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Introduction
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues

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This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006

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| Introduction | Sweden | 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 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.

| Geography | Sweden | 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 references: | Europe
Area: | total: 449,964 sq km land: 410,934 sq km water: 39,030 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly larger than California
Land boundaries: | total: 2,233 km border countries: 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 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: 5.93% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 94.06% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 1,150 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
Environment - current issues: | acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: | strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

| People | Sweden | Top of Page

Population: | 9,016,596 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 775,433/female 732,773) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,001,928/female 2,918,242) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 689,756/female 898,464) (2006 est.)
Median age: | total: 40.9 years male: 39.8 years female: 42 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.16% (2006 est.)
Birth rate: | 10.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: | 10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate: | 1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 2.76 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.51 years male: 78.29 years female: 82.87 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 3,600 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Swede(s) adjective: Swedish
Ethnic groups: | indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks
Religions: | Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist
Languages: | Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

| Government | Sweden | Top of Page

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 in September 2006)
election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131 out of 349 votes

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 15 September 2002 (next to be held on 17 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA

International organization participation:

AfDB, Arctic Council, 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, IPU, 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, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Gunnar LUND chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Stephen V. NOBLE embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 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 | Sweden | Top of Page

Economy - overview:

Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 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 of 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 and 2005. Presumably because of generous sick-leave benefits, Swedish workers report in sick more often than other Europeans. In September 2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system, concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

GDP (purchasing power parity): | $268.3 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $353.9 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 2.6% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $29,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1.8% industry: 28.6% services: 69.7% (2005 est.)
Labor force: | 4.49 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 6% (2005 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 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 0.5% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 17.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $210.5 billion expenditures: $205.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: | 50.3% of GDP (2005 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: | 3.3% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production: | 127.9 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - consumption: | 131.8 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports: | 11.5 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports: | 24.3 billion kWh (2003)
Oil - production: | 2,441 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 346,100 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: | 203,700 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: | 553,100 bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 980 million cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 968 million cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance: | $25.68 billion (2005 est.)
Exports: | $126.6 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities: | machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals
Exports - 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: | $104.4 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - 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: | $22.45 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: | $516.1 billion (30 June 2005)
Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)
Currency (code): | Swedish krona (SEK)
Exchange rates: | Swedish kronor per US dollar - 7.4731 (2005), 7.3489 (2004), 8.0863 (2003), 9.7371 (2002), 10.3291 (2001)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Sweden | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 6.447 million (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 9.775 million (2004)

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)

Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: | 169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code: | .se
Internet hosts: | 2,701,456 (2005)
Internet users: | 6.8 million (2005)

| Transportation | Sweden | Top of Page

Airports: | 255 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 155 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 80 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 36 (2005)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 100 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 91 (2005)
Heliports: | 2 (2005)
Pipelines: | gas 798 km (2004)
Railways: | total: 11,481 km standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2004)
Roadways: | total: 424,981 km paved: 132,339 km (including 1,544 km of expressways) unpaved: 292,642 km (2003)
Waterways: | 2,052 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 198 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,528,264 GRT/2,193,807 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 29, chemical tanker 43, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 35, petroleum tanker 16, roll on/roll off 38, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 20
foreign-owned: 39 (Belgium 3, Denmark 3, Finland 11, Germany 4, Italy 7, Japan 2, Norway 8, US 1)
registered in other countries: 161 (The Bahamas 10, Bermuda 12, Cayman Islands 12, Cyprus 4, Finland 3, France 3, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 8, Gibraltar 5, Greece 1, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 8, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 21, Netherlands Antilles 9, Norway 22, Panama 5, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 12, UK 15, US 4) (2005)

Ports and terminals: | Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Oxelosund, Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg

| Military | Sweden | Top of Page

Military branches: | Army, Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN), Air Force (Flygvapnet)
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 age of 47 (2004)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 19-49: 1,838,427 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 19-49: 1,493,668 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males: 58,724 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $5.51 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.5% (2005 est.)

| Transnational Issues | Sweden | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | none

This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006