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91-397: The agricultural land where the modern suburb now stands has a history stretching back over 2,000 years, at least twice as old as Stockholm . The people who lived there were known as vaellingar , "those living on the embankment". While it first appears in historical records in 1347 and it is known that two farmyards existed here during the reign of King Gustav Vasa in the 16th century, in

182-677: A classical European understanding of the known world : Europe , North Africa , and Southwest Asia . The phrase is related to the enduring power of the city first as the capital of the Republic and the Empire , and later as the centre of the Catholic Church . In several English-speaking states , the terms county town and county seat are also used in lower administrative divisions . In some unitary states , subnational capitals may be known as 'administrative centres'. The capital

273-713: A global city , it is the largest in Scandinavia and the main centre for corporate headquarters in the Nordic region. The city is home to some of Europe's top-ranking universities, such as the Karolinska Institute (medicine), KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm School of Economics and Stockholm University . It hosts the annual Nobel Prize ceremonies and banquet at the Stockholm Concert Hall and Stockholm City Hall . One of

364-497: A monarch held his or her court, the selection, relocation, founding, or capture of a modern capital city is a highly symbolic event. For example: The capital city is usually but not always a primary target in a war, as capturing it usually guarantees capture of much of the enemy government, victory for the attacking forces, or at the very least demoralization for the defeated forces. In ancient China , where governments were massive centralized bureaucracies with little flexibility on

455-484: A plague killed about 20,000 (36 percent) of the population. After the end of the Great Northern War the city stagnated; population growth halted and economic growth slowed. The city was in shock after having lost its place as the capital of a great power . However, Stockholm maintained its role as Sweden's political centre and continued to develop as the country's economic and cultural capital. During

546-445: A compromise between two or more cities or other political divisions, historical reasons, or enough land was needed to deliberately build a new planned city for the capital. The majority of national capitals are also the largest city in their respective countries. Modern examples are Beijing , Berlin , Cairo , London , Madrid , Mexico City , Moscow , Paris , Rome , Jakarta , Metro Manila , Seoul , and Tokyo . Counties in

637-405: A distinction is made between the official ( constitutional ) capital and the seat of government, which is in another place . English-language news media often use the name of the capital city as an alternative name for the government of the country of which it is the capital, as a form of metonymy . For example, the "relations between London and Washington " refers to the " relations between

728-766: A history going back to the conservatory founded as part of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1771, the Royal University College of Fine Arts , which has a similar historical association with the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts and a foundation date of 1735, and the Swedish National Academy of Mime and Acting , which is the continuation of the school of the Royal Dramatic Theatre , once attended by renowned actors like Greta Garbo . Other schools include

819-470: A major European power, reflected in the development of the city of Stockholm. From 1610 to 1680 the population multiplied sixfold. In 1634, Stockholm became the official capital of the Swedish empire. Trading rules were also created that gave Stockholm an essential monopoly over trade between foreign merchants and other Swedish, Baltic and Scandinavian territories. In 1697, Tre Kronor Castle burned down and

910-470: A matter of convention, and because all or almost all the country's central political institutions, such as government departments, supreme court, legislature, embassies, etc., are located in or near them. Many modern capital cities are located near the centre of the country, so that they are more accessible to its population and have better protection from possible invasions. (See also § Capitals in military strategy ) The location may also be based on

1001-514: A modern and ethnically diverse city in the latter half of the 20th century. Many historical buildings were torn down during the modernist era, including substantial parts of the historical district of Klara (which caused major controversy), and replaced with modern architecture. However, in many other parts of Stockholm (such as in Gamla stan , Södermalm , Östermalm , Kungsholmen and Vasastan ), many older buildings, blocks and streets built before

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1092-465: A result of this massive population growth, there has been a proposal to build densely packed high-rise buildings in the city centre connected by elevated walkways, though these have been opposed by several groups. Stockholm is located on Sweden's east coast at the 59th parallel north, where the freshwater Lake Mälaren —Sweden's third-largest lake—flows out into the Baltic Sea. The central parts of

