15 Facts About Sweden You Should Know

Starting off my public journey in learning to be a Swede, here are 15 quick facts about Sweden that you should know.

1. Officially known as "The Kingdom of Sweden;"
2. National anthem is "Du Gamla, Du Fria," (Thou Ancient, Thou Free);
3. Stockholm is the nation's capital and largest city;
4. Most Swedes belong to the Church of Sweden, a sect of the Lutheran faith;
5. Home of the Nobel Prize, celebrated on December 10th (Nobel Day), whose laureates are honored for their work in physics, medicine, chemistry, physiology, literature, and peace;
6. Swedes are waste conscious - only 1% of household waste ends up at a landfill and 95% of aluminum are recycled;
7. Sweden boasts the highest English proficiency in Europe;
8. Swedish parents are entitled to a generous 480 day parental leave;
9. The nation has a total of 95,700 lakes;
10. Sweden has won more than 600 Olympic gold medals: 475 from Summer Games and 135 from Winter Games;
11. Each year during Lent and Easter seasons, Swedes consume more than 40 million semla (marzipan and cream filled cardamom buns) each year;
12. Spanking and similar behaviors have been banned since 1979;
13. Sweden has a modern monarchy, led by King Carl XVI Gustaf, who has reigned since 1973;
14. In addition to a sovereign, Sweden has an elected prime minister, currently Fredrik Reinfeldt;
15. Considered one of the most child-friendly nations, children's rights continue to be one of the top concerns of government initiatives and nonprofit organizations;