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Cars 4 Rental Information on Sweden

General

Area: 449,964 sq km (173,732 sq miles).

Population: 8,909,128 (official estimate 2001).

Population Density: 19.8 per sq km.

Capital: Stockholm. Population: 754,948 (2001).

GEOGRAPHY: Sweden is bordered by Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, with a long Baltic coast to the east and south. Approximately half the country is forested and most of the many thousands of lakes are situated in the southern central area. The largest lake is Vnern, with an area of 5540 sq km (2140 sq miles). Swedish Lapland to the north is mountainous and extends into the Arctic Circle.

Government: Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from Denmark in 1523. Head of State: King Carl XVI since 1973. Head of Government: Prime Minister Gran Persson since 1996.

Language: Swedish. Lapp is spoken by the Smi population in the north; there are also Finnish-speaking minorities. English is taught as the first foreign language from the age of 9.

Religion: Around 86 per cent of the population belong to the Church of Sweden (Evangelical Lutheran), separated from the state in January 2000; other Protestant minorities constitute the majority of the remainder.

Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity: 230 volts, three-phase AC, 50Hz. Two-pin continental plugs are used.

Telephone

Full IDD is available. Country code: 46. Outgoing international code: 00. Unlike in other European countries, telephones are not found in post offices but in special ‘Telegraph Offices’. There are three types of payphone: they take cash, phonecards or credit cards. Credit card phones (indicated by a ‘CCC’ sign) are widely available. Phonecards can be bought from newsagents’ shops or kiosks.

Mobile telephone

GSM 900/1800 networks are available. Main network providers include: Comviq (website: www.comviq.se), Telia AB (website: www.teliamobile.se) and Vodafone (website: www.vodafone.se). Coverage is available across most of the country.

Fax

An excellent service is widely available throughout the country.

Internet

Main ISPs include Dataphone (website: www.dataphone.net), Net Guide Scandinavia (website: www.netg.se) and Svenska Internet Centralen (website: www.sic.se). Internet cafes exist in all main urban areas.

Telegram

Telegrams can be sent from most hotels and post offices.

Post

Post office hours: Usually open during normal shopping hours (Mon-Fri 0800-2200, Sat 0900-1500). Some branches may be closed Saturday during July. Post boxes are yellow. Stamps and aerograms are on sale at post offices and also at most bookstalls and stationers. Airmail within Europe takes 3 to 4 days. Poste Restante facilities are widely available in post offices.

Press

The provinces have their own newspapers which are widely read in their respective regions; the major dailies are confined largely to the capital and include such titles as Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Expressen and Svenska Dagbladet. Many papers are financed by political parties but independence and freedom of the press is firmly maintained. All papers are in Swedish.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: Swedish Krona (SEK) = 100 re. Notes are in denominations of SEK10,000, 1000, 500, 100, 50 and 20. Coins are in denominations of SEK10, 5 and 1, and 50 re.

Currency exchange: Currency can be converted at FOREX foreign exchange agencies; these are found in major cities, airports and ferry terminals etc. ATMs are widely available.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are all widely accepted, as well as Eurocheque cards. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other facilities which may be available.

Travellers cheques: Widely accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in Euros, Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.

Currency restrictions: There are no restrictions on the import or export of local or foreign currency.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Swedish Krona against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Aug ’03 Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May ’04
£1.00= 13.20 13.15 13.49 13.63
$1.00= 8.28 7.85 7.41 7.63

Banking hours: Mon-Wed and Fri 0930-1500, Thurs 0930-1500/1730. Some banks in larger cities have longer opening hours and are open at weekends.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No No
Cholera No No
Typhoid and Polio No N/A
Malaria No N/A

Other risks: Lyme disease is relatively common in the south of the country, especially during the summer months. Diphyllobothriasis occurs rarely along the Baltic coast.

Health care: Health care standards in Sweden are good. Hospital services are provided at county and regional levels; the latter have a greater range of specialist fields. There are full reciprocal health agreements with other EU countries including the UK. UK nationals should take an E111 form (obtainable from post offices) with them to Sweden in order to take advantage of the agreement. They are then entitled to the same medical services as Swedish citizens. This includes free hospital in-patient treatment (including medicines); children are also allowed free dental treatment. Out-patient treatment at hospitals, all treatment at clinics and general surgeries, most prescribed medicines and ambulance travel must be paid for. To obtain treatment, visit the nearest hospital clinic (Akutmottagning or Vrdcentral) taking your passport and E111 form with you. Travelling expenses to and from hospital may be partially refunded. If you are taking prescribed medicines, make sure you have an adequate supply before leaving for Sweden. Dental surgeries or clinics are indicated by Tandlkare or Folktandvrden signs and emergency service is available in major cities out of hours. Health insurance is recommended to cover emergency evacuation.

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Climate

In spite of its northern position, Sweden has a relatively mild climate which varies greatly, owing to its length. The summers can be very hot but get shorter further north. The midnight sun can be seen between mid-May and mid-June above the Arctic Circle. Winters can be bitterly cold, especially in the north.

Required clothing: Light- to mediumweight for summer, heavyweights for winter and rainwear all year.

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Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes No No
Australian Yes No No
Canadian Yes No No
USA Yes No No
OtherEU 1/2 No No
Japanese Yes No No

Note: (a) Sweden is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement. For further details about passport/visa regulations within the Schengen area, see the introductory section How to Use this Guide. (b) Sweden does not recognise some Somali passports issued after 31st January 1991; check with Consulate or Consular section at Embassy for further details.

PASSPORTS: Passports, valid for 3 months after departure from Schengen area, are required by all except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of EU countries, provided holding a valid national ID card (for stays of up to 3 months);
(b) 2. nationals of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway holding travel documents issued for travel between these countries;
(c) nationals of Liechtenstein and Switzerland provided holding valid national ID cards (for stays of up to 3 months).

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) nationals of the countries referred to in the chart and listed under passport exemptions above for stays of up to 3 months;
(b) nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Israel, Korea (Rep), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay and Venezuela for stays of up to 3 months;
(c) those continuing their journey, holding tickets with confirmed reservations and required travel documents, arriving and departing from/to a Schengen country and not leaving the transit area.

Note: A transit visa is always required by nationals of the following countries (if holding a visa valid for less than 3 months): Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo (Dem Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka.

Validity: 30 to 90 days.

Types of visa and cost: Ordinary (Tourist/Private/ Business): Single-entry: £17 (up to 30 days); £20 (up to 90 days); Multiple-entry: £24 (30 to 90 days); Transit: £7 (depending on exchange rate and validity required). A uniform type of visa, the Schengen visa, is issued for tourist, business and private visits. Visa fees are non-refundable and payable on submission of the visa application.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. Travellers visiting just one Schengen country should apply to the Consulate of that country; travellers visiting more than one Schengen country should apply to the Consulate of the country chosen as the main destination or the country they will enter first (if they have no main destination).

Application requirements: (a) Valid passport with at least one blank page. (b) Two recent passport-size photos. (c) Fee, payable in cash or postal order (only if sent by post). (d) Completed, signed application form. (e) Proof of occupation/student status. (f) Proof of purpose of visit (invitation letter from Swedish company/friend for business visas/private-visit visas, or evidence of pre-booked hotel accommodation. (g) Stamped, registered, self-addressed envelope for return of passport. (h) Health insurance. (i) Written consent from parents for minors. (j) Proof of means of support during stay may be required by some nationals.

Working days required: 7 to 60. However, applicants are advised to apply at least 30 days before the date of their intended departure.

Temporary residence: Enquire at Embassy.

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