Map of Sweden | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: Having long lost its military prowess of the 17th century, Sweden has evolved into a prosperous and peaceful constitutional monarchy with a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements. As the 20th century comes to an end, this long successful formula is being undermined by high unemployment; the rising cost of a "cradle to the grave" welfare state; the decline of Sweden's competitive position in world markets; and indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe.


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Location: Nordic State, Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Norway and Finland

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Arctic Region, Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 449,964 km²
Land: 410,928 km²

Land boundaries: total 2,205 km, Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline: 3,218 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation

Natural resources: zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower potential

Land use
Arable land: 7%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 2%
Forest and woodland: 64%
Other: 27%

Irrigated land: 1,120 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with navigation

Geography
Note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas


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Population: 8,778,461 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 0.52% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Swede(s)

Ethnic groups: white, Lapp (Sami), foreign born or first-generation immigrants 12% (Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks)

Languages: Swedish
Note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities; immigrants speak native languages

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Pentecostal 1%, other 3.5% (1987)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.52% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 13.5 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 10.9 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.62 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 5.7 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.25 years
Male: 75.47 years
Female: 81.2 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)
Total population: 99%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
Conventional short form:

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Stockholm

Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (lan, singular and plural; Alvsborgs Lan, Blekinge Lan, Gavleborgs Lan, Goteborgs och Bohus Lan, Gotlands Lan, Hallands Lan, Jamtlands Lan, Jonkopings Lan, Kalmar Lan, Kopparbergs Lan, Kristianstads Lan, Kronobergs Lan, Malmohus Lan, Norrbottens Lan, Orebro Lan, Ostergotlands Lan, Skaraborgs Lan, Sodermanlands Lan, Stockholms Lan, Uppsala Lan, Varmlands Lan, Vasterbottens Lan, Vasternorrlands Lan, Vastmanlands Lan

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 June 1809 (constitutional monarchy established)

National holiday: Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June

Constitution: 1 January 1975

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the King (born 14 July 1977)
Head of government: Prime Minister Carl BILDT (since 3 October 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Bengt WESTERBERG (since NA)

Legislative branch: Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force
Parliament Riksdag: elections last held 15 September 1991 (next to be held NA September 1994); results - Social Democratic Party 37.6%, Moderate Party (conservative) 21.9%, Liberal People's Party 9.1%, Center Party 8.5%, Christian Democrats 7.1%, New Democracy 6.7%, Left Party (Communist) 4.5%, Green Party 3.4%, other 1.2%; seats - (349 total) Social Democratic 138, Moderate Party (conservative) 80, Liberal People's Party 33, Center Party 31, Christian Democrats 26, New Democracy 25, Left Party (Communist) 16; note - the Green Party has no seats in the Riksdag because it received less than the required 4% of the vote

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Hogsta Domstolen)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-6, G-8, G-9, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, INTELSAT, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTRC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas SIEBERT
From the us chancery: Suites 1200 and 715, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,037
From the us telephone: [46] (8) 783-5,300
From the us fax: (202) 342-1319
From the us consulates general: Los Angeles and New York
From the us embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us FAX: [46] (8) 661-1964

Flag description: blue with a yellow cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Aided by a long period of peace and neutrality during World War I through World War II, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy that is heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. In the last few years, however, this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by inflation, growing unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. Although Prime Minister BILDT's center-right minority coalition had hoped to charge ahead with free-market-oriented reforms, a skyrocketing budget deficit - almost 14% of GDP in FY94 projections - and record unemployment have forestalled many of the plans. Unemployment in 1993 is estimated at around 8% with another 5% in job training. Continued heavy foreign exchange speculation forced the government to cooperate in late 1992 with the opposition Social Democrats on two crisis packages - one a severe austerity pact and the other a program to spur industrial competitiveness - which basically set economic policy through 1997. In November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU, and the krona has since depreciated about 25% against the dollar. The government hopes the boost in export competitiveness from the depreciation will help lift Sweden out of its 3-year recession. To curb the budget deficit and bolster confidence in the economy, BILDT continues to propose cuts in welfare benefits, subsidies, defense, and foreign aid. Sweden continues to harmonize its economic policies with those of the EU in preparation for scheduled membership by early 1995, which will help to broaden European economic unity.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -2.7% (1993)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: animal husbandry predominates, with milk and dairy products accounting for 37% of farm income; main crops - grains, sugar beets, potatoes; 100% self-sufficient in grains and potatoes; Sweden is about 50% self-sufficient in most products; farming accounted for 1.2% of GDP and 1.9% of jobs in 1990

Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (1993 est.)

Labor force: 4.552 million (84% unionized,1992)
By occupation community socialandpersonalservices: 38.3%
By occupation mining and manufacturing: 21.2%
By occupation commerce hotels andrestaurants: 14.1%
By occupation banking insurance: 9.0%
By occupation communications: 7.2%
By occupation construction: 7.0%
By occupation agriculture fishing andforestry: 3.2% (1991)

Unemployment rate: 8.2% (1993 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$45.1 billion

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $49.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities: machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products
Partners: EC 55.8% (Germany 15%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.2%, France 5.8%), EFTA 17.4% (Norway 8.4%, Finland 5.1%), US 8.2%, Central and Eastern Europe 2.5% (1992)

Imports: $42.3 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
Commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing
Partners: EC 53.6% (Germany 17.9%, UK 6.3%, Denmark 7.5%, France 4.9%), EFTA (Norway 6.6%, Finland 6%), US 8.4%, Central and Eastern Europe 3% (1992)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $19.5 billion (1992 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 8.1255 (January 1994), 7.834 (1993), 5.8238 (1992), 6.0475 (1991) 5.9188 (1990), 6.4469 (1989)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 142.5 billion kWh

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 16,560 kWh (1992)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $5.2 billion, 2.6% of GDP (FY93/94)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 252
Usable: 248
With permanentsurface runways: 138
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 11
With runways 1220-2439 m: 94

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines: natural gas 84 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges

Merchant marine: 161 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,049,554 GRT/2,516,350 DWT, bulk 10, cargo 24, chemical tanker 25, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, oil tanker 30, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 39, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 13

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market