Stockholm
Capital and most populous city of the Kingdom of Sweden From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stockholm (Swedish: [ˈstɔ̂kː(h)ɔlm] )[10] is the capital and most populous city of the Kingdom of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately 1 million people live in the municipality,[11] with 1.6 million in the urban area,[12] and 2.4 million in the metropolitan area.[11] The city stretches across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea. Outside the city to the east, and along the coast, is the island chain of the Stockholm archipelago. The area has been settled since the Stone Age, in the 6th millennium BC, and was founded as a city in 1252 by Swedish statesman Birger Jarl. The city serves as the county seat of Stockholm County.
Stockholm | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Nickname(s): Sthlm, Eken, the Venice of the North, the Venice of Scandinavia[1] | |
  Stockholm Location within Stockholm County  Stockholm Location within Sweden  Stockholm Location within the European Union#Europe#Earth | |
| Coordinates: 59°19′46″N 18°4′7″E | |
| Country |  Sweden |
| Province | Södermanland and Uppland |
| County | Stockholm County |
| First mention | 1252 |
| Charter | 13th century |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Karin Wanngård (S) |
| Area | |
| • Capital city | 188 km2 (73 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 381.63 km2 (147.35 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 6,519 km2 (2,517 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 28 m (92 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Capital city | 984,748 |
| • Density | 5,200/km2 (14,000/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 1,617,407 |
| • Urban density | 4,200/km2 (11,000/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 2,415,139 |
| • Metro density | 370/km2 (960/sq mi) |
| Demonyms |
|
| GDP | |
| • Metro | €171.269 billion (2021) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 100 00-199 99 |
| Area code | +46-8 |
| Website | start |
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Stockholm is the cultural, media, political, and economic centre of Sweden. The Stockholm region alone accounts for over a third of the country's GDP,[13] and is among the top 10 regions in Europe by GDP per capita.[14] Considered a global city,[15] it is the largest in Scandinavia and the main centre for corporate headquarters in the Nordic region.[16] The city is home to some of Europe's top ranking universities, such as the Karolinska Institute (medicine), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm School of Economics and Stockholm University.[17] It hosts the annual Nobel Prize ceremonies and banquet at the Stockholm Concert Hall and Stockholm City Hall. One of the city's most prized museums, the Vasa Museum, is the most visited museum in Scandinavia.[18] The Stockholm metro, opened in 1950, is well known for the decor of its stations; it has been called the longest art gallery in the world.[19] The city was the host of the 1912 Summer Olympics, and has played host to several other international sports events since.[20]
Stockholm is Sweden's primary financial centre, one of the largest in Scandinavia, and hosts several of Sweden's largest companies. Furthermore, the headquarters of most of Sweden's largest banks are in Stockholm. Stockholm is one of Europe's major tech centres; the city has sometimes been called Europe's innovation hub.[21] The Stockholm region has a GDP of around $180 billion,[22] and Stockholm County has the highest GDP per capita of all counties in Sweden.[23]
Stockholm is the seat of the Swedish government and most of its agencies,[24] including the highest courts in the judiciary,[25] and the official residences of the Swedish monarch and the Prime Minister. The government has its seat in the Rosenbad building, the Riksdag (Swedish parliament) is seated in the Parliament House,[26] and the Prime Minister's residence is adjacent at the Sager House.[27] Stockholm Palace is the official residence and principal workplace of the Swedish monarch, while Drottningholm Palace in neighbouring Ekerö serves as the Royal Family's private residence.[28]
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After the Ice Age, around 8000 BCE, there were already many people living in what is today the Stockholm area, but as temperatures dropped, inhabitants moved south. Thousands of years later, as the ground thawed, the climate became tolerable and the lands became fertile, people began to migrate back to the North. At the intersection of the Baltic Sea and lake Mälaren is an archipelago site where the old town of Stockholm was first built from about 1000 CE by Vikings. They had a positive trade impact on the area because of the trade routes they created.
Stockholm's location appears in Norse sagas as Agnafit, and in Heimskringla in connection with the legendary king Agne. Birka, located near Stockholm, was one Sweden's major trade centres during the Viking Age, and its restored remains are one of Stockholm County's most-visited sites.[29]
The earliest written mention of the name Stockholm dates from 1252, by which time the mines in Bergslagen made it an important site in the iron trade. The first part of the name (stock) means log in Swedish, although it may also be connected to an old German word (Stock) meaning fortification. The second part of the name (holm) means islet and is thought to refer to the islet Helgeandsholmen in central Stockholm. According to the Eric's Chronicle the city is said to have been founded by Birger Jarl to protect Sweden from sea invasions made by Karelians after the pillage of Sigtuna on Lake Mälaren in the summer of 1187.[30]
Stockholm's core, the present Old Town (Gamla Stan) was built on the central island next to Helgeandsholmen from the mid-13th century onward. The city originally rose to prominence as a result of the Baltic trade of the Hanseatic League. Stockholm developed strong economic and cultural linkages with Lübeck, Hamburg, Gdańsk (Danzig), Visby, Tallinn (Reval), and Riga during this time.[31] Between 1296 and 1478 Stockholm's City Council was made up of 24 members, half of whom were selected from the town's German-speaking burghers, reflecting the importance of Germans in medieval Nordic trade.
