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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: 410,928 sq km
water: 39,036 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 2,205 km
border countries: 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
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 sq km (1993 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 damaging 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-Sulphur
85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography—note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas
Population: 8,886,738 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 852,520; female 808,600)
15-64 years: 64% (male 2,885,783; female 2,792,964)
65 years and over: 17% (male 653,631; female 893,240) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.26% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 11.7 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.78 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.19 years
male: 76.52 years
female: 82 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (1998 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)
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Pentecostal 1%, other 3.5% (1987)
Languages: Swedish
note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
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
Data code: SW
Government type: constitutional monarchy
National 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
- 183 votes out of 349
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 20 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)
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party Goran PERSSON; Moderate Party (conservative) Carl BILDT; Liberal People's Party Maria LEISSNER; Center Party; Christian Democratic Party Alf SVENSSON; New Democracy Party Vivianne FRANZEN; Left Party or VP (Communist) Gudrun SCHYMAN; Communist Workers' Party Rolf HAGEL; Green Party no formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, 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, MINUGUA, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rolf EKEUS
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
telephone: 1 (202) 467-2600
FAX: 1 (202) 467-2699
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lyndon Lowell OLSON, Jr.
embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: 46 (8) 783 53 00
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, high 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. Sweden has decided not to join the EMU (European Monetary Union). Annual GDP growth should edge up to 2.5% in 1998-99.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$176.2 billion (1997 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 2.1% (1997 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$19,700 (1997 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 27%
services: 71% (1993)
Inflation rate—consumer price index: 2% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 4.552 million (84% unionized, 1992)
by occupation: community, social and personal services 38.3%, mining and manufacturing
21.2%, commerce, hotels, and restaurants 14.1%, banking, insurance 9.0%, communications
7.2%, construction 7.0%, agriculture, fishing, and forestry 3.2% (1991)
Unemployment rate: 6.6% plus about 5% in training programs (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $109.4 billion
expenditures: $146.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)
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: 2.6% (1996)
Electricity—capacity: 35.462 million kW (1995)
Electricity—production: 142.913 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity—consumption per capita: 15,996 kWh (1995)
Agriculture—products: grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk
Exports:
total value: $84.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
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: $66.6 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
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)
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $1.769 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1—8.0085 (January 1998), 7.6349 (1997), 6.7060 (1996), 7.1333 (1995), 7.7160 (1994), 7.7834 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 January—31 December (Sweden changed its fiscal year from 1 July - 30 June in 1995)
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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 360 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0
Radios: 7.272 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 880 (mostly repeaters)
Televisions: 3.5 million
Railways:
total: 11,837 km (includes 1,955 km of privately-owned railways)
standard gauge: 11,837 km 1.435-m gauge (7,317 km electrified and 1,152 km double track)
(1996)
Highways:
total: 138,000 km
paved: 105,018 km (including 1,330 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,982 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges
Pipelines: natural gas 84 km
Ports and harbors: Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall
Merchant marine:
total: 164 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,036,831 GRT/1,919,367 DWT
ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 33, chemical tanker 27, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied
gas tanker 1, oil tanker 29, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 41, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 12
(1997 est.)
Airports: 255 (1997 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
total: 145
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 83
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 24 (1997 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 110
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 105 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
Military branches: Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force
Military manpower—military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 2,088,061 (1998 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military service:
males: 1,827,336 (1998 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 52,208 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $5.8 billion (FY94/95)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.5% (FY94/95)
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