Total of Sweden.... 170,626 8,784,240 Gottland (the region originally inhabited by the Goths) lies S. of lat. 58° 45', and comprises also the islands of Oland and Gottland; Svealand, the original country of the Svenskar or Swedes, is the middle region of the kingdom, extending from Gottland northward to lat. 60° 40'; and Norrland is the whole northern section up to the Norwegian frontier of Finland. -The coast line, which is about 1,400 m. in extent, is deeply indented by numerous fiords or gulfs, which penetrate far into the interior of the country; about 300 m. of the coast borders on the Skager Rack, Cattegat, and Sound; the remainder is washed by the Baltic and the gulf of Bothnia. The W. shore along the Skager Rack and Cattegat is rocky, but seldom elevated more than 30 or 40 feet. The S. shore as far as Sõlvitsborg in Blekinge is low and sandy; thence northward it is, with some exceptions, lined by precipitous cliffs about 50 feet in height as far as Calmar sound, lying between Oland and the mainland. The bay of Carlscrona makes a deep indentation in this portion of the coast. Along the Sound the coast is again low and sandy, but north of it rises into higher cliffs, and at the outlet of Lake Mælar presents bold headlands 100 feet in height. Above the mouth of the Dal and as far as the strait of Quarken the rocky and sandy shores alternate; while the upper part of the gulf of Bothnia is characterized by low sandy beaches. The rivers are numerous, and mostly of rapid current. The principal are the Tornea, 290 m. long, and with its affluent the

Muonio forming the boundary between Sweden and Finland; the Lulea, Pitea, Skelleftea, and Umea; the Angerman, a broad and deep stream 230 m. long, and navigable for vessels of 600 tons 70 m. from its mouth; the E. and W. Dal, which uniting form the outlet of several lakes; these all fall into the gulf of Bothnia. The Klar and the Göta discharge their waters into the Cattegat. The Trolhätta fall on the latter is celebrated; the quantity of water is very large and the descent 112 feet. Sweden abounds in beautiful lakes; over 80 are enumerated. The largest is Lake Wener, 90 by 56 m. in extent, and the largest lake in Europe except Lake Ladoga. Lake Wetter is smaller, but has an area of nearly 720 sq. m., and receives 40 rivers. Lake Mælar is an arm of the sea, with beautiful banks, and contains, it is said, 1,400 islands. The other principal lakes are the Hjelmar, connected with Lake Mælar; the Silja, the Storjan, the Horn-Afvan, and the Stora-Lulea-Watten, in which the Lulea river has its source.-The mountain chain which forms the spine of the Scandinavian peninsula, and which is collectively known as the Dovrefield or Dofrines, has a much larger portion of its most elevated surface in Norway than in Sweden. Its lower portion, the Langfield chain, is wholly in Norway, while the Dovrefield and Kiölen chains form the boundary between the two countries; their loftiest summits, Sulitelma in lat. 67° and Sylfjellen in lat. 63°, lie partly in each. The western or Norwegian side of these mountains has a much more precipitous character than the eastern or Swedish. In Sweden they form a plateau nearly 4,000 feet high, from which occasional peaks rise to a greater height, but which in a breadth of 40 m. slopes gradually to an elevation of from 800 to 1,000 feet, and thence declines in hills of moderate elevation to the sea shore. S. of lat. 59° the country is very level, and the great plain of Scania, the most fertile tract of the peninsula, occupies a considerable portion of the southern extremity. The northern part of Sweden is rocky, with bleak, barren, snow-clad hills, and a stunted vegetation of birch, fir, and small pines, in the higher lands intermingled with dreary lakes and swamps. The great forest region lies S. of lat. 64°, where the surface is less elevated. It is computed that of the territory of the kingdom is covered with forests. Further S. the surface is more level, and the woods give place to cultivated fields.-The geological formations of Sweden are in chief part granites, gneiss, and metamorphic rocks. They compose most of the Scandinavian chain of mountains, and are in many places covered with silurian strata, which sometimes are seen undisturbed from their original horizontal position. These are broken through and overflowed by trap; and the surface is generally covered with the drift formation and large bowlders. The metamorphic group abounds in metallic veins which constitute a large portion of the wealth of the country, and are productive in a great variety of

