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An independent Swedish state emerged during the early 12th century. When Sweden became involved in the Thirty Years War on the Reformist side, an expansion of its territories began and eventually the Swedish Empire was formed. This became one of the great powers of Europe until the early 18th century. Swedish territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were gradually lost during the 18th and 19th centuries, ending with the annexation of present-day Finland by Russia in 1809. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when Norway was militarily forced into personal union. Since then, Sweden has been at peace, maintaining an official policy of neutrality in foreign affairs The union with Norway was peacefully dissolved in 1905. Sweden was formally neutral through both world wars and the Cold War. | An independent Swedish state emerged during the early 12th century. When Sweden became involved in the Thirty Years War on the Reformist side, an expansion of its territories began and eventually the Swedish Empire was formed. This became one of the great powers of Europe until the early 18th century. Swedish territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were gradually lost during the 18th and 19th centuries, ending with the annexation of present-day Finland by Russia in 1809. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when Norway was militarily forced into personal union. Since then, Sweden has been at peace, maintaining an official policy of neutrality in foreign affairs The union with Norway was peacefully dissolved in 1905. Sweden was formally neutral through both world wars and the Cold War. | ||
After the end of the Cold War, Sweden joined the European Union on 1 January 1995, but declined NATO membership. Sweden maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens. It has the world's eleventh-highest per capita income and ranks highly in numerous metrics of national performance, including quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties, economic competitiveness, equality, prosperity and human development. | After the end of the Cold War, Sweden joined the European Union on 1 January 1995, but declined NATO membership. Sweden maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens. It has the world's eleventh-highest per capita income and ranks highly in numerous metrics of national performance, including quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties, economic competitiveness, equality, prosperity and human development.<ref>Wikipedia Contributors. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden Sweden]</ref> | ||
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[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden] | |||
==Timeline== | ==Timeline== | ||
ca 300 - Migrations to Sweden after fall of Western Roman Empire<br> | ca 300 - Migrations to Sweden after fall of Western Roman Empire<br> | ||
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*For a timeline of Sweden, go to the [[Sweden: Timeline|Sweden: Timeline]] page. | *For a timeline of Sweden, go to the [[Sweden: Timeline|Sweden: Timeline]] page. | ||
*For a 20th Century timeline of Sweden, go to the [[Sweden: History 20th century|Sweden: History 20th century]] page. | *For a 20th Century timeline of Sweden, go to the [[Sweden: History 20th century|Sweden: History 20th century]] page. | ||
== References == | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
[[Category:Sweden History]] [[Category:History]] | [[Category:Sweden History]] [[Category:History]] | ||