Hydrography.— The rivers and lalces are numerous; the latter in particular on a large scale, giving to the scenery of the country sev eral of its grandest features. The rivers all belong to the basins of the Baltic Sea and the German Ocean. The former receives the far larger share. To it belongs the Tomei, which, rising in the Norwegian mountains, pursues its course south-southeast for nearly 290 miles, augmented by numerous large affluents, and falls into the northern extremity of the Gulf of Bothnia; the Lulea, Pitea, Skelleftea, and united Windel and lima., which flow precipi tously southeast into the same gulf ; the Anger mann, which flows 230 miles, and in the lower part of its course becomes so wide. and deep that vessels of 600 tons can ascend nearly 70 miles from the sea; and the eastern and west ern Dal, which, uniting their streams, receive the discharge of numerous lakes, and pursue a more circuitous course than usual in Swedish rivers. The principal rivers belonging to the basin of the German Ocean are the Klar and the GOta, the former of which, issuing from Lake Famund, on the edge of the Doverfield Mountains, fur nishes Lake Wener with its chief supply of water; while the latter, which may be consid ered only as its continuation, discharges it into the ocean. The lakes not only add to the beauty of the scenery but yield large supplies of fish, and both by their natural depth and the canals which have been cut to connert them are of vast navigable importance and furnish a long line of internal communication. In this way a direct channel has been opened from Giite borg on the west to Soderkoping on the east coast, and communicating with the important towns of Wenersborg, Carlstad, Mariestad, Jonkoping and Linkoping. In the same manner the capital has been enabled to extend its con nections with the interior. In general, however, the rivers are too rocky for navigation. The largest lake is Lake Wener (area, 2,014 square miles) ; the next in size Lake Wetter (715 square miles). Lake Malar, better known than the other large lakes, from having the capital on its shores, is also remarkable for the number of islands which so crowd its surface that it is scarcely possible to find a square mile of open water. Hjelmar, ikhich has both a natural and an artificial communication with Lake Malar, has an area of 188 square miles.
Geology and Minerals.— The mines of Sweden are rising in importance as rapidly as new mining machinery is being introduced. In 1916 they already engaged 48,166 persons and yielded large quantities of iron and other ores, as well as lead, silver, copper and gold. In the year mentioned the amounts in tons were: iron ore, 6,986,298; coal, 414,825; zinc ore, 60,700; sulphur pyrites, 27.848; copper ore, 13,895; manganese ore, 8,894; silver and lead ore, 3,707; pig iron, 732,734; bar iron, 526,353. sides, there were produced 230 tons of gold ore, 3,707 tons of silver and lead ore, and 8,894 tons of manganese ore. Almost the whole of the country is composed of gneiss, partially pene trated by granite. Patches of porphyry and greenstone, of Silurian rocks, of oolite, and of cretaceous rocks, appear in various localities. Iron not only occurs in beds of immense thick ness, enclosed in strata of gneiss, but forms the principal mass of whole mountains. The most celebrated iron-mines are those of Dane mora in Ian Upsala, where the iron worked is perhaps the best in the world, and is admirably adapted for steel. The quantity produced, however, is much smaller than in some other districts where the quality is also excellent.
Climate.-- The climate of Sweden varies
considerably with the latitude and elevation. There is hardly any spring or autumn interven ing between the heat of summer and the cold of winter, but in the north the winter lasts for nine months, in the south only for seven. Speaking generally, the climate of Sweden, though modified by the proximity of the sea, so as to be milder in all respects than the inte rior of the northern parts of the Russian and Asiatic continents, is much more extreme than that of our own islands, even where the two countries are in the same latitude, and experi ences greater degrees both of cold and heat. Hence at Stockholm the thermometer has been known to descend 26° below zero in January, and to rise in July to the almost tropical heat of The climate, however, is favorable to health, and no country furnishes more nu merous instances of longevity.
Forestry and Most of the public forests, covering an area of over 19,000,000 acres, belong to the government and yield con siderable timber. In the very northern ex tremity of Sweden fine trees of pine, fir and birch are found. These, however, occupy only occasional patches, and the true forest-land must be considered as having its limit near 64°. Below this latitude, and chiefly in the central and southern parts of the kingdom, the forests occupy at least one-fourth of the whole surface, and sometimes stretch continuously for 80 miles in length by 20 miles in breadth. Many of these, however, consist of trees of stunted growth, available chiefly for domestic fuel or the supply of the smelting furnaces, and seldom of much use as timber. Forests in which oak and beech are the prevailing trees occur only in the south. The flora is of the post-glacial pe riod, and of Finnish characteristics rather than of more southern and continental latitudes. Wild brier berries are plentiful.
the larger wild animals the wolf and bear abound in the forests, and often commit great ravages. The elk and deer are also found, but in more limited numbers. Of smaller animals the most destructive is the lem ming, which at intervals of years descends in immense numbers into the low country and lays it waste. Among birds the most remarkable are eagles, capercailzies and woodcocks.
The rivers and lakes are well stocked with salmon and trout, but the fisheries on the sea-coast have long ceased to be produc tive. Herrings, which used to visit the coast of the Baltic, have almost entirely disappeared, though large numbers of a fish resembling herrings are taken along the east coast. About 34,000 persons find employment in the fisheries.
9.1 per cent of the total area is under crop, 3.3 in natural meadow and 54.7 per cent in forest, the latter furnishing a staple industry. Only a small portion of the arable land, and that mostly in the south, is favorable for the growth of wheat; but there is now a considerable export of oats and some of other cereals to Great Britain. Until re cently the grain grown in Sweden did not suffice for domestic consumption. Potatoes are grown in almost all parts of the country, and form one of the main articles of food among the lower classes. The most important auxiliary crops are beet-root for sugar, hemp and flax, the latter of excellent quality; on a few favored spots to bacco, hops and madder are grown. Cherries, apples and pears are tolerably abundant in the southern districts. The principal domestic ani mals are cattle, sheep and reindeer. The last supply food and clothing. In 1917 there were 447,695 farms under cultivation, the products of which form a staple export.