It's no secret that many people 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 fact, Switzerland and Sweden are not the same thing at all. Let's see what features make them different from each other.
Population and area of countries
In terms of population, these two states do not differ so much: Sweden has a little over 10 million inhabitants, Switzerland is only a couple of million less. But in terms of area, Sweden is much larger - as much as ten times. By the way, it ranks fifth in terms of area among all European countries. Compare the sizes of these states on the map, and you will not have any idea 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 abouttwo thousand kilometers!
Language
Switzerland has four official languages: French, German, Italian and Romansh. Unusual, right? It is hard to imagine that all these four languages are active in one small country of 8 million people.
But Sweden cannot boast of such a linguistic diversity. The official language here is Swedish. Everything is simple and clear.
Remember this nuance the next time you think Switzerland and Sweden are the same.
Governance
The different forms of government of these states prove that Switzerland and Sweden are not the same thing at all.
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy headed by a king. At the same time, the state is governed by the Government, headed by the Prime Minister, who is elected by the Parliament (Riksdag). Parliament, in turn, is elected every four years by popular vote. As for the king, he mainly performs a representative function.
It's different in Switzerland. 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's hard to say that Switzerland and Sweden are the same.
Shop opening hours
Curiously, in Switzerland, many shops (including supermarkets) close as early as 6 pm, and on Saturdays they can have a "short day". On Sunday, almost all shops are completely closed. Exceptions are large retail chains.
In Sweden, most supermarkets close at 10pm. And speaking of clothing stores, they can close at 18:00 and close on Sundays as well.
A little about brands
If you think 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 precision: Swiss watches are famous all over the world, reliable Swiss banks. Think of famous watch brands like Rado, Swiss and Swatch.
Switzerland also boasts its delicious cheese and numerous dishes that include cheese. For example, fondue or raclette (national Swiss dishes made from melted cheese).
Sweden reminds us of home comfort thanks to the IKEA brand, because the company was founded here. The well-known fairy tale about the Kid and Carlson, written by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren, is also associated with pleasant family comfort. She also wrote stories about Pippi Longstocking.
It should also be added that it was in Sweden that Skype appeared. Agree, sometimes it is very convenient to communicate with someone via video link without leaving home.
Nature of the 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 Jurana mountains, and in the south the Pennine Alps,the Lepontine Alps, the Rhaetian 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, most of the territory is covered with forests. Although the country can also boast of the 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 predominantly mountainous. In most of the country, temperatures of +20…+25 °C prevail in summertime, and +1…+6 °C in the period from November to March.
Sweden is to the 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 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 similar
So, we looked at the difference between Sweden and Switzerland. Aren't they really that similar?
By the way, these two European states are confused not only in Russia, but also in many other countries. China even launched a special information campaign for those who think that Switzerland and Sweden are one and the same. Such a program warns potential tourists and investors from China against possible mistakes. OfficialThe 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 these countries differ. Good idea, isn't it?
