History of Sweden in Timeline
Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country in Scandinavia, bordering Norway and Finland. It's the largest Nordic nation and the fifth-largest in Europe, with Stockholm as its capital. Its population is 10.6 million with a low population density, mainly concentrated in the southern and central urban areas, which occupy a small percentage of its land. The country's extensive length contributes to its diverse climate.
1905: Dissolution of the personal union between Sweden and Norway
In 1905, the personal union between Sweden and Norway, established in 1814, was dissolved.
1909: Selma Lagerlöf Nobel laureate
In 1909, Selma Lagerlöf became a Nobel laureate.
1910: Mass emigration to America
Around 1910, more than one million Swedes had moved to the United States.
1914: Sweden developing an industrialized economy
Between 1870 and 1914, Sweden began developing the industrialised economy that exists today.
1916: Verner von Heidenstam Nobel laureate
In 1916, Verner von Heidenstam became a Nobel laureate.
1917: Communist revolution avoided
In 1917, a communist revolution was avoided in Sweden, following the re-introduction of parliamentarism, and the country was democratised.
1925: Radio broadcasts started
In 1925, licence-funded radio broadcasts started in Sweden, marking the beginning of public broadcasting.
1930: Stockholm Exhibition
In 1930, The Stockholm exhibition marked the breakthrough of Functionalism.
1943: Sweden helps rescue Danish Jews
In 1943, Sweden supported Norwegian resistance against Germany, and helped rescue Danish Jews from deportation to Nazi concentration camps.
1947: Record high temperature
In 1947, the highest temperature ever recorded in Sweden was 38 °C (100 °F) in Målilla.
1949: First Muslim Congregation
The first Muslim congregation was established in Sweden in 1949.
1950: World Cup
In 1950, the Swedish national men's football team finished third at the World Cup.
1951: Pär Lagerkvist Nobel laureate
In 1951, Pär Lagerkvist became a Nobel laureate.
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
In 1954, a second radio network was started in Sweden to offer more variety.
1956: Equestrian Summer Olympics
In 1956, Sweden hosted the Equestrian at the Summer Olympics.
1956: Television service launched
In 1956, the licence-funded television service was officially launched in Sweden.
1962: Third radio network opened
In 1962, a third radio network was opened in Sweden as a response to pirate radio stations.
1963: Riksdag Passed Legislation
In 1963 the Riksdag passed legislation for changeover to right-hand traffic.
February 1966: Record cold temperature
On 2 February 1966, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Sweden was −52.6 °C (−62.7 °F) in Vuoggatjålme.
1966: Parents' right to spank children was first removed
In 1966, the parents' right to spank their own children was first removed.
September 1967: Dagen H - Change to Right-Hand Traffic
On September 3, 1967, Sweden switched from left-hand traffic to right-hand traffic, an event known as Dagen H.
1969: TV2 launched
In 1969, a second channel, TV2, was launched in Sweden.
1973: Oil embargo economic decline
In 1973, like many industrialised countries, Sweden entered a period of economic decline and upheaval following the oil embargoes.
1973: Oil Crisis
The 1973 oil crisis strengthened Sweden's commitment to decrease dependence on imported fossil fuels.
1974: Instrument of Government
In 1974, Sweden's Instrument of Government limited the monarch's role to ceremonial functions, stripping the King of any formal political power.
1974: Joins International Energy Agency
Sweden joined the International Energy Agency in 1974, in response to the 1973 oil crisis.
1974: King Loses Commander-in-Chief Role
Up to 1974, the King was pro forma Commander-in-Chief, but it was understood that the monarch would have no active role as a military leader.
1978: Oil embargo economic decline
In 1978, like many industrialised countries, Sweden entered a period of economic decline and upheaval following the oil embargoes.
July 1979: Corporal punishment of children outlawed
From July 1979, corporal punishment of children by their parents was explicitly prohibited by law.
1979: Non-profit community radio allowed
In 1979, non-profit community radio was allowed in Sweden, allowing for more diverse voices to be heard.
1980: Replanting with deciduous forest
Between approximately 1870 and 1980, large areas were planted with spruce, and during the last 40–50 years large areas of former spruce plantings have been replanted with deciduous forest.
