History of Sweden in Timeline

Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Bordering Norway to the west and north and Finland to the east, it is the largest Nordic country in both area (450,295 square kilometers) and population (10.6 million). The capital and largest city is Stockholm. Sweden has a low population density, with most of its inhabitants residing in urban areas primarily in the central and southern regions. The country's climate varies significantly due to its extensive north-south span.

1905: Union Dissolution

In 1905, Sweden peacefully dissolved the personal union with Norway, which had been in place since 1814.

1909: Selma Lagerlöf Nobel Laureate

Selma Lagerlöf became a Nobel laureate in 1909.

1910: Mass Emigration

By 1910, over one million Swedes had moved to the United States due to factors such as poverty and limited industrialization.

1912: Sweden Hosted Summer Olympics

Sweden hosted the 1912 Summer Olympics.

1914: Industrial Economy Development

Between 1870 and 1914, Sweden began developing the industrialised economy that exists today.

1916: Verner von Heidenstam Nobel Laureate

Verner von Heidenstam became a Nobel laureate in 1916.

1917: Avoidance of Communist Revolution and Democratization

In 1917, Sweden avoided a communist revolution following the re-introduction of parliamentarism, and the country was democratised.

1925: Radio Broadcasts Start

In 1925, licence-funded radio broadcasts started in Sweden.

1930: Stockholm Exhibition Marks Functionalism Breakthrough

In 1930, the Stockholm exhibition marked the breakthrough of Functionalism, known as funkis, which came to dominate in the following decades.

1943: Support for Norwegian Resistance and Rescue of Danish Jews

In 1943, Sweden supported Norwegian resistance against Germany and helped rescue Danish Jews from deportation to Nazi concentration camps.

1947: Hottest Temperature

In 1947, the highest temperature ever recorded in Sweden was 38 °C (100 °F) in Målilla.

1949: First Muslim congregation established

In 1949, the first Muslim congregation was established in Sweden.

1950: Swedish National Men's Football Team Finished Third at the World Cup

The Swedish national men's football team finished third at the World Cup in 1950.

1951: Pär Lagerkvist Nobel Laureate

Pär Lagerkvist became a Nobel laureate in 1951.

1951: Law on freedom of religion

The right to stand outside any religious denomination was formally established in the law on freedom of religion in 1951.

1954: Second Radio Network Started

A second radio network was started in Sweden in 1954.

1956: Television Service Launched

In 1956, the licence-funded television service was officially launched in Sweden.

1956: Sweden Hosted Equestrian at Summer Olympics

Sweden hosted the Equestrian at the 1956 Summer Olympics.

1958: Sweden Hosted FIFA World Cup

Sweden hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1958.

1958: Swedish National Men's Football Team Finished Second at the World Cup

The Swedish national men's football team finished second when they hosted the tournament in 1958.

1962: Third Radio Network Opened

In response to pirate radio stations, a third radio network opened in Sweden in 1962.

February 1966: Coldest Temperature

On February 2, 1966, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Sweden was −52.6 °C (−62.7 °F) in Vuoggatjålme.

1966: Removal of Parents' Right to Spank

In 1966, the parents' right to spank their own children was first removed in Sweden.

1967: Most tram networks were closed

In 1967, most of the tram networks in Sweden were closed, but they remained operational in Norrköping, Stockholm, and Gothenburg.

1969: TV2 Launched

A second channel, TV2, was launched in Sweden in 1969.

1973: Economic Decline

In 1973, like many industrialized countries, Sweden entered a period of economic decline and upheaval following the oil embargoes.

1978: Economic Decline

In 1978, like many industrialized countries, Sweden entered a period of economic decline and upheaval following the oil embargoes.

July 1979: Ban on Corporal Punishment

From July 1979, corporal punishment of children by their parents was explicitly prohibited by law in Sweden, making it the first country in the world to do so.

1979: Non-Profit Community Radio Allowed

Non-profit community radio was allowed in Sweden in 1979.

1980: Reforestation with Deciduous Trees

Between approximately 1870 and 1980, large areas were planted with spruce. During the last 40–50 years, as of 1980, large areas of former spruce plantings have been replanted with deciduous forest.

1987: TV3 Started Broadcasting

In 1987, the first Swedish-language satellite service, TV3, started broadcasting from London.

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1989: Kanal 5 Launched

In 1989, Kanal 5 (then known as Nordic Channel) was launched.

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June 1990: Riksdag voted for new agricultural policy

In June 1990, the Riksdag voted for a new agricultural policy, which marked a significant shift away from price controls that had been in place since the 1930s. This led to a fall in food prices.

