Home About us Products Services Contact us Bookmark
:: wikimiki.org ::
Volvo Cars

Volvo Cars

:This article is about the car company; see Volvo for the whole company. Volvo Volvo Volvo Cars, or Volvo Personvagnar, is an automobile maker that was founded in 1927 in the city of Gothenburg in Sweden. Volvo, which is Latin for "I roll," was formed as a spin-off from roller ball bearing maker SKF. Volvo Cars was owned by AB Volvo until 1998, when it was acquired by the Ford Motor Company and placed in its Premier Automotive Group. In the American market, Volvo is marketed as a luxury car, with the intent to compete with Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Saab. In the European market Volvo competes with brands such as Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Subaru, Toyota, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

Safety

Since the 1950s, Volvo cars have had a reputation for safety, starting in 1944 with the use of laminated glass in the PV model. The PV series cars were also among the first to have what Volvo called a 'safety body' (what is now called a unibody). The Volvo design team invented both the 'safety cage' and 'crumple zone' concept, where passengers are protected in a strong, encircling frame and the energy of a crash is absorbed by destruction of the hood or trunk of the car. Volvo also invented the easy-to-use three-point seatbelt; first introduced as an accessory in 1957 and made standard on all Volvo cars in 1959. All these safety features are now standard in all cars and are responsible for saving millions of lives. Volvo also was the first company to produce cars with padded dashboards starting in late 1956 with their Amazon model. Volvo also developed the first rear-facing child seat in the late 1960s and introduced its own booster seat in 1978. Seatbelt and child seat innovation continued as shown in the 1991 960. The 960 introduced the first three-point seatbelt for the middle of the rear seat and a child safety cushion integrated in the middle armrest. Also in 1991 came the introduction of the Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) on the 940/960 and 850 models, which channeled the force of a side impact away from the doors and into the safety cage. In 1998, Volvo introduced its Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), a safety device to prevent injury of front seat users during collisions. In 2004, Volvo introduced the BLIS system, which detects vehicles entering the Volvo's blind spot with a side view mirror mounted sensor and alerts the driver with a light. That year also saw Volvos sold in all markets equipped with side-marker lights and daytime-running lights (the latter having already been available in many markets for some time). Much of Volvo's safety technology now also goes into other Ford vehicles, such as the Aston Martin DB9. By the mid-1990s there was little to distinguish Volvo from some other manufacturers (notably Renault) on safety when put through tests such as EuroNCAP as other manufacturers caught up when they realised the marketing potential of safety. The Volvo 745 had some severe problems with the C-pillar that could break in collisions even at relatively low speeds. The design was strengthened and the 740 was renamed as the Volvo 940 [http://www.251.org/volvocrash.html] [http://www.vanagon.com/info/safety/volvo-crash/]. Also the production of P1800 had to be stopped because it didn't fulfill US saftey standards. However, Volvo is still considered a leader of innovating safety technology, although it now faces stiff competition in this field. Even today, the Volvo S80 is regarded by many to be the safest mass-produced car in the world.

Acquisitions

In the early 1970s, Volvo acquired the car-making division of the Dutch company DAF, and marketed their small cars as Volvos before releasing the Dutch-built Volvo 340, which went on to be one of the biggest-selling cars in the UK market in the 1980s. Volvo, as one of the largest truck manufacturers in the world, took the initiative to sell its automobile manufacturing in 1998 in order to fully focus its efforts on the market for commercial vehicles. Ford, on the other hand saw advantages in acquiring a profitable prestige midsize European automobile manufacturer, well renowned for its safety aspects, as an addition to its Premier Automotive Group. The buyout of Volvo Cars was announced on January 28, 1998 and in the following year acquisition was completed at a price of $6.45 billion USD. Volvo now consists of two parts:
- Volvo - the manufacturing of commercial vehicles, etc. owned by Swedish interests.
- Volvo Cars - the manufacturing of automobiles owned by Ford Motor Company, in its Premier Automotive Group. The Volvo™ trademark is now jointly owned (50/50) by Volvo and Ford. One of the main promotional activities for the trademark is the sailing contest Volvo Ocean Race, formerly the Whitbread Around the World Cup. There is also a Volvo Baltic Race.

Car models

Volvo Baltic Race]

Early ages


- Volvo ÖV 4, aka Jakob
- Volvo PV (PV444 and PV544)
- Volvo Snabbe
- Volvo Trygge
- Volvo Sugga
- Volvo Laplander (L-3304, L-3314, L-3314 and L-3315)
- Volvo PV36
- Volvo PV51
- Volvo PV60
- Volvo Duett
- Volvo Amazon/Volvo 122
- Volvo P1800
- Volvo P1900
- Volvo 66
- Volvo C202
- Volvo C3-series (C303, C304 and C306)

Three-numbered Volvos

Starting with the 140 series in 1968, Volvo used a three number system for their cars. The first number was the series, the second number the number of cylinders and the third number the number of doors; so a 164 was a 1-series with a 6-cylinder engine and 4 doors. However there were exceptions to this rule - the 780 for example, came with turbocharged I4 and V6 gasoline engines and I6 diesel engines, but never an eight cylinder as the 8 would suggest. Similarly, the 760 often was equipped with a turbocharged I4 engine and the Volvo 360 only had four cylinders. The company dropped the meaning of the final digit for later cars like the 740, but the digit continued to identify cars underhood on the identification plate.
- Volvo 140 (Volvo 142, Volvo 144, Volvo 145)
- Volvo 164
- Volvo 240 (Volvo 242, 244, 245)
- Volvo 260 (Volvo 262C, 264, 265)
- Volvo 340 (Volvo 343, 345)
- Volvo 360
- Volvo 440
- Volvo 460
- Volvo 480
- Volvo 740
- Volvo 760
- Volvo 780
- Volvo 850
- Volvo 940
- Volvo 960

