Statistical information Sweden 2018

Sweden in the World
top of pageBackground: A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
top of pageLocation: 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:
EuropeAreaTotal: 450,295 km²
Land: 410,335 km²
Water: 39,960 km²
Rank: 57
Comparative: almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California
Land boundariesTotal: 2,211 km
Border countries: (2) Finland 545 km;
, Norway 1666 kmCoastline: 3,218 km
Maritime claimsTerritorial 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
ElevationMean elevation: 320 m
Elevation extremes: -2.4 m
Note: lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon near Kristianstad
Natural resources: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
Land useAgricultural land: 7.5% (2011 est.)
arable land: 6.4% (2011 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)
permanent pasture: 1.1% (2011 est.)
Forest: 68.7% (2011 est.)
Other: 23.8% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land: 1640 km² (2012)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
GeographyNote: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas; Sweden has almost 100,000 lakes, the largest of which, Vanern, is the third largest in Europe
top of pagePopulationDistribution: most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated: 10,040,995 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 91
Growth rate: 0.8% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 129
Below poverty line: 15% (2014 est.)
NationalityNoun: Swede(s)
Adjective: Swedish
Ethnic groups:
Swedish 81.5%, Syrian 1.7%, Finnish 1.5%, Iraqi 1.4%, other 13.9% (2017 est.)
note: data represent the population by country of birth; the indigenous Sami people are estimated to number between 20,000 and 40,000
Languages:
Swedish (official)
note: Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages
Religions:
Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 61.8%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 8.2%, none or unspecified 30% (2016 est.)
note: estimates reflect registered members of faith communities eligible for state funding (not all religions are state-funded and not all people who identify with a particular religion are registered members); an estimated 60.2% of Sweden's population were members of the Church of Sweden in 2017
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 17.54% (male 904,957 /female 855,946)
15-24 years: 11.06% (male 573,595 /female 537,358)
25-54 years: 39.37% (male 2,005,422 /female 1,947,245)
55-64 years: 11.67% (male 588,314 /female 583,002)
65 years and over: 20.37% (male 946,170 /female 1,098,986) (2018 est.)
Dependency ratiosTotal dependency ratio: 58.5 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 27.4 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 31.1 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.2 (2015 est.)
Median ageTotal: 41.1 years
Male: 40.1 years
Female: 42.2 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 45
Population growth rate: 0.8% (2018 est.)
Rank: 129
Birth rate: 12.1 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 164
Death rate: 9.4 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 52
Net migration rate: 5.3 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 23
Population distribution: most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated
UrbanizationUrban population: 87.4% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 1.05% annual rate of change
Major urban areasPopulation: 1.583 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2018)
EnvironmentCurrent issues: marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soils and lakes; air pollution; inappropriate timber harvesting practices
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birth: 29.1 years (2015 est.)
Maternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateTotal: 2.6 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 2.9 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 2.3 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 216
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 82.2 years (2018 est.)
Male: 80.3 years (2018 est.)
Female: 84.3 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 17
Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 141
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceUrban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Current health expenditurePhysicians density: 4.19 physicians/1000 population (2014)
Hospital bed density: 2.4 beds/1000 population (2015)
Sanitation facility accessUrban: 0.7% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 0.4% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 0.7% of population (2015 est.)
Hiv/AidsAdult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2016 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 105
People living with hivaids: 11,000 (2016 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 98
Deaths note: <100 (2016 est.)
Major infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rate: 20.6% (2016)
Rank: 97
Alcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expenditures: 7.7% of GDP (2014)
Rank: 11
LiteracySchool life expectancy primary to tertiary educationTotal: 18 years (2014)
Male: 17 years (2014)
Female: 20 years (2014)
Youth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
Conventional short form: Sweden
Local long form: Konungariket Sverige
Local short form: Sverige
Etymology: name ultimately derives from the North Germanic Svear tribe, which inhabited central Sweden and is first mentioned in the first centuries A.D.
