Stockholm is growing so fast that its surrounding suburbs could turn into 8 new cities

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Stockholm is booming. Kjell Nordström, a famous Swedish economist, recently predicted the city will almost triple in population by 2045, to 4,5 million people. 

In terms of both housing and population growth, Stockholm is now the fastest-growing capital in Europe, at least according to the city's chamber of commerce band key politicians. The explosive growth (est. 11% population growth 2015-2020) means surrounding areas and municipalities are becoming key in the city's outward expansion.

With this in mind, Swedish Minister of Housing and Construction, Peter Eriksson, last week presented a new government report that looked at 40 different municipalities with potential to become new "Sustainable Cities". Nine final candidates were selected, and unsurprisingly, a vast majority of them are just outside Stockholm.

Granted, some places on the shortlist, like Uppsala and Gävle, are already cities in their own right; the government intiative would just accelerate development of new cities within them (such as Segersäng and Hemfosa). 

Some of these projects — centered on infrastructure development, new housing and employment &mdash could stand ready in the “next seven to ten years”, whereas other could take up to 20 to 25 years, according to Svenska Dagbladet.

Here’s a list of the proposed 9 new “Sustainable cities” in Sweden (all except Härryda are located around Stockholm):

• Nynäshamn municipality

Segersäng could get up to 10 000 new apartments by 2035.

• Haninge municipality

Hemfosa: 12,000 new apartments within a radius of one kilometer.

• Knivsta municipality

New apartments over the next 20 years, mainly in Nydala and Alsike — up to 20,000 in the latter.

• Uppsala municipality

In total, 33,000 new apartments and 10,000-20,000 jobs, mainly in Bergsbrunna and "Södra Staden". 

• Both Uppsala och Knivsta

In the longer term, a new junction city of "Nysala" could emerge by the border of the two municipalities, resulting in tens of thousands of more apartments.  

• Gävle municipality

This area could get 4,000-6,000 apartments.

• Härryda municipality

Located close to Gothenburg’s main airport Landvetter, this municipality could inhabit 2,500 people and 10,000 apartments.