About Sweden

    Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish: Konungariket Sverige (help·info)), is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It has been a member of the European Union since 1995. Its capital city is Stockholm.

    At 449,964 km² (173,720 square miles), Sweden is the third largest country in Western Europe. Sweden has a low population density except in its metropolitan areas; 84% of the population lives in urban areas, which take up only 1.3% of the total land area. The citizens enjoy a high standard of living and the country is generally perceived as modern and liberal, with an organizational and corporate culture that is non-hierarchical and collectivist compared to its Anglo-Saxon counterparts. Nature conservation, environmental protection and energy efficiency are generally prioritized in policy making and embraced by the general public in Sweden.

    Sweden has a long tradition as a major exporter of iron, copper and timber. Improved transportation and communication allowed more remote natural assets to be utilized on a larger scale, most notably timber and iron ore. In the 1890s, universal schooling and industrialization enabled the country to develop a successful manufacturing industry and by the twentieth century, Sweden emerged as a welfare state, consistently achieving a high position among the top-ranking countries in the UN Human Development Index (HDI). Sweden has a rich supply of water power, but lacks significant oil and coal deposits.

     in the 16th century. In the 17th century Sweden expanded its territories to form the Modern Sweden emerged out of the Kalmar Union formed in 1397 and by the unification of the country by King Gustav VasaSwedish empire. Most of these conquered territories had to be given up during the 18th century. In the early 19th century Finland and the remaining territories outside the Scandinavian peninsula were lost. After its last war in 1814, Sweden entered into a personal union with Norway which lasted until 1905. Since 1814, Sweden has been at peace, adopting a non-aligned foreign policy in peacetime and neutrality in wartime.

About Örebro

     Örebro [œrə'bruː] is a city in Närke in central Sweden. Örebro is the seat of Örebro Municipality (pop. 128,977 in 2006) and the capital of Örebro County (pop. 275,030 inhabitants (2006).

     Örebro received its Royal Charter and city privileges not later than 1404.

      Örebro literally means a bridge over gravel banks, which is how the geography looks, with the stream Svartån draining into the lake Hjälmaren. The location became a natural seat of commerce in the (Scandinavian) medieval time, and is mentioned in print in the 13th century. Old buildings from the early days include the foundations of the city church, a building which has undergone several modifications. The natural center of the city is otherwise the magnificent Örebro Castle, situated on an islet in the Svartån, and dividing the town into a northern and a southern part. This castle was constructed during the reign of King Gustav Vasa in the 1560s.

     Örebro's old town Wadköping is located on the banks of the Svartån. It contains many 18th and 19th century wooden houses, along with museums and exhibitions.

     The water tower of Örebro, nicknamed Svampen (The Mushroom) is a popular destination as an outlook tower. In 1958, a replica of the tower was built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

     Örebro University is one of Sweden's most recent, being upgraded from högskola (university college) in 1999. It currently has around 14,070 students and a staff of 1,100.

     Gustavsvik, the largest water park in the Nordic countries, is located just a kilometer from Örebro. With more than 700,000  visitors per year, it is one of the most popular tourist and leisure establishments in Sweden. Only Liseberg, Gröna Lund and Skansen is more popular.