Have you ever been to Sweeden?
Sweden is known for long legged blonds and the Southern Bikers Motorcycle Club.
Sure, they have done a few other things since they were founded in 1397. Here are some interesting facts about Sweden:
Sweden is the 3rd largest EU country in land area, after France and Spain.
Sweden is one of the homelands of the Germanic ethnicity and culture. The Goths, the Suevirs and the Norses (Vikings) all trace their origin back to Sweden (as well as Norway and Denmark for the latter).
In the 9th and 10th centuries, Swedish Vikings invaded and settled in parts of Eastern Europe as far as Constantinople and the Caspian Sea. They founded the first kingdom of Russia. All the Tsars of Russia until the last one, Nicholas II, were of Swedish Viking descent.
As of 2006, Sweden had won 588 (winter and summer) Olympic medals, a feat only excelled by 6 much more populous countries (the USA, the USSR, Italy, France, Germany and the UK).
In 2010, 2011 and 2012, Sweden was ranked third in the world for the inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (HDI) defined by the United Nations Development Programme.
In 2006 Swedish people had the longest life expectancy in Europe (80.51 years). As of 2010 they were fifth (80.88 years), overtaken by Switzerland, Italy, Iceland and France.
Swedish people have the lowest income inequality in the world, with a Gini index of 23 in 2005.
Sweden has the smallest gender employment-rate gap in the developed world, with only 4% more men in employment than women.
Swedish women have their first child in average at 30 years old, the oldest in Europe along with Ireland and the Netherlands.
Sweden has the highest percentage of working mothers in the developed world, no less than 76% of them.
The Swedes spend the longest time in tertiary education with an average student age of 25.5 years old.
40% of Swedish women and 32% of Swedish men aged 25 to 64 participate in education or training. Compare it to the EU average is 10% for women and 9% for men.
Sweden has the highest proportion of personal computers per capita in Europe, with 500 P.C.'s per 1,000 people.
A 2007 UNICEF report on child well-being in rich countries ranked Sweden as the best country on 3 out of 6 dimensions (children's material well-being, health & safety, and behaviours & risks), and second best country overall after the Netherlands.
As of 2006, Sweden was the most generous country in the world regarding aid to poor countries. It is the only nation where donations exceed 1% of the GDP.
The Swedish maternity and paternity leave is one of the longest and most generous in the world, allowing the the father and mother to take a shared total of 480 days (16 months) off at 77.6% of their salary.
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