Sweden is the largest and most populous of the Nordic countries and has a roughly 1,000-year-long continuous history as a sovereign state.
It rose from backwardness and poverty into a highly developed post-industrial society, with a standard of living and life expectancy that rank among the highest in the world.
So let's take a closer look at how this constitutional monarchy looks today.
We at Bored Panda put together a list of photos that paint a pretty accurate picture of Sweden's land, people, and culture, so continue scrolling to check out just how unique it is. Just beware, you can also end up opening a new browser tab and buying some plane tickets...
#1 What Is This, A Record Store For Mice? Well Yes It Is And Someone Built It Yesterday In The Swedish Town Of Lund
Image credits: socialdistanzing
#2 This "No Cars Allowed" Sign In Sweden
Image credits: Crispiann
#3 Nappies In Sweden Have A Father On The Packaging
Image credits: caspii2
#4 Stockholm Underground Stations Look Like Mystic Caves
Image credits: flarfoster
#5 A Beautiful Afternoon Above The Swedish West Coast. Gullholmen, Sweden
Image credits: airpixels
#6 The Speed Camera Lottery In Stockholm, Sweden. Drive At Or Under The Speed Limit And You'll Be Entered Into A Lottery. The Prize Fund Comes From The Fines That Speeders Pay
Average speed reduced from 32 km/h to 25 km/h (a reduction of 22%).
Image credits: Rolighetsteorin
#7 Internet Speed In Sweden
Image credits: birk
#8 In Sweden, We Get A Text Message When Our Blood Has Helped A Patient. This Is My 3rd Time Donating
Image credits: cjsweden
#9 The Air Vents On A Subway In Stockholm Have A Hidden Pacman Easter Egg
Image credits: Oluge2009
#10 Øresund Bridge Tunnel, Connecting Sweden To Denmark
Image credits: Øresundsbron
#11 Northern Lights Over My House In Luleå, Sweden
Image credits: peterparnes
#12 This McDonalds In Sweden Has A "McSki", Instead Of A Drive Thru. In Fact, It’s The Only One
Image credits: fabbe_r
#13 In Sweden Trees Can Send Texts When They Need Water Using An Implanted Moisture Sensor
Image credits: Helsingborgs stad
#14 In Sweden, If You Work For The State For 30 Years You Receive A Gold Medal
Image credits: Etroutha
#15 A Pharmacy I Stumbled Across In Stockholm. It Has Been A Pharmacy Since The 1800s And Maintained The Original Decor
Image credits: lightbulb663
#16 Venue In Sweden Called Dalhalla. Made From An Old Quarry
Image credits: dalhalla
#17 Sweden Has The Largest Scale Model Of The Solar System In The World Stretching 950km Across The Country
Image credits: Einarspetz
#18 University Of Uppsala's Anatomical Theatre Where Bodies Were Dissected In Front Of An Audience (Built In 1663, Sweden)
Image credits: kaaattttt
#19 Coolest Hotel Ever. Report From An Ice Hotel, Which Turns Out To Be Less Boring Than I Expected
Image credits: uspn
#20 A Stand For Bikers To Hold On To While Waiting For The Traffic Lights In Sweden
Image credits: medmik
#21 This Art Installation In A Subway Entrance In Sweden
Image credits: Swee_et
#22 Shopping Carts In Sweden Have A Map Of The Supermarket
Image credits: caspii2
#23 3,500-Year-Old Petroglyphs Found In Tanum, Sweden. Some Of The Carvings Are Boats, Animals, People And Mythological Creatures
Image credits: kajola1969
#24 In Sweden They Sell Chocolate Next To Pads
Image credits: fhcm_
#25 Santa Has A Reserved Parking Spot At This IKEA In Sweden
Image credits: Eleeas
#26 Treehotel - Unique Treerooms With Contemporary Design In The Nature In Harads, Near The Lule River, Sweden
Image credits: treehotel
#27 “Vapenkassuns” Are Armories Scattered Across Sweden In The Event That The USSR Would Ever Attack
Civil commanders would open the caches and grab weapons, armor, supplies, etc to enact “total defense” and protect Sweden.
