A Look At The History Of Sweden
The rise of Sweden as an independent nation can be traced back to the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, the country began to grow in size and enlarge its borders to create the Swedish Empire. The empire went on to become one of the largest and most powerful empires of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. The end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century saw a decline in the power of the empire, with a majority of territories being lost. The eastern fraction of Sweden was annexed by Russia in 1809. It is in 1814 that the country was last involved in an act of war, when it used military powers to forge a personal union with Norway between 1809 and 1905. Since that time, the country has never again been involved in any warfare. The country has a foreign policy of non-alignment during periods of peace and it maintains a stance of neutrality in cases of war.
Sweden In The Present Day
A system of constitutional monarchy is followed in Sweden in the present day. Complementing the system of monarchy is the framework of a democratic parliament, and the people thus elect the government. Sweden is famed for its highly developed system of democracy and has also been awarded the number one position on the Democracy Index published by The Economist. According to the Human Development Index records maintained by the United Nations, Sweden is listed at number 9. From 1st January 1995 onwards Sweden has been a part of the European Union. The country is also a part of the OECD and it is also known to have one of the most advanced and stable economies in the world.
Sweden As A Tourist Attraction
Given the pleasant climate, stable political and economic conditions and abundant natural beauty and rich culture of history of the country, it comes as no surprise that Sweden is one of the top holiday destinations in the world. From spending time in the great outdoors pursuing activities such as canoeing, berry picking, skating, hiking and skiing to visiting the famous attractions such as the Stockholm Archipelago made up of 24,000 islands, the 17th century Elfsborg Fortress, the Ice Hotel at Jukkasjärvi village, various churches and the Royal Palace at Stockholm- there is much to do an experience in this great European nation.