2015 Edition

Background

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.

Area

land

410,335 sq km

total

450,295 sq km

water

39,960 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than California

Climate

temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Coastline

3,218 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Kebnekaise 2,111 m

lowest point

reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

285.6 cu m/yr (2007)

total

2.62 cu km/yr (37%/59%/4%)

Geographic coordinates

62 00 N, 15 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

Irrigated land

1,597 sq km (2007)

Land boundaries

border countries (2)

Finland 545 km, Norway 1,666 km

total

2,211 km

Land use

arable land 6.4%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 1.1%

agricultural land

7.5%

forest

68.7%

other

23.8% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

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)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Total renewable water resources

174 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

17.12% (male 863,125/female 814,803)

15-24 years

11.97% (male 603,615/female 569,289)

25-54 years

39.3% (male 1,957,869/female 1,894,064)

55-64 years

11.63% (male 571,318/female 568,293)

65 years and over

19.99% (male 900,070/female 1,059,170) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

11.99 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Death rate

9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

31.8%

potential support ratio

3.1% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

59.3%

youth dependency ratio

27.5%

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

6.8% of GDP (2011)

Ethnic groups

indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Health expenditures

9.7% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.18% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

2.87 deaths/1,000 live births

total

2.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Swedish (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.99 years (2015 est.)

male

80.09 years

total population

81.98 years

Major urban areas - population

STOCKHOLM (capital) 1.486 million (2015)

Median age

female

42.2 years (2015 est.)

male

40.2 years

total

41.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Swedish

noun

Swede(s)

Net migration rate

5.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22% (2014)

Physicians density

3.93 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

Population

9,801,616 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

0.8% (2015 est.)

Religions

Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 99.3% of population

rural: 99.6% of population

total: 99.3% of population

urban: 0.7% of population

rural: 0.4% of population

total: 0.7% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2012)

male

15 years

total

16 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.88 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

22.3% (2012 est.)

male

25%

total

23.7%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.83% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

85.8% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarna, Gavleborg, Gotland, Halland, Jamtland, Jonkoping, Kalmar, Kronoberg, Norrbotten, Orebro, Ostergotland, Skane, Sodermanland, Stockholm, Uppsala, Varmland, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland, Vastmanland, Vastra Gotaland

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

59 20 N, 18 03 E

name

Stockholm

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

several previous; latest adopted 1 January 1975; amended several times, last in 2015 (2015)

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form

Sweden

local long form

Konungariket Sverige

local short form

Sverige

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Mark Francis BRZEZINSKI (since 14 November 2011)

embassy

Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11589 Stockholm

FAX

[46] (08) 661 19 64

mailing address

American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750

telephone

[46] (08) 783 53 00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

The House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Bjorn O. LYRVALL (since 12 September 2013)

FAX

[1] (202) 467-2699

telephone

[1] (202) 467-2600

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

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)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Stefan LOFVEN (since 3 October 2014); Deputy Prime Minister Asa ROMSON (since 3 October 2014)

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); the colors reflect those of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Sweden (consists of 16 justices including the court chairman; Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 18 justices including the court president)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court justices nominated by the Board of Judges, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the Government; following a probationary period, justices' appointments are permanent

subordinate courts

first instance and appellate general and administrative courts; specialized courts that handle cases such as land and environment, immigration, labor, markets, and patents

Legal system

civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; 310 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 39 members in "at-large" seats directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - SAP 31.0%, M 23.3%, SD 12.9%, MP 6.9%, C 6.1%, V 5.7%, FP 5.4%, KD 4.5%, others 4.1%; seats by party - SAP 113, M 84, SD 49, MP 25, C 22, V 21, FP 19, KD 16

elections

last held on 14 September 2014 (next to be held in September 2018)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Richard DYBECK/traditional

name

"Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free)

note

in use since 1844; also known as "Sang till Norden" (Song of the North), is based on a Swedish folk tune; it has never been officially adopted by the government; "Kungssangen" (The King's Song) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies

National holiday

National Day, 6 June (1983); note - from 1916 to 1982 this date was celebrated as Swedish Flag Day

National symbol(s)

three crowns, lion; national colors: blue, yellow

Political parties and leaders

Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C [Annie LOOF]

Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Goran HAGGLUND]

Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP [spokespersons Asa ROMSON and Gustav FRIDOLIN]

Left Party (Vansterpartiet) (formerly Communist Party) or V [Jonas SJOSTEDT]

Liberal People's Party (Folkpartiet) or FP [Jan BJORKLUND]

Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M [Anna KINBERG BATRA]

Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SAP [Stefan LOFVEN]

Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations or SACO

Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees or TCO

Swedish Trade Union Confederation (Landsorganisationen) or LO [Wanja LUNDBY-WEDIN]

other

environmental groups; media

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Budget

expenditures

$304 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$291.4 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

0% (31 December 2014)

1% (31 December 2013)

note

the Discount rate was abolished in 2002, and replaced by a "Reference rate" with no bearing on monetary policy; the rate quoted here is the Reference rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

2.8% (31 December 2014 est.)

3.23% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

$35.73 billion (2014 est.)