1183-779: A scale unprecedented since the reign of Queen Christina . During this time, Carl Michael Bellman and Joseph Martin Kraus helped develop the city's music, a process further accelerated by the founding of the Royal Swedish Opera . Various artists and writers became prominent, funded by the king and other cultural patrons like Carl Gustaf Tessin ; the two aforementioned figures laid the base for Sweden's Nationalmuseum at this time. Science also became prevalent; renowned figures like Carl Linnaeus and Anders Celsius spent time in Stockholm, and various research institutes, like

1274-466: A similar latitude, or even farther south. With an average of 1900 hours of sunshine per year, it is also one of the sunniest cities in Northern Europe, receiving more sunshine than Paris, London and a few other major European cities of a more southerly latitude. Because of the urban heat island effect and the prevailing wind travelling overland rather than sea during summer months, Stockholm has

1365-554: A territory: Plymouth in Montserrat . There are several countries where, for various reasons, the official capital and seat of government are separated: Some historical examples of similar arrangements, where the recognized capital was not the official seat of government: With the rise of the modern nation-state , the capital city has become a symbol for the state and its government , and imbued with political meaning. Unlike medieval capitals, which were declared wherever

1456-543: Is also responsible for financial administration and long-term development. The City Executive Board consists of 13 members, who represent both the majority and the opposition. Its meetings are not open to the public. Stockholm City Hall is one of the city's key landmarks, built in the National Romantic Style at the beginning of the twentieth century. Hosting the Nobel Prizes and the government of

1547-600: Is an accepted version of this page A capital city or just capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country , state , province , department , or other subnational division , usually as its seat of the government . A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the government's offices and meeting places; the status as capital is often designated by its law or constitution . In some jurisdictions , including several countries, different branches of government are in different settlements, sometimes meaning multiple official capitals. In some cases,

1638-726: Is an administrative unit defined by geographical borders. The semi-official name for the municipality is City of Stockholm ( Stockholms stad in Swedish). As a municipality, the City of Stockholm is subdivided into district councils, which carry responsibility for primary schools, social, leisure and cultural services within their respective areas. The municipality is usually described in terms of its three main parts: Innerstaden ( Stockholm City Centre ), Söderort (Southern Stockholm) and Västerort (Western Stockholm). The districts of these parts are: The modern centre Norrmalm (concentrated around

1729-572: Is based on export-oriented services, often towards larger, nearby European markets like Poland or Germany. Tourism is a major industry in Stockholm. Research and higher education in the sciences started in Stockholm in the 18th century, with education in medicine and various research institutions such as the Stockholm Observatory . The medical education was eventually formalised in 1811 as Karolinska Institutet . KTH Royal Institute of Technology ( Swedish: Kungliga Tekniska högskolan )

1820-500: Is often the largest city of its constituent, though not always . Historically, the major economic centre of a state or region has often become the focal point of political power, and became a capital through conquest or federation . Historical examples are ancient Babylon , ancient Athens , ancient Rome , Abbasid Baghdad , Constantinople , Chang'an , and ancient Cusco . The modern capital city has not always existed: in medieval Western Europe, an itinerant (wandering) government

1911-513: Is projected to reach 1,079,213 by 2030. Of the inhabitants, 482,982 were men and 492,569 women. The average age is 39 years; 40.1% of the population is between 20 and 44 years. The marimonial statistics are that 411,273 people, or 42.2% of the population, over the age 15 were unmarried; 268,291 people, or 27.5% of the population, were married; and 104,099 or 10.7% of the population, had been married but divorced. As of December 2021, there were 252,750 foreign-born people in Stockholm, making up 25.8% of

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2002-582: Is the case with Nanjing by Shanghai , Quebec City by Montreal , and several US state capitals . The decline of a dynasty or culture could also mean the extinction of its capital city, as occurred at Babylon and Cahokia . "Political nomadism" was practiced in ancient Near East to increase ties between the ruler and the subjects. Although many capitals are defined by constitution or legislation, many long-time capitals have no such legal designation, including Bern , Edinburgh , Lisbon , London , Paris , and Wellington . They are recognized as capitals as

2093-530: Is the name of the local assembly. Its 101 councillors are elected concurrently with general elections , held at the same time as the elections to the Riksdag and county councils . The Council convenes twice every month at Stockholm City Hall , and the meetings are open to the public. The matters on which the councillors decide have generally already been drafted and discussed by various boards and committees. Once decisions are referred for practical implementation,

