Map of Sweden | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 449,964 km²
Land: 410,928 km²
Water: 39,036 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries
Total: 2,205 km
Border countries: (2) 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 (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)

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: zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 7%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 1%
Forests and woodland: 68%
Other: 24% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,150 km² (1993 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 maritime traffic

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


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Population: 8,911,296 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.29% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Swede(s)
Adjective: Swedish

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

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 19% (male 856,819; female 812,958)
15-64 years: 64% (male 2,896,383; female 2,802,571)
65 years and over: 17% (male 651,549; female 891,016) (1999 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.29% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 12 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.77 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.68 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 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
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 3.91 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.29 years
Male: 76.61 years
Female: 82.11 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1999 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
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99% (1979 est.)
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: Sweden
Local long form: Konungariket Sverige
Local short form: Sverige

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Stockholm

Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural; Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens, Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king; 6 June 1809 (constitutional monarchy was 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 monarch (born 14 July 1977)
Head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
Elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister elected by the Parliament; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
Election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote_131 votes out of 349

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held 20 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2002)
Election results: percent of vote by party_Social Democrats 36.5%, Moderates 22.7%, Left Party 12%, Christian Democrats 11.8%, Center Party 5.1%, Liberal Party 4.7%, Greens 4.5%; seats by party_Social Democrats 131, Moderates 82, Left Party 43, Christian Democrats 42, Center Party 18, Liberal Party 17, Greens 16

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen, judges are appointed by the government (prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Rolf EKEUS
In the us chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20,005-1702
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 467-2,600
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 467-2,699
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lyndon Lowell OLSON, Jr.
From the us embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, Washington, DC 20,521-5,750 (pouch)
From the us telephone: [46] (8) 783 53 00
From the us FAX: [46] (8) 661 19 64

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 for the whole twentieth century, 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. Agriculture accounts 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, high unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. Sweden has harmonized its economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start of 1995. Sweden decided not to join the euro system at its outset in January 1999 but plans to hold a referendum in 2000 on whether to join. Annual GDP growth is forecast for 2.2% and 2.6% in 1999 and 2000 respectively. Budgetary problems and shaky business confidence will constrain government plans to reduce unemployment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2.9% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $19,700 (1998 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.2%
Industry: 30.5%
Services: 67.3% (1997)

Agriculture products: grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk

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: 4.4% (1998)

Labor force: 4.552 million (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%
By occupation communications: 7.2%
By occupation construction: 7%
By occupation agriculture fishing andforestry: 3.2% (1991)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% plus about 5% in training programs (1998 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $109.4 billion
Expenditures: $146.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (FY95/96)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

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: $85.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Commodities: machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals
Partners: EU 55% (Germany 11%, UK 9%, Denmark 6%, Finland 5%), Norway 8%, US 8% (1994)

Imports: $66.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing
Partners: EU 68% (Germany 19%, UK 10%, Denmark 8%, France 6%), Norway 8%, US 6% (1997)

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_7.8193 (January 1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997), 6.7060 (1996), 7.1333 (1995), 7.7160 (1994)


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Electricity
Production: 135.192 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 9.75%
Production by source hydro: 37.52%
Production by source nuclear: 52.62%
Production by source other: 0.11% (1996)
Consumption: 141.392 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 9.7 billion kWh (1996)
Imports: 15.9 billion kWh (1996)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones: 13 million (1996 est.)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system
Domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cable carry most voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay network carries some additional telephone channels
International: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations_1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note_Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $4.9 billion (FY97/98)
Percent of gdp: 2.2% (FY97/98)

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: 255 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 145
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 10
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 82
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 27
With paved runways under 914 m: 24 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 110
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 105 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)

Pipelines: natural gas 84 km

Railways
Total: 13,415 km (includes 3,594 km of privately-owned railways)
Standard gauge: 13,415 km 1.435-m gauge (7,917 km electrified and 1,152 km double track) (1996)

Roadways

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

Merchant marine
Total: 154 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,894,783 GRT/1,528,077 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 28, chemical tanker 28, combination ore/oil 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 24, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 39, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 13 (1998 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for and consumer of narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic states; increasing consumer of European amphetamines