SWEDEN, a country in Europe, which occupies the eastern and Larger portion of the Scandinavian peninsula, and is situated betwecu 55' 20 and CV N. lat., 11' and 24* E. long. About one-sixth of the country lies within the l'olar Circle. On the east, to 00° N. lat., Sweden is bounded by the Bahia and the Gulf of Bothnia, at the head of which it is contiguous to Russia, the boundary running up the Tomes Elf, the Muria's), and the Koos:tin°, a feeder of the Muonio, to he source in the small Lake of Koltejaur, which is on the boundary of Norway. On the west Sweden is bounded by Norway, the boundary following for the most part the watershed of the mountain ranges between the two countries, the Ballaren 'Ake, the strait called Swine loud, the Kattegat, and the Skagerack. On the sonth, the Oresund, or Sound, separative Sweden from the Danish island of Zealand, and the western part of the Baltic from Germany.
The length of this country from south to north Is somewhat more than 900 miles; its width, between SS' and 63' N. lat., varies from 150 to 200 miles, but south of 53' and north of GS' it is not so wide. Its area is 3368 Swedish square miles, equal to 169,330 English square miles. The population at the cud of 1°50 amounted to 3,482,541. The only foreign posseseion of Sweden is St. Bartholomew 's Island, in the West Indies. (Be nenotonew's, Sr.] Cvast.—The coast of Sweden is somewhat more than 1400 miles, exclusive of the deep iulets. The coast along the Skagerack, Kattegat, and Sound is near 300 miles: the remainder is washed by the Baltic. Along, the Rotten Viken, or the most northern part of the Gulf of Bothuis, the coast Is low, and consista of randy alluvial matter brought down by the numerous rivers which fall iuto this part of the Baltic. The islands which lien this coast iu all its extent are of the same character. The coast begins to rise as it approaches the Quarkeu, or strait which connects the Botteu Viken with the Botteu Hafvct, or Sea of Bothuiti, and the islands which lie across the strait are rocky.
South of the Quarken, as far as the town of Gefle (near 60' 40' N. lat.), the coast presents an alternation of low and moderately elevated shores. The islands which line this tract of coast are less numerous than farther north, but larger, and they resemble the neighbouring coast, many of them being low and sandy, while others are undulating, and contain low rocky hills. The semicircular projection of the Swedish coast between Gefle on the north (60° 40' N. lat.), and Bniviken Bay near Norrki?ping on the south (53' 35' N. lat.), has a rocky shore, iudented by numerous inlets, which ere generally small, with the exception of that which unites Lake Slider with the sea. In conse quence of these inlets, this coast eousiste of a succession of small peninsulas. Though extremely rocky, the coast in general is of moderato elevation: in a few places it may rise to 100 feet. The islands, which are very numerous along the whole coast, but especially to the south of the Alands Hat (the Sea of Aland), all consist of rocks, but the greater part of them are only a few feet above the sea. These
rocky islands and islets are called 'likens' and many of them are sur rounded by sand-banks. South of the small bay of Briviken, as far as the parallel of the northern extremity of the island of Oland (57' 22' N. lab), the coast is partly rocky and somewhat elevated, and partly low and sandy. It is likewise intersected by many inlets, all of which run from east-south-east to westenorth-west, so as to give to this part of the coast nearly the appearance of a saw. The rocky islands and cliffs which line it are still more numerous than farther north, and render the access to it very difficult. The coast of the Strait of Calmar (which divides the island of Oland from Sweden), is low, and rune in a lea broken line. The islands in this strait are comparatively few ; and south of Calmar they disappear almost entirely. The Strait of Calmar terminates on the south with Cape Tornhamnsudde or Torrumudde, a low rocky point east of Carlacrona, at which the coast, which up to this point extended nearly due north and south, suddenly turns to the west. This is the moat broken rocky and elevated part of the coast of Sweden, and it extends to a few miles west of Carlehamn. Nearly the whole of this coast consist., of rocks, sometimes rising 50 feet high with a steep ascent : but between the projecting masses, and especially at the mouths of the small river., it sinks nearly to the level of the sea ; and such places generally form good harbours and anchorages, being protected from the wind and sea by the numerous ialauds which line the coast. The largest of these islands are at a short distance from Cape Torrumudde, and form the harbour of Carlscrona. The rocky elevated coast terminates at the peninsula of Solvcteborg; the shores of the peninsula of Scathe, which forms the most souther° part of Sweden, being low, sandy, and free from islands and rocks, but in a few places lined with sand-hanks. Cape Kellen, which forma the northern entrance of the Sound on the east, is of moderate elevation, but north of it the coast sinks down nearly to the level of the sea, and continues so to Warberg, up to which place no Iolanda or rocks occur. The coast rises a little north of Warberg, and the rocky islands reappear and increase in number as we proceed northward : it also gradually rises higher, though the elevation never exceeds 30 feet. The coast is very rocky, and intersected by several large inlets, especially north of Giitheborg, where the arms of the sea run up to Uddevalla, and separate from the mainland two largo islands, Tybrn and Orust, which' are rather hilly. The other islands are only rocky cliffs of small extent and moderate elevation ; and as we approach the boundary of Norway several of them consist of Baud and other alluvial matter.