2184-743: Is the official residence and principal workplace of the Swedish monarch, while Drottningholm Palace in neighbouring Ekerö serves as the Royal Family 's private residence. Stockholm's location appears in Norse sagas as Agnafit , and in Heimskringla in connection with the legendary king Agne . Birka , located near Stockholm, was one Sweden's major trade centres during the Viking Age , and its restored remains are one of Stockholm County 's most-visited sites. The earliest written mention of

2275-777: Is the seat of the Swedish government and most of its agencies , including the highest courts in the judiciary , and the official residences of the Swedish monarch and the Prime Minister . The government has its seat in the Rosenbad building, the Riksdag (Swedish parliament) is seated in the Parliament House , and the Prime Minister's residence is adjacent at the Sager House . Stockholm Palace

2366-541: Is usually not a separate national capital, but rather the capital city of one constituent nation will also be the capital of the state overall, such as London , which is the capital of England and of the United Kingdom. Similarly, each of the autonomous communities of Spain and regions of Italy has a capital city, such as Seville and Naples , while Madrid is the capital of the Community of Madrid and of

2457-459: The Age of Enlightenment in the late eighteenth century, the city flourished. The new monarch, Gustav III , proved an able and energetic regnant; his economic policies helped the Swedish economy develop, and his partially successful war against Russia restored some of Sweden's international reputation. The king was an avid patron of the arts, and scientists and cultural figures flocked to Stockholm on

2548-523: The Byzantine capital, Constantinople , Byzantine forces were able to regroup in several provinces; provincial noblemen managed to reconquer the capital after 60 years and preserve the empire for another 200 years after that. The British forces sacked various American capitals repeatedly during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 , but American forces could still carry on fighting from

2639-650: The Hanseatic League . Stockholm developed strong economic and cultural linkages with Lübeck , Hamburg , Gdańsk (Danzig), Visby , Tallinn (Reval), and Riga during this time. The strategic and economic importance of the city made Stockholm an important factor in relations between the Danish Kings of the Kalmar Union and the Swedish national independence movement in the fifteenth century and early sixteenth century. The Danish King Christian II

2730-695: The Kingdom of Spain as a whole and Rome is the capital of Italy and of the region of Lazio . In the Federal Republic of Germany , each of its constituent states (or Länder , plural of Land ) has its own capital city, such as Dresden , Wiesbaden , Mainz , Düsseldorf , Stuttgart , and Munich , as do all of the republics of the Russian Federation . The national capitals of Germany and Russia (the Stadtstaat of Berlin and

2821-546: The Stockholm Observatory , were founded. The early nineteenth century saw a major economic decline of Stockholm and Sweden as a whole, but by the second half of the nineteenth century, Stockholm had regained its leading economic role. New industries emerged with industrialisation and Stockholm was transformed into an important trade and service centre as well as a key gateway point within Sweden. The population also grew dramatically during this time, mainly through immigration . At

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2912-511: The Stone Age , in the 6th millennium BC, and was founded as a city in 1252 by Swedish statesman Birger Jarl . The city serves as the county seat of Stockholm County . Stockholm is the cultural, media, political, and economic centre of Sweden. The Stockholm region alone accounts for over a third of the country's GDP , and is among the top 10 regions in Europe by GDP per capita . Considered

3003-528: The Swedish Museum of Natural History , as well as the botanical garden Bergianska trädgården . The Stockholm School of Economics , founded in 1909, is one of the few private institutions of higher education in Sweden, and is generally reckoned one of the most prestigious business schools in the world. In the fine arts , educational institutions include the Royal College of Music , which has

3094-537: The United Kingdom have historic county towns, which are often not the largest settlement within the county and often are no longer administrative centres, as many historical counties are now only ceremonial, and administrative boundaries are different. The number of new capitals in the world increased substantially since the Renaissance period, especially with the founding of independent nation-states since

3185-523: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Naypyidaw was founded in Burma 's interior as the former capital, Rangoon , was claimed to be overcrowded. A few nation-states have multiple capitals, and there are also several states that have no capital. Some have a city as the capital but with most government agencies elsewhere. There is also a ghost town which is currently the de jure capital of

