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.

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 potential

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.)

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

Population: 8,865,051 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 0.23% (1997 est.)

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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 19% (male 849,093; female 805,087)
15-64 years: 64% (male 2,876,064; female 2,784,346)
65 years and over: 17% (male 655,490; female 894,971) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.23% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 11.37 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 10.78 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.69 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Environment
Current issues: acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

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: 0.73 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.9 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.08 years
Male: 76.42 years
Female: 81.89 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99% (1979 est.)
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

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

Independence: 6 June 1523, Gustav VASA was elected king; 6 June 1809, a 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

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)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
Elections: the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister elected by the Parliament; election last held NA March 1996 (next to be held NA 1998)
Election results: Goran PERSSON elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA

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 18 September 1994 (next to be held NA September 1998)
Election results: percent of vote by party - 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 by party - 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 or Hogsta Domstolen, judges are appointed by the government (prime minister and cabinet)

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, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC (observer), NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Carl Henrik Sihver LILJEGREN
In the us chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20,005
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 467-2,600
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 467-2,699
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas L. SIEBERT
From the us embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
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)

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, growing unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. 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 growth rate: 1.4% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,800 (1996 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2%
Industry: 27%
Services: 71% (1993)

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: 2% (1996 est.)

Labor force
Total: 4.552 million (84% unionized, 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: 9.0%
By occupation communications: 7.2%
By occupation construction: 7.0%
By occupation agriculture fishing andforestry: 3.2% (1991)

Unemployment rate: 8% (September 1996) plus about 6% in training programs

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

Fiscal year: 1 January - 31 December (Sweden changed its fiscal year from 1 July - 30 June in 1995)

Exports
Total value: $79.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
Commodities: machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products
Partners: EU 59.1% (Germany 13.2%, UK 10.2%, Denmark 6.9%, France 5.1%), Norway 8.1%, Finland 4.8%, US 8.0% (1994)

Imports
Total value: $64.4 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
Commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing
Partners: EU 62.6% (Germany 18.4%, UK 9.5%, Denmark 6.6%, France 5.5%), Finland 6.3%, Norway 6.1%, US 8.5% (1994)

Debt external: $66.5 billion (1994)

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 7.0671 (January 1997), 6.7060 (1996), 7.1333 (1995), 7.7160 (1994), 7.7834 (1993), 5.8238 (1992)

Electricity
Capacity: 35.46 million kW (1994)
Production: 147.7 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 14,862 kWh (1995 est.)

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)

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

Airports: 251 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 247
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 84
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 26
With paved runways under 914 m: 127 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)

Pipelines: natural gas 84 km

Railways
Total: 12,624 km (includes 953 km of privately-owned railways)
Standard gauge: 11,767 km 1.435-m gauge (7,320 km electrified and 1,152 km double track)
Other gauge: 857 km NA-m gauge (1995)

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

Merchant marine
Total: 179 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,131,361 GRT/2,244,410 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 39, chemical tanker 27, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 31, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 43, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 13 (1996 est.)

Disputes international: none

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