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Sweden is famous for its natural beauty. Over nine million people live in the country stretching 978 miles from north to south and 310 miles from east to west, just slightly larger than California. The Swedish landscape is characterized by its long coastline with some unique, fantastic archipelagos, large forests and numerous lakes, some 95,000 in number. These are accessible to anyone under the customary right of common access. You can pick berries and mushrooms while hiking through the forests and fields as long as the natural scenery and private property are respected.

The capital of Sweden, Stockholm, is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The city is built on fourteen islands and connected by more than 50 bridges between the Baltic Sea and Lake Mälaren, the third largest lake in Sweden. The lake's water is so clean that you can swim downtown in it in good weather. With luck, you may even catch a fifty-pound salmon. Stockholm was founded in the mid-thirteenth century with Old Town as one of the islands located in the heart of the city.

Founded in 1477, Sweden's Uppsala University is the oldest university in Scandinavia. Sweden's second oldest university, Lund University, was founded in 1666. Today, with almost 27,000 students, it is the largest of the 39 institutions of higher education in Sweden.

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Sweden in the twenty-first century is a modern, sophisticated, internationalized society that is very much part of the globalized world. The knowledge of English is very good as it is taught all through school. In recent decades, research and development have had high priority in Sweden. It is one of the countries that invests the largest percentage of its gross domestic product in research and development.

Sweden has traditionally been a very homogeneous country. However, during the last 60 years, the ethnic and religious composition of the population has changed, and today, roughly 18 percent of Swedish residents are foreign-born or have at least one non-native parent.

The Swedish Fulbright Commission was established in 1952 by an executive agreement signed by American Ambassador Walton Butterworth representing the U.S. government and by Dag Hammarskjöld representing the Swedish government. Dag Hammarskjöld later became the Secretary General of the United Nations and the recepient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1961. Since its inception, approximately 2,800 American and Swedish students and scholars have received awards through the Swedish Fulbright Commission. Many of the Fulbright alumni are now prominent academic or public figures. The commission's alumni directory has on occasion been referred to as a condensed version of Sweden's Who's Who with, among others, a prime minister and two Nobel Prize Laureates.

"My two Fulbright experiences have led to significant scholarly and personal achievements and, most importantly, lasting friendships and relationships with colleagues and institutions abroad."

"Rich in history, traditions, food, and culture, Sweden provided my family and me a constant, friendly dialogue. The Swedes, being fluent in English at all ages, were always open to the exchange of ideas and culture, and, as a people, were gracious hosts. The country has one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe, impacting one's professional and personal growth in many unexpected ways. From Bronze-age rock carvings to castles to the latest technologies, we found Sweden to be a perfect destination for scholars and their families." Dr. Andrew Gillespie, Purdue University.

http://www.usemb.se
U.S. Embassy and Swedish Fulbright Commission

http://www.sweden.se
The Official Gateway to Sweden

http://www.si.se
The Swedish Institute

http://www.studyinsweden.se

http://www.hsv.se
National Agency for Higher Education