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Lakes and waterways
When the inland ice melted away some 8,000 years ago, it left behind irregularities in the ground that became filled with water. This is the reason why Sweden is one of the countries in the world richest in lakes.
There are approximately 100,000 lakes of various sizes and of varying character. There are small, dark, deep pools in the forest, almost completely covered by waterlilies; there are shallow nutrient-rich lakes in the plains and cold, deep nutrient-deficient mountain lakes. Together the lakes cover some eight per cent of Sweden's surface area. The four biggest lakes - Vanern, Vattern, Malaren and Hjalmaren - have large archipelagos of their own.
The water of the lakes is of such good quality that fairly simple purification methods render it usable as drinking water.
The Swedish landscape is cut through by a large number of rivers, streams and brooks. Almost all the large and many smaller rivers have been affected by hydroelectric construction. Only three of the really large rivers - Vindel-alven, Kalixalven and Torne alv - are still untouched. These three rivers, along with the partially developed Pitealven, were declared to be National Heritage Rivers in 1993. In this way, they are protected against further encroachment by hydroelectric development, thus improving the prospects the long-term survival of the threatened Baltic salmon.
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