The Stockholm - Mälar Region is consists of the five Swedish counties (län) Stockholm, Uppsala, Örebro, Västmanland and Södermanland and it is one of Europe's approximately 500 regions.
The Stockholm-Mälar Region has certain characteristics. It is one of Europe's capital regions as well as a polycentric region. The Stockholm-Mälar Region is home to approximately 3 million people, which is about a third of Sweden's total population.
Where different people meet – new ideas are born
Stockholm is characterized by being a waterfront region; and water has always connected people and places. In ancient times when roads were poor and scant, the sea, lakes and rivers permitted diligent and efficient transportation of people and all kinds of commodities. In spite of its peripheral location, waterways have made it possible for the Stockholm region to maintain close connections and trade with cities across the Baltic and elsewhere in Europe. The waterways are also used for recreation and add a high quality of life for the area’s 3 million inhabitants.
The Stockholm region developed into an international trading centre and meeting place a long time ago. Sigtuna, one of the first cities was established over 1,000 years ago, and Stockholm was established as early as 1252. The region surrounding Stockholm further north and west, offering high quality raw materials and excellent conditions for iron mining, attracted skilled migrants and craftsmen who settled in the area. Close to the mining industry and near rivers and waterfronts, manufacturing industries were established along Lake Mälaren in cities such as Västerås, Eskilstuna and Örebro. These industries contributed towards boosting the region’s international and innovative profile, and the different parts of the region were all highly dependent on each other – and on water access.
The foundations of the Swedish industrialization that later evolved into modern industrial society was thus laid out. In 1856 the first business bank, SEB, was founded and in the 1880s, Stockholm became the first city in the world to have an extensive telephone communications network, which was provided by LM Ericsson. Also, within academics, the region has a long tradition with Uppsala University, which was founded in 1477, and there are today 25 universities and university colleges located in the region. Of these, Karolinska Institute, which nominates Nobel Prize laureates, is perhaps the most internationally well known.
Present-day Stockholm is a result of past investments, skilful entrepreneurs and successful integration in the world economy. This is where internationally renowned companies and people such as ABB, Alfred Nobel, Atlas Copco, Ericsson, AstraZeneca and H&M have their roots, as well as Abba, Ingmar Bergman and Annika Sörenstam. With knowledge-driven businesses run by creative and innovative people, sophisticated markets and excellent quality of life, Stockholm - The Capital of Scandinavia, belongs to the most competitive regions in the world!