Country

The Kingdom of Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union. On the Scandinavian Peninsula, this Nordic country neighbours Norway to the west and Finland to the east, and presumably owes its name to the settlement of a Germanic tribe called Swedes whose arrival in modern Swedish territory was documented before the year 100 AD. The Viking Age put Sweden at the center of world affairs as Swedish Viking vessels sailed around the globe, leading to military expeditions, enhanced trade and overseas settlements.

The twentieth century saw Sweden declare neutrality in the two world wars, even though it allowed German troops to march through Swedish territory on their way to Norway, and even though it welcomed refugees, especially Jews, from neighbouring countries. More recently, Sweden has developed a strong welfare state, leading to a high standard of living and virtual eradication of poverty. After a battle with unemployment and a period of economic crisis, Sweden recovered and joined the European Union in 1995.

Germanic tribes, Batavians and Frisians first inhabited the region that is now the Netherlands. The Dutch revolt of 1558 unified the seven northern Dutch provinces into a single republic following invasion by the Romans, Franks, Austrians and Spanish.Two centuries later, the Netherlands experienced a golden era when it became a colonial power and arts blossomed under the brush of Old Masters such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh. A series of wars with Spain, France and England in the 17th and 18th centuries, however, eroded Dutch economic and political power, meaning that the Netherlands would not recover until it allied with Belgium to defeat Napoleon.

The Netherlands remained neutral during the two world wars of the twentieth century. Even then, World War II had devastating effects on the country as German troops invaded in 1940, forcing Queen Wihelmina to establish a government-in-exile from London. Over 75% of Dutch Jews would die during the Nazi occupation, including the famous Anne Frank. The end of the war coincided with the breakdown of the Dutch empire, and territories such as Suriname and Indonesia were granted full independence or autonomy. 

Germany has the largest population of any country and Europe, whilst it is also the continents most industrialized country. All this is despite a history rife with conflict; a fact that can be seen in its population today who have as far ranging influences as Scandinavian, Iranian and Roman.

The cliché of German efficiency is not unfounded and it took all the people's strength to recover economically and socially after two defeats in World War I and II left the country divided and crippled. The country was left split in to East and West Germany, just as its capital was split by the infamous Berlin Wall. However, with the end of the Cold War, the country was reunited and has since gone from strength to strength.

Equally, with a strong tradition in sport, music, literature and food and drink, Germany is not just about economic and industrial strength.