Sweden’s geography greatly affects how people travel and transport goods in the country. Covering about 450,000 square kilometers, Sweden has many types of landscapes, like mountains, forests, lakes, and thousands of islands. This variety brings both challenges and benefits for transportation.

Key Geographical Features

1. Diverse Geography:

   • In the west, there are the Scandinavian Mountains. These mountains can make travel hard, especially in winter when heavy snow can block roads.
   • The middle and eastern parts of Sweden are mostly flat. This makes it easier to build roads and railways.

2. Waterways:

   • Sweden has a long coastline of about 3,200 kilometers and over 90,000 lakes. These features help with shipping and transport by water.
   • Major shipping routes connect Sweden to other countries, which is important for trade. The Port of Gothenburg is the biggest shipping port in Scandinavia.

3. Archipelagos:

   • The Stockholm Archipelago is made up of around 30,000 islands. This has a big impact on ferry services. Each year, about 8 million people travel by ferry in these waters.

Transportation Infrastructure

• Road Network:
  Sweden has about 98,000 kilometers of roads, with around 20,000 kilometers being highways. These roads connect different areas of the country.

• Rail System:
  The railway system in Sweden stretches over 15,000 kilometers and is one of the best in Europe. In 2019, about 1.3 billion people took the train.

Regional Accessibility

• Norrland vs. Svealand:
  The northern part of Sweden, known as Norrland, has fewer people and fewer transportation options. In contrast, the high-population areas like Stockholm and Gothenburg have more frequent travel services.

• Winter Conditions:
  The weather changes a lot, especially in winter. Northern Sweden can get about 5 meters of snow, which makes traveling harder. People might need to use snowmobiles or other ways to get around.

In summary, Sweden's geography, including its natural resources and different types of land, greatly shapes how transportation works in the country. This unique geography requires careful planning to keep travel accessible, efficient, and environmentally friendly.