The strategic and economic importance of the city made Stockholm an important factor in relations between the Danish Kings of the Kalmar Union and the Swedish national independence movement in the fifteenth century and early sixteenth century. The Danish King Christian II was able to enter the city in 1520 and on 8 November of that year, a massacre of opposition figures called the Stockholm Bloodbath took place and set off further uprisings that eventually led to the breakup of the Kalmar Union with the attainment of Swedish independence. With the accession of Gustav Vasa in 1523 and the establishment of royal power, the population of Stockholm began to grow, reaching 10,000 by 1600.[32]
The seventeenth century saw Sweden grow into a major European power, reflected in the development of the city of Stockholm. From 1610 to 1680 the population multiplied sixfold. In 1634, Stockholm became the official capital of the Swedish empire. Trading rules were also created that gave Stockholm an essential monopoly over trade between foreign merchants and other Swedish, Baltic and Scandinavian territories. In 1697, Tre Kronor Castle burned down and was replaced eventually by Stockholm Palace; the time of the Swedish Empire also saw several architectural modernisations of the city.[33]
The beginning of the Swedish Empire saw a renaissance in the arts and sciences; the new queen, Christina, was a strong supporter of science and culture. Réne Descartes, one of the most prominent European philosophers of his time, died in Stockholm; he had been hosted by the queen for several years prior to his death. Inventors, like Christopher Polhem, moved to the city during the time of the Swedish Empire. Academics also spent much time in Stockholm, like Olaus Rudbeck, rector of the Uppsala University.[34]
Throughout Sweden's history, walls were created in Stockholm to defend the city from attacks. These defensive walls were modified throughout the 13th to the 16th century. In 1625, the Great Stockholm Fire of 1625 destroyed the southwestern section of Stadsholmen, an island in the centre of Stockholm.[35] The amount of destruction led to the beginning of the demolition of the Stockholm walls. Today, most of the younger city walls cannot be found anywhere above ground. However, parts of the northern city walls are preserved in the modern Museum of Medieval Stockholm.[36]
In 1710, a plague killed about 20,000 (36 percent) of the population.[37] After the end of the Great Northern War the city stagnated; population growth halted and economic growth slowed. The city was in shock after having lost its place as the capital of a great power. However, Stockholm maintained its role as Sweden's political centre and continued to develop as the country's economic and cultural capital.[38]
During the Age of Enlightenment in the late eighteenth century, the city flourished. The new monarch, Gustav III, proved an able and energetic regnant; his economic policies helped the Swedish economy develop, and his partially successful war against Russia restored some of Sweden's international reputation. The king was an avid patron of the arts, and scientists and cultural figures flocked to Stockholm on a scale unprecedented since the reign of Queen Christina.[39]
During this time, Carl Michael Bellman and Joseph Martin Kraus helped develop the city's music, a process further accelerated by the founding of the Royal Swedish Opera.[40] Various artists and writers became prominent, funded by the king and other cultural patrons like Carl Gustaf Tessin; the two aforementioned figures laid the base for Sweden's Nationalmuseum at this time. Science also became prevalent; renowned figures like Carl Linnaeus and Anders Celsius spent time in Stockholm, and various research institutes, like the Stockholm Observatory, were founded.[41]
The early nineteenth century saw a major economic decline of Stockholm and Sweden as a whole, but by the second half of the nineteenth century, Stockholm had regained its leading economic role. New industries emerged with industrialisation and Stockholm was transformed into an important trade and service centre as well as a key gateway point within Sweden. The population also grew dramatically during this time, mainly through immigration. At the end of the nineteenth century, less than 40% of the residents were Stockholm-born, with most migrants being from poorer rural Sweden; major settlement began to expand outside the historical city limits. The nineteenth century also saw the establishment of a number of scientific institutes and universities, including the Karolinska Institutet and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The General Art and Industrial Exposition was held in 1897,[42] drawing international attention. From 1887 to 1953 the Old Stockholm telephone tower was a landmark; originally built to link phone lines, it became redundant after these were buried, and it was later used for advertising before its demolition in the twentieth century. The early twentieth century also saw the creation of the Nobel Prizes, some of Stockholm's most renowned institutions.[43]
Stockholm became a modern and ethnically diverse city in the latter half of the 20th century. Many historical buildings were torn down during the modernist era, including substantial parts of the historical district of Klara (which caused major controversy), and replaced with modern architecture. However, in many other parts of Stockholm (such as in Gamla stan, Södermalm, Östermalm, Kungsholmen and Vasastan), many older buildings, blocks and streets built before the modernism and functionalism movements survived this era of demolition. Throughout the century, many industries shifted away from industrial activities into more high-tech and service industry areas, which still dominate the city's economy today.[21]
Stockholm's metropolitan area has become one of the fastest-growing regions in Europe.[citation needed] In 2020 alone, Stockholm's population increased by 1,477.[44] As a result of this massive population growth, there has been a proposal to build densely packed high-rise buildings in the city centre connected by elevated walkways, though these have been opposed by several groups.[45]
Location
Stockholm is located on Sweden's east coast at the 59th parallel north,[46] where the freshwater Lake Mälaren—Sweden's third-largest lake—flows out into the Baltic Sea. The central parts of the city consist of fourteen islands that are continuous with the Stockholm archipelago. The geographical city centre is situated on the water, in Riddarfjärden bay. Over 30% of the city area is made up of waterways and another 30% is made up of parks and green spaces.