1990: TV4 Launched

In 1990, TV4 was launched.

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1992: Fiscal Crisis

In 1992, Sweden experienced a fiscal crisis with a GDP decline of around 5% and a currency run that briefly increased interest rates to 500%.

1992: Education vouchers introduced

In 1992, Sweden introduced education vouchers, treating public and independent schools equally.

1992: TV4 Terrestrial Broadcasts Begin

In 1992, TV4 began its terrestrial broadcasts, becoming the first private channel to broadcast television content from within the country.

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1992: Sweden Hosted UEFA Euro

Sweden hosted the UEFA Euro in 1992.

1993: Commercial Local Radio Started

In 1993, commercial local radio started in Sweden.

September 1994: MS Estonia Sinking

On 28 September 1994, the MS Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea, resulting in 852 deaths.

November 1994: Referendum on EU Membership

On November 1994, a referendum passed with 52.3% in favor of joining the EU.

1994: Tre Kronor Won Olympic Gold Medal

In 1994, Tre Kronor, the Swedish national men's ice hockey team, won an Olympic gold medal.

January 1995: Sweden Joins the European Union

On January 1995, Sweden became a member of the European Union.

1995: Sweden Hosted FIFA Women's World Cup and World Championships in Athletics

In 1995, Sweden hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup and World Championships in Athletics.

1996: Changes to church membership rules

Until 1996, children automatically became members of the Church of Sweden at birth if at least one parent was a member. Since 1996, only children and adults who are christened become members.

1999: Digital Terrestrial Television Started

In 1999, Digital terrestrial television in Sweden started.

2000: Swedish people with a tertiary degree

In 2000, 32% of Swedish people held a tertiary degree, making the country fifth in the OECD in that category.

2000: Church of Sweden separated from the state

In 2000, the Church of Sweden was separated from the state.

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2001: Decrease in church membership

Since 2001, the number of Swedes belonging to the Church of Sweden has been decreasing by 1-2 percentage points each year.

2003: Referendum on Euro Currency

In 2003, the Swedish electorate voted against joining the Euro currency.

2005: National Day of Sweden Becomes Public Holiday

6 June, the National Day of Sweden, has been a public holiday since 2005.

2005: Riksdag voted on matter in the past

In 2005, the Riksdag voted on the matter of whether Swedish should be declared the official language, but the proposal narrowly failed.

2006: Tre Kronor Win Olympic and World Championships

In 2006, Tre Kronor became the first national hockey team to win both the Olympic and world championships in the same year.

2006: Total tax revenue

In 2006, total tax revenue in Sweden was 49.1% of GDP.

2006: Global Gender Gap Report Ranking

The Global Gender Gap Report 2006 ranked Sweden as the number one country in terms of gender equality.

2007: Sweden Third-Largest Music Exporter

In 2007, Sweden became the third-largest music exporter in the world, with over 800 million dollars in revenue, surpassed only by the US and the UK.

2007: Total tax revenue

In 2007, total tax revenue in Sweden was 47.8% of GDP, which was the second-highest tax burden among developed countries.

2008: Göteborg Landvetter Airport

In 2008, Göteborg Landvetter Airport recorded 4.3 million passengers.

2008: Stieg Larsson Second Best-Selling Fiction Author

In 2008, Stieg Larsson was the second best-selling fiction author in the world, with his Millennium series of crime novels published posthumously to critical acclaim.

May 2009: Sweden repealed its "registered partnership" laws

Since 1 May 2009, Sweden repealed its "registered partnership" laws and fully replaced them with gender-neutral marriage.

July 2009: Swedish became Sweden's official language

On 1 July 2009, Swedish became Sweden's official language when a new language law was implemented.

December 2009: Sweden Held EU Chair

From 1 July to 31 December 2009, Sweden held the chair of the European Union.

2009: Stockholm-Arlanda Airport

In 2009, Stockholm–Arlanda Airport recorded 16.1 million passengers, making it the largest airport in Sweden.

2010: UN Development Program prediction of Sweden's Human Development Index

A report from the United Nations Development Program predicted that Sweden's rating on the Human Development Index would fall from 0.949 in 2010 to 0.906 in 2030.

2010: Muslims members of a congregation around

Around 2010, only about 110,000 Muslims were members of a congregation in Sweden.

2012: OECD report on welfare states

According to a 2012 OECD report, Sweden had the second-highest public social spending and the third-highest total social spending as a percentage of its GDP. The country also spent 6.3% of its GDP on education and 10.0% on health care.

