Capital of Sweden

Stockholms stad

City	Stockholm (1250)
County	Stockholm County
Provinces	Uplandia Sudermannia
Area  - Total	Ranked 251st 188 km²
Population  - Total (1999)  - Density	Ranked 1st 743,703 3966.4/km² (1st)

Stockholm is the capital and the largest City of Sweden. The City of Stockholm is administratively a Municipality within Stockholm County, with an inner city population of 750,348, and with 1,823,210 including the suburbs and county.

As a capital Stockholm is the site of the Government and the Parliament of Sweden. It is also the residence of the head of state, King Carl XVI Gustaf.

History

The earliest mention of Stockholm in writing dates from 1252, when it was an important post in the iron trade from the mines in Bergslagen. The city is said to have been founded by Birger Jarl in order to protect Sweden from invasion from the sea by foreign navies and stop pillage of the cities such as Sigtuna on lake Mälaren. The first building at Stockholm was a fortification for the purpose of controlling the traffic between the Baltic Sea and Mälaren.

Politics

The city is subdivided into 18 boroughs, which carry responsibility for primary school, social, leisure and cultural services within their respective areas.

Bromma Enskede-Årsta Farsta Hägersten Hässelby-Vällingby Katarina-Sofia

Kista Kungsholmen Liljeholmen Maria-Gamla stan Norrmalm Rinkeby

Skarpnäck Skärholmen Spånga-Tensta Vantör Älvsjö Östermalm

Geography

The city is situated on fourteen islands and on the banks to the archipelago where lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea. The city center is virually situated on the water. Coordinates: 59°21'N, 18°4'E.

Economy

Universities

Stockholm might be most well known for the Nobel Prizes and the prize ceremony held each year, but the city also houses the largest concentration of Universities with research and higher education in Sweden.

• Stockholm University
• Royal Institute of Technology
• Stockholm School of Economics
• Karolinska Institute
• Royal College of Music
• Royal College of Fine Arts
• University College of Film, Radio, Television and Theatre
• University College of Arts, Crafts and Design
• University College of Opera
• University College of Music Education
• University College of Dance
• University College of South Stockholm

Heraldry

Culture

Apart from being a large city with an active cultural life Stockholm as a capital also houses many of the national cultural institutions of Sweden, inluding theater, opera and museums.

Sites of interest

• Royal Palace in Stockholm, Royal Palaces in Sweden, Riddarholmskyrkan
• Gamla Stan, Stadsholmen, Riddarholmen, Helgeandsholmen
• Sager House, Rosenbad
• Norrmalmstorg
• Sergels Torg
• Djurgården, Gröna Lund

Sports teams

Notable natives

• Alfred Nobel
• List of Swedish monarchs
• List of Swedes

Miscellaneous topics

See also

• Stockholm Metro
• Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
• Largest European cities
• Stockholm (disambiguation)

External links

• Stockholm - Official site
• Stockholm Visitors Board - The official visitors guide
• Stockholm Map in Swedish