Positioned at the eastern end of the Central Swedish lowland and near the Bergslagen region, the city's location reflects the early orientation of Swedish trade toward the Baltic region.[47]
Stockholm belongs to the Temperate deciduous forest biome, which means the climate is very similar to that of the far northeastern area of the United States and coastal Nova Scotia in Canada. The average annual temperature is 7.9 °C (46 °F). The average rainfall is 531 mm (21 in) per year. The deciduous forest has four distinct seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In the autumn the leaves change color. During the winter months, the trees lose their leaves.[excessive detail?]
For details about the other municipalities in the Stockholm area, see the pertinent articles. North of Stockholm Municipality: Järfälla, Solna, Täby, Sollentuna, Lidingö, Upplands Väsby, Österåker, Sigtuna, Sundbyberg, Danderyd, Vallentuna, Ekerö, Upplands-Bro, Vaxholm, and Norrtälje. South of Stockholm: Huddinge, Nacka, Botkyrka, Haninge, Tyresö, Värmdö, Södertälje, Salem, Nykvarn and Nynäshamn.
Stockholm Municipality
Stockholm Municipality is an administrative unit defined by geographical borders. The semi-official name for the municipality is City of Stockholm (Stockholms stad in Swedish).[48] As a municipality, the City of Stockholm is subdivided into district councils, which carry responsibility for primary schools, social, leisure and cultural services within their respective areas. The municipality is usually described in terms of its three main parts: Innerstaden (Stockholm City Centre), Söderort (Southern Stockholm) and Västerort (Western Stockholm). The districts of these parts are:
Stockholm City Centre
Söderort
Västerort
The modern centre Norrmalm (concentrated around the town square Sergels torg) is the largest shopping district in Sweden.[49] It is the most central part of Stockholm in business and shopping.
Climate
Stockholm has a humid continental climate in the 0 °C isotherm (Köppen: Dfb)[50][51] bordering on an oceanic climate (Cfb) in the -3 °C isotherm. Although winters are cold, average temperatures generally remain above 0 °C for much of the year. Summers are pleasantly warm, and precipitation occurs throughout the year.[52]
Due to the city's high northerly latitude, the length of the day varies widely from more than 18 hours around midsummer to only around 6 hours in late December. The nights from late May until mid-July are not completely dark even when cloudy. Stockholm has relatively mild weather compared to other locations at a similar latitude, or even farther south. With an average of 1900 hours of sunshine per year, it is also one of the sunniest cities in Northern Europe, receiving more sunshine than Paris, London and a few other major European cities of a more southerly latitude. Because of the urban heat island effect and the prevailing wind travelling overland rather than sea during summer months, Stockholm has the warmest July months of the Nordic capitals. Stockholm has an annual average snow cover between 75 and 100 days.[53]
Despite its mild climate, Stockholm is located further north than parts of Canada that are above the Arctic tree line at sea level.[54]
Summers average daytime high temperatures of 20–25 °C (68–77 °F) and lows of around 13 °C (55 °F), but temperatures can reach 30 °C (86 °F) on some days. Days above 30 °C (86 °F) occur on average 1.55 days per year (1992–2011).[55] Days between 25 °C (77 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F) are relatively common especially in July and August. Night-time lows of above 20 °C (68 °F) are rare, and hot summer nights vary from 17 to 18 °C (63 to 64 °F). Winters generally bring cloudy weather with the most precipitation falling in December and January (as either rain or snow). The average winter temperatures range from −3 to −1 °C (27 to 30 °F), and occasionally drop below −20 °C (−4 °F) in the outskirts of the city. Spring and autumn are generally cool to mild.
The climate table below presents weather data from the years 1991–2020. According to ongoing measurements, the temperature has increased during the years 1991–2020 as compared with the last series, from 1961 to 1990. This increase averages about 1.0 °C (1.8 °F) over all months. Warming is most pronounced during the winter months, with an increase of more than 2.0 °C (3.6 °F) in January.[56] For the 2002–2014 measurements some further increases have been found, although some months such as June have been relatively flat.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Stockholm was 36 °C (97 °F) on 3 July 1811; the lowest was −32 °C (−26 °F) on 20 January 1814.[57] The temperature has not dropped to below −25.1 °C (−13.2 °F) since 10 January 1987.[58][59]
The warmest month ever recorded was July 2018 with a mean temperature of 22.5 °C (72.5 °F) which is also the nationwide record.