1986: Assassination of Olof Palme
Following the 1986 assassination of Olof Palme, Sweden adopted a more traditional foreign policy approach.
1987: TV3 started broadcasting
In 1987, TV3, the first Swedish-language satellite service, started broadcasting from London.
1988: Green Party Enters Riksdag
In 1988, the Green Party became the sixth party to gain seats in the Riksdag.
1989: Kanal 5 started broadcasting
In 1989, Kanal 5 (then known as Nordic Channel) started broadcasting in Sweden.
June 1990: New Agricultural Policy
In June 1990, the Riksdag voted for a new agricultural policy which marked a significant shift away from price controls.
1990: TV4 started broadcasting
In 1990, TV4 started broadcasting in Sweden.
1990: Peak in Tax Collection and Crisis
In 1990, total tax collected by Sweden as a percentage of its GDP peaked at 52.3%, and the country faced a real estate and banking crisis.
1991: Tax Reforms
In 1991, Sweden passed tax reforms to implement tax rate cuts and tax base broadening over time.
1991: New Parties Gain Seats
In 1991, the Christian Democrats and New Democracy gained seats in the Riksdag for the first time, while the Greens lost their seats.
1992: TV4 terrestrial broadcasts began
In 1992, TV4 began its terrestrial broadcasts, becoming the first private channel to broadcast television content from within Sweden.
1992: Introduction of Education Vouchers
The Swedish government introduced education vouchers in 1992.
1993: Commercial local radio started
In 1993, commercial local radio started in Sweden, introducing privately owned radio broadcasting.
September 1994: MS Estonia sank
On 28 September 1994, the MS Estonia sank as the ship was crossing the Baltic Sea, en route from Tallinn, Estonia, to Stockholm, Sweden.
November 1994: Referendum to join the EU
On 13 November 1994, a referendum passed with 52.3% in favour of joining the EU.
January 1995: Sweden joins the European Union
On January 1995, Sweden joined the European Union.
1995: Sweden Joins the European Union
In 1995, Sweden became a member of the European Union.
1995: FIFA Women's World Cup
In 1995, Sweden hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup.
1996: Changes in Church of Sweden Membership
Until 1996, children automatically became members of the Church of Sweden at birth if at least one of the parents was a member.
1999: Digital terrestrial television started
In 1999, digital terrestrial television started in Sweden.
2000: Swedes Holding 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 State
In 2000, the Church of Sweden was separated from the state.
2001: Decrease in Church of Sweden Membership
Since 2001, Church of Sweden membership has been decreasing by 1-2 percentage points each year.
2002: Voter Turnout Increase
In 2002, Sweden saw an increase in voter turnout, with 80.11% of eligible voters participating in the elections.
2003: Referendum against joining the Euro currency
In 2003, the Swedish electorate voted against joining the Euro currency.
2004: June List Gains EU Representation
In 2004, the June List, despite failing to pass the Riksdag threshold, managed to gain representation in the European Parliament.
2004: Prison Numbers Falling
Since 2004 prison numbers in Sweden falling by around 1% a year.
March 2005: Opinion Poll on Nuclear Power
In March 2005, an opinion poll showed that 83% of Swedes supported maintaining or increasing nuclear power.
2005: Victimisation Survey
According to a 2005 victimisation survey, Sweden has above-average crime rates compared to other EU countries, particularly in assaults, sexual assaults, hate crimes, and consumer fraud.
2005: Riksdag Vote on Official Language
In 2005, the Riksdag voted on whether Swedish should be declared the official language, but the proposal narrowly failed.
2005: Eurobarometer Survey on English Speakers
In a 2005 survey by Eurobarometer, 89% of Swedes reported the ability to speak English.
2005: National Day of Sweden
Since 2005, 6 June is the National Day of Sweden and has been a public holiday.
2006: Voter Turnout Increase
In 2006, Sweden saw an increase in voter turnout, with 81.99% of eligible voters participating in the elections.
2006: GDP per-hour-worked
In 2006, Sweden's GDP per-hour-worked was the world's ninth highest at US$31.
2006: Electricity Production
In 2006, Sweden's electricity production totaled 139 TWh, with hydropower accounting for 44% and nuclear power for 47%.
