tätorterna

Tätorterna, or urban localities, are the built‑up population centers in Sweden defined for statistical purposes by Statistics Sweden (SCB). A tätort is a continuous area where the distance between buildings does not exceed 200 meters and that has at least 200 inhabitants. The boundaries are drawn from the extent of the built‑up area, so if gaps larger than 200 meters appear, the area is divided into separate tätorter. While primarily a statistical concept, the urban area may extend across municipal borders, reflecting the functional urban region rather than administrative boundaries.

SCB publishes annual statistics on tätorter, including the number of localities, their populations, and geographic coordinates. The data are used for planning and analysis related to housing, transport, services, and regional development. The concept provides a standardized way to measure urbanization and population distribution over time.

In Sweden, tätorter are contrasted with småorter, which refer to smaller localities with fewer than 200 inhabitants and fewer than 50 residents per square kilometer, used to describe rural population patterns. The distinction helps policymakers monitor urban growth and rural decline, and to allocate resources accordingly.

Major tätorter include the largest cities such as Stockholm, Göteborg, and Malmö, along with many smaller towns and urban settlements across the country. The term “tätorterna” collectively denotes Sweden’s urban localities as a category in demographic and geographic statistics.