Annual precipitation is 546.4 mm (21.51 in) with around 170 wet days and light to moderate rainfall throughout the year. The precipitation is not uniformly distributed throughout the year. The second half of the year receives 50% more than the first half. Snowfall occurs mainly from December through March. Snowfall may occasionally occur in late October as well as in April.
In Stockholm, the aurora borealis can occasionally be observed.
| Climate data for Stockholm (Observatorielunden), 1991–2020 normals, extremes since 1901 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.0 (51.8) |
12.2 (54.0) |
17.8 (64.0) |
26.1 (79.0) |
29.0 (84.2) |
32.2 (90.0) |
34.8 (94.6) |
35.4 (95.7) |
27.9 (82.2) |
20.2 (68.4) |
15.1 (59.2) |
12.7 (54.9) |
35.4 (95.7) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 6.6 (43.9) |
7.1 (44.8) |
12.0 (53.6) |
18.8 (65.8) |
24.3 (75.7) |
27.5 (81.5) |
29.7 (85.5) |
28.2 (82.8) |
22.4 (72.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
10.7 (51.3) |
8.5 (47.3) |
30.6 (87.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 1.0 (33.8) |
1.2 (34.2) |
4.7 (40.5) |
10.7 (51.3) |
16.5 (61.7) |
20.8 (69.4) |
23.6 (74.5) |
22.1 (71.8) |
16.6 (61.9) |
10.1 (50.2) |
5.4 (41.7) |
2.5 (36.5) |
11.3 (52.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.0 (30.2) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
1.6 (34.9) |
6.3 (43.3) |
11.4 (52.5) |
15.7 (60.3) |
18.7 (65.7) |
17.7 (63.9) |
13.1 (55.6) |
7.7 (45.9) |
3.6 (38.5) |
0.6 (33.1) |
7.9 (46.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.9 (26.8) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
2.6 (36.7) |
7.1 (44.8) |
11.6 (52.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
14.2 (57.6) |
10.2 (50.4) |
5.5 (41.9) |
1.9 (35.4) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
5.0 (41.0) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | −11.2 (11.8) |
−10.9 (12.4) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
1.9 (35.4) |
7.0 (44.6) |
10.6 (51.1) |
9.7 (49.5) |
4.6 (40.3) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−13.7 (7.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −28.2 (−18.8) |
−25.5 (−13.9) |
−22.0 (−7.6) |
−11.5 (11.3) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
1.0 (33.8) |
6.0 (42.8) |
4.8 (40.6) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−9.0 (15.8) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
−21.0 (−5.8) |
−28.2 (−18.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 37.0 (1.46) |
29.4 (1.16) |
27.3 (1.07) |
29.2 (1.15) |
34.0 (1.34) |
61.7 (2.43) |
61.5 (2.42) |
66.2 (2.61) |
53.3 (2.10) |
51.4 (2.02) |
47.6 (1.87) |
47.8 (1.88) |
546.4 (21.51) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 23.3 (9.2) |
25.6 (10.1) |
18.1 (7.1) |
5.9 (2.3) |
1.1 (0.4) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.8 (0.7) |
6.6 (2.6) |
20.3 (8.0) |
102.7 (40.4) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 43.9 | 75.1 | 150.8 | 215.9 | 277.4 | 277.4 | 279.5 | 234.5 | 170.3 | 95.8 | 44.6 | 33.4 | 1,898.6 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 1.4 | 2.7 | 4.9 | 7.2 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 7.6 | 5.7 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 5.2 |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 7.0 | 9.3 | 11.9 | 14.5 | 17.0 | 18.5 | 17.7 | 15.5 | 12.8 | 10.2 | 7.7 | 6.2 | 12.4 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 20 | 29 | 41 | 50 | 53 | 50 | 51 | 49 | 44 | 30 | 19 | 17 | 38 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Source 1: SMHI Open Data[60] SMHI 1991–2020 normals[61] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (sunshine, uv data)[62] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Stockholm (Bromma Airport). 1991–2020 normals and extremes | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.5 (52.7) |
12.3 (54.1) |
17.7 (63.9) |
27.0 (80.6) |
28.6 (83.5) |
30.8 (87.4) |
34.2 (93.6) |
31.7 (89.1) |
26.1 (79.0) |
20.7 (69.3) |
15.1 (59.2) |
13.2 (55.8) |
34.2 (93.6) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
7.3 (45.1) |
12.6 (54.7) |
19.1 (66.4) |
24.0 (75.2) |
26.9 (80.4) |
29.0 (84.2) |
27.5 (81.5) |
22.1 (71.8) |
16.2 (61.2) |
10.9 (51.6) |
7.6 (45.7) |
29.8 (85.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.9 (33.6) |
1.2 (34.2) |
4.9 (40.8) |
10.9 (51.6) |
16.4 (61.5) |
20.4 (68.7) |
23.3 (73.9) |
22.0 (71.6) |
16.8 (62.2) |
10.3 (50.5) |
5.3 (41.5) |
2.3 (36.1) |
11.3 (52.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
1.2 (34.2) |
6.0 (42.8) |
11.1 (52.0) |
15.4 (59.7) |