Models with current denomination

Today, the company uses a system of letters denoting body style followed by the series number. Although not official, it is fairly accepted that S stands for saloon or sedan, C stands for coupe or convertible and V stands for versatile or estate car. XC stands for cross country originally added to a more rugged V70 model as the V70XC and indicates all wheel drive paired with a raised suspension to give it a mock SUV look. Volvo would later change the name to the XC70 in keeping with its car naming consistent with the XC90. So a V50 is an estate ("V") in the smaller 40/50 series.
- Pre-Ford
  - Volvo S40
  - Volvo V40
  - Volvo S/V70
  - S/V90
- Small cars (Volvo P1 platform)
  - Volvo C30 (2007)
  - Volvo C70 (Second Generation 2005-Current)
  - Volvo S40
  - Volvo V50
- Large cars (Volvo P2 platform)
  - Volvo S60
  - Volvo S80
  - Volvo S90 (Face lifted from the 900 series models)
  - Volvo C70 (First Generation 1997-2005)
  - Volvo V70
- Cross Country
  - Volvo XC50 (Possible future model)
  - Volvo XC60 (Possible future model)
  - Volvo XC70 (Formerly V70XC, based on V70)
  - Volvo XC90

Concept cars


- Volvo SCC
- Volvo VESC
- Volvo YCC
- Volvo ECC

Engine types


- B4B and B14A - fitted into the Volvo PV and Volvo Duett from 1947 to 1956
- B16 (A and B) - fitted into the PV, Duett and Volvo Amazon from 1957 to 1960
- B18 and B20 - 1.8 L/2.0 L OHV 8v fitted into all Volvo models from 1961 to 1974 (and 1975 U.S. Spec 240 models).
- B19,   B21,   and B23 - fitted from 1975
- B200 and B230 - 2.0 L and 2.3 L, respectively, SOHC 8v fitted to 240, 360, 700, 940 series cars from 1985
- B204 and B234 - 2.0 L and 2.3 L DOHC 16 valve engines
- B27/B28 and B280- 2.7 and 2.8 L SOHC 12v developed together with Renault and Peugeot
- B30 - fitted to all 164 models

Transmissions


- AW70
- AW71
- AW72
- M40
- M400
- M410
- M41
- M45
- M46
- M47
- M50
- M51
- M90
- ZF4HP22

External links


- [http://www.volvocars.com/ Volvo Cars] - Official Site
- [http://www.conceptlabvolvo.com/ Volvo Concept Lab] - Volvo Car Corporation's Concept Cars
- [http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Autos/Makes_and_Models/Volvo/ Open Directory on Volvo]
- [http://www.texasvolvoclub.com/ Texas Volvo Club]
- [http://www.vcoa.org/ Volvo Club of America]
- [http://www.brickboard.com/ The Volvo Owner's Resource since 1997.]
- [http://sdvsa.org/ San Diego Volvo Sports America Website]
- [http://swedespeed.com/ SwedeSpeed - Volvo Enthusiast Website and Forum] Category:Companies of Sweden Category:Luxury car manufacturers Category:Volvo Category:Ford
-

Volvo

:Volvo Cars is the car maker using the brand Volvo. Volvo Cars AB Volvo (or Aktiebolaget Volvo) is a Swedish world leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles, buses and construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and services. The group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. Founded in 1927 in the city of Gothenburg, as a spin-off from roller ball bearing maker SKF. Volvo Cars, the automobile manufacturer, has since 1999 been owned by the Ford Motor Company. Volvo is Latin for "I roll", and although fitting well to their products, vehicles, it was originally a name for a ball bearing being developed by the company SKF, which provided funding to a few employees to set up the car-manufacturing business. The Volvo Group today has more than 81,000 employees, with manufacturing in 25 countries and sales in more than 185 markets. The Volvo Group's net sales 2004 amounted to €22 billion.

Change of strategy

Among the reasons why Volvo took the initiative to sell the automobile manufacturing was the increasing development costs for new car models, coupled with the fact that it was a relatively small producer. The strategy was instead to grow as a truck manufacturer where it had a stronger market position. The buyout of Volvo Cars was announced on January 28, 1998 in the following year acquisition was completed at a price of $6.45 billion USD. Volvo used the funds from the sale of the automobile division to finance the purchase of Scania, another leading Swedish truck manufacturer, but the deal was stopped for competition reasons by the European Union. Instead Volvo acquired the commercial vehicles division of French Renault and the American truck manufacturer Mack.

The Volvo trademark

The Volvo™ trademark is now jointly owned (50/50) by Volvo and Ford. One of the main promotional activities for the trademark is the sailing contest Volvo Ocean Race, formerly the Whitbread Around the World Cup. There is also a Volvo Baltic Race.

Volvo companies

Business areas

The Volvo Group is organised into the following business areas:
- Volvo Trucks
- Mack Trucks
- Renault Trucks
- Volvo Buses
- Volvo Construction Equipment
- Volvo Penta
- Volvo Aero
- Volvo Financial Services

Business units

The group business areas are supported by a number of business units:
- Volvo 3P
- Volvo Powertrain
- Volvo Parts
- Volvo Technology
- Volvo Information Technology
- Volvo Logistics
- Volvo Technology Transfer
- Volvo Business Services
- Celero Support
- Volvo Cars

See also


- Ainax - ownership of Scania shares acquired by Volvo

External links

Company websites


- [http://www.volvo.com/ Volvo] - Official site
- [http://www.ford.com Ford Motor Company] - parent of Volvo Cars Corp

Company data


- [http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/41/41854.html Yahoo! - AB Volvo Company Profile]
- Category:Companies of Sweden ja:ボルボ

1927

1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar).

Events

January-March


- January 1 - Cristero War erupts in Mexico when pro-Church rebels attack secular-minded government
- January 7 - First transatlantic telephone call - New York City to London
- January 9 - Military rebellion crushed in Lisbon
- January 14 - Paul Doumer elected president of France
- January 19 - Britain sends troops to China
- January 30 - Right-wing veterans and the Republican Schutzbund clash in Schattendorf, Burgenland, Austria. One man and a child are killed by gunshots. See July 15.
- February 12 - First British troops land in Shanghai
- February 14 - Earthquake in Yugoslavia - 700 dead
- February 19 - General strike in Shanghai in protest of the presence of the British troops
- February 23 - The Federal Radio Commission (later renamed the Federal Communications Commission) begins to regulate the use of radio frequencies.
- March 4 - A diamond rush in South Africa includes trained athletes that have been hired by major companies to stake claims
- March 6 - In Britain, a 1000 people a week die from influenza epidemic
- March 10 - Albania mobilizes in case of an attack of Yugoslavia
- March 11 - In New York City, the Roxy Theatre is opened by Samuel Roxy Rothafel.