metals, as iron, copper, lead, zinc, silver, cobalt, &c. The pyritiferous slates are largely worked for alum and copperas, and these, as well as the sulphurous gangues of the various ores, might be made to furnish unlimited supplies of sulphur. The production of the metals is variously given by different authorities, and has been noticed in the tabular statement in the article MINE, as also to some extent under the heads of the different metals. The localities of the most important mines are: of iron, at Dannemora in the læn of Upsal, and in Wermland, Örebro, Gefleborg, Kopparberg, and Westmanland; of copper, at Falun in Kopparberg, and at various other places in the læns of Östergottland, Jämtland, Westmanland, &c.; and of silver at Sala, in Westmanland. It is stated that the silver mine at this place in 1850 produced 805,000 oz. of silver. Coal of inferior quality is found in the S. part of Sweden, near Helsingborg. An interesting geological change in the coast line of Sweden, caused by the gradual rising of the land, has been noticed as taking place ever since it was first observed by Celsius in the early part of the last century. By him it was attributed to the depression of the waters of the Baltic. The greatest movement is noticed along the N. coast, and has been rated at about 6 inches in 100 years. It is much less at Stockholm, and gradually decreases further south.The soil of Sweden is not generally very fertile, much of it being produced by the disintegration of primitive rocks, and containing a large proportion of silex. There are nearly 4,000 sq. m. of arable lands, and somewhat more than 7,000 of meadow lands and pasturage, so that in all not far from of the surface of the kingdom is under cultivation. The climate of the Scandinavian peninsula is generally milder than that of other countries in the same latitude; the E. is about 2° colder than the W. side, but the winter is 5° warmer and the summer 1° colder. In the S. there are scarcely 5 months of rigorous winter, and the general temperature of this section differs but little from that of the N. of France or of N. Germany. At Stockholm, in lat. 59° 20′, the mean annual temperature is 42°, that of winter 25° and of summer 62°; at Lund, lat. 57° 42', the annual mean is 45°, that of winter 29.54° and of summer 62°; in Falun, lat. 60° 39', the annual mean is 40°, that of winter 22° and that of summer 58.33°; and in Enontekeis, lat. 68° 30', and at an elevation of 1,440 feet, the annual mean is 27°, the winter temperature 1.49° and the summer 54.61°. In Swedish Lapland there are scarcely 2 months of summer, which has been described as follows: "On June 23 the snow begins to melt; on July 1 it disappears; on the 9th the fields are covered with grown grass; on the 17th grain crops are in full growth, and on the 25th in full flower; on Aug. 2 fruits are ripe; on the 9th harvest is over; and on the 18th it snows." In Norrland, in the space of 9 weeks, hay will have been cut twice and the year's seeding and harvest completed. At Stockholm

the longest day is 18 hours and the shortest 5 hours. At Tornea, 21 hours is the longest; and at Enontekeis, lat. 68° 30', the sun remains above the horizon about 3 weeks.-The pine and fir forests of Sweden furnish a great abundance of timber, which is largely exported for building and shipping purposes. In the middle province there are also considerable quanties of ash, linden, willow, maple, and the weeping birch, one of the most beautiful of northern forest trees. In the southern province the oak attains great size and beauty, and the beech and elm are common. With the exception of the cherry there are few fruit trees Ñ. of the 60th parallel. Barley is cultivated in all parts of Sweden, and rye, wheat, oats, beans, peas, and potatoes are successfully grown in the middle and southern provinces. The gooseberry grows as far N. as 70°. Tobacco is raised in the vicinity of Stockholm. Root crops are largely cultivated.-The fauna of Sweden is not as numerous as of some of the other northern countries of Europe. The principal quadrupeds are the brown bear, wolf, lynx, fox, glutton, lemming, deer, elk, marten, hare, sable, beaver, and squirrel. The birds are more numerous, sea fowl especially seeking the sheltered coasts of the Baltic and gulf of Bothnia. The eagle and falcon, the wild goose, eider duck and other species of wild ducks, swans, and the gull tribe abound; and on the heaths the woodcock, capercailzie and other grouse are plentiful. Among fishes, the herring, or rather the strōming, an allied genus, are plentiful on the S. coast, and the turbot, oyster, lobster, salmon, and trout are found in great numbers in the seas and rivers. The domestic animals are mostly of small size, and, though hardy, the cattle and sheep are of inferior quality. In the north the reindeer and dog are used to some extent for draught.-The Swedes are a branch of the old Scandinavian or Norse stock. They constitute the greater part of the population, though the districts of Westerbotten and Norrbotten are principally inhabited by Finns and Lapps, who together number about 150,000. The Swedes are, like the other Scandinavian races (the Danes and Norwegians), tall and of a sandy or florid complexion, and powerful physique. They are divided into 4 classes, the nobility, clergy, burghers, and peasants. The Swedish aristocracy is among the oldest in Europe, and now consists of about 2,400 families, numbering in all nearly 11,000 persons. They were formerly very wealthy, and possessed of the landed property of the kingdom; but many of them are now very poor, though their pride is such that they will not compromise themselves by engaging in commercial or industrial pursuits. They are the principal officeholders of the realm. The clergy number with their families about 15,000 persons; 1,300 are beneficed clergymen, and about 1,900 professors, teachers, or assistants to the pastors. The class of burghers comprises about 70,000 persons, and are members of the various guilds, or iron manu