18.3 (64.9) |
17.3 (63.1) |
12.7 (54.9) |
7.2 (45.0) |
3.2 (37.8) |
0.1 (32.2) |
7.4 (45.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.1 (24.6) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
1.1 (34.0) |
5.7 (42.3) |
10.4 (50.7) |
13.4 (56.1) |
12.7 (54.9) |
8.7 (47.7) |
4.1 (39.4) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
3.7 (38.7) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | −14.8 (5.4) |
−14.2 (6.4) |
−11.3 (11.7) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
4.7 (40.5) |
8.6 (47.5) |
6.4 (43.5) |
1.3 (34.3) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
−11.5 (11.3) |
−17.5 (0.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −24.7 (−12.5) |
−23.6 (−10.5) |
−23.5 (−10.3) |
−9.1 (15.6) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
1.9 (35.4) |
6.0 (42.8) |
2.6 (36.7) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−10.0 (14.0) |
−14.0 (6.8) |
−24.0 (−11.2) |
−24.7 (−12.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 36.7 (1.44) |
29.5 (1.16) |
28.0 (1.10) |
29.5 (1.16) |
33.6 (1.32) |
59.2 (2.33) |
57.6 (2.27) |
65.9 (2.59) |
50.2 (1.98) |
50.0 (1.97) |
47.9 (1.89) |
49.1 (1.93) |
537.4 (21.16) |
| Source 1: SMHI Open Data[63] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: SMHI 1991–2020 normals[64] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Stockholm (2002–2022 averages & extremes) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.0 (51.8) |
11.7 (53.1) |
17.4 (63.3) |
23.5 (74.3) |
28.9 (84.0) |
31.7 (89.1) |
34.8 (94.6) |
32.2 (90.0) |
26.2 (79.2) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.1 (59.2) |
12.7 (54.9) |
34.8 (94.6) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 6.9 (44.4) |
7.4 (45.3) |
12.7 (54.9) |
18.5 (65.3) |
24.6 (76.3) |
28.3 (82.9) |
30.2 (86.4) |
28.4 (83.1) |
22.7 (72.9) |
15.9 (60.6) |
11.4 (52.5) |
7.7 (45.9) |
31.1 (88.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.9 (33.6) |
1.4 (34.5) |
5.2 (41.4) |
11.1 (52.0) |
16.8 (62.2) |
21.5 (70.7) |
24.0 (75.2) |
22.4 (72.3) |
17.0 (62.6) |
10.4 (50.7) |
5.9 (42.6) |
2.6 (36.7) |
11.6 (52.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.4 (29.5) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
2.1 (35.8) |
6.9 (44.4) |
12.2 (54.0) |
16.8 (62.2) |
19.5 (67.1) |
18.4 (65.1) |
13.7 (56.7) |
8.0 (46.4) |
4.1 (39.4) |
0.8 (33.4) |
8.4 (47.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.9 (26.8) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
2.7 (36.9) |
7.5 (45.5) |
12.1 (53.8) |
15.0 (59.0) |
14.3 (57.7) |
10.4 (50.7) |
5.6 (42.1) |
2.3 (36.1) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
5.2 (41.3) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | −11.1 (12.0) |
−10.4 (13.3) |
−7.3 (18.9) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
2.1 (35.8) |
7.2 (45.0) |
10.9 (51.6) |
9.7 (49.5) |
4.7 (40.5) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
−8.2 (17.2) |
−13.7 (7.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −19.3 (−2.7) |
−21.0 (−5.8) |
−14.6 (5.7) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
3.7 (38.7) |
7.8 (46.0) |
6.5 (43.7) |
1.2 (34.2) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−11.3 (11.7) |
−18.5 (−1.3) |
−21.0 (−5.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 40.7 (1.60) |
30.6 (1.20) |
24.1 (0.95) |
22.7 (0.89) |
39.5 (1.56) |
62.3 (2.45) |
57.2 (2.25) |
70.1 (2.76) |
45.1 (1.78) |
50.6 (1.99) |
48.1 (1.89) |
45.3 (1.78) |
536.3 (21.1) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 40 | 74 | 167 | 236 | 275 | 292 | 284 | 239 | 174 | 102 | 46 | 34 | 1,963 |
| Source 1: SMHI Open Data[65] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: SMHI Monthly Data 2002–2022[66] | |||||||||||||
Daylight
Stockholm's location just south of the 60th parallel north means that the number of daylight hours is relatively small during winter – about six hours – while in June and the first half of July, the nights are relatively short, with about 18 hours of daylight. Due to its eastern position within Sweden's respective time zone, sunsets occur as early as 2:46 PM in mid-December. Around the summer solstice the sun never reaches further below the horizon than 7.3 degrees.[67] This gives the sky a bright blue colour in summer once the sun has set because it does not get any darker than nautical twilight. Also, when looking straight up towards the zenith, few stars are visible after the sun has gone down. This is not to be confused with the midnight sun, which occurs north of the Arctic Circle, around 7 degrees farther north.
