Stockholm

Stockholm is a Northern European city which serves as the capital of the nation of Sweden. Founded in the year 1252 by Birger Jarl, its location was selected primarily due to its geographic position along the Baltic sea, making it an ideal trading and commercial center.http://www.sverigeturism.se/smorgasbord/smorgasbord/provincial/stockholm/history/

The city currently is home to a population of 771,038 people within its city limits and 1,889,945 inhabitants throughout its greater metropolitan area.

Due to its diversity of architectural styles (with many bridges and museums), Stockholm was named the sixth most historic city to visit by the National Geographic Society.http://traveler.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/historic-destinations-rated/list-text

The city of Stockholm is located along the south-central eastern coast of Sweden. It is the same geographic point where Lake Malaren meets with the Baltic Sea. The older portions of the city itself consist of fourteen interconnected islands in the bay of Riddarfjarden. Of its 72.6 square mile geographic area, 30% is occupied by waterways and another 30% by green areas.http://www.thelocal.se/17784/20090223/ This helped Stockholm win the EU Green Capital Award in 2009.http://www.thelocal.se/17784/20090223/

While its high latitude brings long days in the summer and only brief sunlight in the winter, and while its winters are cold, Stockholm has a temperate climate with a distinct spring and autumn.

Sweden's neutrality during the two World Wars has left Stockholm with a much greater proportion of older architecture than many other European capitals. Among other things, the city is famous for its bridges, which connect its neighborhoods across a complex network of fresh and saltwater channels. The Gamla Stan, or Old Town, district boasts remnants of the Medieval city.

Stockholm has nearly 70 museums, including the National Museum of Sweden and Sweden's Museum of Modern Art. As with many Nordic cities, summer in Stockholm brings a general rush toward outdoor activities, while winter brings a stampede into crowded bars and nightclubs. Stockholm harbors a population accustomed to 18-hour winter nights.