3276-492: The federal city of Moscow ) are also constituent states of both countries in their own right. Each of the states of Austria and cantons of Switzerland also have their own capital cities. Vienna , the national capital of Austria , is also one of the states, while Bern is the ( de facto ) capital of both Switzerland and of the Canton of Bern . Governing entities sometimes plan, design and build new capital cities to house

3367-546: The largest urban area in the Nordic countries . Approximately 1 million people live in the municipality , with 1.6 million in the urban area , and 2.4 million in the metropolitan area . The city stretches across fourteen islands where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea . Outside the city to the east, and along the coast, is the island chain of the Stockholm archipelago . The area has been settled since

3458-504: The 16th century. In 1625, the Great Stockholm Fire of 1625 destroyed the southwestern section of Stadsholmen , an island in the centre of Stockholm. The amount of destruction led to the beginning of the demolition of the Stockholm walls. Today, most of the younger city walls cannot be found anywhere above ground. However, parts of the northern city walls are preserved in the modern Museum of Medieval Stockholm . In 1710,

3549-399: The 1922 edition of Nordisk Familjebok the location was still regarded as too insignificant to deserve an article. In 1953 the number of inhabitants barely exceeded 2,000. As part of a wider plan to decentralise the population of Stockholm, this rural land was quickly transformed into the present modern suburb, inaugurated in 1954 in a ceremony attracting some 75,000 people. Vällingby was

3640-712: The City Executive Board. The Mayor holds a special position among the Vice Mayors, chairing both the Council of Mayors and the City Executive Board. The City Executive Board ( Swedish : Kommunstyrelsen ) is elected by the City Council and is equivalent to a cabinet . The City Executive Board renders an opinion in all matters decided by the council and bears the overall responsibility for follow-up, evaluation and execution of its decisions. The Board

3731-504: The City of Stockholm bought large areas for the purpose. During the decades preceding the construction of Vällingby, a series of small-scale suburbs had been realised; some more or less exclusive—such as the egnahemsområden ("own-your-own-home areas") at Stocksund and Saltsjöbaden built around 1900; or in the style of the Garden city movement , like in Bromma and Enskede built between

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3822-616: The European Union. The Stockholm Stock Exchange , founded in 1863, is the largest stock exchange in the Nordic Countries measured by market capitalisation, listing numerous multinational Swedish companies. Trade is a vital part of Stockholm's economy; the city's corporations are largely reliant on foreign consumers to supplement the small Swedish market. Stockholm is one of the Baltic Sea's larger ports, hosting especially cruise ships and yachts. Most of Stockholm's economy

3913-538: The United Kingdom and the United States ". The word capital derives from the Latin word caput (genitive capitis ), meaning ' head ', later borrowed from Medieval Latin capitālis ('of the head'). The Latin phrase Roma Caput Mundi meaning 'Rome capital of the world' ( lit.   ' head of the world ' ) was already used by the poet Ovid in 1st century BC . It originates out of

4004-568: The autumn the leaves change color. During the winter months, the trees lose their leaves. For details about the other municipalities in the Stockholm area, see the pertinent articles. North of Stockholm Municipality: Järfälla , Solna , Täby , Sollentuna , Lidingö , Upplands Väsby , Österåker , Sigtuna , Sundbyberg , Danderyd , Vallentuna , Ekerö , Upplands-Bro , Vaxholm , and Norrtälje . South of Stockholm: Huddinge , Nacka , Botkyrka , Haninge , Tyresö , Värmdö , Södertälje , Salem , Nykvarn and Nynäshamn . Stockholm Municipality

4095-665: The capital has been changed for geopolitical reasons; Finland 's first city, Turku , which had served as the country's capital since the Middle Ages under the Swedish rule, lost its position during the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812, when Helsinki was made the current capital of Finland by the Russian Empire. The convergence of political and economic or cultural power is by no means universal. Traditional capitals may be economically eclipsed by provincial rivals as

4186-585: The city consist of fourteen islands that are continuous with the Stockholm archipelago . The geographical city centre is situated on the water, in Riddarfjärden bay. Over 30% of the city area is made up of waterways and another 30% is made up of parks and green spaces. Positioned at the eastern end of the Central Swedish lowland and near the Bergslagen region, the city's location reflects

4277-455: The city is said to have been founded by Birger Jarl to protect Sweden from sea invasions made by Karelians after the pillage of Sigtuna on Lake Mälaren in the summer of 1187. Stockholm's core, the present Old Town ( Gamla Stan ) was built on the central island next to Helgeandsholmen from the mid-13th century onward. The city originally rose to prominence as a result of the Baltic trade of

4368-478: The city of Stockholm, it is one of Sweden's most important buildings. As the primary financial centre in Sweden, Stockholm is an influential hub for trade, finance and technology in Europe , and one of Scandinavia's largest financial centres. The Stockholm region is the leading region in Sweden by both GDP and GDP per capita, and is amongst the ten wealthiest regions in the European Union when measured by

4459-540: The city's most prized museums, the Vasa Museum , is the most visited museum in Scandinavia. The Stockholm metro , opened in 1950, is well known for the decor of its stations; it has been called the longest art gallery in the world. The city was the host of the 1912 Summer Olympics , and has played host to several other international sports events since. Stockholm is Sweden's primary financial centre , one of

4550-415: The current municipal area. In the ensuing decades several other areas were incorporated (such as Brännkyrka Municipality in 1913, at which time it had 25,000 inhabitants, and Spånga in 1949). The municipal border was established in 1971; with the exception of Hansta, in 1982 purchased by Stockholm Municipality from Sollentuna Municipality and today a nature reserve. The population was 984,748 in 2022 and

4641-646: The design school Konstfack , founded in 1844, the University College of Opera (founded in 1968 but with older roots), the University College of Dance , and the Stockholms Musikpedagogiska Institut (the University College of Music Education). The Södertörn University was founded in 1995 as a multi-disciplinary institution for southern Metropolitan Stockholm , to balance the many institutions located in

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4732-643: The early orientation of Swedish trade toward the Baltic region. Stockholm belongs to the Temperate deciduous forest biome, which means the climate is very similar to that of the far northeastern area of the United States and coastal Nova Scotia in Canada . The average annual temperature is 7.9 °C (46 °F). The average rainfall is 531 mm (21 in) per year. The deciduous forest has four distinct seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In

4823-484: The eighteenth century. In Canada , there is a federal capital , while the ten provinces and three territories each have capital cities. The states of such countries as Mexico , Brazil (including the famous cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo , capitals of their respective states), and Australia also each have capital cities. For example, the six state capitals of Australia are Adelaide , Brisbane , Hobart , Melbourne , Perth , and Sydney . In Australia,

4914-499: The employees of the City administrations and companies take over. The elected majority has a Mayor and eight Vice Mayors. The Mayor and each majority Vice Mayor is the head of a department, with responsibility for a particular area of operation, such as City Planning. The opposition also has four Vice Mayors, but they hold no executive power. Together the Mayor and the 12 Vice Mayors form the Council of Mayors, and they prepare matters for

5005-505: The end of the nineteenth century, less than 40% of the residents were Stockholm-born, with most migrants being from poorer rural Sweden; major settlement began to expand outside the historical city limits. The nineteenth century also saw the establishment of a number of scientific institutes and universities, including the Karolinska Institutet and KTH Royal Institute of Technology . The General Art and Industrial Exposition

5096-445: The first ABC City ( ABC-stad ) — an acronym for Arbete – Bostad – Centrum , "Labour – Housing – Centre"—a suburb that acted almost like a city, designed to offer its residents everything they needed. High above the modern structure, a rotating V-symbol placed the project on the map, while the shining T-symbol (for tunnelbana , metro) proudly indicated the presence of the newly built Stockholm Metro . Shortly after

5187-545: The great crisis of Japanese invasion . National capitals were arguably less important as military objectives in other parts of the world, including the West, because of socioeconomic trends toward localized authority, a strategic modus operandi especially popular after the development of feudalism and reaffirmed by the development of democratic and capitalistic philosophies. In 1204, after the Latin Crusaders captured

5278-418: The inauguration of the modern suburb, the number of inhabitants had reached 25,000. The new suburb was the fruit of plans to exploit the rural areas surrounding Stockholm dating back to the early 20th century. As a direct consequence of real-estate speculations around the turn of the 20th century, centralised municipal city planning was widely accepted as a necessary tool to solve the acute housing shortage and

