Map of Sweden | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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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: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 449,964 km²
Land: 410,928 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than California

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 the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
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
Extremes lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 7%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 2%
Forests 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

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Swede(s)
Adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate: 5.48 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.) 2.27 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 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
Current issues Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
International agreements: party to_Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified_Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Law of the Sea
International agreements note: Strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

Air pollutants

Sex ratio: at birth:1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.06 years (1996 est.), 78.43 years (1995 est.)
Male: 75.62 years (1996 est.), 75.64 years (1995 est.)
Female: 80.63 years (1996 est.), 81.39 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1991 est.)
Total population: 99%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
Conventional short form: Sweden
Local long form: Konungariket Sverige
Local short form: Sverige

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 Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996) was elected by the Riksdag
Prime Minister 19941996: Ingvar CARLSSON
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: Unicameral Parliament (Riksdag):Elections last held 18 September 1994 (next to be held NA September 1998; results_Social Democrats 45.4%, Moderate Party (Conservatives) 22.3%, Center Party 7.7%, Liberals 7.2%, Left Party 6.2%, Greens 5.8%, Christian Democrats 4.1%, New Democracy Party 1.2%; seats_(349 total) Social Democrats 162, Moderate Party (Conservatives) 80, Center Party 27, Liberals 26, Left Party 22, Greens 18, Christian Democrats 14; note_the New Democracy Party did not receive a seat because parties require a minimum of 4.0% of votes for a seat in parliament

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Hogsta Domstolen)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 8, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation

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 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 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 1993, agriculture accounted for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. In recent years, however, this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by budgetary difficulties, inflation, growing unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. In November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU (European Currency Unit), and depreciation of the krona has boosted export competitiveness and helped lift Sweden out of its 1991-93 recession. To curb the budget deficit and bolster confidence in the economy, the government adopted an adjustment program in November 1994 that aims to eliminate the government budget deficit and to stabilize the debt to GDP ratio. Sweden has harmonized its economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start of 1995.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate:

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

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 11.7% (1994)

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

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $109.4 billion (1996 est.), $47.9 billion (1995 est.)
Expenditures: $146.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96), $70.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY93/94)

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: total value. $61.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$51.8 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $66.5 billion (1994)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1_6.7240 (January 1996), 7.1333 (1995), 7.7160 (1994), 7.7834 (1993), 5.8238 (1992), 6.0475 (1991), 5.9188 (1990)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 141 billion kWh

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 14,891 kWh (1993)

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: 7.41 million telephones (1986 est.); excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system
Domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cable carry most voice traffic; parallel microwave network carries TV, radio, and some additional telephone channels; nationwide GSM mobile phone system
International: 5 submarine coaxial cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 EUTELSAT earth station

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $5.8 billion, 2.5% of GDP (FY94/95)

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
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 7
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 85
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 127

Airports with paved runways
Over 3047 m: 2
2438 to 3047 m: 7
15-24 to 2437 m: 85
914 to 1523 m: 4
Under 914 m: 127

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports: :1 (1995 est.)

Pipelines: Natural gas 84 km

Railways

Roadways

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

Merchant marine
Total: 251
Ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 35, chemical tanker 24, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 32, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 38, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 14 (1995 est.) Airports:

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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