Sweden's National Parks in the Order They Were Founded, From Abisko in 1909 to the Lake Archipelago of 2018

Abisko, in Norrbotten County, is one of the first nine Swedish national parks, established in 1909. Its valleys are framed by mountain ranges to the south and west, and Torneträsk, the largest alpine lake in Scandinavia, borders it on the north.

Also founded in 1909, Stora Sjöfallet is far larger, about 127,800 hectares in Swedish Lapland. Its northern part lies in the Scandinavian Mountains with some of the highest peaks in Sweden, while the lower southern hills are covered with forest.

Pieljekaise, another 1909 park in Swedish Lapland, covers about 15,340 hectares of birch forest, mountain terrain and several lakes. It takes its name from Pieljekaise Mountain, a landmark inside the park.

Sånfjället in Jämtland County was also among the first nine, in 1909, and covers about 10,300 hectares. It is named for the 1,278 metre mountain Sånfjället, and its mountain terrain is cut by streaming lakes and forest.

Hamra in Gävleborg County, a 1909 founding park, is tiny at about 28 hectares, among the smallest in Sweden. It holds two low moraine hills covered with virgin forest and large rock boulders.

Garphyttan in Örebro County, founded in 1909, covers about 111 hectares. Centuries of agriculture and forestry shaped its landscape, and it now includes meadows and deciduous forest that grew from that long human use.

Ängsö, the last of this group from 1909, protects an island in the Stockholm archipelago on about 168 hectares. It is known for an ancient farm landscape shaped by long human use, with spring flowers and varied bird life.

Norra Kvill in Kalmar County, established in 1927, is a small park of about 114 hectares. It protects an ancient pine forest with trees more than 350 years old, and three lakes lie inside its boundaries: Stora Idegölen, Lilla Idegölen and Dalskärret.

Padjelanta, established in 1962, is one of the largest national parks in Sweden at about 198,400 hectares. It borders Norway to the west and is mostly an open, flat landscape around the two lakes Vastenjávrre and Virihávrre.

Stenshuvud in Skåne County, established in 1986, protects a hill facing the Baltic Sea on about 390 hectares. The surrounding land is flat, so the hill can be seen from far away and seafarers have used it as a navigation aid. Most of the park is broadleaf forest.

Björnlandet in Västerbotten County, established in 1991, covers about 1,100 hectares. Large tracts of virgin forest and mountainous ground cut by steep ravines and cliffs define it, and traces of past forest fires are visible across the park.

Fulufjället in Dalarna County, on the border with Norway, was established in 2002 and covers about 38,500 hectares. It consists mainly of bare mountain heights and heaths unique among the Swedish mountains, and it belongs to PAN Parks, a World Wildlife Fund network for conservation and tourism management.

Åsnen in Kronoberg County, established in 2018, was the thirtieth Swedish national park and the newest at the time. It covers about 1,873 hectares, protecting a lake archipelago of islands and virgin forest around Lake Åsnen.