When we think about traveling to another country, we are interested in knowing some aspects that make that place more than just another point on the map. Today I am going to talk about charming Sweden with some special and unique characteristics that make it a benchmark for the whole world. Here are the most interesting facts about Sweden.
Bigger size, smaller population
Sweden is the third largest country in Europe after France and Spain. But despite this, it has one of the lowest population densities on the continent; about 23 people per square kilometre.
Favorite taxes
The taxes that Swedes pay are among the most expensive in the world. Every resident must pay local taxes at rates that vary depending on the municipality and range from 29 to 35 percent. In addition, if you earn more than $ 58,593 per year, you must pay 20 percent national income tax and 25 percent if your annual income is more than $ 82,307. On the other hand, your employer must pay 31% to cover social benefits. This is usually considered a negative for residents of most countries. However, Swedes do not complain about paying these high taxes, quite the opposite. Perhaps this is due to the transparency with which their taxes are processed and the fact that they can access free health care and education, since almost 35% of the taxes they pay are directed to these items, while only about 2.5% goes to the defense category.
Invention and Innovation
Sweden is a country of inventions and innovations. It currently has the highest number of patents per capita in all of Europe. Inventions such as the three-point seat belt in cars, the pacemaker, the GPS global positioning system or the Tetra Pak packaging solution were created by Swedes. World-famous companies such as Volvo, Ikea, Sony Ericsson, Skype, H&M, Spotify and even the popular game Candy Crash are of Swedish origin.
Musical cradle
The Scandinavian country has been the birthplace of a significant number of popular bands. It has produced bands such as ABBA, Europe, The Cardigans, Roxette and Ace of Base. ABBA is one of the best-selling music groups in history. At their peak in the 1970s and 1980s, ABBA was Sweden’s biggest export after Volvo. It’s such an important emblem that the legendary band has its own museum in Stockholm.
Good neighbors
Sweden has a highly efficient waste-to-energy system that uses the energy generated by recycling waste to heat homes in the winter instead of fossil fuels. The system is so efficient that it imports 700,000 tons of waste from other countries, such as Italy and the UK, to supply its 32 energy hubs. And for hard-to-recycle items, it has spawned a government circular economy program, an approach that involves using products that can be completely reused.
Equality and parity
The smallest gender gap in employment in the world today is found in Sweden. The difference between employed men and women is only 4%. In addition, Swedish mothers and fathers are entitled to 480 days of parental leave in connection with the birth or adoption of a child. This leave can be taken for a month, a week, a day or even an hour and divided between them as desired. Sixty days of leave are specifically allocated to each parent, and these days cannot be transferred from one parent to the other. To encourage the correct distribution of these days, couples who equally share the transferable parental leave receive a bonus of SEK 50 per day for a maximum of 270 days.
High level of alcohol regulation
In the mid-20th century, Sweden declared a state monopoly on liquor stores for personal consumption. Since then, supermarkets and other businesses are prohibited from selling alcohol above 3.5%. The opening hours of these establishments are so limited that if you want to buy higher-quality alcohol on the weekend, you have to get up early, because on Saturdays and Sundays they are only open in the morning. To improve the system and after a pilot test lasting 7 years, home sales of alcohol in licensed stores were approved in 2019.
Peace and weapons
Despite being a huge military power in the 17th century and being one of the 15 largest arms exporters in the world, Sweden did not participate in any war for almost two centuries.
Love for burgers
Apparently, Swedes love hamburgers. The country has the highest number of McDonald's restaurants per capita in all of Europe and the second highest in the world. After the US, of course.
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