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 A Pharmacy I Stumbled Across In Stockholm. It Has Been A Pharmacy Since The 1800s And Maintained The Original Decor
Image credits: lightbulb663
#2 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
#3 Sunrise In Sweden
Image credits: No_Expression6975
#4 In Sweden, We Get A Text Message When Our Blood Has Helped A Patient. This Is My 3rd Time Donating
Image credits: cjsweden
#5 Stockholm Underground Stations Look Like Mystic Caves
Image credits: flarfoster
#6 Northern Lights Over My House In Luleå, Sweden
Image credits: peterparnes
#7 This "No Cars Allowed" Sign In Sweden
Image credits: Crispiann
#8 Nappies In Sweden Have A Father On The Packaging
Image credits: caspii2
#9 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
#10 Shopping Carts In Sweden Have A Map Of The Supermarket
Image credits: caspii2
#11 A Stand For Bikers To Hold On To While Waiting For The Traffic Lights In Sweden
Image credits: medmik
#12 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
#13 Some Mice Have Opened A Miniature Shop (70 X 30 Cm) In Malmö, Sweden
Image credits: EbaySweden
#14 Sweden Has The Largest Scale Model Of The Solar System In The World Stretching 950km Across The Country
Image credits: Einarspetz
#15 Øresund Bridge Tunnel, Connecting Sweden To Denmark
Image credits: Øresundsbron
#16 Venue In Sweden Called Dalhalla. Made From An Old Quarry
Image credits: dalhalla
#17 Twinkies And Pop-Tarts In Swedish "Disgusting Food Museum"
Image credits: its_zara
#18 In Sweden Trees Can Send Texts When They Need Water Using An Implanted Moisture Sensor
Image credits: Helsingborgs stad
#19 Street Art, Sweden
Image credits: dittidot
#20 This Is A Solitary Confinement Cell From The Toughest Prison In Sweden
Image credits: roadhogmainOW
#21 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
#22 Spotted In Sweden
Image credits: DrKingAce
#23 Mchive, Sweden: The World's Smallest McDonald's Aims To Save Bees
Image credits: NORD DDB
#24 Trainy Mctrainface, Christened Today In Gothenburg, Sweden
Image credits: Peanutcat4
#25 The Air Vents On A Subway In Stockholm Have A Hidden Pacman Easter Egg
Image credits: Oluge2009
#26 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
#27 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
#28 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
#29 Santa Has A Reserved Parking Spot At This IKEA In Sweden
Image credits: Eleeas
#30 Internet Speed In Sweden
Image credits: birk
#31 Treehotel - Unique Treerooms With Contemporary Design In The Nature In Harads, Near The Lule River, Sweden
Image credits: treehotel
#32 Hanging In A Pizzeria In Stockholm, Sweden
Image credits: JPPM
#33 In Sweden, If You Work For The State For 30 Years You Receive A Gold Medal
Image credits: Etroutha
#34 University Of Uppsala's Anatomical Theatre Where Bodies Were Dissected In Front Of An Audience (Built In 1663, Sweden)
Image credits: kaaattttt
#35 Sweden Has Started Selling Portable Ashtrays That Completely Seal And Don’t Smell At Local Gas Stations To Minimize Littering
Image credits: B00NSH
#36 In Sweden We Celebrate Something We Call Midsommar On Friday 19th (Midsummer)
Image credits: RedditBeacon
#37 In Sweden We Have Trash Cans With WiFi
Image credits: glimpim01
#38 Town Of Kiruna, Sweden
Image credits: nordlig.photo
#39 In Sweden They Sell Chocolate Next To Pads
Image credits: fhcm_
#40 “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
#41 A Complaints Drop-Off Box For The City Of Gothenburg, Sweden
Image credits: Spikas
#42 3,500-Year-Old Petroglyphs Found In Tanum, Sweden. Some Of The Carvings Are Boats, Animals, People And Mythological Creatures
Image credits: kajola1969
#43 A Beautiful Afternoon Above The Swedish West Coast. Gullholmen, Sweden
Image credits: airpixels
#44 Coolest Hotel Ever. Report From An Ice Hotel, Which Turns Out To Be Less Boring Than I Expected
Image credits: uspn
#45 This McDonalds In Sweden Has A "McSki", Instead Of A Drive Thru. In Fact, It’s The Only One
Image credits: fabbe_r
#46 Bus Stop In Sweden. Talk About Personal Space
Image credits: Smiix
#47 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
#48 Sweden Has Baby Stroller Parking Spots
Image credits: stowka
#49 This Art Installation In A Subway Entrance In Sweden
Image credits: Swee_et
#50 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
