2020 Edition

Background

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden maintained a policy of military non-alignment until it applied to join NATO in 2022. Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. Stockholm preserved an armed neutrality in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden’s population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 20% in 2022.  

Area

land

410,335 sq km

total

450,295 sq km

water

39,960 sq km

Area - comparative

almost three times the size of Georgia; 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

highest point

Kebnekaise South 2,100 m

lowest point

reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m

mean elevation

320 m

Geographic coordinates

62 00 N, 15 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas; Sweden has almost 100,000 lakes, the largest of which, Vanern, is the third-largest in Europe

Irrigated land

510 sq km (2016)

Land boundaries

border countries

Finland 545 km; Norway 1,666 km

total

2,211 km

Land use

agricultural land

7.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 6.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 1.1% (2023 est.)

forest

68.6% (2023 est.)

other

23.8% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km

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

Population distribution

most of the population lives in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated

Terrain

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Age structure

0-14 years

17.1% (male 934,668/female 880,310)

15-64 years

62.1% (male 3,365,754/female 3,208,248)

65 years and over

20.8% (2024 est.) (male 1,032,279/female 1,168,576)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

3.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9.63 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

33.6 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

3 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

60.9 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

27.3 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

7.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

15.3% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Swedish 79.6%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.3%, other 15.8% (2022 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.8 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

10.7% of GDP (2022)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

19% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

2.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Swedish (official)

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, den obestridliga källan för grundläggande information. (Swedish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.7 years

male

81.2 years

total population

82.9 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.700 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

42.1 years

male

40.1 years

total

41.2 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.7 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Swedish

noun

Swede(s)

Net migration rate

4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.6% (2016)

Physician density

4.41 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

female

5,282,990

male

5,360,755

total

10,643,745 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.51% (2025 est.)

Religions

Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 53.9%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 8.9%, none or unspecified 37.2% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

20 years (2023 est.)

male

17 years (2023 est.)

total

19 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.88 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

13.9% (2025 est.)

male

25.8% (2025 est.)

total

19.9% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

88.7% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

the name of the city probably comes from the Swedish words stak (bay) or stock (stake or pole) and holm (island); it was built in the mid-13th century on the site of a fishing village, so the name may refer to building over earlier foundations

geographic coordinates

59 20 N, 18 03 E

name

Stockholm

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Sweden; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Sweden and the father unknown

dual citizenship recognized

no, unless the other citizenship was acquired involuntarily

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by Parliament; passage requires simple majority vote in two consecutive parliamentary terms with an intervening general election; passage also requires approval by simple majority vote in a referendum if Parliament approves a motion for a referendum by one third of its members; the results of such a referendum are only binding if a majority vote against the proposal

history

Sweden has four fundamental laws which together make up the Constitution: The Instrument of Government (several previous; latest 1974); The Act of Succession (enacted 1810; changed in 1937 and 1980); The Freedom of the Press Act (many previous; latest in 1949); The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (adopted 1991)

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form

Sweden

etymology

name derives from the North Germanic Svea tribe that inhabited central Sweden; the tribe's name probably comes from the Old German word sweba, meaning "independent;" the local form of the country's name, Sverige, means "kingdom of the Svea"

local long form

Konungariket Sverige

local short form

Sverige

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Christine TORETTI (since 21 October 2025)

email address and website

STKACSinfo@state.gov https://se.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-115 89 Stockholm

FAX

[46] (08) 661-19-64

mailing address

5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750

telephone

[46] (08) 783-53-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Urban AHLIN (since 15 September 2023)

consulate(s) general

New York, San Francisco

email address and website

ambassaden.washington@gov.se https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/usa-washington/

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 15 September 1973)

election/appointment process

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 Ulf KRISTERSSON (since 18 October 2022)

Flag

description: blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted to the left side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) meaning: the colors come from the Swedish coat of arms

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden)

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, MONUSCO, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, 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 Judges Proposal Board, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the government; after a probationary period, justices' appointments are permanent

subordinate courts

first instance, 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

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

September 2026

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Parliament (Riksdagen)

most recent election date

9/11/2022

number of seats

349 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Social Democratic Party (SAP) (107); Sweden Democrats (SD) (73); Moderate Party (M) (68); Left Party (VP) (24); Centre Party (CP) (24); Christian Democrats (KD) (19); Green Party (Mpg) (18); Other (16)

percentage of women in chamber

45%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1844 as the royal anthem, but also used as the national anthem until 1893; only the first verse is sung if the monarch is present

lyrics/music

Carl Wilhelm August Strandberg/Otto Lindblad

title

"Kungssangen" (Royal Song)