April-June


- April 1 - First female police officers in Dresden
- April 5 - In Britain, Trade Disputes Act forbids strikes of support
- April 7 - Bell Telephone Co. transmits an image of Commerce Secretary Hoover which becomes the first successful long distance demonstration of television.
- April 12 - The Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 renames the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The change acknowledges that the Irish Free State is no longer part of the Kingdom.
- April 12 - Kuomintang troops kill number of communist-supporting workers in Shanghai
- April 18 - Nanking government of China, Kuomintang
- April 21 - Banking crisis in Japan
- April 22 - May 5 - The Great Mississippi Flood affects 700,000 people in the greatest national disaster in US history.
- May - Philo Farnsworth transmits first experimental electronic television pictures
- May 7 - Civil war ends in Nicaragua
- May 9 - The Australian Parliament first convenes in Canberra.
- May 11 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the "Academy" in "Academy Awards," is founded.
- May 12 - British police raids the office of Soviet trade delegation
- May 13 - George V proclaims the change of his style from King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to King of Great Britain and Ireland.
- May 14 - Cap Arcona's launching, Blohm & Voss shipyard, in Hamburg.
- May 20 - Saudi Arabia becomes independent of the United Kingdom (Treaty of Jedda).
- May 20-21 first solo non-stop Trans-Atlantic flight from New York to Paris by Charles Lindbergh.
- May 22 - 8.6 richter scale earthquake in Xining, China kills 200,000
- May 23 - The first demonstration of television before a live audience. Nearly 600 members of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and the Institute of Radio Engineers view the demonstration at the Bell Telephone Building in New York.
- May 24 - Britain severs diplomatic relations with Soviet Union because of revelations of espionage and underground agitation
- May 27 - Ford Motor Company ceases manufacturing Ford Model Ts and begins to retool plants to make Ford Model As.
- June 4 - Yugoslavia severs diplomatic relations to Albania
- June 7 - Peter Voikov, Soviet ambassador to Warsaw, assassinated
- June 9 - Soviet Union executes 20 British for alleged espionage
- June 13 - Leon Daudet, leader of French monarchists, is arrested in France
- June 13 - A ticker-tape parade is held for aviator Charles Lindbergh down 5th Avenue in New York City.

July-September


- July 10 - Kevin O'Higgins, vice president of the Irish Free State, assassinated in Dublin
- July 15 - 85 protesters and 5 policemen are dead after left-wing protesters and the Austrian police clash in Vienna. More than 600 people are injured. See Massacre of July 15, 1927.
- July 24 - The Menin Gate war memorial is unveiled at Ypres.
- August 1 - Formation of the People's Liberation Army during the Nanchang Uprising
- August 7 - Peace Bridge opens between Fort Erie, Ontario and Buffalo, New York.
- August 22 - In Hyde Park, London, 200 people demonstrate against the sentence of Sacco and Vanzetti
- August 23 - Sacco and Vanzetti executed.
- August 24-25 - Hurricane hits Atlantic shore of Canada causing massive damage - at least 56 dead
- September 7 - The University of Minas Gerais is founded in Brazil.
- September 14 - underwater earthquake in Japan - over 100 dead

October-December


- October 6 - The Jazz Singer opens and becomes a huge success, marking the end of the silent film era.
- October 7 - Mercedes Gleitze is the first Englishwoman to swim the English Channel
- October 9 - Mexican government crushes a rebellion in Vera Cruz
- October 27 - Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands opens Meuse-Waal Canal in Nijmegen
- October 28 - Pan American Airways first flight took off from Key West to Havana.
- November 10 - Unexplained explosions in Canton, Ohio
- November 12 - Mahatma Gandhi made his first and last visit to Ceylon.
- November 12 - Leon Trotsky is expelled from the Soviet Communist Party, leaving Joseph Stalin with undisputed control of the Soviet Union
- November 12 - The Holland Tunnel opens to traffic as the first Hudson River vehicular tunnel linking New Jersey to New York City.
- November 24 - Total solar eclipse over Northern England and Wales
- December 2 - Following 19 years of Ford Model T production, the Ford Motor Company unveils the Ford Model A as its new automobile.
- December 12 - 1600 people hospitalized in London when they had hurt themselves on the icy streets
- December 30 - Japan's first subway line, the Ginza Line in Tokyo, opens.

Unknown dates


- The British Broadcasting Corporation is granted a Royal Charter of Incorporation.
- The Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System (later known as CBS) is formed.
- Harold Stephen Black invents the feedback amplifier.
- Voluntary Committee of Lawyers founded to bring about repeal of prohibition of alcohol in United States.

Births

January


- January 1 - Vernon L. Smith, American economist, Nobel Prize laureate
- January 1 - Doak Walker, American Footballer (d.1998)
- January 10 - Gisele MacKenzie, Canadian-born singer (d. 2003)
- January 10 - Johnnie Ray, American singer (d. 1990)
- January 13 - Brock Adams, American politician (d. 2004)
- January 13 - Sydney Brenner, British biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- January 17 - Eartha Kitt, American actress and singer
- January 26 - José Azcona del Hoyo, President of Honduras (d. 2005)
- January 28 - Hiroshi Teshigahara, Japanese director
- January 29 - Edward Abbey, American environmentalist (d. 1989)
- January 29 - Lewis Urry, Canadian inventor (d. 2004)
- January 30 - Olof Palme, Prime Minister of Sweden (d. 1986)

February


- February 2 - Stan Getz, American musician (d. 1991)
- February 3 - Val Doonican, Irish singer and entertainer
- February 7 - Juliette Greco, French singer and actor
- February 7 - Vladimir Kuts, Russian runner (d. 1975)
- February 10 - Leontyne Price, American soprano
- February 15 - Harvey Korman, American actor and comedian
- February 16 - June Brown, British actor
- February 16 - Tom Kennedy, American game show host
- February 20 - Roy Cohn, American lawyer and anti-Communist (d. 1986)
- February 20 - Sidney Poitier, American actor
- February 21 - Erma Bombeck, American writer and humorist (d. 1996)
- February 21 - Hubert de Givenchy, French fashion designer
- February 27 - Lynn Cartwright, American actress (d. 2004)

March


- March 1 - Harry Belafonte, American musician and actor
- March 1 - Robert Bork, American law professor
- March 6 - Gordon Cooper, astronaut (d. 2004)
- March 6 - Wes Montgomery, American musician (d. 1968)
- March 11 - Ron Todd, TGWU General Secretary (1985-1992) (d. 2005)
- March 13 - Robert Denning, American interior designer (d. 2005

Gothenburg

Gothenburg (Swedish: ) is a city and a municipality on the western coast of Sweden, in the County of Västra Götaland. With 478,055 inhabitants in the city and 816,931 in the metropolitan area it is the second largest city in Sweden after Stockholm and the seat of residence for the county. Gothenburg is in the historical province of Västergötland.