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
CapitalName: StockholmGeographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarna, Gavleborg, Gotland, Halland, Jamtland, Jonkoping, Kalmar, Kronoberg, Norrbotten, Orebro, Ostergotland, Skane, Sodermanland, Stockholm, Uppsala, Varmland, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland, Vastmanland, Vastra Gotaland
Dependent areasIndependence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden)
National holiday: National Day, 6 June (1983); note - from 1916 to 1982 this date was celebrated as Swedish Flag Day
ConstitutionHistory: several previous; latest adopted 1 January 1975 (2016)
Amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires simple majority vote in two consecutive parliamentary terms with an intervening general election; passage also requires approval by simple majority vote in a referendum if Parliament approves a motion for a referendum by one-third of its members; amended several times, last in 2014 (changes to the Instrument of Government) (2016)
Legal system: civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
CitizenshipCitizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Sweden; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Sweden and the father unknown
Dual citizenship recognized: no, unless the other citizenship was acquired involuntarily
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 15 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree (daughter of the monarch, born 14 July 1977)
Head of government: Acting Prime Minister Stefan LOFVEN (since 3 October 2014); Deputy Prime Minister Isabella LOVIN (since 25 May 2016); note - Prime Minister Stefan LOFVEN was ousted in a no-confidence vote on 25 September 2018 and is heading a caretaker government until a new government is formed
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister
Legislative branchDescription: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; 310 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed, party-list proportional representation vote and 39 members in at-large seats directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 9 September 2018 (next to be held in 2022)
Election results: percent of vote by party - SAP 28.3%, M 19.8%, SD 17.5%, C 8.6%, V 8%, KD 6.3%, L 5.5%, MP 4.4%, other 1.6%; seats by party - SAP 100, M 70, SD 62, C 31, V 28, KD 22, L 20, MP 16; composition - men 188, women 161, percent of women 46.1%
Judicial branchHighest courts: Supreme Court of Sweden (consists of 16 justices, including the court chairman); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 18 justices, including the court president)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court justices nominated by the Board of Judges, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the Government; following a probationary period, justices appointments are permanent
Subordinate courts: first instance, appellate, general, and administrative courts; specialized courts that handle cases such as land and environment, immigration, labor, markets, and patents
Political parties and leaders: Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C [Annie LOOF]Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Ebba Busch THOR]Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP [Isabella LOVIN and Gustav FRIDOLIN]Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V [Jonas SJOSTEDT]Liberal Party (Liberalerna) or L [Jan BJORKLUND]Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M [Ulf KRISTERSSON]Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SAP [Stefan LOFVEN]Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON]
International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Karin Ulrika OLOFSDOTTER (since 17 September 2017)
In the us chancery: The House of Sweden, 2,900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 536-1500
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 536-1501
In the us consulate: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge dAffaires David E. LINDWALL (since 20 January 2017)
From the us embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11,589 Stockholm
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State, 5,750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20,521-5,750
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); the colors reflect those of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field
National symbols: three crowns, lion; national colors: blue, yellow
National anthemName: Du Gamla, Du Fria (Thou Ancient, Thou Free)
Lyricsmusic: Richard DYBECK/traditional:
note: in use since 1844; also known as 'Sang till Norden' (Song of the North), is based on a Swedish folk tune; it has never been officially adopted by the government; 'Kungssangen' (The King's Song) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies
National heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Sweden’s small, open, and competitive economy has been thriving and Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the euro zone largely out of concern that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union would diminish the country’s sovereignty over its welfare system.Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of a manufacturing economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Exports, including engines and other machines, motor vehicles, and telecommunications equipment, account for more than 44% of GDP. Sweden enjoys a current account surplus of about 5% of GDP, which is one of the highest margins in Europe.GDP grew an estimated 3.3% in 2016 and 2017 driven largely by investment in the construction sector. Swedish economists expect economic growth to ease slightly in the coming years as this investment subsides. Global economic growth boosted exports of Swedish manufactures further, helping drive domestic economic growth in 2017. The Central Bank is keeping an eye on deflationary pressures and bank observers expect it to maintain an expansionary monetary policy in 2018. Swedish prices and wages have grown only slightly over the past few years, helping to support the country’s competitiveness.In the short and medium term, Sweden’s economic challenges include providing affordable housing and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market.
Real gdp purchasing power parity:
$518 billion (2017 est.)
$507.3 billion (2016 est.)
$494 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 40
Real gdp growth rate:
2.1% (2017 est.)
2.7% (2016 est.)
4.5% (2015 est.)
Rank: 148
Real gdp per capita:
$51,200 (2017 est.)
$50,800 (2016 est.)
$50,100 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 26
Gross national saving:
28.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
28.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
28.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 34
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useHousehold consumption: 44.1% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 26% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.9% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.8% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 45.3% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -41.1% (2017 est.)
Gdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 1.6% (2017 est.)
Industry: 33% (2017 est.)
Services: 65.4% (2017 est.)
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: 4.1% (2017 est.)
Rank: 74
Labor force: 5.361 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 77
By occupation agriculture: 2%
By occupation industry: 12%
By occupation services: 86% (2014 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.7% (2017 est.)
7% (2016 est.)
Rank: 101
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: 15% (2014 est.)
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareLowest 10: 24% (2012)
Highest 10: 24% (2012)
Distribution of family income gini index:
24.9 (2013)
25 (1992)
Rank: 153
BudgetRevenues: 271.2 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 264.4 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 27
Taxes and other revenues: 50.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 16
Public debt:
40.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
42.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Rank: 124
RevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer prices:
1.9% (2017 est.)
1.1% (2016 est.)
Rank: 100
Central bank discount rate:
-0.5% (31 December 2017)
-0.5% (31 December 2016)
note: the Discount rate was abolished in 2002, and replaced by a 'Reference rate' with no bearing on monetary policy; the rate quoted here is the Reference rate
Rank: 163
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
1.93% (31 December 2017 est.)
