Sweden

constitutional monarchy

Sweden as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 122 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalStockholm
LocationNordic State, Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between
1994

Every edition of Sweden

Populationas each edition published it
8.78 million July 1994 est. · 8.53m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.52% 1994 est. · 0.58% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 40.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 78.08 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2 children per woman 1994 est. · 1.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
5.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$17,600 1993 · $16,900 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-2.7% 1993 · -1.7% in 1993

Geography

Nordic State, Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between | Norway and Finland

24 fields
Coastline
3,218km
Land boundaries
2,205km
total · Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km
Irrigated land
1,120sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Nordic State, Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Norway and Finland

Map references

Arctic Region, Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

449,964 sq km

land area

410,928 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than California

continental shelf

200-m depth 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

arable land

7%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

2%

forest and woodland

64%

other

27%

current issues

acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

natural hazards

ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with navigation

international agreements

  • party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling;
  • signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Note

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

People

22 fields
Population
8,778,461
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 0.52% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
13.5Death
10.9Net migration
2.62

Religions(1987)

Evangelical Lutheran 94%Roman Catholic 1.5%Pentecostal 1%other 3.5% (1987)
Labor force
4.552million
(84% unionized,1992)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1979 est.)

Infant mortality rate

5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

78.25 years

male

75.47 years

female

81.2 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

2 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Swede(s)

adjective

Swedish

Ethnic divisions

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; immigrants speak native languages

total population

99%

male

NA%

female

NA%

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)

Government

Constitutional monarchy

32 fields

conventional long form

Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form

Sweden

local long form

Konungariket Sverige

local short form

Sverige

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 1809 (constitutional monarchy established)

National holiday

Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June

Constitution

1 January 1975

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 Carl BILDT (since 3 October 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Bengt WESTERBERG (since NA)

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by the prime minister

parliament (Riksdag)

  • elections last held 15 September 1991 (next to be held NA September 1994);
  • results - Social Democratic Party 37.6%, Moderate Party (conservative) 21.9%, Liberal People's Party 9.1%, Center Party 8.5%, Christian Democrats 7.1%, New Democracy 6.7%, Left Party (Communist) 4.5%, Green Party 3.4%, other 1.2%;
  • seats - (349 total) Social Democratic 138, Moderate Party (conservative) 80, Liberal People's Party 33, Center Party 31, Christian Democrats 26, New Democracy 25, Left Party (Communist) 16;
  • note - the Green Party has no seats in the Riksdag because it received less than the required 4% of the vote

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Hogsta Domstolen)

Political parties and leaders

  • ruling four-party coalition consists of Moderate Party (conservative), Carl BILDT;
  • Liberal People's Party, Bengt WESTERBERG;
  • Center Party, Olof JOHANSSON;
  • and the Christian Democratic Party, Alf SVENSSON;
  • Social Democratic Party, Ingvar CARLSSON;
  • New Democracy Party, Harriet COLLIANDER;
  • Left Party (VP; Communist), Gudrun SCHYMAN;
  • Communist Workers' Party, Rolf HAGEL;
  • Green Party, no formal leader

Member of

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-6, G-8, G-9, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, INTELSAT, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTRC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC

chief of mission

Ambassador Carl Henrik LILJEGREN

chancery

Suites 1200 and 715, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone

(202) 944-5600

FAX

(202) 342-1319

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles and New York

chief of mission

Ambassador Thomas SIEBERT

embassy

Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[46] (8) 783-5300

FAX

[46] (8) 661-1964

Flag

  • 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

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$17,600
(1993)
Real growth rate
-2.7%
(1993)industrial production growth: growth rate 0.8% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate
8.2%
(1993 est.)

Overview

Aided by a long period of peace and neutrality during World War I through World War II, 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 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 the last few years, however, this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by inflation, growing unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets.

Although Prime Minister BILDT's center-right minority coalition had hoped to charge ahead with free-market-oriented reforms, a skyrocketing budget deficit - almost 14% of GDP in FY94 projections - and record unemployment have forestalled many of the plans. Unemployment in 1993 is estimated at around 8% with another 5% in job training.

Continued heavy foreign exchange speculation forced the government to cooperate in late 1992 with the opposition Social Democrats on two crisis packages - one a severe austerity pact and the other a program to spur industrial competitiveness - which basically set economic policy through 1997.

In November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU, and the krona has since depreciated about 25% against the dollar. The government hopes the boost in export competitiveness from the depreciation will help lift Sweden out of its 3-year recession. To curb the budget deficit and bolster confidence in the economy, BILDT continues to propose cuts in welfare benefits, subsidies, defense, and foreign aid.

Sweden continues to harmonize its economic policies with those of the EU in preparation for scheduled membership by early 1995, which will help to broaden European economic unity.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $153.7 billion (1993)

revenues

$45.1 billion

expenditures

$73.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94)

Exports

$49.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products

partners

EC 55.8% (Germany 15%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.2%, France 5.8%), EFTA 17.4% (Norway 8.4%, Finland 5.1%), US 8.2%, Central and Eastern Europe 2.5% (1992)

Imports

$42.3 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)

commodities

machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing

partners

EC 53.6% (Germany 17.9%, UK 6.3%, Denmark 7.5%, France 4.9%), EFTA (Norway 6.6%, Finland 6%), US 8.4%, Central and Eastern Europe 3% (1992)

External debt

$19.5 billion (1992 est.)

capacity

39,716,000 kW

production

142.5 billion kWh

consumption per capita

16,560 kWh (1992)

Industries

iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles

Agriculture

  • 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;
  • Sweden is about 50% self-sufficient in most products;
  • farming accounted for 1.2% of GDP and 1.9% of jobs in 1990

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market

donor

ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.3 billion

Currency

1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates

Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 8.1255 (January 1994), 7.834 (1993), 5.8238 (1992), 6.0475 (1991) 5.9188 (1990), 6.4469 (1989)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

15 fields

Railroads

  • 12,084 km total;
  • Swedish State Railways (SJ) 11,202 km - 10,819 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 6,955 km electrified and 1,152 km double track;
  • 182 km 0.891-meter gauge;
  • 117 km rail ferry service;
  • privately-owned railways 882 km - 511 km 1.435-meter standard gauge (332 km electrified) and 371 km 0.891-meter gauge (all electrified)

total

205,000 km

paved

69,754 km (including 936 km of expressways)

unpaved

gravel 45,900 km; unimproved earth 38,060 km; NA 51,286 km (1990)

Inland waterways

2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges

Pipelines

natural gas 84 km

Ports

Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Kalmar, Malmo, Stockholm; numerous secondary and minor ports

Merchant marine

161 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,049,554 GRT/2,516,350 DWT, bulk 10, cargo 24, chemical tanker 25, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, oil tanker 30, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 39, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 13

total

252

usable

248

with permanent-surface runways

138

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

11

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

94

Telecommunications

  • excellent domestic and international facilities;
  • 8,200,000 telephones;
  • mainly coaxial and multiconductor cables carry long-distance network;
  • parallel microwave network carries primarily radio, TV and some telephone channels;
  • automatic system;
  • broadcast stations - 5 AM, 360 (mostly repeaters) FM, 880 (mostly repeaters) TV;
  • 5 submarine coaxial cables;
  • satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 EUTELSAT

Defense Forces

Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force

3 fields

Branches

Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 2,146,145;
  • fit for military service 1,874,787;
  • reach military age (19) annually 55,262 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $5.2 billion, 2.6% of GDP (FY93/94)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Sweden.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/sweden/1994.

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