Sweden officially the Kingdom of Sweden is a Nordic country in Northern Europe.[20] It borders Norway to the west and north, Finland to the east, and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund Strait. At 450,295 square kilometres (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the largest country in Northern Europe, the third-largest country in the European Union and the fifth largest country in Europe by area. The capital city is Stockholm. Sweden has a total population of 10.3 million[11] of which 2.6 million have a foreign background.[21] Persons with foreign backgrounds are defined as persons who are foreign born, or born in Sweden with foreign born parents.[22] It has a low population density of 25 inhabitants per square kilometre (65/sq mi), with 1 437 persons per km2 in localities. 87% of Swedes live in urban areas, which cover 1.5% of the entire land area. The highest concentration is in the central and southern half of the country.
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy, with legislative power vested in the 349-member unicameral Riksdag. It is a unitary state, currently divided into 21 counties and 290 municipalities. Sweden maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens. It has the world’s eleventh-highest per capita income and ranks very highly in quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties, economic competitiveness, income equality, gender equality, prosperity and human development.[28][29][30] Sweden joined the European Union on 1 January 1995, but has rejected NATO membership, as well as Eurozone membership following a referendum. It is also a member of the United Nations, the Nordic Council, the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Relations between Turkey and Sweden
Political relations between Turkey and Sweden dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. The King of Sweden, Karl XII, took refuge in the Ottoman Empire after his defeat against Russia in 1709 during the Great Northern War. He ruled his country for five years from the then Ottoman territory, Bender and Edirne, respectively.
The contractual basis of the relations between the two countries was established by the Trade Agreement and the Alliance for Peace, Unity and Friendship signed in 1737 and in 1739, respectively, between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sweden. While the first representative of the Republic of Turkey in Sweden, Laik Mukbil Bey served as Charge d’Affaires between the years of 1923-1926.
The two countries signed a Friendship Agreement in 1924 soon after the founding of the Republic of Turkey and reinforced their historical relations in the new era.
Bilateral relations between Turkey and Sweden have gained “strategic” character with the signing of the “Declaration of Strategic Partnership” in 2013.
