New Sweden was a 17th-century Swedish colony located along the Delaware River in North America. Established in 1638, it included parts of present-day Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The colony was founded by the Swedish South Company to expand trade and settlement in the New World. The most significant settlement was Fort Christina, now known as Wilmington, Delaware. New Sweden thrived for several decades, focusing on fur trading and agriculture. However, in 1655, the colony was conquered by the Dutch, marking the end of Swedish rule in the region.