Page 25 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

A POR TR AIT OF SWEDEN  23

Sweden players celebrate after scoring a goal against Moldova during a qualifying match for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017

Despite the general use of standard as Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Max von
Swedish, dialects also flourish. The Sydow and Stellan Skarsgård.
majority is multilingual and Swedes
in general are often fluent in English. A Sporting Nation
Sweden’s abundance of clean, unpolluted
Rich Culture waters makes fishing a popular hobby,
Besides the many specialist museums in and the long coastline, glorious archi­
the cities, there are more than 1,000 rural pelagos and numerous waterways have
museums. Great interest is shown in art made it a nation of sailors.
and handicrafts which can be seen in Sweden has proud traditions, especially
the galleries and shops. in winter sports. Skiing and ice hockey as
Swedes are keen musicians, and well as football, handball, bandy (Russian
the country is now one of the biggest hockey), tennis and golf, all set Swedish
exporters of pop music. Folk music and pulses racing, while swimming, athletics,
dancing enjoy a natural high season from boxing, water sports and motorsports also
Midsummer to the end of August. Sweden number several stars at international level.
has won the Eurovision Song Contest six
times, with its victory in 2015. Sweden on the World Stage
The story of film culture also has a The neutrality which protected Sweden
Swedish chapter, thanks to stars such from two world wars is still officially
observed, though in reality Sweden is
more closely aligned with the US and
NATO than ever before.
Sweden has been a member of the EU
since 1995 and elections to the European
Parliament are held every five years. The
attitude towards the EU is divided and in
2003, the Swedes voted “no” to adopting
the euro by a considerable majority.
Sweden is an enthusiastic advocate for the
work of the UN. Its own Dag Hammarskjöld
was a celebrated Secretary­General
(1953–61), and Swedish troops have been
Sheltered archipelagos provide ideal conditions for
Sweden’s sailing enthusiasts involved in operations worldwide.

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