$34.54 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$1.039 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)

$992.5 billion (31 December 2011)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

24.9 (2013)

25 (1992)

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. Sweden remains outside the Eurozone because of concerns over its impact on the country’s economy, welfare system, and sovereignty. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for vast majority of industrial output. Agriculture accounts for less than 1% of GDP. Economic growth slowed in 2013, as a result of continued economic weakness in the EU - Sweden’s main export market; however, Sweden’s economy experienced modest growth in 2014, with an adjusted real GDP growth that averaged 2.1%. Sweden’s economy is expected to grow modestly in 2015, although the country continues to struggle with deflationary pressure.

Exchange rates

Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar -

6.759 (2014 est.)

6.5118 (2013 est.)

6.77 (2012 est.)

6.4918 (2011 est.)

7.2075 (2010 est.)

Exports

$184.1 billion (2014 est.)

$181.3 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals (2012 est.)

Exports - partners

Norway 10.4%, Germany 10.4%, UK 7.4%, Finland 7.3%, Denmark 7.2%, US 6%, Netherlands 5.3%, Belgium 4.6%, France 4.6% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

44.4%

government consumption

26.4%

household consumption

46.5%

imports of goods and services

-39.9%

investment in fixed capital

22.6%

investment in inventories

0.1%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.8%

industry

33.4%

services

64.8% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$46,000 (2014 est.)

$45,000 (2013 est.)

$44,500 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

2.1% (2014 est.)

1.3% (2013 est.)

-0.3% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$570.1 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$448.2 billion (2014 est.)

$438.9 billion (2013 est.)

$418.4 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

29.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

29.4% of GDP (2013 est.)

29.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24% (2012)

lowest 10%

3.4%

Imports

$163.8 billion (2014 est.)

$159.6 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Germany 17.4%, Netherlands 7.7%, Norway 7.6%, Denmark 7.4%, UK 6.2%, China 5.3%, Russia 5.2%, Finland 5.1%, France 4.4% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

2.7% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.2% (2014 est.)

-0.1% (2013 est.)

Labor force

5.124 million (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

2%

industry

12%

services

86% (2014 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$560.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$470.1 billion (31 December 2011)

$581.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

14% (2011 est.)

Public debt

40.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

38.8% of GDP (2013 est.)

note

data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$66.32 billion (2014 est.)

$65.38 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$336.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$371.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$593.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$558.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$509.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$500.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$742.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$811.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$256.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$287.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

52.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

7.9% (2014 est.)

8% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

51.08 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

12,590 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - imports

352,300 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - production

8,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

130.5 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

22.68 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

9.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

43% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

24.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

22.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

12.67 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

37.94 million kW (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

162.9 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

1.086 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.086 billion cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

298,800 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

192,900 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

152,700 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

434,400 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Broadcast media

publicly owned TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial networks plus regional stations; multiple privately owned TV broadcasters operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 50 local TV stations; widespread access to pan-Nordic and international broadcasters through multi-channel cable and satellite TV; publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 3 national stations and a network of 25 regional channels; roughly 100 privately owned local radio stations with some consolidating into near national networks; an estimated 900 community and neighborhood radio stations broadcast intermittently (2008)

Internet country code

.se

Internet users

percent of population

89.1% (2014 est.)

total

8.7 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 124, shortwave 0 (2008)

Telephone system

domestic

coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels

general assessment

highly developed telecommunications infrastructure; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line, mobile-cellular, Internet and broadband penetration

international

country code - 46; submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; 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) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

39 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

3.82 million

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

127 (2014 est.)

total

12.3 million

Television broadcast stations

252 (2008)

Airports

231 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

75

2,438 to 3,047 m

12

914 to 1,523 m

22

over 3,047 m

3

total

149

under 914 m

37 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

77 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

5

total

82

Heliports

2 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 4, cargo 16, carrier 1, chemical tanker 15, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 36, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 30, vehicle carrier 17

foreign-owned

35 (Denmark 4, Estonia 3, Finland 16, Germany 3, Ireland 1, Italy 5, Norway 3)

registered in other countries

189 (Bahamas 11, Barbados 4, Bermuda 14, Canada 2, Cook Islands 3, Cyprus 5, Denmark 15, Faroe Islands 11, Finland 1, France 4, Gibraltar 11, Italy 1, Liberia 12, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 12, Norway 27, Panama 2, Portugal 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10, Singapore 11, UK 28) (2010)

total

135

Pipelines

gas 1,626 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Brunnsviksholme, Lysekil

major seaport(s)

Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby

Railways

narrow gauge

65 km 0.891-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2014)

standard gauge

11,850 km 1.435-m gauge (7,567 km electrified)

total

11,915 km

Roadways

note

includes 104,705 km of state roads, 433,034 km of private roads, and 41,825 km of municipal roads (2010)

paved

135,444 km

total

579,564 km (includes 1,913 km of expressways)

unpaved

444,412 km

Waterways

2,052 km (2010)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

1,996,764 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

2,065,691

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

1,650,432 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

1,709,055

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

52,275 (2010 est.)

male

54,960

Military branches

Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal Swedish Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2010)

Military expenditures

1.18% of GDP (2012)

1.17% of GDP (2011)

1.18% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18-47 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; Swedish citizenship required; service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); the Swedish Parliament has abolished compulsory military service, with exclusively voluntary recruitment as of July 2010; conscription remains an option in emergencies; after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47 (2013)

Disputes - international

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

34,285 (Syria); 24,184 (Iraq); 21,189 (Somalia); 14,107 (Eritrea); 12,090 (Afghanistan) (2014)

stateless persons

27,167 (2014); note - the majority of stateless people come from the Middle East and Somalia