Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. It is situated in the south central part of the country on the border between the historical provinces Uppland and Sodermanland, on the east coast, between lake Malaren and the Baltic Sea. The municipality of Stockholm has approximately 765,000 inhabitants, the greater metro area 1.9 million. The population of the metro area grows by about 20,000 each year.

Stockholm is not the oldest town in Sweden, but after its establishment in the 1250s it rapidly became a national centre, with its strategic location between the lake Malaren and the Baltic Sea. The city is in almost every respect the most important city in Sweden, even though more peripheral regions feel they survive quite well without the political centralism exerted by the capital.

The city contains buildings from all ages since the 15th century. Particularly between 1955 and 1975, hundreds of older buildings were demolished in a large-scale modernization process, encouraged by similar projects in other European cities. Since then, little has changed in the architecture of central Stockholm.

Sweden's beautiful capital has a picturesque setting that makes the city unique. The difference between seasons is quite large, the summers green with mild nights, and the winters dark, cold, often snowy, and with millions of Christmas candles in the windows.