Map of Sweden | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: A military power during the 17th century Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment rising maintenance costs and a declining position in world markets. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995 and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.


top of page


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
Water: 39,030 km²
Land: 410,934 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: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.41 m
Extremes highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 6.8%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 93.2% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 1150 km² (1998 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


top of page


Population: 8,878,085 (July 2003 est.)
Growth rate: 0.01% (2003 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Swede
Adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups: indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns Yugoslavs Danes Norwegians Greeks Turks

Languages
Note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Religions: Lutheran 87% Roman Catholic Orthodox Baptist Muslim Jewish Buddhist

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.7% (male 804,296; female 763,213)
15-64 years: 65% (male 2,933,183; female 2,835,835)
65 years and over: 17.3% (male 654,575; female 886,983) (2003 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 40.1 years
Male: 39 years
Female: 41.4 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.01% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 9.71 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 10.58 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: 1 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, 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: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female (2003 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.42 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.96 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 3.86 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.97 years
Male: 77.31 years
Female: 82.78 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 3,300 (2001 est.)
Deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.)

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


top of page


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

National holiday: Flag Day 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 monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
Election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131 out of 349 votes

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
Election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%, Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats 33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

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

Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Alf SVENSSON]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or VP (formerly Communist) [Ulla HOFFMAN (acting)]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

International organization participation: AfDB AsDB Australia Group BIS CBSS CE CERN EAPC EBRD ECE EIB ESA EU FAO G- 6 G- 9 G-10 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU MONUC NAM (guest) NC NEA NIB NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE PCA PFP UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNDOF UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIKOM UNITAR UNMEE UNMIBH UNMIK UNMISET UNMOGIP UNOMIG UNTSO UPU WCO WEU (observer) WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTrO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles and New York
In the us fax: [1] (202) 467-2,699
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 467-2,600
In the us chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20,005-1702
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. HEIMBOLD, Jr.
From the us embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11,589 Stockholm
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, 5,750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20,521-5,750 (pouch)
From the us telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
From the us fax: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Flag description: blue with a golden yellow cross extending 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


top of page


Economy overview: Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th 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. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001 which was cut by more than half in 2002 due to the global economic slowdown revenue declines and spending increases. The Swedish central bank (the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with its inflation target of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003. On September 14 2003 Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.9% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2%
Industry: 29%
Services: 69% (2001)

Agriculture products: barley wheat sugar beets; 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: 0.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 4.4 million (2000 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 2%
By occupation industry: 24%
By occupation services: 74% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4% (2002 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.7%
Highest 10: 20.1% (1992)

Distribution of family income gini index: 25 (1992)

Budget
Revenues: $119 billion
Expenditures: $110 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.2% (2002 est.)

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: $80.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: machinery 35% motor vehicles paper products pulp and wood iron and steel products chemicals
Partners: US 11.6% Germany 10.1% Norway 9% UK 8.2% Denmark 5.9% Finland 5.6% Netherlands 5.3% France 5.1% Belgium 4.7% (2002)

Imports: $68.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: machinery petroleum and petroleum products chemicals motor vehicles iron and steel; foodstuffs clothing
Partners: Germany 18.5% Denmark 8.8% UK 8.6% Norway 8.2% Netherlands 6.7% France 5.4% Finland 5.2% US 5% (2002)

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 per US dollar - 9.74 (2002) 10.33 (2001) 9.16 (2000) 8.26 (1999) 7.95 (1998)


top of page


Electricity
Production: 152.9 billion kWh (2001)
Production by source fossil fuel: 4%
Production by source hydro: 50.8%
Production by source other: 2.3% (2001)
Production by source nuclear: 43%
Consumption: 134.9 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 18.45 billion kWh (2001)
Imports: 11.14 billion kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 949 million m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 968 million m³ (2001 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 6.017 million (December 1998)
Mobile cellular: 3.835 million (October 1998)

Telephone system
General assessment: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system
Domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry 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
Country code: .se
Service providers isps: 29 (2000)
Users: 6.02 million (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $4.395 billion (FY01)
Percent of gdp: 2.1% (FY01)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 245 (2002)
With paved runways total: 145
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 24
With paved runways under 914 m: 25 (2002)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 82
With unpaved runways total: 100
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 90 (2002)

Heliports: 2 (2002)

Pipelines: gas 798 km (2003)

Railways
Total: 11,481 km
Standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2002)

Roadways

Waterways
Note: navigable to small steamers and barges

Merchant marine
Total: 166 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,329,925 GRT/1,609,986 DWT
Note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 8, Finland 8, Germany 3, Italy 3, Japan 2, Norway 7 (2002 est.)
Ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 35, chemical tanker 31, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 35, short-sea passenger 8, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 21

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs