It's no secret that many often confuse the two countries - Sweden and Switzerland. Indeed, they have very similar names, and these states are located not in different parts of the world, but in one.
But in reality, Switzerland and Sweden are not at all the same thing. Let's see thanks to what features they differ from each other.
Population and area of countries
In terms of population, these two countries do not differ so much: in Sweden there are 10 million inhabitants, with only a couple million less in Switzerland. But in terms of area, Sweden is much larger - as much as ten times. By the way, it occupies the fifth largest area among all European countries. Compare the sizes of these states on the map, and you will not have the thought that Sweden and Switzerland are one and the same.
I must say that these states are not so close to each other. The distance between the two capitals is about two thousand kilometers!
Tongue
There are four official languages in Switzerland: French, German, Italian and Romansh. Unusual, right? It is hard to imagine that all these four languages operate in one small country with a population of 8 million people.
But Sweden cannot boast of such a linguistic diversity. The official language is Swedish. Everything is simple and clear.
Remember this nuance the next time you think that Switzerland and Sweden are one and the same.
State management
Different forms of government of these states prove that Switzerland and Sweden are not at all the same thing.
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy led by a king. At the same time, the state is governed by a government led by a prime minister who is elected by parliament (the Riksdag). Parliament, in turn, is elected every four years by universal suffrage. As for the king, he basically carries out a representative function.
In Switzerland, everything is different. It is considered a confederation, although in fact it is a federal republic. Switzerland consists of 26 autonomous regions (20 cantons and 6 half-cantons). Each of the cantons has its own constitution, but their powers are limited by the federal constitution.
As you can see, it is difficult to say that Switzerland and Sweden are one and the same.
Shop Hours
It is curious that in Switzerland, many stores (including supermarkets) are closed at 6 p.m., and on Saturdays they can have a "short day." On Sunday, almost all outlets are completely closed. Exceptions are large retail chains.
In Sweden, most supermarkets close at 10 p.m. And if we talk about clothing stores, they can finish work at 18 hours and also not work on Sundays.
A little bit about brands
If it seems to you that Sweden and Switzerland are one and the same, popular brands from these countries will help you figure out the differences.
Most people associate Switzerland with accuracy: Swiss watches and reliable Swiss banks are famous all over the world. Think of well - known watch brands such as Rado, Swiss and Swatch.
Switzerland also boasts its delicious cheese and numerous dishes, which include cheese. For example, fondue or raclette (national Swiss dishes made of melted cheese).
Sweden reminds us of home comfort thanks to the IKEA brand, because the company was founded here. The familiar tale of Malysh and Carlson, which came from the pen of the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren, is also associated with pleasant family coziness. She wrote stories about Peppy Long Stocking.
It should also be added that it was in Sweden that Skype appeared. Agree, sometimes it’s very convenient to communicate with someone via video communication without leaving home.
The nature of two countries
The similarities and differences between Sweden and Switzerland can be seen in their nature. Most of Switzerland is occupied by mountains: in the north are the mountains of Jurana, and in the south of the Pennine Alps, the Lepontine Alps, the Rhetian Alps and the Bernina massif. In the center of the country is the Swiss plateau. Switzerland is characterized by a considerable number of glaciers and glacial landforms. Just think, the total area of glaciation here is as much as 1950 km²!
As for Sweden, here most of the territory is covered by forests. Although the country also boasts of highlands, the Scandinavian mountains and the Norland plateau stretch here.
A few words should be said about the climate of these countries. Of course, in Switzerland the climate is very diverse, because the landscape here is mostly mountainous. In most of the country, in the summertime, the prevailing temperature is +20 ... + 25 ° C, and from November to March +1 ... + 6 ° C.
Sweden is located north and is a Scandinavian country. It will be colder here than in Switzerland. For example, in January, the average temperature ranges from −16 ° C in the north and up to +1 ° C in the south-west of the country. And in July - from +2 ° C in the mountains to +17 ... + 18 ° C in the south. As you can see, a warm summer is not about Sweden.
And not at all like
So, we examined how Sweden and Switzerland differ. Isn’t it that they are so much alike?
By the way, these two European states are confused not only in Russia, but also in many other countries. A special information campaign has even been launched in China for those who think that Switzerland and Sweden are one and the same. Such a program warns potential tourists and investors from China from possible mistakes. The official websites of Sweden and Switzerland in Chinese now explain (not only in words, but also with the help of a visual diagram with pictures) how the data of the country differ. Well thought out, isn't it?