Sweden

Kingdom of SwedenKonungariket Sverige

constitutional monarchyIndependence 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

Sweden as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalStockholm

Position62 00 N, 15 00 E

Area449,964 sq km

LocationNorthern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Populationas each edition published it

8.87 million July 2000 est. · 8.53m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.02% 2000 est. · 0.58% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 40.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

79.58 years 2000 est. · 78.08 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.53 children per woman 2000 est. · 1.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

3.49 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 6 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$20,700 1999 est. · $16,900 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.8% 1999 est. · -1.7% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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 has recently been undermined by high unemployment, rising maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe caused Sweden not to join the EU until 1995, and to forgo the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

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Land useshare of 449,964 sq km

arable land 7%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 1%forests and woodland 68%other 24% (1993 est.)irrigated 1,150 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

449,964sq km

land: 410,934 sq kmwater: 39,030 sq kmslightly larger than California

Coastline

3,218km

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlinesterritorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)

Highest point

2,111m

Kebnekaiselowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

Land boundaries

2,205km

border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

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

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

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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

People

15 fields

Population

8,873,052

(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 0.02% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

10.01Death

10.62Net migration

0.86

Literacy

99%

(1979 est.)definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 18% (male 837,358; female 794,774)
15-64 years:: 64% (male 2,901,809; female 2,805,138)
65 years and over:: 18% (male 648,865; female 885,108) (2000 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
total population:: 0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

3.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 79.58 years
male:: 76.95 years
female:: 82.37 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.53 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Swede(s)
adjective:: Swedish

Ethnic groups

indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Lapp (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 note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Government

Constitutional monarchy; King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

36.5%

Social Democrats 36.5%Moderates 22.7%Left Party 12%Christian Democrats 11.8%Center Party 5.1%Liberal Party 4.7%Greens 4.5%last held 20 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2002)

Parliament or Riksdag, 349 seats, elected 20 September 1998seats by party

Social Democrats 131Moderates 82Left Party 43Christian Democrats 42Center Party 18Liberal Party 17Greens 16

Percent of vote

Social Democrats 36.5%Moderates 22.7%Left Party 12%Christian Democrats 11.8%Center Party 5.1%Liberal Party 4.7%Greens 4.5%

Country name

conventional long form:: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form:: Sweden
local long form:: Konungariket Sverige
local short form:: Sverige

Data code

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

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 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 monarch is hereditary;
prime minister elected by the Parliament;
election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
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 20 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2002)
election results:: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 36.5%, Moderates 22.7%, Left Party 12%, Christian Democrats 11.8%, Center Party 5.1%, Liberal Party 4.7%, Greens 4.5%;
seats by party - Social Democrats 131, Moderates 82, Left Party 43, Christian Democrats 42, Center Party 18, Liberal Party 17, Greens 16

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen, judges are appointed by the government (prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders

Center Party [Lennart DALEUS];
Christian Democratic Party [Alf SVENSSON];
Communist Workers' Party [Rolf HAGEL];
Green Party [no formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG];
Left Party or VP (formerly Communist) [Gudrun SCHYMAN];
Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG];
Moderate Party (conservative) [Bo LUNDGREN];
New Democracy Party [Vivianne FRANZEN];
Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, 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, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, 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:: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Lyndon Lowell OLSON, Jr.
embassy:: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
mailing address:: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)
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

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.

31 fields

Real growth rate

3.8%

(1999 est.)industrial production growth: 3% (1999 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

0.4%

(1999 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.5%

plus about 5% in training programs (1999 est.)

Labor force

4.3million

(1996)

GDP - composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 2.2%industry 30.5%services 67.3% (1997)

Budget

Revenues

$109.4 billionExpenditures

$146.1 billion

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Electricity

fossil fuel 6.09%hydro 46.49%nuclear 45.16%other 2.26% (1998)

Electricity production

156.772 billion (1998)Electricity consumption

135.098 billion (1998)Electricity exports

16.8 billion (1998)Electricity imports

6.1 billion (1998)

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. Sweden has harmonized its economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start of 1995.

Sweden decided not to join the euro system at its outset in January 1999 but plans to hold a referendum in 2000 on whether to join. GDP growth is forecast for 4% in 2000, buttressed by solid consumer confidence.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $184 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $20,700 (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture - products

grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk

Exports

$85.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals

Exports - partners

EU 57% (Germany 11%, UK 9%, Denmark 6%, Finland 5%), Norway 9%, US 9% (1998)

Imports

$67.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

EU 68% (Germany 19%, UK 10%, Denmark 6%, France 6%), Norway 8%, US 6% (1998)

Debt - external

$66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Currency

1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates

Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 8.4831 (January 2000), 8.2624 (1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997), 6.7060 (1996), 7.1333 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

3.835 million

(October 1998)

Internet users

(1999)

Fixed lines

6.017 million

(December 1998)

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 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

8.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

163 (1997)

Televisions

4.6 million (1997)

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

104

Paved 147Unpaved 109

Networkskm

Highways

210,907Railways

12,821

Highways: paved: 163,453 km (including 1,439 km of expressways) · unpaved: 47,454 km (1998 est.) · Railways: (includes 3,594 km of privately-owned railways) · standard gauge: 12,821 km 1.435-m gauge (7,918 km electrified and 1,152 km double track) (1998)

Railways

total:: 12,821 km (includes 3,594 km of privately-owned railways)
standard gauge:: 12,821 km 1.435-m gauge (7,918 km electrified and 1,152 km double track) (1998)

Highways

total:: 210,907 km
paved:: 163,453 km (including 1,439 km of expressways)
unpaved:: 47,454 km (1998 est.)

total:: 165 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,301,633 GRT/1,726,018 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 6, cargo 26, chemical tanker 33, combination ore/oil 4, liquified gas 1, petroleum tanker 23, rail car carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off 43, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 18 (1999 est.)