Stockholm is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropolitan area. The city stretches across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea. Outside the city to the east, and along the coast, is the island chain of the Stockholm archipelago. The area has been settled since the Stone Age, in the 6th millennium BC, and was founded as a city in 1252 by Swedish statesman Birger Jarl. It is also the county seat of Stockholm County. For several hundred years, Stockholm was the capital of Finland as well, which then was a part of Sweden. The population of Stockholm is expected to reach one million people in 2022.
Drottningholm, literally "Queen's Islet", is a locality situated in Ekerö Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, with 398 inhabitants in 2010.
Carl XVI Gustaf is King of Sweden. He ascended the throne on the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, on 15 September 1973.
Mariefred is a locality situated in Strängnäs Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 3,726 inhabitants in 2010.
Tumba is a bimunicipal locality and the seat of Botkyrka Municipality in Stockholm County, Sweden with 37,852 inhabitants in 2010. A part of its statistical urban area, called Rönninge, is in Salem Municipality. The population is 35,311 (2005). The Swedish krona banknotes are printed by Crane AB at Tumba Bruk, in Tumba. Tumba is situated half-way between Stockholm and Södertälje and is considered a Stockholm suburb. In Tumba and Rönninge there are stations on the Stockholm commuter rail network.
Nora is a locality and the seat of Nora Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 6,526 inhabitants in 2010.
Hedemora is a town in Dalarna County and the seat of Hedemora Municipality, Sweden, with 7,273 inhabitants in 2010.
Umeå is a city in northeast Sweden. It is the seat of Umeå Municipality and the capital of Västerbotten County.
Pajala is a locality and the seat of Pajala Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden, with 1,958 inhabitants in 2010. It is located in Swedish Lapland.
Bromölla is a locality and the seat of Bromölla Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 7,595 inhabitants in 2010.
Tranås is a locality and the seat of Tranås Municipality, Jönköping County, Sweden with 14,197 inhabitants in 2010.
Nässjö is a locality and the seat of Nässjö Municipality, Jönköping County, Sweden with 16,678 inhabitants in 2010.
Hjo is a locality and the seat of Hjo Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 6,094 inhabitants in 2010. The town is located on the west coast of Vättern.
Vadstena is a locality and the seat of Vadstena Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden, with 5,613 inhabitants in 2010. From 1974 to 1979 Vadstena was administered as part of Motala Municipality.
Vaxholm is a locality and the seat of Vaxholm Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden. It is located on the island of Vaxön in the Stockholm archipelago. The name Vaxholm comes from Vaxholm Castle, which was constructed in 1549 on an islet with this name on the inlet to Stockholm, for defence purposes, by King Gustav Vasa.
Hofors is a locality and the seat of Hofors Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 6,681 inhabitants in 2010.
Billdal is a bimunicipal locality situated in Kungsbacka Municipality, Halland County, and Gothenburg Municipality, Västra Götaland County, in Sweden. It had 10,289 inhabitants in 2010. It mainly consists of villas and terraced houses, grouped along a windling coastline with many islands.
Sweden does not currently use the euro as its currency and has no plans to replace the existing Swedish krona in the near future. Sweden's Treaty of Accession of 1994 made it subject to the Treaty of Maastricht, which obliges states to join the eurozone once they meet the necessary conditions. Sweden maintains that joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism II, participation in which for at least two years is a requirement for euro adoption, is voluntary, and has chosen to remain outside pending public approval by a referendum, thereby intentionally avoiding the fulfilment of the adoption requirements.
Sandviken is a locality and the seat of Sandviken Municipality in Gävleborg County, Sweden with 39,234 inhabitants in 2019. It is situated about 25 km west of Gävle and lies approximately 190 km north of Stockholm. The rail journey to Stockholm takes about 2 hours and to Arlanda, Sweden's main international airport, no more than 1.5 hours.
The Marcel Bezençon Awards were first handed out during the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 in Tallinn, Estonia honouring the best competing songs in the final. Founded by Christer Björkman and Richard Herrey, the awards are named after the creator of the annual competition, Marcel Bezençon.
