Honeymoon Tours Travel

The Swedes are justly proud of the natural beauty of their country. From the snow-capped mountains of the north, through rolling countryside dotted with forests and lakes, to the tiny islands of the Baltic archipelagos around Stockholm, the country is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. Like its people, cities are modern and dynamic, but also rich in tradition.

Sweden is Europe's fifth-largest country, with an area about the size of California. Roughly 1,600 km (1,000 miles) lie between its southernmost and northernmost points. About 15 percent 1f its area lies north of the Arctic Circle, here, for a few days each summer, he sun never sets, and never rises for similar period in winter. The Swedish climate is not severe, thanks to the Warming influence of the Gulf Stream. Only 7 percent of Sweden's area is cultivated farmland; more than half of the country is covered by timberlands, consisting mainly of coniferous forests. Mountains, fells, and wetlands occupy nearly a quarter of the country. Sweden has about 100,000 lakes, which include Vanern, the third-largest body of fresh water in Europe. Norrland, the northern three-fifths of the country, is rich in natural resources, including timber, ore deposits, and rivers, whose waterfalls contribute to the national energy supply. It is here that the Sami (formerly known as the Lapps) earn their traditional livelihood herding reindeer.