Since 150 years Sweden has been living in peace. It did not suffer from the two World Wars of the 20th century due to its strictly neutral policy.

In the 19th century Sweden was still one of the poorest countries in Europe - today it is one of the leading industrial nations. This development is not only due to the rich natural resources - ore, wood and water - but in the same measure founded on the inventive genius of its citizens. The Tetra Pak, the Celsius thermometer and the ball bearing - a pioneering invention for machine construction - have been developed in Sweden. One of the most famous inventors of Sweden is Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite (1833 - 1896). In his last will he stipulated that the profit from his patents were to finance a foundation. Since 1901 it awards the Nobel Prize for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine and literature as well as the Nobel Peace Prize.

Sweden is said to be the model for the modern welfare state. Already in 1919 the 48-hour-week for industrial workers was introduced. The comprehensive system of social security had to be reformed though in the 90ies to make it affordable. The protest of author Astrid Lindgren against the high individual tax burden in Sweden was in the news worldwide.

Astrid Lindgren is probably the internationally best known and most popular children's author. She has made Swedish traditions and landscapes world famous - like Selma Lagerlöf with her book "Nils Holgersen". More than 25 years Astrid Lindgren has been fighting against violence against children.

It reflects the humanitarian traditions and its policy of peace that Sweden is one of the four industrial nations paying more than the agreed 0.7 per cent of its Gross National Product for development aid.