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 Skelleftea

     Skellefteå Municipality is a Swedish municipality in northern Sweden where Skellefteå is the seat with 31,500 inhabitants.

     The municipality borders in the south to Robertsfors, and clockwise to Umeå, Vindeln, Norsjö, Arvidsjaur and Piteå. Norra Västerbotten is the local newspaper of Skellefteå. Skellefteå AIK is the local icehockey team. Skellefteå is situated around Skellefte Älv, a river that runs through the city. There is also a very central mountain, Vitberget, which is popular for skiing in the wintertime, and trekking in the summers.

Municipal Towns : 

All towns with over 700 inhabitants (2003):

• Skellefteå, 34,737
• Ursviken, 4,072
• Skelleftehamn, 3,058
• Bureå, 2,386
• Kåge, 2,234
• Byske, 1,708
• Burträsk, 1,690
• Boliden, 1,556
• Jörn, 896
• Ersmark, 863
• Lövånger, 756

    The largest employer in Skellefteå is the mining company Boliden, with about 1,200 employees.