5369-458: The lack of student accommodations, the difficulty in finding other accommodations and the high rent. The Stockholm region is home to around 22% of Sweden's total population, and accounts for about 29% of its gross domestic product . The geographical notion of "Stockholm" has changed over time. By the turn of the 19th century, Stockholm largely consisted of the area today known as City Centre, roughly 35 km (14 sq mi) or one-fifth of

5460-420: The largest in Scandinavia, and hosts several of Sweden's largest companies. Furthermore, the headquarters of most of Sweden's largest banks are in Stockholm. Stockholm is one of Europe's major tech centres; the city has sometimes been called Europe's innovation hub. The Stockholm region has a GDP of around $ 180 billion, and Stockholm County has the highest GDP per capita of all counties in Sweden . Stockholm

5551-503: The largest investment firms in Europe are headquartered in the city, including Investor AB and Nordstjernan ; also headquartered in Stockholm is EQT AB . Stockholm is one of continental Europe's leading hubs for the technology industry; this influential industry is based in Kista , a suburb in northern Stockholm which is Europe's largest Informations and Technology cluster. Stockholm has

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5642-565: The latter. Many of Sweden's largest companies are headquartered in the city; they are drawn by its central location, skilled workforce and preeminent financial sector. These companies include some of the Nordic region 's most valuable corporations, like Ericsson , which is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies, or Atlas Copco , which is one of the world's largest industrial companies; other large companies based in Stockholm include Electrolux , H&M and Securitas AB . Some of

5733-510: The local political powers. The major redevelopment of the centre was finished and inaugurated officially in April 2008. 59°21.45′N 17°52.20′E  /  59.35750°N 17.87000°E  / 59.35750; 17.87000 Stockholm Stockholm ( Swedish: [ˈstɔ̂kː(h)ɔlm] ) is the capital and most populous city of the Kingdom of Sweden , as well as

5824-683: The metro stations with peripheral self-contained houses and green areas around it. While the Social Democrats are widely acknowledged for the realisation of Vällingby, other political parties and, not the least, private entrepreneurs actively took part in the planning process. In 1955, the master plan drawn up by Sven Markelius for Farsta in Söderort was also adopted. However, the ABC City failed to work as intended as most people found work elsewhere. Nevertheless, Vällingby remains one of

5915-404: The modernism and functionalism movements survived this era of demolition. Throughout the century, many industries shifted away from industrial activities into more high-tech and service industry areas, which still dominate the city's economy today. Stockholm's metropolitan area has become one of the fastest-growing regions in Europe. In 2020 alone, Stockholm's population increased by 1,477. As

6006-405: The most popular suburbs of Stockholm with a cultural significance unsurpassed by later suburbs built as part of the so-called Million Programme during the 1960s and 1970s, such as Skärholmen and Tensta , where less efforts were spent on cultural and social infrastructure. Beginning in the late 1980s, a plan to renovate the main centre of Vällingby was discussed. In 2001, a plan was accepted by

6097-491: The most precipitation falling in December and January (as either rain or snow). The average winter temperatures range from −3 to −1 °C (27 to 30 °F), and occasionally drop below −20 °C (−4 °F) in the outskirts of the city. Spring and autumn are generally cool to mild. The climate table below presents weather data from the years 1991–2020. According to ongoing measurements, the temperature has increased during

6188-437: The name Stockholm dates from 1252, by which time the mines in Bergslagen made it an important site in the iron trade. The first part of the name ( stock ) means log in Swedish, although it may also be connected to an old German word ( Stock ) meaning fortification . The second part of the name ( holm ) means islet and is thought to refer to the islet Helgeandsholmen in central Stockholm. According to Erik's Chronicle

6279-482: The northern part of the region. Other institutes of higher education include the Military Academy Karlberg , the world's oldest military academy to remain in its original location, inaugurated in 1792 and housed in Karlberg Palace ; there is also the Swedish Defence University , Ersta Sköndal University College , Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences and the University College Stockholm . The biggest complaints from students of higher education in Stockholm are

