APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R00200090020-4
FIGURE 6. The steep, rocky coasts, typical of most of Sweden, are unusable for amphibious operations. (C)
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hillocks and eskers. Vehicular cross-country movement would be precluded except in the cultivated areas in the south and a few scattered areas in the north. Movement on foot would be possible almost everywhere. Most of the population is concentrated in the large urban areas along the coast and in settlements along the lakes and rivers. There is a dense network of roads and railroads in the south, and a moderately dense pattern elsewhere in the region. Food supplies could be obtained from the agricultural areas and in limited quantities from natural sources. Ample water is available throughout the region. Timber suitable for shelter material and firewood is available in the forested areas but is lacking in the cultivated areas. Major problems for irregular forces not properly equipped are the clouds of insects, especially mosquitoes, gnats, and flies, following the spring thaw and in winter the glare of sunlight reflected by snow. Prolonged exposure to the raw environment and, during winter, long periods of darkness, complicated by heavy overcast, would have detrimental effects on personnel. The rugged, mostly unprotected coast and the largely remove international borders could be clandestinely penetrated by small groups with little difficulty.
2. Interior Highlands
This region is primarily an area of rounded hills and mountains. The hills are separated by flat to rolling plains and valleys and are mostly less than 3,000 feet in elevation. The mountains have elevations primarily between 3,000 and 5,000 feet; the highest peak in the country is 7,054 feet above sea level. Dense needleleaf evergreen forests cover most of the region, and numerous large parallel, northwest-southwest trending streams flow across the region to the Gulf of Bothnia. Many streams in their upper courses widen or form elongated lakes, and many small lakes and wet areas are scattered throughout the region. Most drainage features are frozen from early November or mid-December to mid-March or mid-May; flooding is common during the spring thaw. The region is sparsely populated and most settlements are scattered along the stream valleys. The low-capacity transportation network is concentrated principally in the valleys and low hills and is inadequate to support sustained military traffic.
This region is predominantly unsuited for large-scale conventional ground operations. There are few roads and the terrain is unfavorable for road construction or cross-country movement. The road net is not sufficiently dense to provide alternate routes of movement, and it is mainly oriented north-south. The roads have crushed stone, gravel, and bituminous surfaces and are too narrow for two-way traffic. Movement on the roads would be easier during the winter when surfaces and sub grades are frozen. Narrow low-capacity bridges, sharp curves, and narrow streets in settlements would slow traffic throughout the year. Snowdrifts block many roads for
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R00200090020-4
