Faroe Islands

Faroe Islands is a small country in the North Atlantic Ocean north of the United Kingdom and west of Norway. It is a nation of islands, and just like Åland, this country is not independent but only have autonomy, under danish soveregnithy.

The capital of Faroe Islands is Tórshavn with a population of 17 000 inhabitants.

The country is very rocky with alot of mountains, there is no deep forests on the islands. The official language is faroese and danish cause of its relationship to the mainland Denmark. Faroese is closely related to icelandic but also norwegian, this three languages is all the west-scandinavian languages.

Faroe Islands was since medival times under the rule of Norway, just like Iceland and Greenland at that time, but after the danish-swedish war, Norway came under swedish rule and Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland remained under the danish crown.

Åland

Åland, a small country of islands in the middle of the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland. Åland dont have their own independence but stand under the governement of Helsingfors, Finland.

Åland, like Finland was a part of Sweden once, but after a great war with Russia, the entire eastern part of the kingdom was fallen into russian rule, including Åland. Åland belonged thereafter under the Grand Duchy of Finland under the russian tsar. After the russian revolution Finland was independent and when the finnish nationalism started to grow, an opposite development was in Åland were the people wanted to belong to Sweden. This resulted in autonomy of Åland and an international demilitarized zone were either Finland nor Sweden or any other nation had rights to have army.

And even today Åland keep this autonomy, and in the present no big thoughts about independence is going on.

The capital of Åland is Mariehamn and reside on the biggest island.

Municipalities around Gislaved

Värnamo

Värnamo municipality is south east of Gislaved. The municipality of Värnamo has the same size of population like Gislaved (Gislaved 29 000, Värnamo 32 000), but the town of Värnamo is almost twice the population of Gislaved town, with 18 000 inhabitants. While Gislaved is an industrial town with factories, Värnamo is more focused in shops and is considered Jönköpings län's southern market town. The downtown is well developed with alot of shops and shoppings. Värnamo also have a big hospital, the largest in the län outside Jönköping.

Gnosjö

This is one of the smaller municipalities in the country with its 9600 inhabitants, while Gnosjö town has 4000 citizens. Gnosjö doesnt have many things by them self ad are very dependent on Gislaved but also Värnamo. Many students in Gnosjö municipality go to study somewhere in Gislaved. Many things are limited, and its questioned if Gnosjö should continue to exist as a municipality, if this day come it will be a part of Gislaved. The only reason why the munucipality survived so long is cause of the rich industry and economy.

Jönköping

Jönköping municipality is the biggest in the län, and its here were the ruling residential city is placed, Jönköping. It is the 10:th largest municipality in Sweden with its 123 700 inhabitants, the city of Jönköping has a population of 84 000 citizens. Jönköping is placed on the banks of the lake Vättern. Jönköping is a rich market city and also industrial. It has good city busses and have some shopping centers, not to forget A6.

Photos of Gislaved town

Kulturhuset Borgen (Borgen, the house of culture)

The duck pound in Dalen, part of river Nissan

A house in Dalen

The man on the flying carpet, Smålandia (its my bike under the carpet)

The man's goat, its placed behind the man

Swedbank and Clocktower on the other side of the town park

The Townhall (Gislaveds Kommunhus)

Hotell Nissastigen

The town park close to the townhall

The town park

Gislaved

Gislaved

Gislaved is a municipality in Jönköpings län in the western part in the province of Småland. The municipality have 8 towns, the largest and dominant is Gislaved itself, but exept Gislaved there is the other seven towns, these are Anderstorp, Smålandsstenar, Reftele, Hestra, Burseryd, Broaryd and Skeppshult.

100 years ago the dominant village in the area was Anderstorp, Gislaved didnt exist and was only a forested area with farms and houses. There existed small villages, Henja and Gyllenfors (wich today is only districts in Gislaved town). But one day in the beginning of the 1900-century a factory creating gummi was created between the villages of Gyllenfors and the early Gislaved. The town expanded and Gyllenfors soon dissapeared inside Gislaved. The town expanded alot in 100 years and resluted that in the municipality-reform in the 1970:ies the municipality of Anderstorp, Reftele, Smålandsstenar and Hestra all dissapeared under the municipality of Gislaved, cause now, Gislaved was the dominant town wich its rich industry.

