Sweden is bordered with Norway to the west and north and Finland to the east. The country is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund, a strait at the Swedish-Danish border. The Baltic Sea lies to the east of Sweden, as well as the Gulf of Bothnia. The northernmost part of Sweden belongs to the Arctic. It is the third-largest country in the European Union by area. It is spread over 450,295 square kilometres (173,860 sq mi). The total population of this country is the 10.2 million and The highest concentration is in the southern half of the country. Sweden has a low population density of 22 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Stockholm is the capital and largest city, famous for its beauty and the amazing archipelago. In addition, it offers a unique nightlife scene and it is home to some of Northern Europe's best restaurants. The country is divided into three regions namely; Norrland, Svealand and Götaland. Southern Sweden is predominantly agricultural, while the north is heavily forested. Norrland is the northern part of the country. It is sparsely populated and spans more than half of the country's total area. There is a lot of wilderness, with forests, lakes, big rivers, enormous marshes and high mountains along the border to Norway. Svealand is the central part of the country, includes Stockholm, Uppsala and the provinces of Dalarna, Närke and more. Meanwhile, Götaland includes the ten southern provinces, including the island-provinces Öland and Gotland.

Germanic peoples have inhabited Sweden since prehistoric times. They evolved into history as the Geats (Swedish Götar) and Swedes (Svear) and constituting the sea peoples known as the Norsemen. The country proclaimed its independence during the early 12th century. An expansion of its territories began when Sweden became involved in the Thirty Years War on the Reformist side. As a result, the Swedish Empire was formed. This became one of the great powers of Europe until the early 18th century. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Swedish territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were gradually lost, leading to the annexation of Finland by Russia in 1809. Sweden has been at peace, maintaining an official policy of neutrality in foreign affairs since then.

On 1 January 1995, Sweden joined the European Union but declined NATO membership, as well as Eurozone. Today, Sweden is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. Chaired by the prime minister, the government exercises the executive power. The country is the world's eleventh-highest per capita income and ranks highly in numerous metrics of national performance, including quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties, economic competitiveness and so much more. It provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens for free.

Sweden is part of the geographical area of Fennoscandia. In general, the climate is very mild for its northerly latitude due to significant maritime influence. However, it still retains warm and there is also continental summer. Like any other Scandinavian countries, Swedish cuisine is generally simple, with fish (especially herring), meat, potatoes and dairy products played prominent roles while spices are rarely used. Traditionally, the famous Swedish meatballs are served with   gravy, boiled potatoes and lingonberry jam. While the drinking of snaps is of cultural importance, Akvavit is a popular alcoholic distilled beverage. The local people in Sweden, mostly born since 1945 speak English very well although Swedish is the national language. It is estimated 89% of Swedes can speak English, which makes it one of the best countries in the world in English as a second language.

A valid passport is required to enter Sweden. The passport and other travel documents accepted for entry must be valid for a minimum of 3 months beyond the period of intended stay. All tourists entering Swedish territory from another (Schengen country) are exempted from presenting their passports to Swedish authorities. In this case, a national identity card is the only document needed.  A Schengen visa is mandatory for all nationals of Malaysia who stay in the country for a period greater than 90 days. For short stay visits (less than 90 days within a period of 180 days), the visitors are exempted from obtaining a valid Schengen visa. Goods can be imported into Swedish territory following the mandatory limits regulated by the government. However, Swedish custom regulates and blocks the importing of several dangerous items such as weapons, legal and illegal drugs. 

How to Get There?

By Plane

Stockholm Skavsta (IATA: NYO) (ICAO: ESKN)  Airport serves most major airlines. You may fly from Kuala Lumpur to Stockholm, Gothenburg and Linkoping by major airlines such as Malaysia Airline, Emirates, KLM as well as Qatar Airways with the approximate fare of MYR 3000 to MYR 4500 per person for one way. Depending on the airline, the journey may take up to 20 hours.

By Train

If you are coming from Denmark, there is a train that departs from Copenhagen and Copenhagen airport for Malmö every 20 minutes. Meanwhile, if you are travelling from Norway, there are a connection between Oslo and Stockholm and Gothenburg as well as connections between Trondheim and Stockholm. You may board Berlin Night Express from Berlin to Malmö.

By Bus

You may also Get into Sweden by "Eurolines" from Copenhagen.

By Boat

There are also boats cruising from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany Norway, Poland, Russia and the United Kingdom to Sweden.

What to Do there?

Stockholm City

Known as the open city, it is a beautiful Swedish capital, prides itself on being open to anyone and everyone.  Stockholm is the second most prolific tech and a startup hub in the world after the Silicon Valley. This city attracts the most innovative people from all corners of the world. You are likely to see people both riding horses and stand up paddling while you wander the streets of this city, as it is known for its beauty and closeness to nature. The city is also rich in history. When in town, don’t miss out on the maritime Vasa Museum and the world’s first open-air museum Skansen, both located on the island of Royal Djurgården.

Gothenburg

Gothenburg’s attractions, cultural sights and museums are within walking distance of each other and most are paired with a wide array of excellent eateries. For the world’s finest collection of the national-romantic Scandinavian in late 19th-century art, head to Gothenburg Museum of Art at Götaplatsen square. If you prefer the architectural history and delicious west coast seafood, visit the Feskekörka (the Fish Church) at Rosenlundsgatan. This architectural experiment built in 1874 does look like a church and does have the best, freshest seafood in Gothenburg at its fish market and restaurants. Meanwhile, Haga is the oldest and one of the most characterful areas of Gothenburg. It is formerly a low-rise, wooden-housed area falling into disrepair. Today, it becomes a cool area where you will find cool gear at its vintage and second-hand stores and many excellent cafes.

Northern Sweden

See the magnificent Northern-Lights, visit The Aurora Sky Station in the Abisko National Park. There is no better place to witness them since this place is practically permanent cloud-free. There is non-stop daylight here during summer. You may also ski all the way at the exotically remote Riksgränsen. For those who would like to fly-fish for salmon and arctic char, head to the world-famous King's Trail (Kungsleden). The Jämtland Härjedalen region is known for unique flora and fauna. Visitors come to this place for the wilderness, superb homemade foods and it's five clearly defined seasons.

Where to Stay There?

Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel, Stockholm

Whether you're visiting Stockholm for business or leisure, the Radisson Blu lets you stay near many popular museums, restaurants and entertainment venues. This 4-star hotel is located strategically at the heart of the Stockholm city.  It is only minutes away from all of Norrmalm's major shopping areas, such as Drottninggatan, Bibliotekstan, Stureplan and the iconic NK department store. All 459 of the rooms and suites feature minibars and free high-speed Wi-Fi. scenic location by the Baltic Sea guarantees that fresh seafood is always on the menu at our Stockholm Fisk Restaurant. The hotel also boasts 13 contemporary meeting rooms with capacity for up to 150 people, plus an atrium large enough to host 450 guests at a time. 

Downtown Camper by Scandic

Downtown Camper is the ultimate basecamp to absorb the city. It is a hotel for locals, travellers and urban explorers. The hotel is within walking distance of the central station as well as shopping, restaurants, excursions, parks and cultural events. This is the ultimate base from which to explore the city. All 494 rooms range from small smart rooms to suites with magnificent views over Stockholm city. The Nest wellness & retreat is located on our rooftop with magnificent views. You may take in views over the Old Town and Riddarfjarden beyond the edge of the pool, or relax in our sauna, shaped like an exotic bird's nest. Instead of traditional conference rooms, the hotel offers five uniquely-designed and inspiring social spaces. The rooms are perfectly designed for the company’s team building activities, workshops and social meetings.