Are you new to Sweden and want to learn all those little titbits about the country that will make you fit right in? Well, here are some fascinating things that will possibly include facts that not even your Swedish friends know (at least not all of them).
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You don’t have to pay taxes on lottery and gambling winnings
In many countries around the globe, winnings from gambling and lotteries are taxable, but that is not the case in Sweden. Whether you win money on a state operated lottery, or a private Swedish online casino (which you can find at Casinofeber), you do not need to pay any taxes.
Considering Sweden is a country famous for its generally high taxes, not having to pay taxes on lottery and gambling winnings is known by everybody.
Sweden has the biggest lake in the European Union
There are over 500,000 lakes larger than 0.01 km2 in Europe, and if you want to visit one of the largest of them, you have to visit Sweden and Vänern. Actually, if you exclude Russia from the calculation, Vänern is the biggest lake in Europe and thus in the European Union. The area of Vänern is 5,650 km2.
Sweden has almost twice the population of Norway
If you are going to move to Sweden, you should be aware of the country’s rivalry with its neighbouring countries. With that knowledge, it is important for you to know what Sweden’s population is almost double that of Norway’s.
Currently, Sweden has a population of 10.2 million, whereas Norway has a population of 5.5 million.
It is also worth pointing out that the neighbour to the south of Sweden, Denmark, has a population of 5.8 million and that Finland, to the east, has a population of 5.6 million.
Swedes watch Donald Duck every Christmas
For most swedes, watching Disney’s Christmas special, From All of Us to All of You, is one of the most sacred Christmas traditions, which tends to come as a surprise to a lot of foreigners.
Another quirk about the unusual tradition is that the Swedish name of the special translates to “Donald Duck with friends wish you a merry Christmas.” The title cements Donald Duck as Sweden’s most famous Disney character, despite Mickey Mouse being the company’s mascot.
Sweden has the densest moose population in the world
No other country in the world has as dense of a moose population as Sweden. Canada is reportedly home to somewhere between 500,000 to 1 million moose, but considerably smaller Sweden has a moose population of approximately 400,000 moose.
What makes the number of moose in Sweden even more impressive is that 70,000-100,000 moose are killed during hunting season every year, and hundreds, sometimes thousands, are killed in traffic accidents yearly.
Now you know some of the quirkier facts about Sweden. If you are new to the country, try using them on your Swedish friends to impress them or to fit in with them.
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