What to see in this area in Gislaved and around is not much, but just north outside Hestra there actually is a very popular tourist spot, specially among danes and germans, this place is called Isaberg, a small mountain with about 300 meters height wick is a ski-resort in winter, and camping site in the summer. In Båraryd, a small village (not a town) in the west have a lake were bathing is popular in summer among the locals.

Blekinge

Blekinge is a coastal province in southernmost Sweden. The province is located south of Småland and is identical to Blekinge län, were the provincial capital is Karlskrona. Blekinge was, just like Skåne and Halland a part of Denmark long time ago but is today a part in Sweden. The town of Ystad have good ferrie-connections with Poland were most trips to this country have its gate here. Blekinge have 150 000 inhabitants.

Dalarna

Dalarna is a province in western Svealand, its a very known province and is fameous for many things and have a big toursit industry. The län in this region is Dalarnas län and the residential city is Falun.

It is from Dalarna were the classic Dalecarlian Horse (Dalahästen) is created, specially around the legendary lake Siljan were the small city Mora is located. Mora is also fameous for its grand church and that its in Mora the goal for the "Vasaloppet" is placed that traditionally is every winter. Other fameous places in Dalarna is Idre, the mountaineous region in norhern Dalarna.

There is also a place around Älvdalen were the people speak their own unique language that only exist here, "älvdalska" or the elfdalian language. Even if the english name for the language is "elfdalian" it dont have anything to do with elfs. Even if elf means "alv" or "älva" in swedish, "älv" also reffers for rivers that flow in mountaineous regions wich is common up here, Älvdalen means "River Valley".

Politics of Sweden

The politic of Sweden is dominated by 7 parties that represent the Riksdag (parliament). These parties are Vänsterpartiet, Socialdemokraterna and Miljöpartiet, these 3 belong to the red block, on the blue block four parties are represented, these are Centerpartiet, Folkpartiet, Kristdemokraterna and Moderaterna. Except these there is of course many other parties that is not represented in the Riksdag but in some municipalities have large support, for example Sverigedemokraterna wich may enter the Riksdag next election, many fear, and Kommunistiska Partiet. Each of the parties that is represented in the Riksdag tend to have a flower as a symbol.

Vänsterpartiet, in english "Left Party" is a socialistic and feministic party. Before it was called Vänsterpartiet Kommunisterna, but after the fall of Soviet Union, "kommunisterna" was deleted from the name, and now they dont see them selves as communists but socialists. The red flower they have as symbol is a red sweet-william flower (nejlika in swedish). Vänsterpartiet was created in the year 1917, same year as the Russian Revolution. It is the most "red" party in the Riksdag.

The party is after the election 2006 the fifth largest party, but it have seen better times. The party leader is Lars Ohly who took after Gudrun Schyman who was the leader in the 1990:s, she was very popular and at her rule the party was the third largest party in the Riksdag.

Socialdemokraterna, (The Social Democrats) is the largest political party in Sweden and have been shaping the swedish society after the second worldwar. It is a socialistic or rater social-democratic party and belong to the red block. It have been ruling in the Riksdag many years, often together with Vänsterpartiet and Miljöpartiet. It has a close relationship to the workers union in all country. It is thanks to this party that real poverty dissapered from Sweden and created the good living standars that today is in Sweden. The most popular and internationally known leader was Olof Palme who had a very good social welfare politic, and criticized USA very often, so the contacts to USA was not the best at the time, but it did not affect Sweden in a bad way. Instead Sweden had more contact with develpment countries that today. Unfortunatly Palem was shoot in 1986, later Socialdemokraterna has been moving more to the blue side, for exemple accept the European Union. It finally lost power in the election 2006 with Göran Persson as the leader. Today Socialdemokraterna is not the ruling party, but there is still hope they take the power back in next election with Mona Sahlin as the party leader.

