Swedish-American relations
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| Sweden | United States |
Swedish–American relations are the transatlantic relations between Sweden and the United States, and between the Swedish and American people in particular.
Sweden and the United States have had strong ties since the 17th century. The United States and Sweden share a strong commitment to democracy, human rights, and freedom[1].
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[edit] History
Like many European powers, Sweden participated in the colonisation of America started in the 1700th century. The first Swedish colony along the banks of the Delaware River was established in 1638.
Sweden was the first country not engaged in the American Revolutionary War to recognize the young American republic. The Swedish Count Axel von Fersen was a distinguished soldier during the war, serving as an interpreter between General Rochambeau and General Washington. In 1783 the United States' Ambassador to Paris, Benjamin Franklin, and the Swedish Ambassador, Count Gustaf Phillip Creutz, signed a treaty of amity and commerce.
During the period between 1820-1930 approximately 1.3 million Swedes, a third of the country's population, emigrated to North America and most of them to the United States. Like the Irish diaspora it was sparked by poverty in Sweden, which was exacerbated during bad years. Only Britain and Norway had a higher emigration rate. Most of the Swedish emigrants settled in the central and Western United States. By 1910, Chicago had a greater population of Swedes than Gothenburg. Minnesota was also a place where many Swedish emigrants settled.
Many Swedish Americans also fought in the American Civil War.
[edit] Economic relations
The United States and Sweden have strong economic relations. The United States is the largest Swedish export country, and U.S. companies are the most represented foreign companies in Sweden.
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[edit] Political relations
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Although Sweden's long stand of reimaining military neutral, Sweden participates in the NATO affiliated Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council.
The Swedish government supported the U.S.-led 2001 invasion of Afghanistan[2][3], as did a majority of the Swedish population[4]. Sweden currently participates with around 500 troops in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), under the command of NATO, in Afghanistan.
Sweden also provided many weapons during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, perhaps most famously the Carl Gustav recoilless rifle (known in the U.S. military as M3 MAAWS) which was used in securing the town of Fallujah against islamic terrorists.
In the Statement of Government Policy presented to the Riksdag on October 6, 2006, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt declared that the new government should work for a "strengthening of the transatlantic link"[5].
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061013-6.html
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20011109231601/www.utrikes.regeringen.se/pressinfo/usa/fragor_annalindh.htm
- ^ http://www.riksdagen.se/webbnav/index.aspx?nid=101&dok_id=GP0913&bet=2001/02:13
- ^ http://www.opinion.sifo.se/html/publicerade/2001/pdf/afganistan.pdf
- ^ http://www.regeringen.se/content/1/c6/07/15/51/71d8a385.pdf
