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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 Karesuando

     Karesuando (Finnish Kaaresuvanto, Sami Karesuanto, Gárasavvon or Karasavvon) is Sweden's northernmost church village, located at the Muonio River. The population 2005 was 313 people.

     The village got its first buildings in 1670, when Måns Mårtensson Karesuando, called "Hyvä Maunu Martinpoika" in Finnish and "Good Maunu, Son of Martin" in English, bought land from Sami Henrik Nilsson Nikkas. The village is part of the municipality of Kiruna. The vicar and botanist Lars Levi Laestadius worked in Karesuando where he founded laestadianism named after him.

     On the Finnish side of the river, the Finnish village of Kaaresuvanto is located. It has around 140 inhabitants. According to Finnsh tradition they are one and the same village, but they are usually considered different, since there is a national border in between.

     Karesuando/Kaaresuvanto is the northernmost point on the European route E45.