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( Sweden)
Sweden['swidn]&_160;(help·info), officially the Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish Konungariket Sverige&_160;(help·info) ['ko.n?.?a.?ri.k?t 'svær.j?]), is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, and is connected to Denmark by the Oresund Bridge. It has been a member of the European Union since January 1, 1995. Its capital and largest city is Stockholm, with a population of 802,611 and 2 million in metropolitan area, and is by far the most populous city in Sweden and Scandinavia. Sweden is the most visited country in Northern Europe with 5,2 million visitors in 2007 [4] At 449,964&_160;km2 (173,732&_160;sq&_160;mi), Sweden is the largest country by area in Northern Europe and fourth largest in Europe. With a total population of over 9.2 million, of whom about 7.8 million are ethnic Swedes,[5][6] Sweden has a low population density of 20 people per km² (52 per sq. mi). About 84% of the population live in urban areas.[7] Sweden emerged out of the Kalmar Union formed in 1397, and by the unification of the country by King Gustav Vasa in the 16th century. In the 17th century the country expanded its territories to form the Swedish empire. Most of the conquered territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were lost during the 18th and 19th centuries. The eastern half of Sweden constituted by the eastern half of Norrland and Österland was lost to Russia in 1809. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when Sweden by military means forced Norway into a personal union with Sweden, a union which lasted until 1905. Since 1814, Sweden has been at peace, adopting a non-aligned foreign policy in peacetime and neutrality in wartime.[8] The modern name Sweden is derived through back-formation from Old English Sweoðeod, which meant "people of the Swedes" (Old Norse Svíþjóð, Latin Suetidi). This word is derived from Sweon/Sweonas (Old Norse Sviar, Latin Suiones). The Swedish name Sverige literally means "Realm of the Swedes", excluding the Geats in Götaland.
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