Congress Secretariat

Destination Öresund
Fersens Väg 18
SE-211 42 Malmö, Sweden
Tel: +46 40 300 665
Fax: +46 40 918 952
E-mail

Sweden is located in the northern part of Europe with an area of about 450,000 sq.km, ranging 1.574 km from north to south and with a majestic coastline of no less than 2.700 km reaching from the Finnish border in the northeast to the Norwegian in the southeast.
The area is roughly the size of California or Spain and twice that of the United Kingdom and the third largest in Western Europe. Although Sweden is the largest country among the Nordic countries, there is only about nine million inhabitants so there is plenty of space for everyone! In the far south is Skåne, Sweden’s richest farming region, with endless plains, gently rolling hills, long sandy beaches, soughing groves and blazing meadows.
Unlike most other European nations, Sweden has plenty of priceless luxuries to offer, such as clean air, fresh water and vast areas of virgin wilderness – open and accessible to all.
Sweden is a modern, well functioning, friendly and secure society, where travelling and managing professional affairs is swift, safe and efficient.
The population is virtually bilingual as most Swedes also speak English, and many also speak a third language.
Malmö – Lund: a mixture of cultures and education
Malmö is the hub of the Skåne region and Sweden’s third largest city and the commercial centre of southern Sweden. Approximately 290.000 people live in Malmö at the centre of the new Öresund Region with around 3.5 million inhabitants.
The Danish capital Copenhagen is less than half an hour away and connected by a mighty bridge which opened in 2000. Malmö is situated only 20 minutes by train from Copenhagen Airport in Denmark. The airport is connected to Malmö by the Öresund Bridge and trains run around the clock between Malmö Central Station and the airport. Yet you are close to beautiful beaches and areas of unspoiled nature in which you can enjoy all the benefits of open-air life.
Right next to Malmö there is the ancient university city of Lund. When the university was founded in 1666 there had already been a rich tradition of knowledge in Lund. As long ago as the year 1085, a Cathedral School for the education of priests was started.
Lund University is the largest university in Scandinavia
Today, Lund University is the largest centre for research and higher education in Scandinavia with seven faculties, science centres and special university colleges. More than 34,000 students are enrolled at the University, of which 3,200 are graduate students.
Picture: Lund University Building >>
At the undergraduate level 60 different programmes of education and about 850 courses are offered. About 6.000 people are employed by the University. Malmö is a mixture of many different parts. More than one in four residents in the city are of foreign origin and speak some 100 languages and belong to 164 different nationalities.
You will find an old historical centre with a commercial mix of old and new. Malmö was given municipal privileges in 1352. In those days, Malmö was a part of Denmark and the inhabitants were fisherman and farmers.
The region of Skåne (Scania), to which Malmö belongs, did not become a part of Sweden until 1658. The modern development of the city dates from the late 18th century, when a proper harbour was constructed in Malmö. Since then the city has been growing constantly.
Malmö University is Sweden’s latest venture in the field of higher education.
The city offers a variety of old buildings and places. At Stortorget (the Main Square) you will find Malmö Town Hall, the 16th century home of a former Danish mayor.

The equestrian statue, also at Stortorget, is of king Karl X Gustav, who made Malmö a part of Sweden. The majestic church of St Peter dates back to the 14th century and the days of the Hanseatic League.
Lilla Torg (the Little Square) boasts many beautifully restored houses as well as a vibrant night-life.
Region Skåne
Area
11 027 km2 (of which 10.983 km2 land area). 102 inhabitants per km2.
Population
Region Skåne has more than 1 million inhabitants.
Largest cities in Skåne:
Malmö (290.000 inhabitants)
Helsingborg (120.000 inhabitants)
Lund (100.000 inhabitants)
Kristianstad (75.000 inhabitants)
City of Malmö
Malmö is the third largest city in Sweden with 290.000 inhabitants. The history of Malmö goes back almost a thousand years. Before 1658 Malmö was a Danish city. Now Malmö is a part of a dynamic region with Copenhagen and Malmö as the largest cities. A new bridge connects Malmö city and Copenhagen airport and city centre, with highway and railway. Read and see more about Malmö on www.malmo.se
More information about Skåne: www.positionskane.com