After the Ice Age, around 8,000 BC, Elevation 28 m (92 ft)

there were already many people living Population (31 December 2019)[3][4][5]
in what is today the Stockholm area, • Capital city 975,904
but as temperatures dropped, • Density 5,200/km2
inhabitants moved south. Thousands (13,000/sq mi)
of years later, as the ground thawed, • Urban [6] 1,605,030
Detail of engraving of
the climate became tolerable and the • Urban density 4,200/km2
Stockholm from Suecia
lands became fertile, people began to (11,000/sq mi)
Antiqua et Hodierna by Erik
migrate back to the North. At the • Metro 2,383,269
Dahlbergh and Willem
Swidde, printed in 1693.
intersection of the Baltic Sea and lake • Metro density 370/km2 (950/sq mi)
Mälaren is an archipelago site where
the Old Town of Stockholm was first Demonym(s) Stockholmare
built from about 1000 CE by Vikings. Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
They had a positive trade impact on • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
the area because of the trade routes Postal code 100 00-199 99
they created. Area code(s) +46-8
Stockholm's location appears in Norse GDP(Nominal)[7] US$170 billion
sagas as Agnafit, and in Heimskringla GDP(Nominal) US$75,000
in connection with the legendary king per capita
Panorama over Stockholm
around 1868 as seen from a Agne. The earliest written mention of Website www.stockholm.se (htt
hot air balloon. the name Stockholm dates from 1252, p://www.stockholm.s
by which time the mines in Bergslagen e/)
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 the
Eric Chronicles 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.[29]

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 the
Hanseatic League. Stockholm developed strong economic and cultural
linkages with Lübeck, Hamburg, Gdańsk, Visby, Reval, and Riga during this
time.[30] Between 1296 and 1478 Stockholm's City Council was made up of 24
members, half of whom were selected from the town's German-speaking
burghers.
Stockholm in 1917
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 national independence movement in the 15th century. The Danish
King Christian II was able to enter the city in 1520. On 8 November 1520, 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 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 Old Town of Stockholm The 17th century saw Sweden grow into a major European power, reflected in the
(Gamla stan) 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 and Scandinavian territories. In 1697, Tre Kronor (castle)
burned and was replaced by Stockholm Palace.
In 1710, a plague killed about 20,000 (36 percent) of the population.[31] 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 the political center of Sweden
and continued to develop culturally under Gustav III.

By the second half of the 19th century, Stockholm had regained its leading economic role. New industries
emerged and Stockholm was transformed into an important trade and service center as well as a key gateway
point within Sweden. The population also grew dramatically during this time, mainly through immigration. At
the end of the 19th century, less than 40% of the residents were Stockholm-born. Settlement began to expand
outside the city limits. The 19th century saw the establishment of a number of scientific institutes, including the
Karolinska Institutet. The General Art and Industrial Exposition was held in 1897. 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 latterly used for advertising.

Stockholm became a modern, technologically advanced, 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, and replaced with modern architecture. However,
in many other parts of Stockholm (such as in Gamla stan, Södermalm,
Östermalm, Kungsholmen and Vasastan), many "old" buildings, blocks and
streets built before the modernism and functionalism movements took off in
Sweden (around 1930–35) survived this era of demolition. Throughout the
century, many industries shifted away from industrial activities into more
high-tech and service industry areas.
Stockholm City Centre after the
1960s.
Stockholm's metropolitan area is one of the fastest-growing regions in
Europe, and its population is expected to number 2.5 million by 2024. As a
result of this massive population growth, there has been a proposal to build
densely packed high-rise buildings in the city center connected by elevated walkways.[32]

Geography

A 360 degree panorama of Stockholm inner quarters taken from the City Hall tower. From left to right: Riddarfjärden with Södermalm
in the background, Kungsholmen, Klara sjö, Norrmalm with the central station in the foreground, Stockholms ström, Riddarholmen
with the Old Town, and again Riddarfjärden with Södermalm

Location

Stockholm is located on Sweden's east coast, where the freshwater Lake Mälaren — Sweden's third-largest lake —
flows out into the Baltic Sea. The central parts of the city consist of fourteen islands that are continuous with the
Stockholm archipelago. The geographical city center 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.