Sweden occupies most of the eastern side of the Scandinavian Peninsula and is one of the largest countries in Europe by area. It borders Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, while the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Bothnia lie to the east. Denmark is separated from Sweden by the Öresund, Kattegat, and Skagerrak waters, though the Öresund Bridge links Malmö with Copenhagen.
The country's geography is highly varied. Southern Sweden includes fertile plains, rolling farmland, deciduous woodlands, and a more densely settled landscape. Central Sweden contains extensive forests, many lakes, and important river systems. Northern Sweden is dominated by vast boreal forest, mineral-rich uplands, and the Scandinavian mountain chain along the Norwegian border.
Sweden is famous for its lakes and coastlines. Vänern and Vättern are among Europe's largest lakes, and Lake Mälaren has been central to the development of the Stockholm region. The eastern coast faces the Baltic, and Sweden has extensive archipelagos, especially around Stockholm and Gothenburg. The islands of Gotland and Öland are the largest in the Baltic associated with Sweden.
Forests cover much of the country and are among Sweden's most important natural resources, alongside iron ore, hydropower potential, and other minerals. The bedrock is ancient and shaped by glaciation, which left a landscape of moraines, eskers, exposed rock, and countless lakes. Climate varies from temperate in the south to subarctic in the far north, moderated in many areas by maritime influences despite the northern latitude.