The Stockholm Municipal Council (Swedish: Stockholms kommunfullmäktige) is the name of the local assembly. Its 101 councillors are elected concurrently with general elections, held at the same time as the elections to the Riksdag and county councils. The Council convenes twice every month at Stockholm City Hall, and the meetings are open to the public. The matters on which the councillors decide have generally already been drafted and discussed by various boards and committees. Once decisions are referred for practical implementation, the employees of the City administrations and companies take over.[68]
The elected majority has a Mayor and eight Vice Mayors. The Mayor and each majority Vice Mayor is the head of a department, with responsibility for a particular area of operation, such as City Planning. The opposition also has four Vice Mayors, but they hold no executive power. Together the Mayor and the 12 Vice Mayors form the Council of Mayors, and they prepare matters for the City Executive Board. The Mayor holds a special position among the Vice Mayors, chairing both the Council of Mayors and the City Executive Board.[68]
The City Executive Board (Swedish: Kommunstyrelsen) is elected by the City Council and is equivalent to a cabinet. The City Executive Board renders an opinion in all matters decided by the council and bears the overall responsibility for follow-up, evaluation and execution of its decisions. The Board is also responsible for financial administration and long-term development. The City Executive Board consists of 13 members, who represent both the majority and the opposition. Its meetings are not open to the public.[68]
Stockholm City Hall is one of the city's key landmarks, built in the National Romantic Style at the beginning of the twentieth century. Hosting the Nobel Prizes and the government of the city of Stockholm, it is one of Sweden's most important buildings.[69]
As the primary financial centre in Sweden, Stockholm is an influential hub for trade, finance and technology in Europe, and one of Scandinavia's largest financial centres. The Stockholm region is the leading region in Sweden by both GDP and GDP per capita, and is amongst the ten wealthiest regions in the European Union when measured by the latter.[70]
Many of Sweden's largest companies are headquartered in the city; they are drawn by its central location, skilled workforce and preeminent financial sector. These companies include some of the Nordic region's most valuable corporations, like Ericsson, which is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies, or Atlas Copco, which is one of the world's largest industrial companies; other large companies based in Stockholm include Electrolux, H&M and Securitas AB. Some of the largest investment firms in Europe are headquartered in the city, including Investor AB and Nordstjernan; also headquartered in Stockholm is EQT AB.[71]
Stockholm is one of continental Europe's leading hubs for the technology industry; this influential industry is based in Kista, a suburb in northern Stockholm which is Europe's largest Informations and Technology cluster. Stockholm has the second most unicorns per capita in the world, after Silicon Valley; the city also has one of the highest startup rates in Europe.[72] Prominent startup technology companies in Stockholm include Mojang, Spotify and Klarna; the latter two either have been or are among the largest startup companies in the world.[73]
Most of Sweden's largest banks are headquartered in the city, including the SEB Group, Handelsbanken and Swedbank; Nordea had its headquarters in Stockholm until moving to Helsinki in 2018 for legal reasons involving the European Union.[74] The Stockholm Stock Exchange, founded in 1863, is the largest stock exchange in the Nordic Countries measured by market capitalisation, listing numerous multinational Swedish companies.[75]
Trade is a vital part of Stockholm's economy; the city's corporations are largely reliant on foreign consumers to supplement the small Swedish market. Stockholm is one of the Baltic Sea's larger ports, hosting especially cruise ships and yachts. Most of Stockholm's economy is based on export-oriented services, often towards larger, nearby European markets like Poland or Germany.[76] Tourism is a major industry in Stockholm.[77]
Research and higher education in the sciences started in Stockholm in the 18th century, with education in medicine and various research institutions such as the Stockholm Observatory. The medical education was eventually formalised in 1811 as Karolinska Institutet. KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Swedish: Kungliga Tekniska högskolan) was founded in 1827 and is Scandinavia's largest higher education institute of technology with 13,000 students; it is Sweden's foremost polytechnic, and spearheaded several governmental research projects in the twentieth century. Stockholm University, founded in 1878 with university status granted in 1960, has 52,000 students as of 2008[update]. It also incorporates historical institutions, such as the Observatory, the Swedish Museum of Natural History, as well as the botanical garden Bergianska trädgården. The Stockholm School of Economics, founded in 1909, is one of the few private institutions of higher education in Sweden, and is generally reckoned one of the most prestigious business schools in the world.