facturers, or have been parochial magistrates; they hold real estate of the value of about $15,000,000. The peasants comprise about 2,800,000 of the population, and possess landed property to the amount of about $75,000,000. They are industrious, prudent, and well educated, and are gradually absorbing the landed property of the kingdom, especially that from the encumbered demesnes of the nobility. There is also a class belonging to neither of these estates, comprising nearly 900,000. The Swedes are an enterprising, energetic, and thrifty people, but have hitherto been addicted to some vices which have seriously marred their character. Drunkenness, from immoderate potations of their fiery corn brandy, has been more common than in any other country in Europe, and was productive of a large amount of crime; but there has been a great improvement in this respect in the last 12 years. Owing to the religious excitement propagated by the Läsere or Readers and other dissenting sects, and the formation of numerous temperance societies, intemperance has greatly diminished, and crime with it. The consumption of distilled spirits, which in 1840 was over 30,000,000 gallons, and in 1850 nearly 40,000,000, had diminished in 1861 to about 10,620,000 gallons. Illegitimacy has been fearfully prevalent in Sweden for many years. Houses of prostitution were not suffered to exist; but unchastity, or at least indifference to marital obligations, prevailed to such an extent that in 1849 in Stockholm the proportion of illegitimate to legitimate births was as 1 to 2.27; in other towns as 1 to 5; in the whole kingdom as 1 to 11. In this respect, too, it is said that the past few years have witnessed a decided change for the better.-More than of the population are engaged in agricultural pursuits, a considerable number in navigation and commerce, and a small body, mostly from the burgher class, in manufacturing and trade. During the past 40 years Sweden has made a great advance in agriculture. The government has done much to encourage it, and the establishment of agricultural schools and model farms, and the introduction of improved implements, have been of great service. Though the soil is sterile and yields grudgingly, and so much of it is still covered with the primeval forests, yet the cereals, formerly articles of import, are now exported in considerable quantities; in 1858 this export (principally of oats and barley) reached the amount of 4,300,000 bushels. Barley is raised in all parts of the kingdom, rye to the 66th, oats to the 64th, and wheat to the 62d parallel of latitude. There is an abundance of pasturage for cattle, sheep, and goats in the summer, but the long winter requires them to be so long housed as materially to diminish the profit of raising them. In 1855 there were 1,921,568 horned cattle, 1,792,070 sheep, and about 400,000 horses in the country. Sweden has made great progress in manufacturing industry within the past few

years. While the number of distilleries, of which in 1835 there were 85,172 small and 670 large ones, had diminished in 1858 to 2,478 small and 326 large ones, and has since still further decreased, other branches of industry have greatly increased. There are 2 very large manufactories of steam engines, iron steamers, &c., one at Motala employing 800 men, and another at Norrköping employing 400; and extensive saw mills, paper mills, cutlery shops, and manufactories of cotton, woollen, linen, and silk stuffs, sail cloths, hardware, glass, earthenware, clocks and watches, &c. The amount of goods produced in the registered manufactories of the country in 1839 was $5,493,123; in 1850, $9,891,072; in 1854, exclusive of the engine works, saw mills, and paper mills, over $11,841,613; in 1855, $14,437,645. These amounts include none of the homespun fabrics so largely produced in Sweden, and which rival in fineness and beauty those of the registered factories. The district most remarkable for these is Elfsborg, containing 261,850 inhabitants, and which produced in 1855, over and above the quantity consumed by them, 9,047,506 yards of cotton cloth, 1,568,556 cotton handkerchiefs, 260,000 yards of linen cloth, and 392,425 yards of woollen goods. In Gefleborg, containing but 131,936 inhabitants, 1,384,666 yards of heavy linen cloth were produced in the families.There has been great confusion in regard to the money, weights, and measures of Sweden, which has recently been terminated by the adoption of a decimal system, passed by the diet of 1854 and put in operation Jan. 1, 1858. The unit of money has been from time immemorial the riksdaler (government dollar). The various wars prior to 1815 depreciated the Swedish paper money greatly, and the government notes were of less value than those issued by the bank, which was an independent institution, though under the management of directors appointed by the legislature. The specie dollar was 106 cts., the riksgalds (royal debts) dollar 26 cts., or 4 to the specie dollar; while the riksdaler banco, or bank dollar, was 39% cts., or of the specie dollar and 14 of the riksgalds. The riksdaler banco hence became the official money of accounts. All three (the specie, banco, and riksgald) were divided into 48 skillings, and the skilling into 12 rundstyks. The new currency adopts the riksgald dollar (263 cts.) as the unit, calling it the riksmynt dollar, and divides it into 100 öre. All future accounts are to be in this money, and the currency for foreign coins will be quoted in riksmynt money at so much per 100 of the foreign coins, except the pound sterling, which is quoted per £. The silver coins, which are 3 parts silver and 1 copper, are in pieces of 1, 2, and 4 riksmynt dollars, and pieces of 10, 25, and 50 öre. In weights a similar reform has taken place, the Swedish pound or unit of weight being 0.937 of an English pound. In length, 100 English yards (= 300 feet) contain 308 Swedish feet, or 1 English foot equals