Union between Sweden and Norway

The Union of Sweden and Norway (Swedish: Svensk-norska unionen; Norwegian: Den svensk-norske union), officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, was a personal union. It consisted of the separate kingdoms of Sweden and Norway under the same monarch. It lasted from 1814 to 1905.^[3] In 1905 Sweden accepted Norway leaving the union.^[4] Both states kept their separate constitutions, laws, legislatures, administrations, state churches, armed forces, and currencies. However the kings mostly resided in Stockholm. Stockholm was also the town where foreign diplomatic representations were located.

United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway Förenade konungarikena Sverige och Norge De forenede Kongeriger Norge og Sverige
1814–1905
Union mark and diplomatic flag 1844–1905 Coat of arms
Sweden and Norway in 1905
Status	Personal union
Capital	Stockholm & Christiania[a]
Common languages	Swedish, Danish, Norwegian[b], Western Sami languages
Religion	Protestant (Lutheran) Christianity
Government	Constitutional monarchies
King
• 1814–1818	Charles XIII/II
• 1818–1844	Charles XIV/III John
• 1844–1859	Oscar I
• 1859–1872	Charles XV/IV
• 1872–1905	Oscar II
Legislature	Legislatures:[d]
• Swedish legislature	Swedish Parliament
• Norwegian legislature	Parliament of Norway
Historical era	19th century
• Treaty of Kiel	14 January 1814
• Charles XIII elected king of Norway	4 November 1814
• Constitution of Norway amended	4 November 1814
• Monetary union	16 October 1875
• Norway declares independence	7 June 1905
• Union dissolved	13 August 1905
• Oscar II renounces claims to Norway	26 October 1905
Area
1905	774,184 km2 (298,914 sq mi)
Population
• 1820	3550000[c]
• 1905	7560000[c]
Currency	Sweden: Riksdaler, (1814–1873) Krona (1873–1905) Norway: Speciedaler, (1814–1875) Krone (1875–1905)
Preceded by Succeeded by History of Sweden (1772–1809) Kingdom of Norway (1814) Sweden Norway
a. ^ The king resided alternately in Stockholm (mostly) and Christiania (usually some months of each year). He received ministers from both Sweden and Norway in Union council, or separately in only Swedish or Norwegian councils. The majority of the Norwegian cabinet ministers convened in Christiania when the king was absent. b. ^ The written Norwegian language ceased to exist in the first half of the 16th century and was replaced by Danish. Written Danish was still used during the union with Sweden, but was slightly norwegianized in the latter half of the 19th century. In 1885, the Parliament of Norway accepted Landsmål as an official written language at par with Danish. c. ^ 1820: 2,585,000 in Sweden, and 970,000 in Norway.[1] 1905: 5,260,000 in Sweden, and 2,300,000 in Norway.[2] d. ^ The Swedish Parliament was a diet composed of four estates until 1866. That year it became into a bicameral legislature. The Parliament of Norway was a unicameral legislature. In the Norwegian parliament the cabinet needed support from the majority.

References

1. Tacitus.no - Skandinaviens befolkning (in Swedish)
2. "SSB - 100 års ensomhet? Norge og Sverige 1905–2005 (in Norwegian)". Archived from the original on 2014-11-19. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
3. "Sweden". World Statesmen. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
4. "Norway". World Statesmen. Retrieved 17 January 2015.