History

Västergötland at Götaplatsen is a frequently used symbol for the city.]] In the early 17th century Sweden controlled only one point on the western coastline. An attempt in 1607 to found a city by the name of Gothenburg on the nearby island of Hisingen had failed due to the Kalmar War, but the second attempt in 1621, by King Gustavus Adolphus (known commonly as Gustaf II Adolf), was successful. Following the successive wars, by 1658 all the Danish eastern provinces were ceded to Sweden, by the Treaty of Roskilde. In Dutch, Scots and German - languages with a long history of being spoken in the trade and maritime-oriented city - the name Gothenburg (with varying pronunciations) was traditionally used for the city, while the French form of the city name is Gothembourg. These traditional forms are now widely replaced with the use of the Swedish form Göteborg.

Transportation

French Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport is located 20 km east of Göteborg. Bus service from Landvetter terminating at the Nils Ericson Terminal departs every 30 minutes (cost 70 SEK). Ryanair flies to Gothenburg City Airport from London Stansted, Glasgow Prestwick and Frankfurt-Hahn - more routes are planned. This airport is remarkable in that it's the only airport Ryanair uses that is located closer to the city centre than the main airport. A bus (cost 50 SEK) meets each Ryanair flight, and takes you to the Nils Ericson Terminal in just 20 minutes. From Centralstationen or Nils Ericson Terminal you can catch trains (operated by SJ) and buses to all different parts of Sweden. There are services to Copenhagen via the Öresund bridge. Swebus Express and Säfflebussen will take you to desinations such as Oslo, Stockholm, Jönköping, Karlstad or Copenhagen. Eurolines connects the city to most countries in Europe. Stena Line operates ships to/from Denmark (Fredrikshavn) and Germany (Kiel). DFDS Seaways operates ships to/from Norway (Kristiansand) and the United Kingdom (Newcastle).

Politics

The legislative body of Gothenburg is the City Council with 81 members elected by proportional representation for a four-year term. The council appoints an executive 13-member Board of Commissioners, headed by the mayor. The current mayor of Gothenburg is Göran Johansson, from the Social Democratic Party The municipality is subdivided into 21 boroughs, which carry responsibility for primary school, social, leisure and cultural services within their respective areas. A point of some controversy is the fact that the borough councils do not reflect the local majority, but follow the majority at City Hall for the entire municipality. In the election of 1998 three boroughs -- Askim, Torslanda and Älvsborg -- held local referenda on forming their own municipalities, but their petitions were rejected by the Government of Sweden.

- Askim
- Backa
- Bergsjön
- Biskopsgården
- Centre
- Frölunda
- Gunnared
- Härlanda
- Högsbo
- Kortedala
- Kärra-Rödbo
- Linnéstaden
- Lundby
- Lärjedalen
- Majorna
- Styrsö
- Torslanda
- Tuve-Säve
- Tynnered
- Älvsborg
- Örgryte

Geography

Örgryte Main article: Geography of Gothenburg Situated on the western coast by Kattegat, an arm of the North Sea, at the outlet of the river Göta älv and the Göta Canal. The Gothenburg Metropolitan Area (Stor-Göteborg) extends to the municipalities of Ale, Härryda, Kungälv, Lerum, Mölndal, Partille, Stenungsund, Tjörn, Öckerö in Västra Götaland County and Kungsbacka in Halland County.

Economy

By its naturally advantageous location, Gothenburg houses the largest and most important harbor installation in Scandinavia. Trade and shipping have always been important businesses and already in the 18th century it was the home to the Swedish East India Company. Industry developed into an important business, and examples include SKF, Volvo and Ericsson.

Universities

Main article: Universities in Sweden
- Gothenburg University
- Chalmers University of Technology
- IT University of Göteborg
- Gothenburg School of Economics and Commercial Law

Sites of interest

Gothenburg School of Economics and Commercial Law Gothenburg has a wide selection of cultural establishments, including theatres and museums. A new opera house was inaugurated in 1994. Museums include art, design and handicrafts, sea history, natural history, science, East India, etc. and the Museum of World Culture [http://www.varldskulturmuseet.se/smvk/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=126&l=sv_SE] inaugurated in 2004. The Göteborg Botanical Garden [http://w3.goteborg.se/botaniska/engelska/english_start.html] is considered to be one of the outstanding botanical gardens in Europe. The amusement park Liseberg located in the city, is the largest in Scandinavia, and among the most popular attractions in Sweden. In 2004 Liseberg was selected as one of the 10 best amusement parks in the world!

Sports

;Held events:
- 1992 European Football Championship
- 1993 World Men's Handball Championship
- 1993 World Championships in Table tennis
- 1995 World Championships in Athletics
- 1997 World Championships in Swimming (Short track)
- 1997 Davis Cup Finals, Tennis, Sweden-United States
- 1997 World Championships in Latin American Dance
- 1998 World Championships in Latin Formation Dancing
- 1999 European Championships in Athletics (20-22 year olds)
- 2002 European Men's Handball Championship
- 2002 Ice Hockey World Championships
- 2002 Volvo Ocean Race
- 2003 World Championships in Skating (allround)
- 2004 O-Ringen - A 5-days orienteering competition
- 2004 World Championships in Skating (short track)
- 2004 UEFA Cup Final ;Annual events:
- Gothia Cup ;Planned events:
- 2006 European Championships in Athletics ;Arenas:
- Scandinavium (ice hockey)
- Gamla Ullevi (football)
- Ullevi (multisport) ;Teams:
- Frölunda HC (ice hockey)
- GAIS (football)
- IFK Göteborg (football)
- BK Häcken (football)
- Örgryte IS (football)