2% (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 185
Stock of narrow money:
$329.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$273.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 14
Stock of broad money:
$329.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$273.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 14
Stock of domestic credit:
$929.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$749.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 17
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$560.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$470.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$581.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 21
Current account balance:
$17.79 billion (2017 est.)
$21.84 billion (2016 est.)
Rank: 17
Exports:
$165.6 billion (2017 est.)
$151.4 billion (2016 est.)
Rank: 31
Partners: Germany 11%, Norway 10.2%, Finland 6.9%, US 6.9%, Denmark 6.9%, UK 6.2%, Netherlands 5.5%, China 4.5%, Belgium 4.4%, France 4.2% (2017)
Commodities: machinery (26%), motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals (2016 est.)
Imports:
$153.2 billion (2017 est.)
$140.2 billion (2016 est.)
Rank: 30
Commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing
Partners: Germany 18.7%, Netherlands 8.9%, Norway 7.7%, Denmark 7.2%, China 5.5%, UK 5.1%, Finland 4.7%, Belgium 4.7% (2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$62.22 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$59.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 36
Debt external:
$939.9 billion (31 March 2016 est.)
$929.4 billion (31 March 2015 est.)
Rank: 16
Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
$458.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$390.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 19
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
$523.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$479.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 16
Exchange rates:
8.442 (2017 est.)
8.5605 (2016 est.)
8.5605 (2015 est.)
8.4335 (2014 est.)
6.8612 (2013 est.)
top of pageElectricityAccess electrification total population: 100% (2016)
Production: 152.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 27
Consumption: 133.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 27
Exports: 26.02 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 6
Imports: 14.29 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 16
Installed generating capacity: 40.29 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 26
Generation sources fossil fuels: 5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 204
Generation sources nuclear: 22% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 6
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 42% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 50
Generation sources other renewable sources: 32% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 16
CoalPetroleumPetroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 203
Crude oil exports: 14,570 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 55
Crude oil imports: 400,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 23
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 200
Crude oilRefined petroleumProducts production: 413,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products production rank: 36
Products consumption: 323,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products consumption rank: 42
Products exports: 371,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products exports rank: 23
Products imports: 229,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products imports rank: 29
Natural gasProduction: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 204
Consumption: 764.5 million m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 97
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 193
Imports: 764.5 million m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 64
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 199
Carbon dioxide emissionsFrom consumption of energy: 52.31 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 58
Energy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesFixed lines total subscriptions: 2,794,418 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 50
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 12,435,709 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 74
Telephone systemGeneral assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line, mobile-cellular, Internet, and broadband penetration (2016)
Domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels (2016)
International: country code - 46; submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; 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) (2016)
Broadcast media: publicly owned TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial networks plus regional stations; multiple privately owned TV broadcasters operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 50 local TV stations; widespread access to pan-Nordic and international broadcasters through multi-channel cable and satellite TV; publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 3 national stations and a network of 25 regional channels; roughly 100 privately owned local radio stations with some consolidating into near national networks; an estimated 900 community and neighborhood radio stations broadcast intermittently (2008)
InternetCountry code: .se
Users total: 9,041,427 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 91.5% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 50
Broadband fixed subscriptionsTotal: 3,735,884 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2017 est.)
Rank: 33
top of pageMilitary expenditures:
1% of GDP (2017)
1.04% of GDP (2016)
1.09% of GDP (2015)
1.14% of GDP (2014)
1.13% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 112
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligation: 18-47 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; Swedish citizenship required; service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47; compulsory military service, abolished in 2010, was reinstated in 2018 (2018)
Space programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemNumber of registered air carriers: 8 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 219 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 11,623,930 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0
Note: mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: SE (2016)
Airports: 231 (2013)
Rank: 25
With paved runways total: 149 (2013)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3 (2013)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 12 (2013)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 75 (2013)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 22 (2013)
With paved runways under 914 m: 37 (2013)
With unpaved runways total: 82 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 77 (2013)
Heliports: 2 (2013)
Pipelines: 1626 km gas (2013)
RailwaysTotal: 14,127 km (2016)
Standard gauge: 14,062 km
Note: 0.891-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2016)
Narrow gauge: 65 km
Rank: 20
RoadwaysTotal: 573,134 km
Note: (includes 2,050 km of expressways) (2016)
Paved: 140,100 km (2016)
Unpaved: 433,034 km (2016):
note: includes 98,500 km of state roads, 433,034 km of private roads, and 41,600 km of municipal roads
Rank: 13
Waterways: 2,052 km (2010)
Rank: 40
Merchant marineTotal: 368 (2017)
By type: general cargo 71, oil tanker 23, other 274 (2017)
Rank: 47
Ports and terminalsMajor seaport: Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby
LNG terminal: Brunnsviksholme, Lysekil
Sweden - Transnational issues 2018
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsRefugees: 103,614 (Syria), 27,153 (Eritrea), 25,645 (Afghanistan), 21,973 (Somalia), 15,524 (Iraq) (2017)
Stateless persons: 35,101 (2017); note - the majority of stateless people are from the Middle East and Somalia
Illicit drugs