Table 1 Definition of residential area categories

Stockholm area

The capital city of Sweden and surrounding municipalities. Approximately 2 100 000 inhabitants live in the area.^b

Stockholm is located on the east coast of Sweden.

Gothenburg area

Sweden’s second largest city and surrounding municipalities. Approximately 960 000 inhabitants live in the area.^b

Gothenburg is located on the west coast of Sweden.

Malmö area

Sweden’s third largest city and surrounding municipalities. Approximately 620 000 inhabitants live in the area.^b

Malmö is located in the south of Sweden.

Larger municipalities

Municipalities with more than 90 000 inhabitants within 30 kilometres radius of the municipality centre. These municipalities are mainly located in the southern part of Sweden.^a

Municipality inhabitants range between 6 000 and 205 000.^b

Central district municipalities

Municipalities with more than 27 000 inhabitants but less than 90 000 inhabitants within 30 kilometres radius of the municipality centre, and with more than 300 000 inhabitants within 100 kilometres radius of the municipality centre. These municipalities are mainly located in the southern part of Sweden.^a

Municipality inhabitants range between 4 000 and 64 000.^b

Densely populated municipalities

Municipalities with more than 27 000 inhabitants but less than 90 000 inhabitants within 30 kilometres radius of the municipality centre, and with less than 300 000 inhabitants within 100 kilometres radius of the municipality centre.

These municipalities are mainly located in the northern part of Sweden.^a

Municipality inhabitants range between 8 000 and 72 000.^b

Sparsely populated municipalities

Municipalities with less than 27 000 inhabitants within 30 kilometres radius of the municipality centre.

These municipalities are mainly located in the northern part of Sweden.^a

Municipality inhabitants range between 2 000 and 23 000.^b