone and limestone. Gotland is the country's largest island and a popular summer destination for Swedes.
The main cities
Sweden may not be densely populated, but it does have three major cities, where colorful architecture, museums and urban centers rub shoulders with green spaces, lakes and rivers.
Stockholm (1.6 million inhabitants including metropolitan area): Sweden's capital is located on the country's east coast. Almost built on water, the city has earned the title of "Venice of the North" for its many islands and its openness to the country's largest archipelago.
Gothenburg (pop. 604,616): The country's second-largest city, Göteborg lies on the west coast, on the edge of another magnificent archipelago.
Malmö (pop. 362,133): This coastal city in southern Sweden is the country's third largest. It too lies on the water's edge, facing Denmark. The Öresund bridge takes you to Copenhagen in less than an hour.
