SWE'DEN, Sverige, the eastern portion of the Scandinavian peninsula, constitutes with Norway (q.v.) one joint kingdom. It is situated in 55° 20'-69° 3' n. lat., and 11° —24° e. long., and is bounded on the n. and w. by Norway; on the extreme s.w. and s. by the Cattegat. which separates it from Denmark; on the s.e. and e., as far as 66° n. 1st., by the Baltic and the gulf of Bothnia; and from thence to the extreme n. by Russia. The area is nearly 170,000 sq.m. ' • and the pop. was, in '71, 4,204,177. Its length is 969 in., and its greatest width from 150 to 280 miles. Sweden is divided into three provinces— viz., Norrland, the largest and most northern; Sweden Proper, or (land of the Swedes), in the center; and Gbtland or 05ta-rike (land of the Goths), to the south. The following are the areas and populations of the 25 Ian into which the pros inces are subdivided (in '78 the total pop. was estimated at 4,485,000): In 1878 Sweden ceded her only colony, St. Bartholomew (q.v.), to France (to which country it once belonged) on payment of the purchase money agreed on.
Unlike Norway, Sweden possesses few high mountains, but contains numerous lakes of large dimensions. The coast skirting the Baltic, and the adjoining islands, are for the most part low and sandy, although in some parts, as in the vicinity of the outlet of lake Maelar into the sea (in about 58° n. lat.), the shores are steep; and on the s. and w. coast, the generally low, alluvial lands are replaced by more rocky formations.
In the northern parts the land rises gradually from the gulf of Bothnia to the Kjolen range, belonging to the great Norwegian Fjeldmark, which constitutes the true water shed and natural boundary between Sweden and Norway. South of 62° n. lat., the slope is directed southward, attaining its lowest level in the vicinity of the three great lakes of Vener, Maelar, and Hjelmar, which, together with the great Vetter lake, nearly intersect the country from e. to w.; and s. of these great inland waters, the surface is in general level, though ranges of high ground and detached hills occur.
Sweden may be considered to be divided into three distinct parts—viz., the northern or alpine region, the central or lake district, and the southern or mining district. The extreme s. includes the only level and fertile tract, in which wheat can at all times be advantageously and extensively cultivated. The lakes of Sweden have been computed to cover nearly -th of the entire area of the country. The largest are lake Vener (q.v.); lake Vetter (q.v.); and the Maelar lake (q.v.). The rivers are generally short and rapid, and only made navigable by art. The largest is the Angermann Ely, which flows into the gulf of Bothnia. The Cattegat is connected with the Baltic by means of an admirable system of canals, etc.
Temperature, Natural Products, etc.—The differences of climate in Sweden are neces sarily very great, considering that its most northern parts are more than 2° within the polar circle, and its southern extremity 11° s. of it, besides which many districts are so nearly surrounded by seas and lakes as to have the conditions of an insular position. Great extremes of temperature are common in different parts of Sweden; thus, while Stockholm has a mean annual temperature of 42°.2Fahr., and G5tteborg 46°.3, the sum mer temperature of the former is 60°.4 Fahr., and that of the later 62°.13; and the win ter temperature of the former only 25°.8, and that of the latter 31°.5 Fahr.
The heat of the summer, which is scarcely separated from the cold of the winter by either spring or autumn in the extreme northern districts, enables the inhabitants to cul tivate barley, which is reaped within two months of the time of its sowing, although even the hardier cereals, as oats and rye, will not ripen above the parallel of 66° n. lat. Indeed, the climate of Sweden generally is unfavorable to the growth of grain, the annual yield of which frequently falls short of the wants of the population. The principal articles of cultivation are, in addition to the various cereals, potatoes, hemp, flax, tobacco, and hops, which are generally grown in sufficient quantities for home consumption. The forests are of great extent, covering nearly one-fourth of the entire surface, and rising at some spots to an elevation of 3,000 ft. above the level of the sea. The birch, fir, pine, and beech are of great importance, not only for the timber, tar, and pitch, which they yield, but also from their supplying charcoal and firewood. Above the parallel of 164°, stunted bushes, berries, dwarf-plants, and lichens are the only forms of vegetation to be met with. The common fruit-trees, as cherries, apples, and pears, grow as far north as 60°, but the fruit seldom comes to great perfection except in the southern prov inces; cranberries and other berries abound, however, in all parts of the country. Bears and beavers, which were formerly often met with, are becoming scarce; bnt wolves, lynxes, foxes, martens, squirrels, eagles, reindeer in the Lappmarks, etc., are still common ; while the"elk and deer are found in some of the forests, which abound in hares, woodcock, blackcock, and various other kinds of small game; and lemmings (q.v.) occasionally descend from the mountains in large numbers, and lay waste the low country. The lakes yield a great abundance of fish, 88 differentkinds of sea and fresh water fish being brought to market. In 1870, there were in Sweden 428,446 horses, 1,965, 800 horned cattle, 1, 780,000 sheep and goats, and 354,203 swine.