Notable natives


- Sir William Chambers (1723-1796), Scottish architect.
- William Chalmers (1748-1811), manager of the Swedish East India Company and founder of Chalmers University of Technology.
- Bengt Hallberg, jazz pianist
- Ingemar Johansson, world heavyweight champion of boxing, who beat Floyd Patterson in 1959.
- Jan Johansson, jazz pianist
- Ulf Dageby, rock musician.
- Christian Olsson (born 1980), triple jump gold medalist in the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Ace of Base, pop group
- Helena Paparizou, winner of the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest
- Daniel Alfredsson, superstar captain and MVP of the NHL's Ottawa Senators
- Håkan Hellström, singer-songwriter

Miscellaneous topics

Gothenburg has been in a friendship partnership with the South African City of Port Elizabeth since 1998. A partnership fostering development of common fields of interest such as solid waste management, public libraries, sport and tourism. Off the coast of Gothenburg is the Southern Gothenburg Archipelago, a group of completely car-free islands. On the evening of October 29 1998, a fire developed in the premises of the Macedonian Association discotheque in Gothenburg. On the evening of the fire it was estimated that the number of people in the disco reached 400. In this incident 63 people died[http://fseg.gre.ac.uk/fire/Gothenburg_fire_proj.html] [http://www.emergency-management.net/Gothenburg%20Report.pdf]. Gothenburg is also noted for being the centre of the melodic death metal movement, a typically Swedish musical style, being home to such internationally known bands as At The Gates, Dark Tranquillity, The Haunted, In Flames, and Arch Enemy. It is also the pop music capital of Sweden, with an active indie scene.

See also


- Gothenburg Opera
- Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
- Gothenburg City Airport
- Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport
- Protests during the EU summit in Gothenburg 2001

External links


-
- [http://www.goteborg.se/prod/sk/goteborg.nsf/1/english?OpenDocument Gothenburg] - Official City site
- [http://www.goteborg.com/ Gothenburg & Co.] - Official Tourist site
- [http://www.gotbot.se/engelska/english_start.html Gothenburg Botanic Garden] - Official site
- [http://www.hotels-sweden.com/site/homep_60024.htm Hotels in Gothenburg]
- [http://drokov.narod.ru/photos/sweden200410/index.htm Photos from Gothenburg] Category:Towns in Sweden Category:Coastal cities Category:Metropolitan Gothenburg Category:Municipalities of Sweden Category:Municipalities of Västra Götaland County
- ja:イェーテボリ

Sweden

The Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish: ) is a Nordic country in Scandinavia, in Northern Europe. It is bordered by Norway on the west, Finland on the northeast, the Skagerrak Strait and the Kattegat Strait on the southwest, and the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia on the east. Sweden has a low population density except in its metropolitan areas, with most of the inland consisting of forests and mountainous wilderness. Following the decline of the Viking Age, Sweden spent a couple of centuries fighting with its neighbouring countries Denmark (from the 12th century 1710), and Norway (in the 16th and 17th century). In the 17th and 18th centuries Sweden extended its territory through warfare and became a Great Power, twice its current size. The extended territory was subsequently lost within a century. Since 1814, Sweden has been at peace, adopting a policy of keeping free of alliances. Sweden was one of the poorest countries in Europe in the 19th century, shaped by heavy alcohol consumption, until improved transportation and communication allowed it to utilize natural assets from different parts of the country, most notably timber and iron ore, which allowed the creation of a welfare state in the early 20th century. Today, the country is defined by liberal tendencies and a strong national quest for equality, and usually ranks among the top nations in the UN Human Development Index.

History

Pre-history

For details, see: Prehistoric Sweden Soon after the recession of the last ice age, Sweden became populated by hunters and gatherers, during the Stone Age (6000 BC – 4000 BC). The region developed rather slowly compared to southern Europe; while the Romans wrote poetry, Scandinavia had just entered the Iron Age. Sweden was first mentioned in the 1st century, by Roman historian Tacitus, who wrote that the Suiones tribe lived out in the sea and were powerful in both arms and ships. This referred to the inhabitants of eastern Sweden: Svealand, primarily around lake Mälaren; towns of Stockholm, Sigtuna, and Birka. From this tribe, Sweden derived its name. The southern parts, on the other hand, were inhabited by Geats (Götar) in the Götaland territory. Little is known for certain about that time, but chronicles based on Norse sagas and the Beowulf epos go back about 2,000 years. During the Viking Age of the 9th and 10th century, Swedish vikings travelled east setting its mark on the Baltic countries, Russia, the Black Sea, further through the rivers of Russia down south to Constantinople and southern Europe.

Middle Ages

For details, see: Early Swedish history and Foundation of Modern Sweden With Christianization in the 12th century, the country became consolidated, with its centre in the water-ways of the northern Baltic and the Gulf of Finland. In the 14th century Sweden, like the rest of Europe, was struck by the Black Death (the Plague), with all its effect. During the middle ages, the expansion of Sweden into the northern wilderness of Laplandia, the Scandinavian peninsula, and present-day Finland continued. Finland was a part of Sweden proper from 1362 until 1809. In 1389, Norway, Denmark and Sweden were united under a single monarch in a treaty known as the Kalmar Union. After several wars and disputes between these nations, King Gustav I of Sweden (House of Vasa) broke free in 1521 and established a nation state, considered the foundation of modern Sweden. Shortly afterwards he rejected Catholicism and led Sweden to the Protestant Reformation. Gustav I is considered to be Sweden's "Father of the Nation". He was the first monarch from the House of Vasa. The House of Vasa also ruled between 1587 and 1668 in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1592 and 1599 Sweden and Poland were ruled in a personal union by Sigismund I Vasa.

A major power

Sigismund I Vasa (orange) overlayed by present day Sweden (red)]] For details, see: Rise of Sweden as a Great Power, Swedish Empire, Sweden and the Great Northern War, Absolute Monarchy in Sweden, Sweden-Finland and Union between Sweden and Norway The 17th century saw the rise of Sweden as one of the great powers in Europe, due to successful participation, initiated by King Gustav II Adolph, in the Thirty Years' War and by Charles X Gustav of Sweden in the The Deluge of Poland. Mighty as it was, it crumbled in the 18th century with Imperial Russia taking the reins of northern Europe in the Great Northern War, and finally in 1809 when the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland was created out of the eastern half of Sweden. After Denmark was defeated in the Napoleonic wars, Norway was ceded to Sweden in the Treaty of Kiel. This led to the Campaign against Norway, which was fought in 1814, and ended with the Convention of Moss, which forced Norway into a union with Sweden that was not dissolved until 1905. But the campaign also signified the last of the Swedish wars and its 200 years of peace are arguably unique in the world today.