Image credits: Calle Eklund
#28 In Sweden We Celebrate Something We Call Midsommar On Friday 19th (Midsummer)
Image credits: RedditBeacon
#29 Sweden Has Started Selling Portable Ashtrays That Completely Seal And Don’t Smell At Local Gas Stations To Minimize Littering
Image credits: B00NSH
#30 Sweden Has Baby Stroller Parking Spots
Image credits: stowka
#31 Crazy Flooring Between Two Shops In Gothenburg, Sweden
Image credits: kjs_23
#32 In Sweden We Have Trash Cans With WiFi
Image credits: glimpim01
#33 Mchive, Sweden: The World's Smallest McDonald's Aims To Save Bees
Image credits: NORD DDB
#34 Some Mice Have Opened A Miniature Shop (70 X 30 Cm) In Malmö, Sweden
Image credits: EbaySweden
#35 This Is A Solitary Confinement Cell From The Toughest Prison In Sweden
Image credits: roadhogmainOW
#36 Town Of Kiruna, Sweden
Image credits: nordlig.photo
#37 My Hometown (Örebro, Sweden) Set Up What They’re Saying Is The Biggest Gaming Screen In The World On The Wall Of Our City’s Castle
Image credits: jona_nils
#38 Street Art, Sweden
Image credits: dittidot
#39 In Sweden There Is A Huge Straw Goat Known As Gävlebocken (The Gävle Goat) Which Gets Burned Down Or Destroyed By People Almost Every Year
As of today, it has survived for five years in a row which is a new record.
Image credits: NateKiing
#40 Here's A Picture Of What Swedish Fika Looks Like. Fika Is A Concept In Swedish Culture That Means "To Have Coffee, Cake, And Chit-Chat"
It's a big part of the culture and most companies have two daily Fika breaks at 9 am and 3 pm.
Image credits: PM-ME-UGLY-SELFIES
#41 Rare Phenomenon Called Nacreous Clouds. They Are Formed High Up In The Atmosphere, At An Altitude Of 30 Kilometers. The Picture Is Taken In Jamtland, Sweden
Image credits: DiggaNog
#42 Only In Sweden You Can Find A Floating House
Image credits: ubun09
#43 There Is A Tradition In Malmö, Limhamn Where Divers Put Down These Clowns And Other Stuff Just To Mess With The New Divers
Image credits: Relevant_Ad6589
#44 In A Swedish IKEA I Found Pillows With Coordinates On Them. These Coordinates Lead To A Small Fishing Village In Sweden
Image credits: xboxkyle
#45 Järnpojke, A Little Boy Looking At The Moon, The Smallest Public Monument In Stockholm At 15 Centemeters (5.9 Inches). Created By Liss Eriksson
Image credits: OpPieter Claerhouttrix
#46 This National Park In Sweden Refused To Cut Trees In The Way Of The Bridge So They Just Left The Trees In The Way
Image credits: SuryaMstr
#47 The Guardians
At a campsite in Näsåker, Sweden, these figures can be seen sitting around a fire (at night a lamp with an orange glow can be seen in the campfire).
They are called "Väktarna" which means "The Guardians".
Image credits: Warvillage
#48 Bus Stop In Sweden. Talk About Personal Space
Image credits: Smiix
#49 One Of The City's Smallest Residential Buildings In Stockholm, Sweden
Image credits: Holger.Ellgaard
#50 Sweden Is Home To The World's Largest Storage Of Wood
#51 Twinkies And Pop-Tarts In Swedish "Disgusting Food Museum"
Image credits: its_zara
#52 Fat Tuesday In Sweden Today. Time To Overeat And Celebrate This Thing We Call "Semla"
Every year we celebrate this day we call "fettisdagen" or fat Tuesday. This holiday dates back to the year 1594 and occurs 47 days before easter every year. The name of the day comes from all the fat food you'll eat during this day before the fasting begins till the easter holiday starts. The American version of our fat Tuesday is Mardi Gras.
