It’s a miserable Tuesday morning here at Shelfstore HQ in Berkshire – so we thought we’d lighten the mood a little with some ‘well I never….’ facts about Sweden
Sweden? ….yes Sweden.
In case you didn’t know
The Shelfstore system was first designed in Sweden in 1949; we still source all our wood from sustainable forests in northern Scandinavia and the shelving system is still made in Sweden. It may seem like a long way to go to and get our ethically sourced pine, but there is method to our madness. Apart from Sweden being the Shelfstore homeland – trees grow slowly in colder climates; this in turn produces a tougher timber due to the trees growth rings being closer together. A tougher timber means tougher shelving.
So in celebration of our Swedish (pine) roots – we bring you 10 Swedish Factoids!
Enjoy…
A Buzzy Nation – According to the International Coffee Organisation, Sweden ranks second in the world after Finland in terms of coffee consumption per person. Ordering decaf isn’t advisable but ordering a cinnamon bun alongside your coffee is.
‘In the bleak mid-Winter’ – my is it bleak!? The sun sets at 3.30pm and rises at 3.30am in the summer. No such thing as a happy medium.
Girl/Boy Power – When it comes to equality between the sexes, Sweden is pioneering in its attitude. They have the smallest gender employment-rate gap in the developed world, with only 4% more men in employment than women. Emily Pankhurst would be most pleased!
Guilty Pleasure – Renowned for their hip and healthy lifestyle, this factoid is a swede shocker. They love Maccie D’s! Sweden has the highest number of McDonald’s restaurants per capita. A surprising fact, especially as the Swedish also have the longest life expectancy in Europe. Maybe McDonalds is good for us after all! (You heard it here first).
Jolly Hockey Sticks – If you ever find yourself in Sweden, you must remember that Sweden has a fantastic hockey team, they are the best in the world. That is all you need to know and as long as you believe it to be true – you’ll be popular. Warning: Don’t mention the Finnish hockey team and don’t ever doubt the brilliance of the Swedish hockey team – ever.
Real Life Peter Pan’s – They do exist and they are Swedish. Anyone who was born in Sweden on the last day of February in 1712 never had another birthday again! This is because the country had a one off 30 day long February in 1712. Imagine being one year old forever.
Generous Folk – Not only are they the most generous country in the world when it comes to allocated maternity/paternity leave. As of 2006, Sweden is the most generous country in the world regarding aid to poor countries. It is the only nation where donations exceed 1% of the GDP. We love them even more for this.
Roll up, Roll up – Get your Gucci here! Sweden is the proud owner of the largest shopping mall in Europe – located in Nordstan Gothenburg. With approximately 180 shops and 150 offices on 320,000 m² – it’s retail therapy at its very best. A crucial pick me up for those dark winter months.
Moosing Around – Tourists like to ‘moose around’ whilst on holiday in Sweden. Every year a large number of moose-crossing signs are stolen from their roads; tourists steal them because it is considered the most valuable and popular souvenir.
‘Mammia Mia!? And last but by no means least – we wouldn’t dream of forgetting two of the most famous Swedish couples of all time – Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Sweden, of course, brought us the musical marvel – Abba!
So there you have it – ten hugely informative Swedish facts. Hope you found them useful!
Shelfstore is a system of creating furniture, shelving and storage solutions around your ideas – in any size, and to fit your space.
By Tony Fitz-Costa. Check me out on Google+
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