Modern history

For details, see: Modernization of Sweden The 19th century saw a significant population increase, generally attributed to peace, vaccination, and potatoes, doubling the population from 1750 to 1850. Many people in the countryside, where most Swedes lived, found themselves unemployed. The result was poverty, alcoholism, and massive emigration; it is believed that between 1850 and 1910 more than one million Swedes moved to the United States alone. In the early 20th century, more Swedes lived in Chicago than in Sweden's second biggest city, Gothenburg. However, as the Industrial revolution progressed during the century, people gradually began moving into cities to work in factories, and became involved in Socialistic unions. A threatening Socialist revolution was avoided in 1917, following the re-introduction of Parliamentarism, and the country was democratized.

Recent history

For details, see: Industrialization of Sweden and Sweden during World War II
Sweden remained neutral during World War I and World War II, although its neutrality during World War II has been disputed. Sweden was part of the Marshall aid package but continued to stay non-aligned during the Cold War, and is still not a member of any military alliance. Following the second World War, Sweden made use of its natural resources and undemolished state, making it possible to expand its industry to supply the rebuilding of Europe, leading it to be one of the richest countries in the world by 1960. During most of the post-war era, the country was ruled by the Swedish Social Democratic Party that established a welfare state, striving for a "well being for all"-policy. As other economies were re-established, Sweden was surpassed in the 1970s, and had to adjust its politics in the 1990s, but still ranks among the top nations concerning well being of its inhabitants.

Politics

Sweden has been a monarchy for almost a millennium, with its taxation controlled by the Riksdag (parliament). It consisted of four chambers, made up by representatives from the 4 estates: clerics, nobility, townsmen and peasants, until 1866 when Sweden became a Constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament. Its First Chamber was indirectly elected by local governments, and the Second Chamber directly elected in national elections every four years. local government Legislative power was (symbolically) shared between king and parliament until 1975. In 1971 the Riksdag became unicameral. Constitutionally, the 349-member Riksdag holds supreme authority in Sweden, and its acts are not subject to judicial review. Acts of the parliament must be made inapplicable at every level if they are obviously against constitutional laws. Legislation may be initiated by the Cabinet or by members of Parliament. Members are elected on the basis of proportional representation for a four-year term. The Constitution of Sweden can be altered by the Riksdag, which requires a supermajority and confirmation after the following general elections. Sweden has three other constitutional laws: the Act of Royal Succession, the Freedom of Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. Executive power was shared between the King and a noble Privy Council until 1680, followed by the King's autocratic rule initiated by the common estates of the Parliament. As a reaction to the failed Great Northern War, Parliamentarism was introduced in 1719, followed by three different flavours of Constitutional Monarchy in 1772, 1789 and 1809, the latter granting several civil liberties. The monarch remains as the formal, but merely symbolic head of state with ceremonial duties. Social Democracy has played a dominant political role since 1917, after Reformists had confirmed their strength and the revolutionaries left the party. After 1956, the Cabinets have been dominated by the Social Democrats. Only three general elections have given the centre-right bloc enough seats in Parliament to form a government. It is considered the reason for the Swedish post-war welfare state, with a government expenditure of slightly more than 50% of the gross domestic product. Some Swedish political figures that have received worldwide recognition include Joe Hill, Raoul Wallenberg, Dag Hammarskjöld, Olof Palme and Hans Blix.

Energy politics

For details, see Nuclear power phase-out After the 1973 oil crisis, the energy politics were determined to become less dependent on the import of petroleum. Since then, energy has been generated mostly from hydropower and nuclear power. Accidents at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (USA) prompted the Swedish parliament in 1980 after a referendum to decide that no further nuclear power plants should be built and that a nuclear power phase-out should be completed by 2010. As of 2005, the use of renewables amounted to 26 per cent of the energy supply in Sweden, most important being hydropower and biomass. In 1998, electricity from hydropower accounted for 76 TWh and 48 per cent of the country's production of electricity. At the same time, the use of biofuels, peat etc. produced 92TWh. [http://www.scientific-alliance.org/pdf/essential_programme_to_underpin_government_policy_on_nuclear_power.pdf] (PDF file) In March 2005, an opinion poll with 1027 persons asked, showed 83 per cent support for maintaining or increasing nuclear power [http://www.uic.com.au/nip39.htm]. Since then however, reports about radioactive leakages at a nuclear waste store in Forsmark, Sweden, have been published [http://www.forbes.com/finance/feeds/afx/2005/06/29/afx2116521.html]. This doesn't seem to have changed the public support of continued use of nuclear power.

Economy

PDF] The standard of living has become enviably high under this social democratic system. It features a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labour force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. The engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. The public and the trade unions controlled pension funds, non-profit organizations and the reserve funds of the trade-unions owns more than 50% of Sweden capital. 80% of the workforce is organized through the trade-unions. The public sector accounts for 53% of the GDP. Trade unions have the right to elect two representatives to the board in all Swedish companies with more than 25 employees. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown, revenue declines, and spending increases. The Swedish Riksbank is focusing on price stability with its inflation target of 2%. Growth is expected to reach 3.5% in 2004, assuming a continued moderate global recovery. However, open unemployment has steadily increased since 2001 and stood at 5.6% as of October 2005. Counting everyone who neither studies full-time or has employment, the percentage is around 14% (peaking at 20% in the summer months) . Sweden is known for having an uneven distribution of income, where the income in major towns are higher than in the countryside. Sweden's communication and transportation systems are important components of the infrastructure.

