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 and in 2000-02 by the global economic downturn but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. 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.

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N 15 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 449,964 km²
Land: 410,934 km²
Water: 39,030 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries
Total: 2,233 km
Border countries: (2) Finland 614 km; , Norway 1,619 km

Coastline: 3,218 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)
Exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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: iron ore copper lead zinc gold silver tungsten uranium arsenic feldspar timber hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 6.54%
Permanent crops: 0.01%
Other: 93.45% (2001)

Irrigated land: 1150 km² (1998 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: 9,001,774 (July 2005 est.)
Growth rate: 0.17% (2005 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: Swedish small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 791,215/female 747,621)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,990,436/female 2,904,873)
65 years and over: 17.4% (male 677,161/female 890,468) (2005 est.)

Median age
Total: 40.6 years
Male: 39.49 years
Female: 41.75 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.17% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 10.36 births/1000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 10.36 deaths/1000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.67 migrant(s)/1000 population (2005 est.)

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-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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.77 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 2.93 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.59 deaths/1000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.4 years
Male: 78.19 years
Female: 82.74 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 3,600 (2001 est.)
Deaths: less than 100 (2003 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: 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

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

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 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 [Goran HAGGLUND]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; 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 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 MIGA MONUC NAM (guest) NC NEA NIB NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA PFP UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNMEE UNMIK UNMIL UNMISET UNMOGIP UNOMIG UNTSO UPU WCO WEU (observer) WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
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 M. Teel BIVINS
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)

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 declining revenue and increased spending. The Swedish central bank (the Riksbank) focuses on price stability with its inflation target of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003 but picked up in 2004. Presumably because of generous sicktime benefits Swedish workers report in sick more often than other Europeans. On 14 September 2003 Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $255.4 billion (2004 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 3.6% (2004 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $28,400 (2004 est.)

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: 5.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 4.46 million (2004 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 2%
By occupation industry: 24%
By occupation services: 74% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

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: $201.3 billion
Expenditures: $199.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Public debt: 51.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.7% (2004 est.)

Current account balance: $24.08 billion (2004 est.)

Exports: $121.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Commodities: machinery 35% motor vehicles paper products pulp and wood iron and steel products chemicals
Partners: US 10.7% Germany 10.2% Norway 8.6% UK 7.8% Denmark 6.7% Finland 5.7% France 4.8% Netherlands 4.8% Belgium 4.5% (2004)

Imports: $97.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Commodities: machinery petroleum and petroleum products chemicals motor vehicles iron and steel; foodstuffs clothing
Partners: Germany 18.7% Denmark 9.2% Norway 7.6% UK 7.5% Netherlands 6.8% Finland 6.4% France 5.5% Belgium 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $19.99 billion (2003)

Debt external: $66.5 billion (1994)

Exchange rates: Swedish kronor per US dollar - 7.3489 (2004) 8.0863 (2003) 9.7371 (2002) 10.3291 (2001) 9.1622 (2000)

Electricity
Production: 142.8 billion kWh (2002)
Consumption: 138.1 billion kWh (2002)
Exports: 14.8 billion kWh (2002)
Imports: 20.1 billion kWh (2002)

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

Telephones
Main lines in use: 6,579,200 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 7.949 million (2002)

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: country code - 46; 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)

Internet
Country code: .se
Hosts: 945,221 (2004)
Users: 5.125 million (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $5.729 billion (2004)
Percent of gdp: 1.7% (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 7-17 months depending on conscript role; after completing initial service soldiers have a reserve commitment until the age of 47 (2004)

Airports: 254 (2004 est.)
With paved runways total: 154
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 12
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 82
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 22
With paved runways under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 100
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 90 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Pipelines: gas 798 km (2004)

Railways
Total: 11,481 km
Standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2004)

Merchant marine
Total: 205 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,702,763 GRT/1,884,570 DWT
By type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 33, chemical tanker 51, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 37, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 37, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 22
Foreign owned: 42 (Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 11, Germany 6, Italy 7, Japan 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 9)
Registered in other countries: 155 (2005)

Disputes international: none