Miljöpartiet de Gröna, or in english "The Greens" is a green political party wich most important question is about the nature and global warming and are against nuclear power. It is often placed at the red block/socialistic block together with Vänsterpartiet and Socialdemokraterna, but see themselves to not belong to any of the two blocks, and in some municipalities it is closer to the blue side. It is the youngest party and have been represented in the Riksdag since 1988.

Centerpartiet or "the Center Party" in english have long been referred to the middle between the two blocks and is as Miljöpartiet a green party. Now days it is very closely related to the blue parties and is in its politic very liberal and "capitalistic". The leader is Maud Olofsson and made the party very popular in last election, specially among women. Today it is a ruling party together with Folkpartiet, Kristdemokraterna and Moderaterna in the political Alliance, as the four parties call themselves, "Allians för Sverige". In some municipalities Centerpartiet is represented at the red side.

Folkpartiet or "Peoples Party" if you try to translate it to english, is a blue party and is the liberals in Swedish politic. They are also in the Alliance with the three other parties on the blue block. The leader is Jan Björklund. The party is the swedish version of the Democrats in USA, that also is liberal. The party had its worst result for a long time in last election but thank to the Alliance they were able to rule anyway. They are the party that also want to come closer to European Union and want to create an european version of FBI, wich means smaller independence of the european countries and of course Sweden.

Kristdemokraterna, "Christian Democrats" is the second most blue party in swedish politic. Kristdemokraterna fear to be expelled from the Riksdag in next election when they probably will have less than 4% of the votes and have to leave. The leader is Göran Hägglund. It is often seen as a religious christian party, but themselves deny it, but its easy to see that their political opinions is closely related to christian opinions. For exemple they are against marriage between homosexuals and many people supporting Kristdemokraterna is also against abortion. The only region were they are popular is in Jönköping municipality and in Småland were christianity is very strong. Otherwise they have few supporters in the country.

Moderaterna, the political party most far away in the right. blue corner in the Riksdag and now the de facto-rulers of Sweden. It is the second largest party in Sweden and the hard lived rival of Socialdemokraterna about the power. Under the latest part of the last century Socialdemokraterna have been the dominant party in exeptions for some small periods when the Moderates have been ruling some few years, often interrupted periods. All times they have been ruling the swedish economy have been totally falled into ruins and Socialdemokraterna had to come back and fix everything Moderaterna caused. After the election 2006 Socialdemokraterna still had the most votes and was the biggest party, but the support for Moderaterna and Centerpartiet, the blue block increased, and thanks to the Alliance that Moderaterna created with the other blue party, the four blue parties worked as one, and together they were stronger than Socialdemokraterna. Thats the reason why Moderaterna could take the power in the Riksdag and is today ruling. Many people were dissapointed cause Moderaterna did not do a good job, they take from the poor and make life better and easier for people who already is wealthy. As all other times they ruled, this period is full of scandals and next election in 2010 do look very dark for the Moderaterna when the red block is increasing and Socialdemokraterna alone is bigger than all blue parties together.

Norway

Norway is a kingdom bordering to Sweden in the west. Norway share many similarities to Sweden, both when it comes to culture and language. Norway is also the country that Sweden have closest connection to, and the border between the two countries are as open as they could be, without a real toll gate were cars get stopped. To pass over by car is very simple, sometimes you might get stopped just for control.
Norway have a very small population with only 4.6 million people, wich only is half of what Sweden was. The capital is Oslo, located in the south of the country. Norway is a very mountaineous country and has a very stunning natural landskape.
Norway is divided into 19 provinces, this political provinces is called "fylken" wich is the same thing as the "län" in Sweden. These are:

Akershus
Aust-Agder
Buskerud
Finnmark
Hedmark
Hordaland
Möre og Romsdal
Nordland
Nord-Tröndelag
Oppland
Oslo
Rogaland
Sogn og Fjordane
Sör-Tröndelag
Telemark
Troms
Vest-Agder
Vestfold
Östfold

Norways coast to the ocean is very fame for its many rocks and fiords that stretch into the country many kilometers, as on this photo here. The water that run from the glaciers have fresh, drinkable water and have a crystal green colour.