Welfare state

:For details, see Social welfare in Sweden What is known as [http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq28.html The Scandinavian Model], is usually described as a mean way between socialism and capitalism and has been labelled the most developed form of capitalism. The government provides for childcare, maternity and paternity leave, a ceiling on health care costs, free education (all levels), retirement pensions, free dental care up to 20 years of age and sick leave (partly payed by the employer). Parents are entitled to a total of 480 days partly paid leave between birth and the child's eighth birthday, with 60 days reserved specifically for each parent, in effect providing the father with a so called "daddy-month". In addition, the ceiling on health care costs makes it easier, relative to other nations, for Swedish workers to take time off for medical reasons. The Swedish welfare system remains generous, but a recession in the 1990s forced an introduction of a number of reforms, such as education vouchers in 1992 and decentralisation of some types of healthcare services to municipal control. [http://fcpp.org/main/publication_detail.php?PubID=814] The welfare state requires high taxes, but the population is generally affirmative of this. Sweden has a two step progressive tax scale with a municipal income tax of about 30% and a high income state tax of about 50% that kicks in when you earn more than about 300 000 SEK. The employing company pays an additional 32% of so called Employers fee. In addition, a national VAT of 25% is added to many things bought by private citizens except food (12% VAT), transports and books (6% VAT) with the exception of petrol/diesel which is under heavy taxation.

Education

As part of its social welfare system, Sweden provides an extensive childcare system that guarantees a place for all young children from 1-5 years old in a public day-care facility. Between ages 6-16, children attend compulsory comprehensive school. After completing the ninth grade, 90% continue with a three year upper secondary school leading sometimes to an exam in a technical profession and always to the qualifications for further studies at a university college (högskola) or university.

Geography

university college (högskola) or university] university college (högskola) or university university college (högskola) or university in northern Norrland]] Norrland in northern Götaland]] Götaland]] Götaland Götaland]] Sweden enjoys a mostly temperate climate despite its northern latitude, mainly due to the Gulf Stream. In the south of Sweden leaf-bearing trees are prolific, in the north pines and hardy birches dominate the landscape. In the mountains of northern Sweden a sub-Arctic climate predominates. North of the Arctic Circle, the sun never sets for part of each summer, and in the winter, night is unending for a corresponding period. East of Sweden is the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia, providing a long coastline, and mellowing the climate further yet. To the west is the Scandinavian mountain chain, a range that separates Sweden from Norway. The southern part of the country is chiefly agricultural, with forests covering a larger percentage of the land the further north one goes. Population density is also higher in southern Sweden, with centres being in the valley of lake Mälaren and the Öresund region. Gotland and Öland are the two largest Islands of Sweden.

Counties

For details, see: Counties of Sweden Sweden is divided into 21 counties or län. They are Stockholm County, Uppsala County, Södermanland County, Östergötland County, Jönköping County, Kronoberg County, Kalmar County, Gotland County, Blekinge County, Skåne County, Halland County, Västra Götaland County, Värmland County, Örebro County, Västmanland County, Dalarna County, Gävleborg County, Västernorrland County, Jämtland County, Västerbotten County and Norrbotten County. Each has a County Administrative Board or länsstyrelse which is appointed by the Government. In each county there is also a separate County Council or landsting, which is the municipal representation appointed by the county electorate. Each county further divides into a number of municipalities or kommuner, making a total of 290 municipalities, in 2004. There are also older historical divisions of Sweden, primarily into provinces and lands.

Largest cities

Denotes inhabitants in the municipality (kommun) area. Area is in km². The figures are as of 2005. Detailed list at List of municipalities of Sweden by population.

Demographics

For details, see: Demographics of Sweden Sweden has one of the world's highest life expectancies. As of approximately 12 August 2004, the total population of Sweden for the first time exceeded 9,000,000, according to Statistics Sweden. The country's population includes some 17,000 indigenous Samis. Some 50,000 of the ethnic Finns of Sweden also constitute an indigenous minority, although many more of the Sweden Finns descend from 20th century immigrants. Sweden has been transformed from a nation of emigration ending after World War I to a nation of immigration from World War II onwards. Currently, almost 12% of the residents are born abroad, and about one fifth of Sweden's population are either immigrants or the children of immigrants. The largest immigrant groups are from Finland, the former Yugoslavia, Iraq and then other Nordic Countries, in that order. This reflects the inter-Nordic migrations, earlier periods of labour immigration, and later decades of refugee and family immigration. Soviet intervention against the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and the 1968 Czechoslovakian liberalization resulted in the first surges of intellectual political refugees. Some American deserters from the Vietnam War also found refuge among the Swedes, who in international politics took a clear stand against what they typically viewed as imperialism executed by both the Soviet Union and the United States of America. After the 1973 coup in Chile, and the following military dictatorships in Chile and other South American countries, political refugees came to dominate the image of immigration to Sweden, including refugees from Iran, Iraq and Palestine.

Language

:For details, see: Swedish language Swedish is a Germanic language, related to Danish and Norwegian, but differing in pronunciation and orthography. Like the U.S., Sweden has no official language, but the Swedish language has held a de facto status as such. The dominating language has always been Swedish and there has never been a political issue about making it an official language. However, with the recognition of five minority languages of Sweden (being Finnish, Meänkieli, Sami, Romani and Yiddish) on April 1, 2000, the issue of whether Swedish should be declared the official language was raised. On December 7, 2005, the parliament voted on this issue, and with the count 147 to 145 the earlier position was settled, i.e. swedish is not the official language according to law. It was, however, strengthen as the principal language in that same proposal. Most Swedes, especially those under 50, have no difficulty understanding and speaking English, thanks to trade links, the popularity of overseas travel, and the tradition of subtitling rather than dubbing foreign television programmes and films. English is usually taught from the fourth grade of school. Many students also take additional languages; often French, German or Spanish.

Culture

Spanish cottage in the rural countryside, painted in the traditional Swedish Falu red]] Swedish authors of worldwide recognition include Carolus Linnaeus, Emanuel Swedenborg, August Strindberg, Selma Lagerlöf, Vilhelm Moberg, Harry Martinson and Astrid Lindgren. Many well-known inventions and discoveries, historical and modern, were made by Swedes. Some notable figures are Alfred Nobel, Anders Celsius, Baltzar von Platen, Carl Wilhelm Scheele, Jöns Jakob Berzelius, John Ericsson, Anders Jonas Ångström, Lars Magnus Ericsson, Svante Arrhenius, Arvid Carlsson, Håkan Lans. Swedish 20th century culture is noted by pioneering works in the early days of cinema, with Mauritz Stiller and Victor Sjöström. In the 1920s–1980s, the filmmakers Ingmar Bergman and Bo Widerberg received Academy Awards, and actresses Greta Garbo, Zarah Leander, Ingrid Bergman and Anita Ekberg made careers abroad. More recently, the films of Lukas Moodysson have received international recognition.