2012: Youth unemployment rate

In 2012, the unemployment rate among youth (aged 24 or younger) in Sweden was 24.2%, making Sweden the OECD country with the highest ratio of youth unemployment versus unemployment in general.

2013: Sweden Produces Most Chart Hits Per Capita

According to one source, in 2013, Sweden produced the most chart hits per capita in the world, followed by the UK and the US.

2013: Cultural Diversity and Social Challenges

In 2013, it was estimated that 15% of Sweden's population was foreign-born, leading to social challenges such as the Stockholm riots.

2013: Sweden Hosted UEFA Women's Euro

Sweden hosted the UEFA Women's Euro in 2013.

2014: Swedish patents in the US

In 2014, Swedish inventors held 47,112 patents in the United States, making Sweden one of the top ten countries for patents held in the US.

2015: Trade union membership

In 2015, 69% of employed workers in Sweden were organised in trade unions.

2015: European Migrant Crisis Impact

In 2015, Sweden was heavily affected by the European migrant crisis, which led to tightened regulations of entry to the country.

June 2016: Inauguration of MAX IV

The MAX IV facility, costing SEK 3 billion, was inaugurated on 21 June 2016. This facility has strong implications on material research.

2016: Sweden generated 1.98 billion euros from recycling waste

In 2016, Sweden generated 1.98 billion euros, the highest recorded amount, from recycling waste.

2016: Union density among workers

In 2016, union density in Sweden was 62% among blue-collar workers and 75% among white-collar workers.

January 2017: Sweden's population exceeds 10 million

On Friday 20 January 2017, Sweden's population exceeded 10 million for the first time.

May 2017: Unemployment rate

In May 2017, Sweden's unemployment rate was 7.2%, and the employment rate was 67.4%.

2018: Health and medical care

In 2018, health and medical care represented around 11% of GDP in Sweden.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index

In 2019, Sweden had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.35/10, ranking it 103rd globally out of 172 countries.

2019: European Spallation Source initial operations

The European Spallation Source (ESS) was scheduled to begin initial operations in 2019.

December 2020: New tram line opened in Lund

On 13 December 2020, a new tram line was inaugurated in Lund, expanding the tram network in Sweden.

2020: Sweden generated 1.7 billion euros from recycling waste

As of a 2023 report, Sweden generated 1.7 billion euros in 2020 from recycling waste.

2020: Regional Council Renaming

In 2020, county councils in Sweden were renamed Regional Councils.

November 2021: Magdalena Andersson Becomes Prime Minister

On 30 November 2021, Magdalena Andersson became Sweden's first female prime minister.

2021: Inhabitants of Sweden with a foreign background

In 2021, according to Statistics Sweden, 2,752,572 inhabitants of Sweden, or 26%, were of a foreign background.

September 2022: General Election

The September 2022 general election ended in a narrow win to a bloc of right-wing parties.

October 2022: Ulf Kristersson Becomes Prime Minister

On 18 October 2022, Ulf Kristersson of the Moderate Party became the new Prime Minister.

2022: Move to Join NATO

In 2022, Sweden moved to formally join NATO in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

2023: Sweden generated 1.7 billion euros from recycling waste

As of a 2023 report, Sweden generated 1.7 billion euros in 2020 from recycling waste.

2023: Survey on English-speaking Swedes

In a 2023 survey by Eurobarometer, 90% of Swedes reported the ability to speak English.

2023: Sweden ranked second in the Global Innovation Index

Sweden was ranked second in the Global Innovation Index in 2023 and 2024.

March 2024: Sweden Joins NATO

On March 2024, Sweden joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

March 2024: Sweden Becomes a NATO Member

On March 7, 2024, Sweden officially became a member of NATO.

2024: Percentage of Swedes belonging to the Church of Sweden

At the end of 2024, 51.4% of Swedes belonged to the Church of Sweden.

2024: Environmental Performance Index Ranking

In 2024, Sweden was ranked sixth in the Environmental Performance Index.

2024: Sweden ranked second in the Global Innovation Index

Sweden was ranked second in the Global Innovation Index in 2023 and 2024.

January 2025: Total resident population

In January 2025, the total resident population of Sweden was 10,588,020.

2025: European Spallation Source construction completion scheduled

Construction completion of the European Spallation Source (ESS) was scheduled for 2025.

2030: UN Development Program prediction of Sweden's Human Development Index

A report from the United Nations Development Program predicted that Sweden's rating on the Human Development Index would fall from 0.949 in 2010 to 0.906 in 2030.