Härjedalen

Härjedalen is a province north of Dalarna and south of Jämtland. The province is in a very mountaineous area and is the sami peoples southermost outpost. The province have few inhabitants and are therefore represented only as a municipality in Jämtlands län.

Härjedalen is a fameous tourist spot for skiing, the town Funäsdalen have a big tourist industry.

Jämtland

Jämtland is a province in Norrland, it is located south of Lappland and north of Härjedalen. The län in this area is called Jämtlands län and the residential and largest city is Östersund, east of the lake Storsjön, (english, The Great Lake).

The province of Härjedalen is also included in Jämtlands län and is there represented as Härjedalen municipality.

Jämtland is fameous for it mountaineous landscape and is also one of the coldest places in Sweden, the mountains Sylarna has many times had the coldest temperature in Sweden.

Sameland

Sameland

Sameland, or Sápmi in sami language, is a cultural region were the samic culture and the sami people are living. This region is stretching in four countries, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia. The sami lanugage is a finnic-urgic language, closely related to finnish, but also estonian and karelian. The sami culture is fameous for herding reindeers in the mountains, wich have been their way of life for centuries. When Sweden expanded northwards, many samis were forced to leave their lands to the state, and forced to speak swedish. The swedification wasnt so good as the rulers hoped, and the sami language is still spoken with 30 000 speakers, but it is to few and the lanugage is threatened.

In three countries, Sweden, Finland and Norway there is a parliament for the sami were they can have elections each four years, an exeption is Russia were this kind of institution doesnt exist, and its in Russia were the culture is mostly threatened. The Sami flag is also only in work in Sweden, Finland and Norway. In many places in the northern Scandinavia its very common to see this flag standing next to the national flag outside shops and other institutions.

The regions marked on the map is to show the different dialects the sami people are speaking.

1) South sami

2) Ume sami

3) Pite sami

4) Lule sami

5) North sami

6) Skolt sami

7) Enare sami

8) Kildin sami

9) Ters-sami

Värmland

Värmland, the second largest province in Svealand, bordering in south with Dalsland, Närke, Västergötland and the lake Vänern. Historical, Värmland had close relationships with Norway, and the accent spoken in Värmland have some similarities to norwegian. Its also in Värmland's border to Norway in the west were we find the mixed little fantasy country of Morokulien wich is a mixed word of "moro + kul + i + en" while "moro" is the norwegian word for fun, while "kul" is fun in swedish, "i" is in, and "en" is one, so literally Morokulien means "Fun-in-one".

It is also in Morokulien that was the only plae were swedish and norwegian couples could marry before. Värmlands norwegian counterpart province is Hedmark.

Dalsland

Dalsland, a province close to Bohuslän and bordering to Sweden's largest lake in the east, the lake Vänern. Dalsland is a very uninhabitated province, with very few citizens, and the most fameous town here is Åmål, wich is a small town. Dalsland have a population of only 51 000 citizens, and has a density closely related to how it is in Norrland.

Dalsland is together with the provinces of Bohuslän and Västergötland under the län of Västra Götaland.

Bohuslän

Bohuslän, a province on the western coast bordering to Norway. The province of Bohuslän was actually norwegian a long time, until it finally became a part of the Swedish Realm in its expansionistic era, and have been a province ever since. Sweden's second largest city, Göteborg, is sometimes counted to the province of Bohuslän, and this province is often included in the metropolitan area of Göteborg, and today, it is under the rule in Västra Götalands län, were Göteborg is the residential city. Actually, if we talk abut geography, Göteborg is in the province of Västergötland and not Bohuslän, even if it often counts to this. Examples on cities in Bohuslän is Uddevalla, Kungsälv, Lysekil, Grebbestad and Strömstad.