6370-426: The number of daylight hours is relatively small during winter – about six hours – while in June and the first half of July, the nights are relatively short, with about 18 hours of daylight. Due to its eastern position within Sweden's respective time zone, sunsets occur as early as 2:46 PM in mid-December. Around the summer solstice the sun never reaches further below the horizon than 7.3 degrees. This gives

6461-430: The population. Around 57.5% of them (143,167) immigrated to Sweden when they were at least 10 years old, and 109,213 (43.9%) of them were foreign citizens. The largest nationality groups among the foreign-born people were the Iraqis (16,137), followed by Finns (15,693), Iranians (12,329) and Poles (11,569). Of the population, 336,275 residents (34.4%) of Stockholm had a foreign-background. Capital city This

6552-466: The provincial level, a dynasty could easily be toppled with the fall of its capital. In the Three Kingdoms period, both Shu and Wu fell when their respective capitals of Chengdu and Jianye fell. The Ming dynasty relocated its capital from Nanjing to Beijing , where they could more effectively control the generals and troops guarding the borders from Mongols and Manchus . The Ming

6643-535: The queen for several years prior to his death. Inventors, like Christopher Polhem , moved to the city during the time of the Swedish Empire. Academics also spent much time in Stockholm, like Olaus Rudbeck , rector of the Uppsala University . Throughout Sweden's history, walls were created in Stockholm to defend the city from attacks. These defensive walls were modified throughout the 13th to

6734-424: The seat of government of a polity or of a subdivision. Deliberately planned and designed capitals include: These cities satisfy one or both of the following criteria: Some examples of the second situation (compromise locations) are: Changes in a nation's political regime sometimes result in the designation of a new capital. Akmola (renamed Astana in 1998) became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997, following

6825-603: The second most unicorns per capita in the world, after Silicon Valley; the city also has one of the highest startup rates in Europe. Prominent startup technology companies in Stockholm include Mojang , Spotify and Klarna ; the latter two either have been or are among the largest startup companies in the world. Most of Sweden's largest banks are headquartered in the city, including the SEB Group , Handelsbanken and Swedbank ; Nordea had its headquarters in Stockholm until moving to Helsinki in 2018 for legal reasons involving

6916-495: The sky a bright blue colour in summer once the sun has set because it does not get any darker than nautical twilight . Also, when looking straight up towards the zenith , few stars are visible after the sun has gone down. This is not to be confused with the midnight sun , which occurs north of the Arctic Circle , around 7 degrees farther north. The Stockholm Municipal Council ( Swedish : Stockholms kommunfullmäktige )

7007-677: The term "capital cities" is regularly used to refer to those six state capitals plus the federal capital Canberra , and Darwin , the capital of the Northern Territory . Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and also of the United Arab Emirates overall. In unitary states which consist of multiple constituent nations, such as the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Denmark , each will usually have its own capital city. Unlike in federations , there

7098-452: The town square Sergels torg ) is the largest shopping district in Sweden . It is the most central part of Stockholm in business and shopping. Stockholm has a humid continental climate in the 0 °C isotherm ( Köppen : Dfb ) bordering on an oceanic climate ( Cfb ) in the -3 °C isotherm. Although winters are cold, average temperatures generally remain above 0 °C for much of

7189-918: The warmest July months of the Nordic capitals. Stockholm has an annual average snow cover between 75 and 100 days. Despite its mild climate, Stockholm is located further north than parts of Canada that are above the Arctic tree line at sea level. Summers average daytime high temperatures of 20–25 °C (68–77 °F) and lows of around 13 °C (55 °F), but temperatures can reach 30 °C (86 °F) on some days. Days above 30 °C (86 °F) occur on average 1.55 days per year (1992–2011). Days between 25 °C (77 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F) are relatively common especially in July and August. Night-time lows of above 20 °C (68 °F) are rare, and hot summer nights vary from 17 to 18 °C (63 to 64 °F). Winters generally bring cloudy weather with

7280-533: The wars; and low blocks of apartments built during the 1940s, like in Traneberg and Abrahamsberg . However, many of these suburbs had turned into dormitory suburbs , a problem thought to be avoided in Vällingby by planning for approximately 10,000 work places for the 20–25,000 inhabitants, while the metro was to provide commercial centre access for some 80,000 people. The planning and architecture of Vällingby

