Stockholm
Brief history
Due to the low temperatures in the north, much of the population of today's Swede relocated to the south, where living conditions were more favorable. This migration happened around 8000 BC. Today's city is founded by the Vikings around the 11th century. The city quickly began to grow and become the center of trade, exclusively trading with the northern European countries. Historic documents from 1252 already mention the town of Stockholm. In the 13th century, the population already had recognized the city as a political center of the country. The city grew in the following centuries, and by the end of the 15th century there lived about 7,000 people. During the time of Gustav I Vasa, Sweden ceased to be a part of the Kalmar Unity, and the King began to spread the ideas of Protestantism. In the 18th century the city was devastated by diseases and other disasters, but managed to recover from the losses, both in terms of population and in economy. However, the city continued to develop and consolidate its position as an important center of trade which it still is today.
The Swedish capital, Stockholm, has a population of a little less than 1 million in the urban area, with an area of 188sq.km, and over 2 million in the whole metropolitan area. Stockholm is divided into 14 districts, subdivided into smaller neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has its own responsibility for its kindergartens, schools, green areas and cultural events.
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Information
City Executive Office
Address: Stadshuset, kommunikationsenheten,
105 35 Stockholm, Sweden
Press service
Mayor’s Office
1/3 of gross domestic product is produced in the capital. The city is a global center and one of the most developed cities in Europe. The central part of the city is located on fourteen islands of the Stockholm Archipelago. Over 30% of the city's infrastructure is waterways, while green areas and open spaces are another 30%. Over 85% of jobs in the capital are in the service sector, with almost no heavy industry in the city. This makes Stockholm one of the cleanest cities in Europe.
Stockholm
A major part of Stockholm's economy is tourism. The city has many cultural institutions, museums, galleries and theaters and is visited by millions of tourists every year. The Vasa Museum is the most famous museum in the capital. It is a maritime museum displaying the only almost intact battleship of the 17th century, Vasa, that sank during her maiden voyage in 1628. In 1961 the vessel was taken out and exhibited in the museum in 1988. Vasa Museum is believed to be the most visited museum in Scandinavia.