The tradition in Sweden is to eat this pastry during this day. It's called Semla and as the day suggests it's filled with calories. It's made by a simple bun either just white flour or with added cardamom (which is my favorite). Then you scoop out the bottom half and fill it with almond cream. Top it off with whipped cream and lid with added icing sugar. IT'S SO DELICIOUS! If you go to Sweden during this time you really have to try Semla! Everyone is crazy about it and the pastry shops with the best semla usually have queues going outside the shops.
Image credits: TheGoatfather
#53 In Sweden, You Can Stand In Three Countries At The Same Time. Treriksröset - The Place Where Norway, Finland And Sweden Meet
Image credits: TraktorHagrid
#54 Here In Sweden, The Ice-Cream Truck Goes Around. All. Year. Long
Image credits: JPPM
#55 In Sweden They Have A Crossing For Ducks And A Caution Not To Hit Them
Image credits: GingersAreAdopted
#56 People Like Their Bikes In Uppsala, Sweden
Image credits: Iodine-127
#57 Valborg In Stockholm. Large Bonfires Are Lit Across The Country As Symbols Of The Passing Of Winter And The Approach To Spring
Image credits: mkj.fotografi
#58 Found This In A Hotel In Sweden. Don't Make Me Get The Can Opener
Image credits: RebootedFrazer
#59 A Complaints Drop-Off Box For The City Of Gothenburg, Sweden
Image credits: Spikas
#60 The Kinnevik Tree In Stockholm Is The Tallest "Real" Christmas Tree In The World
Image credits: taleoftrampers
#61 This Crosswalk In Stockholm
Image credits: RavenCutt
#62 The Grass Carpet Leading To The Door Of This Old Building In Stockholm
Image credits: mutanthands
#63 In Sweden, We Watch Donald Duck Every Christmas Eve At 15:00
Image credits: Isakmannen
#64 Stockholm Metro Art Is Pretty Neat
Image credits: roadhogmainOW
#65 Hanging In A Pizzeria In Stockholm, Sweden
Image credits: JPPM
#66 A Road Sign Warns Drivers That They May Encounter Pedestrians Who Are Deeply Absorbed In Their Smartphones, In Stockholm, Sweden
Image credits: sempler
#67 Spotted In Sweden
Image credits: DrKingAce
#68 Sunrise In Sweden
Image credits: No_Expression6975
#69 The Only Taxidermied Blue Whale In The World Located In Gothenburg, Sweden
A couple got caught “making love” inside the creature, so now they open the mouth only on special occasions.
Image credits: Göteborgs Naturhistoriska Museum
#70 The Oldest Piece Of Furniture In Sweden, Kungsårabänken, A Sofa Dating From The Viking Age (1000-1100 A.D.)
Image credits: Sons of Norway District 1 - Sharing Norwegian Heritage and Culture
#71 "The Umbrella Project" In Stockholm, Sweden
Image credits: NateKiing
#72 Candy In Sweden. This Is A Common Candy Section That Exists In Every Supermarket In Sweden
Before the checkout, you are surrounded by sweets. You have to pass this section before going to the checkouts to the left. It's all candy.
Image credits: Warting
#73 Trainy Mctrainface, Christened Today In Gothenburg, Sweden
Image credits: Peanutcat4
#74 Sweden Has The Densest Population Of Moose In The World. Although 300 000 To 400 000 Of Moose Inhabit Sweden It Can Still Be Difficult To See A Moose In The Wild
About 100 000 of them are killed in autumn, and the same number is born each spring, keeping the summer population rather stable.