7371-399: The year. Summers are pleasantly warm, and precipitation occurs throughout the year. Due to the city's high northerly latitude, the length of the day varies widely from more than 18 hours around midsummer to only around 6 hours in late December. The nights from late May until mid-July are not completely dark even when cloudy. Stockholm has relatively mild weather compared to other locations at

7462-405: The year. The precipitation is not uniformly distributed throughout the year. The second half of the year receives 50% more than the first half. Snowfall occurs mainly from December through March. Snowfall may occasionally occur in late October as well as in April. In Stockholm, the aurora borealis can occasionally be observed. Stockholm's location just south of the 60th parallel north means that

7553-506: The years 1991–2020 as compared with the last series, from 1961 to 1990. This increase averages about 1.0 °C (1.8 °F) over all months. Warming is most pronounced during the winter months, with an increase of more than 2.0 °C (3.6 °F) in January. For the 2002–2014 measurements some further increases have been found, although some months such as June have been relatively flat. The highest temperature ever recorded in Stockholm

7644-464: Was 36 °C (97 °F) on 3 July 1811; the lowest was −32 °C (−26 °F) on 20 January 1814. The temperature has not dropped to below −25.1 °C (−13.2 °F) since 10 January 1987. The warmest month ever recorded was July 2018 with a mean temperature of 22.5 °C (72.5 °F) which is also the nationwide record. Annual precipitation is 546.4 mm (21.51 in) with around 170 wet days and light to moderate rainfall throughout

7735-602: Was able to enter the city in 1520 and on 8 November of that year, a massacre of opposition figures called the Stockholm Bloodbath took place and set off further uprisings that eventually led to the breakup of the Kalmar Union with the attainment of Swedish independence. With the accession of Gustav Vasa in 1523 and the establishment of royal power, the population of Stockholm began to grow, reaching 10,000 by 1600. The seventeenth century saw Sweden grow into

7826-820: Was common. The capital city attracts politically motivated people and those whose skills are needed for efficient administration of national or imperial governments, such as lawyers , political scientists , bankers , journalists , and public policy makers . Some of these cities are or were also religious centres , e.g. Constantinople (more than one religion), Rome / Vatican City (the Roman Catholic Church ), Jerusalem (more than one religion), Babylon, Moscow (the Russian Orthodox Church ), Belgrade (the Serbian Orthodox Church ), Paris, and Beijing. In some countries,

7917-632: Was destroyed when Li Zicheng took their seat of power, and this pattern repeats itself in Chinese history, until the fall of the traditional Confucian monarchy in the 20th century. After the Qing dynasty 's collapse, decentralization of authority and improved transportation and communication technologies allowed both the Chinese Nationalists and Chinese Communists to rapidly relocate capitals and keep their leadership structures intact during

8008-473: Was founded in 1827 and is Scandinavia's largest higher education institute of technology with 13,000 students; it is Sweden's foremost polytechnic, and spearheaded several governmental research projects in the twentieth century. Stockholm University , founded in 1878 with university status granted in 1960, has 52,000 students as of 2008 . It also incorporates historical institutions, such as the Observatory,

8099-553: Was held in 1897, drawing international attention. From 1887 to 1953 the Old Stockholm telephone tower was a landmark; originally built to link phone lines, it became redundant after these were buried, and it was later used for advertising before its demolition in the twentieth century. The early twentieth century also saw the creation of the Nobel Prizes , some of Stockholm's most renowned institutions. Stockholm became

8190-467: Was influenced by ideas from North America-notably Clarence Stein 's 'Radburn Idea'-and the New Towns in the United Kingdom . In turn, Vällingby become a much discussed and influential model of suburban development in different parts of the world. The original plan for the area was designed by architect Sven Markelius (1889–1972) city planning director in Stockholm, who placed high-rise buildings near

8281-479: Was replaced eventually by Stockholm Palace ; the time of the Swedish Empire also saw several architectural modernisations of the city. The beginning of the Swedish Empire saw a renaissance in the arts and sciences; the new queen, Christina , was a strong supporter of science and culture. Réne Descartes , one of the most prominent European philosophers of his time, died in Stockholm; he had been hosted by

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