2006: 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
The Global Gender Gap Report 2006 ranked Sweden as the number one country in terms of gender equality.
2007: OECD Economic Survey of Sweden
According to the Economic Survey of Sweden 2007 by the OECD, the average inflation in Sweden has been one of the lowest among European countries since the mid-1990s.
2007: Music Exporter Ranking
In 2007, Sweden was the third-largest music exporter in the world.
2007: Changes to Ghent System
In 2007, changes to the Swedish Ghent system, which resulted in raised fees to unemployment funds, led to a decline in union density and density of unemployment funds.
2007: Largest Swedish Companies
In 2007, the 20 largest Swedish companies by turnover included Volvo, Ericsson, and Vattenfall.
2007: Total Tax Revenue
In 2007, total tax revenue in Sweden was 47.8% of GDP.
2008: Goteborg Landvetter Airport Passengers
In 2008, Goteborg Landvetter Airport had 4.3 million passengers.
2008: Stieg Larsson world's second best-selling author
In 2008, Stieg Larsson was the second best-selling fiction author in the world.
May 2009: Gender-Neutral Marriage
Since May 1, 2009, Sweden repealed its "registered partnership" laws and fully replaced them with gender-neutral marriage.
July 2009: Swedish as Official Language
Swedish became Sweden's official language on July 1, 2009, when a new language law was implemented.
December 2009: Sweden held the chair of the European Union
From 1 July to 31 December 2009, Sweden held the chair of the European Union.
2009: Stockholm-Arlanda Airport Passengers
In 2009, Stockholm-Arlanda Airport had 16.1 million passengers.
2009: Pirate Party Gains EU Representation
In 2009, the Pirate Party, despite failing to pass the Riksdag threshold, managed to gain representation in the European Parliament.
July 2010: End of Routine Conscription
On July 1, 2010, Sweden ended routine conscription, switching to an all-volunteer force unless required for defence readiness.
2010: Muslim Membership in Congregation
Around 2010, approximately 110,000 Muslims in Sweden were members of a congregation.
2010: Tax Collection
In 2010, 45.8% of Sweden's GDP was collected as taxes, the second highest among OECD countries.
2010: Voter Turnout Increase
In 2010, Sweden saw an increase in voter turnout, with 84.63% of eligible voters participating in the elections.
2010: Income and Wealth Inequality
In 2010, Sweden's income Gini coefficient was the third lowest among developed countries, while its wealth Gini coefficient was the second highest.
2010: Sweden's Human Development Index
In 2010, Sweden's rating on the Human Development Index was 0.949 according to a United Nations Development Program report.
2010: Sweden Democrats Gain Seats
In 2010, the Sweden Democrats gained Riksdag seats, becoming the eighth party to do so.
2012: OECD Report on Social Spending
According to a 2012 OECD report, Sweden had the second-highest public social spending as a percentage of its GDP after France.
2012: Competitiveness Ranking
According to the World Economic Forum in its Global Competitiveness Report 2012–2013, Sweden is the fourth-most competitive economy in the world.
2012: Youth Unemployment Rate
In 2012, the unemployment rate among youth (aged 24 or younger) in Sweden was 24.2%.
November 2013: Prison Closures
In mid-November 2013, it was reported that four prisons in Sweden were closed due to a significant drop in the number of inmates.
2013: Chart Hits Per Capita
According to one source in 2013, Sweden produces the most chart hits per capita in the world.
2013: Culturally diverse nation
In 2013, it was estimated that 15% of the Swedish population was foreign-born, and an additional 5% of the population were born to two immigrant parents.
2013: Competitiveness Yearbook
Sweden ranked fourth in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2013.
December 2014: Reintroduction of Refresher Training
On December 11, 2014, the Swedish Government reintroduced refresher training as part of the conscription system due to tensions in the Baltic area.
2014: Voter Turnout Increase
In 2014, Sweden saw an increase in voter turnout, with 85.81% of eligible voters participating in the elections.
2014: Global Green Economy Index
In 2014, Sweden was the top-performing country in the Global Green Economy Index (GGEI).