Music

:For details, see: Music of Sweden The best-known opera singers are the 19th century soprano Jenny Lind and the 20th century tenor Jussi Björling, who had great success abroad. Also sopranos Christina Nilsson Birgit Nilsson, and tenors Nicolai Gedda, baritone Håkan Hagegård and the contemporary mezzo-soprano Anne-Sofie von Otter are worth mentioning. The most successful Swedish popular music artists are ABBA, Europe, Roxette, Ace of Base, Army of Lovers, The Cardigans, and guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. A number of bands with less emphasis on pop music have come out of the country in recent years, including Blindside, The Sounds, The Hives, Refused, Millencolin, The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Sahara Hotnights, The Hellacopters, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Kent, Infinite Mass, A
- Teens, and Looptroop. In underground circles, Sweden is known for a large number of death metal and black metal acts such as Bathory, Meshuggah, The Haunted, Opeth, Naglfar and In Flames. Sweden is also responsible for the Swechno scene, offering a distinct house and techno sound.

Media

:For details, see: Media in Sweden Swedes are among the greatest consumers of newspapers in the world, and every town is served by a local paper. The country's main quality dailies are Dagens Nyheter (centrist), Svenska Dagbladet (right-wing) and Göteborgs-Posten (centrist), main popular dailies are the evening tabloids Aftonbladet (left-wing) and Expressen (centrist). The free international morning paper, Metro International, was originally founded in Stockholm, Sweden. The country's news is reported in English by The Local. The television industry consisted solely of the public service company Sveriges Television and its two channels until 1987, when the first commercial channel, TV3, was started. Today, there are three freely available channels, although most apartment complexes at a low fee provide additional 8-10 channels. It is for this reason that many Swedes pay for Satellite Television. It provides much greater selection, and there is no cable TV infrastructure.

Holidays

:For details, see: Holidays in Sweden Apart from traditional Protestant Christian holidays, Sweden also celebrates some unique holidays, some of a pre-christian tradition. They include Midsummer, celebrating the summer solstice; Walpurgis Night on April 30 lighting bonfires; Labour Day on May 1st is dedicated to Socialistic demonstrations; and December 13th, the day of Saint Lucia the lightgiver. June 6 is National Day of Sweden and as of 2005 a public holiday. Furthermore, there are official flag day observances and a Namesdays in Sweden calendar.

Cuisine

Swedish cuisine, like that the other Scandinavian countries (Denmark and Norway), is traditionally simple. Fish and meat play prominent roles and vegetarianism has historically been non-existent.

Sports

Sport activities are a national movement with half of the population actively participating. The two main spectator sports are soccer and ice hockey. Some notable soccer stars of Sweden include Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrik Larsson and Fredrik Ljungberg, while some famous Swedish hockey players include Markus Näslund, Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin, Daniel Alfredsson, Niklas Lidström, Börje Salming and Pelle Lindbergh. Second to soccer, Horse sports have the highest number of practitioners, mostly women. Thereafter follow golf, track and field, and the team sports of handball, floorball, basketball and in northern parts bandy. American sports such as baseball and American football are also practised but have no widespread popularity. Successful tennis players include former world No. 1's Björn Borg, Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg; in skiing sports, Ingemar Stenmark, Pernilla Wiberg and Anja Pärson have all had dominating periods in alpine skiing, as have Sixten Jernberg, Gunde Svan and Thomas Wassberg in cross country skiing. In ski jumping, Jan Boklöv revolutionised the sport with his new technique, the V-style. A number of Swedes have been internationally successful in athletics. In the 1940s runner Gunder Hägg dominated middle distance. In recent years, stars include high jumpers such as the European record holder Patrik Sjöberg, Kajsa Bergqvist, and Athens Olympic gold medallist Stefan Holm. Two other Swedish athletes won gold medals in the 2004 Olympic Games: heptathlete Carolina Klüft and triple jumper Christian Olsson. Other famous Swedish athletes include the heavyweight boxing champion Ingemar Johansson, golfer Annika Sörenstam, former five times World table tennis Champion Jan-Ove Waldner and the World Speedway Champion Tony Rickardsson. In schools, on meadows and in parks, the game brännboll, a sport similar to baseball, is commonly played for fun. Other leisure sports are the historical game of kubb and boules among the older generation.

Religion

Before the 11th century, people of Sweden adhered to Norse mythology, worshipping Æsir gods, with its centre at the Temple in Uppsala. With Christianisation in the 11th century, the laws of the country were changed, forbidding worship of other deities. After the Protestant Reformation in the 1530s the Church and State were united, abolishing the authority of the Roman Catholic bishops, and in the long run allowing only Lutheranism to prevail. This was not a process completed until the Uppsala Synod 1593. During the era following the Reformation period, usually known as the period of Lutheran Orthodoxy, in the 17th century, small groups of non-Lutherans, especially Calvinist Dutchmen and Walloons who played a significant role in trade and industry, were quietly tolerated as long as they kept a low religious profile. Not until liberalisation in the late 18th century, were believers of other faiths, including Judaism and Catholicism, allowed to openly live and work in Sweden, although it remained illegal until 1860 for Lutheran Swedes to convert to another religion. The 19th century saw other Christian denominations, such as the Episcopal Church; and towards the end of the century secularism began attracting attention, leading people to distance themselves from Church rituals such as baptism. Leaving the Church of Sweden became legal with the so-called dissenter law of 1860, but only under the provision of entering another denomination. The right to stand outside any religious denomination was established in the Law on Freedom of Religion in 1951. Today about 78% of Swedes belong to the Church of Sweden, but the number is decreasing by about one percent every year, and church services are sparsely attended (hovering in the single digit percentages of the population) - despite this, a majority of Swedes claim to believe in a higher Deity. Also of significance are the approx 100,000 Muslims in Sweden.

Miscellaneous topics


- Allemansrätten (Right of public access to the wilderness)
- Catholic Church of Sweden
- Communications in Sweden
- Ethnic Swedes
- Government agencies in Sweden
- Foreign relations of Sweden
- List of Sweden-related topics
- Swedish Armed Forces
  - List of Swedish regiments
- Non-governmental organizations in Sweden
  - Postage stamps and postal history of Sweden
- Reporters without borders World-wide Press Freedom Index 2002: R