In the fine arts, educational institutions include the Royal College of Music, which has a history going back to the conservatory founded as part of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1771, the Royal University College of Fine Arts, which has a similar historical association with the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts and a foundation date of 1735, and the Swedish National Academy of Mime and Acting, which is the continuation of the school of the Royal Dramatic Theatre, once attended by renowned actors like Greta Garbo. Other schools include the design school Konstfack, founded in 1844, the University College of Opera (founded in 1968 but with older roots), the University College of Dance, and the Stockholms Musikpedagogiska Institut (the University College of Music Education).
The Södertörn University was founded in 1995 as a multi-disciplinary institution for southern Metropolitan Stockholm, to balance the many institutions located in the northern part of the region. Other institutes of higher education include the Military Academy Karlberg, the world's oldest military academy to remain in its original location, inaugurated in 1792 and housed in Karlberg Palace; there is also the Swedish Defence University, Ersta Sköndal University College, Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences and the University College Stockholm.[78]
The biggest complaints from students of higher education in Stockholm are the lack of student accommodations, the difficulty in finding other accommodations and the high rent.[79]
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| Source: Stockholms Stads Utrednings- och Statistikkontor AB Befolkningen i Stockholm 1252–2005, p. 55 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Source: Stockholms Stads Utrednings- och Statistikkontor AB Befolkningen i Stockholm 1252–2005, p. 55 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Stockholm region is home to around 22% of Sweden's total population, and accounts for about 29% of its gross domestic product.[80] The geographical notion of "Stockholm" has changed over time. By the turn of the 19th century, Stockholm largely consisted of the area today known as City Centre, roughly 35 km2 (14 sq mi) or one-fifth of the current municipal area. In the ensuing decades several other areas were incorporated (such as Brännkyrka Municipality in 1913, at which time it had 25,000 inhabitants, and Spånga in 1949). The municipal border was established in 1971; with the exception of Hansta, in 1982 purchased by Stockholm Municipality from Sollentuna Municipality and today a nature reserve.[81]
| Population by country of birth (2021)[82] | |
| Country | Population |
|---|---|
| Total residents | 978,770 |
| Sweden | 726,020 |
| Foreign-born | 252,750 (25.8%) |
 Iraq | 16,004 |
 Finland | 15,289 |
 Iran | 12,557 |
 Poland | 11,613 |
 Yugoslavia | 10,066 |
 India | 8,659 |
 Somalia | 8,447 |
 Turkey | 7,743 |
 Syria | 7,193 |
 China | 6,892 |
 Eritrea | 6,577 |
 United Kingdom | 6,035 |
 Germany | 5,388 |
 Ethiopia | 5,253 |
 United States | 5,232 |
 Chile | 5,204 |
 Afghanistan | 4,898 |
 Greece | 4,867 |
 Russia | 4,151 |
 Thailand | 4,052 |
The population was 984,748 in 2022 and is projected to reach 1,079,213 by 2030. Of the inhabitants, 482,982 were men and 492,569 women. The average age is 39 years; 40.1% of the population is between 20 and 44 years. The marimonial statistics are that 411,273 people, or 42.2% of the population, over the age 15 were unmarried; 268,291 people, or 27.5% of the population, were married; and 104,099 or 10.7% of the population, had been married but divorced.[83]
As of December 2021, there were 252,750 foreign-born people in Stockholm, making up 25.8% of the population. Around 57.5% of them (143,167) immigrated to Sweden when they were at least 10 years old, and 109,213 (43.9%) of them were foreign citizens. The largest nationality groups among the foreign-born people were the Iraqis (16,137), followed by Finns (15,693), Iranians (12,329) and Poles (11,569). Of the population, 336,275 residents (34.4%) of Stockholm had a foreign-background.[84]
Residents of Stockholm are known as Stockholmers ("stockholmare"). Languages spoken in Greater Stockholm outside of Swedish include Finnish, one of the official minority languages of Sweden; and English, as well as Albanian, Bosnian, Syriac, Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, Persian, Somali, Dutch, Spanish, Serbian and Croatian.
Stockholm has been home to a significant Finnish-minority since the 13th century. At the end of the 15th century up to 20% of the population in Stockholm consisted of Finns.[85] The Finska församlingen has offered church services since the 16th century, and in 1725 the Finnish Church was opened. 74,000 people in Stockholm have a Finnish-background, which makes Stockholm home to the largest Finnish population in Sweden.[86] Finnish, along with Meänkieli and the Sami languages have a protected minority status in Stockholm. This gives the right to use their language when contacting authorities, as well as the right to child and elderly care in their languages. Romani chib and Yiddish are also recognized minority languages, and have a strengthened right to their language in education.[87]
The entire Stockholm metropolitan area, consisting of 26 municipalities, has a population of over 2.2 million,[88] making it the most populous region in the Nordic countries.[89] The Stockholm urban area, defined only for statistical purposes, had a total population of 1,630,738 in 2015. In the following municipalities some of the districts are contained within the Stockholm urban area, though not all:[6][7]
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Religion
The Swedish church consists of 27 parishes in Stockholm with almost 50 churches, but also a large number of churches belonging to the free church.