2014: Swedish Patents in the US
In 2014, Swedish inventors held 47,112 patents in the United States, making Sweden one of the top patent-holding nations.
2014: Six-Hour Workday Pilot Program
In 2014, a pilot program to test the feasibility of a six-hour workday, without loss of pay, commenced in Gothenburg.
2014: Feminist Initiative Gains EU Representation
In 2014, the Feminist Initiative, despite failing to pass the Riksdag threshold, managed to gain representation in the European Parliament.
2015: Employed Workers in Trade Unions
In 2015, 69 per cent of the employed workers in Sweden were organised in trade unions.
2015: Sweden affected by the 2015 European migrant crisis
Sweden was heavily affected by the 2015 European migrant crisis, eventually forcing the government to tighten regulations of entry to the country.
June 2016: MAX IV Inauguration
On June 21, 2016, the MAX IV facility was inaugurated.
2016: Highest Revenue From Recycling Waste
As of 2023 report, the highest revenue from recycling waste in Sweden was 1.98 billion euros in 2016.
2016: Union Density in Sweden
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, January 20, 2017, the population of Sweden exceeded 10 million for the first time.
March 2017: Reintroduction of Basic Military Training
On March 2, 2017, the government decided to reintroduce basic military training as part of the Swedish conscription system.
May 2017: Unemployment and Employment Rates
In May 2017, the unemployment rate in Sweden was 7.2% while the employment rate was 67.4%.
2018: Voter Turnout Increase
In 2018, Sweden saw an increase in voter turnout, with 87.18% of eligible voters participating in the elections.
2018: Health and Medical Care Spending
In 2018, health and medical care in Sweden represented around 11% of GDP.
2018: Conscription Training Begins
In 2018, the first recruits began their training in the reintroduced Swedish conscription system.
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: Feminist Initiative Loses EU Representation
In 2019, the Feminist Initiative lost their representation in the European Parliament.
2019: European Spallation Source Initial Operations
The European Spallation Source (ESS) was scheduled to begin initial operations in 2019.
October 2020: Total Resident Population
In October 2020, the total resident population of Sweden was 10,377,781.
December 2020: New Tram Line Opens in Lund
On December 13, 2020, a new tram line opened in Lund.
2020: Carbon Pricing
As of 2020, Sweden's carbon prices remain the highest in the world.
2020: Revenue From Recycling Waste
As of 2023 report, Sweden generated 1.7 billion euros in 2020 from recycling waste.
2020: Regional Councils renamed
In 2020, county councils were renamed Regional Councils.
November 2021: Magdalena Andersson became Sweden's first female prime minister
On 30 November 2021, Magdalena Andersson became Sweden's first female prime minister.
2021: Inhabitants of Foreign Background
According to Statistics Sweden, 2,752,572 (26%) inhabitants of Sweden were of a foreign background in 2021.
February 2022: Oil Reserves
As of February 2022, Sweden's oil reserves totalled 130 days' worth of net imports.
September 2022: General election
In September 2022, the general election ended in a narrow win to a bloc of right-wing parties.
October 2022: Ulf Kristersson became the new Prime Minister
On 18 October 2022, Ulf Kristersson of the Moderate Party became the new Prime Minister.
2022: Church of Sweden Membership
At the end of 2022, 52.8% of Swedes belonged to the Church of Sweden.
2023: Revenue From Recycling Waste
As of 2023 report, Sweden generated 1.7 billion euros in 2020 from recycling waste.
2023: Global Innovation Index Ranking
In 2023, Sweden was ranked second in the Global Innovation Index.
March 2024: Sweden becomes a NATO member
On 7 March 2024, Sweden became a NATO member.
March 2024: Sweden joins NATO
On March 2024, Sweden became a member of NATO.
2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking
In 2024, Sweden was ranked second in the Global Innovation Index.
2024: Environmental Performance Index ranking
In 2024, Sweden was ranked sixth in the Environmental Performance Index.
2025: European Spallation Source Completion
Construction completion for the European Spallation Source (ESS) was scheduled for 2025.
2030: Projected Human Development Index
A report from the United Nations Development Program predicted that Sweden's rating on the Human Development Index will fall to 0.906 in 2030.
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