Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - II. The Swedish People - 2. Demography. By [G. Sundbärg] E. Arosenius
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population at different periods. Ill
Table 11. Increase of Population in Europe and Sweden.
1 At the end of the year Population Sweden o/oo Annually Annual increase <1/00
Europe Sweden Europe Sweden
1800 ...... 187 693 000 2 347 303 12’51 1801—20 .... 6-29 4-83
1820 ...... 212 768 000 2 584 690 12-15 1821—40 .... 8-29 9-76
1840 ...... 250 972 000 3 138 887 12-51 1841—60 .... 6-00 10-39
I860 ...... 282 893 000 3 859 728 13-64 1861-80 .... 8-00 8-42
1880 ...... 331 745 000 4 565 668 13-7U 1881-00 .... 9-47 5-91
1900 ...... 400 577 000 5136 441 12-82 1901—10 .... 11-09 7-27
1910’ ...... 447 299 000 5 522 403 12-35
To be able properly to appreciate tlie rate of increase of the
population of Sweden, it should be compared with the figures presented by the
entire continent of Europe during the same period. Such a comparison is
only possible, however, for about a century; tlie result is shown in
Table 11.
Thus, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, the population of
Sweden amounted to 12-50 %0 of that of the whole of Europe, while, at end
of the century, the proportion was 12-82 %0. Consequently, in spite of
immense emigration, the Swedes have quite succeeded in maintaining their
position during the century considered as a whole. The rate of increase
for Europe has been, on an average 7-61 %0 yearly during the whole
century, and for Sweden 7-86 %0. During the first decade of the 20th century,
the comparison does not favour Sweden to the same extent.
A general idea of the increase of population in the different läns can be
gained by reference to Table 8. By this table are shown the conditions both
before and since 1865, i. e., before and since the beginning of the great
emigration. It should be pointed out that, in former times, the increase of
population in the different parts of the country varied far less than is the case now.
The towns were still unimportant, communications imperfect, the difficulties
of passing from one trade to another more insurmountable, while emigration
was almost unknown. The consequence of this was, on the whole, that the
population of each district increased by means of its own excess of births over
deaths. In our own days this is all much changed. The very pronounced
irregularity in the increase of the population is due to-disparities in the intensity
of emigration, and the immense increase of the migration between places within
the country. In many of the purely agricultural districts of Southern Sweden,
the population is even on the decline; nay, of the 1 621 rural parishes in
Götaland, no less than 1 170 had a smaller population in 1910 than in 1870.
The eighties, especially, were a time of decline for certain districts of Götaland.
Proportionately greater was the growth of population in the northern parts of
the country — "the America of Sweden". In 1751, Norrland contained only
8"S6 % of the population of Sweden; in 1865 the proportion had risen to 12’22 %,
while in 1912 it had reached 17’i9 %. — The annual average increase in the
population of the different parts of Sweden has been, in °/oo:
1 Figures for Europe reached by approximate calculation.
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