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.

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 3,218 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 meters 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

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

Land use: 7% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 2% meadows and pastures; 64% forest and woodland; 27% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

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

Population: 8,401,098 (July 1989), growth rate 0.1% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Swede(s; adjective - Swedish

Ethnic groups: homogeneous white population; small Lappish minority; about 12% foreign born or first-generation immigrants (Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks)

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

Religions: 93.5% Evangelical Lutheran, 1.0% Roman Catholic, 5.5% other

Birth rate: 12 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 12 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1000 population (1989)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution; acid rain

Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1989)

Literacy: 99%

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Stockholm

Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (lan, singular and plural) and 1 city* (stad; 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, Stockholms Stad*, Uppsala Lan, Varmlands Lan, Vasterbottens Lan, Vasternorrlands Lan, Vastmanlands Lan,

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

Suffrage: universal but not compulsory over age 18; after three years of legal residence immigrants may vote in county and municipal but not national elections

Legislative branch: Royal Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Air Force, Royal Swedish Navy

International organization participation: ADB, CCC, Council of Europe, DAC, EC (Free Trade Agreement), EFTA, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB - Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, INTELSAT, IPU, ISO, ITU, IWC - International, Whaling Commission, IWC - International Wheat Council, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Anders THUNBORG; Chancery at Suite 1200, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,037; telephone (202) 944-5,600; there are Swedish Consulates General in Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and New York; US - Ambassador Gregory J. NEWELL; Embassy at Strandvagen 101, S-115 27 Stockholm; telephone Õ46å (8) 7,835,300

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)

Economy overview: Aided by a long period of peace and neutrality during World War I through World War II, Sweden has achieved a high standard of living under a welfare state system. It has virtually full employment with less than 2% of the work force unemployed in 1987. Sweden is highly industrialized, has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled and intelligent 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 1987 real GDP grew by 3.1% and the budget deficit declined. On the negative side, inflation increased and higher wage costs eroded the country's competitiveness in foreign markets.

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, 85% self-sufficient in sugar beets

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: 4.5% (1987)

Labor force: 4,390,000; 32.8% private services, 30.0% government services, 22.0% mining and manufacturing, 5.9% construction, 5.0% agriculture, forestry, and fishing, 0.9% electricity, gas, and waterworks (1986)

Unemployment rate: 1.9% (1987)

Budget: revenues $53.4 billion; expenditures $58.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $10.4 (FY88)

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

Exports: $44.5 billion (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products
Partners: EC 50.0%, (FRG 11.5%, UK 10.4%, Denmark 8.0%), US 11.2%, Norway 11.2%, less developed countries 9.3%

Imports: $40.7 billion (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing
Partners: EC 57.2% (FRG 20.5%, UK 10.4%, Denmark 6.8%), US 7.8%, less developed countries 7.3%, Norway 5.6%

Debt external: $62.5 billion (December 1986)

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 6.2558 (January 1989), 6.1272 (1988), 6.3404 (1987), 7.1236 (1986), 8.6039 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 39,161,000 kW capacity; 182,105 million kWh produced, 21,700 kWh per capita (1988)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $3.212 billion, 7.9% of central government budget (FY88)

Airports: 260 total, 257 usable; 137 with permanent-surface runways; 11 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 91 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: 84 km natural gas

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

Merchant marine: 170 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,637,024 GRT/1,727,015 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 12 short-sea passenger, 27 cargo, 3 container, 39 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 12 vehicle carrier, 2 railcar carrier, 25 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 22 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 8 combination ore/oil, 5 specialized liquid cargo, 12 bulk, 1 combination bulk