Sweden

(swe'd'n,) an extensive country of N. Europe, occupying the E. and larger portion of the Scand in avian peninsula, and forming with its W. neighbor, Norway, the united Kingdom of Sweden and Norway; bet. N. Lat. 55° 20′-69°, E. Lon. 11° 18' 30"-24° 13. S. is b. Ν. by Finmark; N.E. by Ru ian Lapland; E. by the Gulf of Bothnia, separating it from Finland; S.E. and S.by the Baltic; S.W. by the Sound and Cattegat, dividing it from Denmark; and W.by Norway. Its length, N. to S., may be taken at 950 m.; and the mean breadth at 190 m. Area, 170,516 sq. m. Its line of coast, which is much indented with fiords and bays, is some 1,400 m. in extent. The greater part of the surface is of a mountainous and rugged character, with intervening fertile valleys, and well-watered plains. The W. frontier for several hundred miles is marked by the Kiolen chain or Scand in avian Mts., spurs of which radiate in all directions E. into the centre of the kingdom. Nearly one tenth of the superficial area of S. is occupied by lakes, the principal of them being those of Wener, Mælar, Wetter, Storsg, Stor, and Stora Lulea. Rivers are exceedingly numerous, though not any of great size exist Their waters abound with fish, and, with a few exceptions, they all empty into the Gulf of Bothnia. The N. and central di sts. of the kingdom are mining regions, S. being a country exceptionally rich in mineral products. Copper, iron producing the finest steel, lead, nickel, zinc, cobalt, alum, sulphur, porphyry, marble, and coal -are found in more or le abundance; consequently, mining and metallurgical industry forms one of the main sources of the natural wealth. The S. parts of the country are chiefly agricultural in their productive features; the climate being favorable to the growth of cereals. Besides the latter, flax, hemp, hops, potatoes, hardy fruits, ., are grown in sufficient quantities to satisfy the home demand. The forests are very extensive, covering nearly one half of the surface of the country, and consisting chiefly of pine, birch, and fir; these are of great importance, as supplying not only pitch and tar, but also fuel. S. is politically divided into 25 län, or governments, and has for its main centres of wealth, trade, and pop., the cities and towns of Stockholm (the cap.),Go then burg, Malmö, Norrköping, Carlscrona, Gefle, Upsal, Jönköping, and Lund. The only Swedish colony is the small island of St. Bartholomew in the West Indies. The govt. is a constitutional monarchy, with extraordinary powers vested in the king, who is a isted by a council of ministers. The Diet, or legislature, consists of two chambers or estates, both elected by the people, but representing different interests. The Norwegian parliament, or Storthing, acts quite independently of the Swedish diet, and in all matters of home and domestic polity, a distinct autonomy exists for each country. (See NORWAY). The Luther an is the form of established religion, and to it belong four-fifths of the in hab. Education is well cared for, and is very generally diffused; the leading universities are those of Upsal and Lund. In 1871, the regular army consisted of 124,807 men, supplemented by volunteer rifle corps owning a numerical strength of 42,000 men. In the same year, the Swedish navy was composed of 31 steamers, aggregating 3,332 horse-power, and carrying 142 guns; 15 sailing-ve els, 190 guns; and 62 smaller craft (including 3 ironclads) mounting 87 guns, besides 137 gunboats proper. This naval force is manned bya personnel of 34,568 seamen and marines. Auxiliary to the navy, a strong coast-guard service is embodied. The chief articles of export comprise cattle, grain, iron, timber, metals, hemp, coarse linens, leather, furs, pitch, tar, . As a manufacturing country, S. produces woollen and cotton goods, machinery, paper, sugar, tobacco, .; shipbuilding is also a leading item of mechanical industry. At the close of the year 1869, there were 1,143 m. of railroad in working operation, together with 4,275 m. of telegraph lines. Prior to the 13th cent., S. consisted of the two kingdoms of Gothland and Sweal and, which, after being united in one dynastic line that fell under the sway of Margaret of Denmark in 1397, became an homogeneous and independent monarchy under Gustavus Vasa in 1521. The Vasa dynasty was dethroned in 1809, and after the annexation of Norway in 1814, the united crown was conferred in 1818 on the French marshal Bernadotte, who had been elected crown-prince in 1810. His succe ors have continued to govern, with eminent wisdom and popularity. His grandson Charles XV.died in Sept., 1872, leaving the crown to Oscar II., the present king. Pop. 1876 (exclusive of Norway) 4,429,713. [s. 870]