Sweden: The Island Kingdom with Over 267,000 Islands – A Journey Across the Nordic Paradise

 Sweden is the country with the most islands in the world. Not Indonesia, not the Philippines — but Sweden, with an astonishing 267,570 islands. From dreamy, peaceful islands rich in food, culture, and art, to places like Birka, the first Viking city, Sweden offers endless destinations surrounded by fresh northern air. Yet, out of all these islands, only about 1,000 are inhabited.


The capital city, Stockholm, is built on 14 islands within the larger Stockholm Archipelago of around 24,000 islands. Visitors can travel easily by subway, ferries, or cross the many bridges that connect the city. Some islands are close, like Södermalm, just a short subway ride from the Old Town, while others, like Vaxholm, are about an hour away by ferry.

Famous islands include Vaxholm with its historic fortress, Sandhamn for outdoor adventures, Grinda with no motor vehicles and protected nature, Djurgården with museums and green spaces, and Södermalm known for independent eateries, bars, and vintage shops.

Sweden borders Norway to the north and west, Finland to the east, and connects to Denmark through the Öresund bridge-and-tunnel system. Covering more than 450,000 square kilometers, the country has over 10 million people, with half of its land covered by forests and more than 100,000 lakes.

The northern part of Sweden is known as the “Land of the Midnight Sun,” where during summer the sun never fully sets, and even in Stockholm the nights are only about four hours long. In autumn and spring, the spectacular aurora borealis often lights up the sky.

Sweden was also the first country in Europe to establish a national park system. Today, it has 29 national parks and numerous nature reserves that protect rare animals like the Arctic fox, which has fewer than 200 individuals left in Europe, as well as brown bears and wolverines.

Sweden — the land of islands, endless daylight, and breathtaking nature. Would you like to explore this incredible Nordic country?

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