Image credits: familytrekking.nl
#75 This Is A "Wall Of Kindness" In Stockholm, Sweden. Where People Can Leave Clothes, And Take Clothes If They Need Them, During The Cold Months Of Winter
Image credits: Anorcrakna
#76 The Chinese Pavilion, Located On The Drottningholm Palace Grounds In Stockholm, Sweden. It Is A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Image credits: perkamperin
#77 Carina Sees Everything, So Never Forget To Recycle
Image credits: ZahirXOXO
#78 Local Supermarket Trying To Troll Tourists. It's An Acquired Taste
Image credits: lostinarctichell
#79 10 Minutes From Where I Live Lies Anundshög. One Of The Oldest Viking Graves In The World. It's Located In Västerås, Sweden
Image credits: ed22322
#80 The Spreadable Cheese Selection At A Swedish Grocery Store
Image credits: knitwithchopsticks
#81 Since Spain Does Nutella Pizza, And Apparently Italians Do Too. I Present You This Swedish Mutant. Yes, That Is Gold
Image credits: kommanditbolag
#82 LED Bathroom Handles At Train Station In Sweden Change Colors Based On Occupancy
Image credits: madskillz89
#83 This Hospital In Sweden Has Dots On The Floor To Indicate Which Way The Doors Open For Their Patients
Image credits: AG_Cracker
#84 You Could Test A Torture Device Spanish Donkey In Stockholm's Army Museum
Image credits: Penkinvaltaaja
#85 Couple Friendly Benches In Sweden
Image credits: MoveItFootballHead
#86 Borders - Here's Sweden & Norway At Winter
Image credits: haqbar
#87 Viking Runestone Overlooking A Golf Course – Risbyle, Sweden
Image credits: kattmedtass
#88 Sweden’s Festive Drink Of Choice Is A Carbonated Beverage Known As Julmust
Image credits: nyckelbryggerier
#89 Swedish Shopping Cart Has Magnetic Wheels So It Doesn't Roll Down The Escalator
Image credits: pacc3130
#90 Swedish Ads Are On A Different Level. This Is Posted All Over Swedish Public Transport. What The Hell
Image credits: Jacobacon215
#91 Chessboards On The Tables In Parks
Image credits: microscout
#92 What Is The Front Part Of The Toilet And What's Its Purpose? I Found It In Northern Sweden
Image credits: kc3w
#93 These Completely Round Houses In Stockholm, Sweden
Image credits: kirnehp
#94 The Mother Of All Round Buildings: Globen, Stockholm
It is the largest hemispherical construction in the world. In the Swedish Solar System, it represents the Sun.
Image credits: Holger.Ellgaard
#95 One Of The Key Details In Sustainable Community Design Here In Sweden - Underground Separated Waste Management Vacuum Tubes
Image credits: BrentToderian
#96 A 1st Pilot “Indoor Bus Stop” Here In Gothenburg. With Connected Cafe, Informal Space, Chargers, And Charging For The New Pilot Electric Buses
Image credits: brenttoderian
#97 In A Swedish Museum, They Have Benches That Charge Your Phone Wirelessly And Give Free WiFi
Image credits: trojeq
#98 My Friend Sent Me This Picture Of Food In Swedish Maternity Hospitals, I Just Wanted To Know If The Food Is Like This Because I Can't Believe It
Food in our Serbian maternity hospitals are just piece of bread with wurst on the side
Image credits: NotMaliMiloica
#99 Stayed In A Boeing 747 Converted To Hostel At Arlanda Airport, Sweden (Jumbo Stay)
Image credits: EntirelyForgettable
#100 This "Mouse Barbershop" I Found In Malmö, Sweden
Image credits: Cynorax
#101 Grodkällan Lake In The Middle Of The Forest In Northern Sweden
Image credits: edvinfole
#102 The Twisting Torso In Malmo, Sweden Has 9 Identical Sections Which Are Twisted Slightly To Make It Twisted
Image credits: unicorn69420
#103 Saw Someone Else From Sweden Post One Of These So Thought I'd Share One I Saw In Skånes Part Of Sweden. Mices Own Pharmacy
Image credits: MiciIsMythical
#104 This Is What You May Get From Santa If You’ve Been Bad Here In Sweden
Image credits: Kvapil
#105 I Visited A Model Settlement In Sweden. Saw This, And My Mind Instantly Went To The Game Valheim
Image credits: Squanchy3
#106 The Most Swedish Pizza There Is. Pineapple, Banana, Curry
Image credits: sweden
#107 Female Crossing Sign Spotted In Southern Sweden (Skåne)
Image credits: Bebben6442
#108 Only In Sweden
Image credits: Ref101010