The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (Swedish: Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien) is one of the royal academies of Sweden, which was founded on 2 June 1739 by naturalist Carl Linnaeus, mercantilist Jonas Alströmer, mechanical engineer Mårten Triewald, civil servants Sten Carl Bielke and Carl Wilhelm Cederhielm, and statesman/author Anders Johan von Höpken. Located in Royal National City Park, Stockholm, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special responsibility for promoting natural sciences and mathematics and strengthening their influence in society, whilst endeavoring to promote the exchange of ideas between various disciplines.

In addition of four national prizes, the Academy awards eight international prizes, they are:

1) Nobel Prizes in Physics and in Chemistry; 2) Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel; 3) Crafoord Prizes in astronomy and mathematics, geosciences, biosciences and polyarthritis; 4) Sjöberg Prize for research in cancer; 5) Rolf Schock Prizes in logic and philosophy, mathematics, visual arts and musical arts; 6) Gregori Aminoff Prize in crystallography; 7)Tobias Prize for research to treat hematological disorders; and 8) Gold Medal for Radiation Protection.

The Academy has elected about 1,700 Swedish and 1,200 foreign members since 1739. Today, it has about 470 Swedish and 175 foreign members which are divided into ten “classes” representing ten various scientific disciplines.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org