Stockholm has six mosques.[91]
There are three active synagogues and a community of 4,300 members in Stockholm, which corresponds to 0.4% of Stockholm's population.[92] It is the largest Jewish community in Scandinavia.
As the capital and largest city of Sweden, Stockholm is the primary centre for the country's cultural life. The Swedish Royal Academies, founded by various monarchs after the sixteenth century, award several prestigious awards and serve as intellectual institutions for the country's leading figures. The city also hosts several of Sweden's architectural masterpieces; the Stockholm region is home to three World Heritage Sites – spots judged as invaluable places that belong to all of humanity: The Drottningholm Palace, Skogskyrkogården (The Woodland Cemetery) and Birka.[93][94][95] In 1998, Stockholm was named European Capital of Culture.
Literature
Since its founding, Stockholm has been home to many authors of worldwide recognition; these include figures like August Strindberg and Astrid Lindgren, as well as other writers important to the development of Swedish literature, like Vilhelm Moberg or Olof von Dalin. Stockholm has an active literary life, as it hosts two of Europe's most important literary institutions: the Swedish Academy and National Library of Sweden.[96]
Literature in Stockholm began during the Viking Age, when numerous runestones were carved in the area due to its importance as a trading hub. However, Sweden's literature at the time was primarily based in Götaland and Uppsala, as evidenced by the abundance of runestones in these areas and the settings of poems like Beowulf. The presence of the Church and University only served to further strengthen Uppsala's role as Sweden's literary centre throughout Christianisation and the Middle Ages.[97]
The centralisation of royal power and relative secularism brought in the sixteenth century led to the rise of Stockholm in Sweden's literature; this is due to several factors, including royal patronage in Stockholm and the relative decline of Uppsala University. The Bible was translated into Swedish during the reign of Gustav Vasa, and he drew several writers to his court due to his fondness for both music and literature.[98]
Stockholm's literature first began to flourish in the seventeenth century, with notable writers from the rest of Sweden moving to the city due to the wealth and patronage born from the spoils of the Swedish Empire. This process of cultural advancement continued into the eighteenth century, where the Gustavian era brought Stockholm's literature to its peak. Carl Linnaeus's scientific works were influential literary pieces, with August Strindberg describing Linnaeus as a "poet who happened to become a naturalist". Another notable literary figure from this time is Carl Michael Bellman, with his unique gift for setting his poems to song; he is often considered the father of the Swedish ballad tradition.[99]
The nineteenth and twentieth centuries were also a good time for the literature of Stockholm, with the rise of the Romantic and Realist movements, respectively. August Strindberg rose to prominence in the late nineteenth century with several important works; he is still considered one of Sweden's finest writers. Astrid Lindgren, in the twentieth century, was famous for her children's stories, while Vilhelm Moberg's works are often considered national treasures in Sweden.[100][101]
Architecture
Stockholm's oldest section is Gamla Stan (Old Town), located on the original small islands of the city's earliest settlements and still featuring the medieval street layout. Some notable buildings of Gamla Stan are the large German Church (Tyska kyrkan) and several mansions and palaces: the Riddarhuset (the House of Nobility), the Bonde Palace, the Tessin Palace and the Oxenstierna Palace.
The oldest building in Stockholm is Riddarholmen Church from the late 13th century. After a fire in 1697 when the original medieval castle was destroyed, Stockholm Palace was erected in a baroque style. Storkyrkan Cathedral, the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Stockholm, stands next to the castle. It was founded in the 13th century but is clad in a baroque exterior dating to the 1730-40s.
As early as the 15th century, the city had expanded outside of its original borders. Some pre-industrial, small-scale buildings from this era can still be found in Södermalm. Norrmalm, now the central part of the shopping district of Stockholm, was originally a separate city but was incorporated in Stockholm (now Old Town) during the early 17th century.
Stockholm has had a tradition of applying for building permits in order to erect a building from the early 18th century, with the oldest building permit from 1713. The building permit application tradition is still ongoing; as a consequence, it is possible to trace the continuous history of a newly built house three centuries into the past. Today the Stockholm City Building committee is in charge of the building permit process and their 1713–1978 archive is maintained by Stockholm City Archives. All drawings of old buildings from 1713 to 1874 are digitised and available through the Stockholms City Archives' website.
At the age of industrialisation and at the end of the 19th century and Stockholm grew rapidly, with plans and architecture inspired by the large cities of the continent such as Berlin and Vienna. Notable works of this time period include public buildings such as the Royal Swedish Opera and private developments such as the luxury housing developments on Strandvägen.
In the 20th century, a nationalistic push spurred a new architectural style inspired by medieval and renaissance ancestry as well as influences of the Jugend/Art Nouveau style. A key landmark of Stockholm, the Stockholm City Hall, was erected 1911–1923 by architect Ragnar Östberg. Other notable works of these times are the Stockholm Public Library by Gunnar Asplund and the World Heritage Site Skogskyrkogården by Asplund and celebrated architect Sigurd Lewerentz.[95]