National color(s)

blue, yellow

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Royal Domain of Drottningholm (c); Laponian Area (m); High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago (n); Birka and Hovgården (c); Hanseatic Town of Visby (c); Church Town of Gammelstad, Luleå (c); Naval Port of Karlskrona (c); Rock Carvings in Tanum (c); Engelsberg Ironworks (c); Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun (c)

total World Heritage Sites

15 (13 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

National Day, 6 June (1983)

National symbol(s)

three crowns, lion

Political parties

Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C  Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD  Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP  Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V  Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M  Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD  Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or S/SAP  The Liberals (Liberalerna) or L 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, wheat, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, oats, rapeseed, pork, chicken, beef (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

13% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$191.095 billion (2022 est.)

revenues

$195.468 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

$27.404 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$40.819 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$45.274 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, largest Nordic economy; EU member but does not use the euro; export-oriented, led by automotive, electronics, machinery, and pharmaceuticals; highly ranked for competitiveness, R&D investments and governance; recovery, with falling inflation and real wage growth balanced by risks from trade uncertainty

Exchange rates

Currency

Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

9.21 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

8.577 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

10.114 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

10.61 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

10.568 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$318.203 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$329.332 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$338.852 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, paper, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)

Exports - partners

Germany 10%, USA 10%, Denmark 8%, Norway 6%, Netherlands 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

55.4% (2023 est.)

government consumption

26% (2023 est.)

household consumption

43.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-51.4% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

25% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.1% (2024 est.)

industry

22.6% (2024 est.)

services

65.9% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$610.118 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

31.6 (2022 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.7% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2.5% (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$304.101 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$304.194 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$309.526 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, garments (2023)

Imports - partners

Germany 17%, Netherlands 10%, Norway 9%, Denmark 6%, China 6% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

0.3% (2024 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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.4% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

8.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.8% (2024 est.)

Labor force

5.699 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

16.1% (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2022

36.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$662.937 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$662.18 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$668.628 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

1.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-0.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

1% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$63,200 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$62,800 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$63,300 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$64.289 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$60.863 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$62.569 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

27.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

7.4% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

7.7% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

8.6% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

23.2% (2024 est.)

male

24.3% (2024 est.)

total

23.8% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

3.17 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

23,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

2.078 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

1.042 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

5 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

125.273 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

36.151 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

7.335 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

55.307 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

9.109 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

7.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

40.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

28.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

21% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

142.102 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

896.109 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

10.625 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

897.487 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

7.01GW (2025 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

7 (2025)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

6 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

28.6% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

270,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

total petroleum production

11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

41 (2023 est.)

total

4.3 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

publicly owned TV broadcaster has 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 has 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

Internet country code

.se

Internet users

percent of population

96% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

9 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

898,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

141 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

14.9 million (2024 est.)

Airports

206 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

SE

Heliports

11 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 44, oil tanker 18, other 299

total

361 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Falkenberg, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlsborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Norrkoping, Stockholm, Sundsvall, Uddevalla, Varberg, Vasteras

large

3

medium

10

ports with oil terminals

49

small

30

total ports

92 (2024)

very small

49

Railways

narrow gauge

65 km

total

10,910 km (2020) 8,184 km electrified

Military - note

the Swedish military is responsible for deterrence and the defense of the country and its territories against armed attack, supporting Sweden’s national security interests, providing societal support, such as humanitarian aid, and contributing to international peacekeeping and peacemaking operations; the military has a relatively small active duty force that is designed to be rapidly mobilized in a crisis with a trained reserve and a Home Guard Sweden maintained a policy of military non-alignment for over 200 years before applying for NATO membership in May 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine; it became a NATO member in March 2024; prior to membership, Stockholm joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and contributed to NATO-led missions, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo; the military cooperates closely with the forces of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; Sweden is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and contributes to CSDP missions and operations, including EU battlegroups; it also participates in UN-led missions; Sweden has close bilateral security relations with some individual NATO member states, particularly Finland, Germany, Norway, the UK, and the US (2025)

Military and security forces

Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten): Army, Navy, Air Force, Home Guard (202)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 25,000 active military personnel; approximately 21,000 Home Guard  (2025)

Military deployments

approximately 600 Latvia (NATO) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the SAF's inventory is comprised of mostly domestically produced armaments alongside smaller amounts of imported Western systems; Sweden's defense industry produces a range of air, land, and naval systems, including armored vehicles, combat aircraft, and submarines; it also produces weapons systems jointly with other countries (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2021

1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.3% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2025

2.5% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary and selective conscripted service for men and women; conscript service obligation typically 9-15 months depending on the branch of service and position, with a reserve commitment up to age 45 (2026)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

168,519 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

6,835 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

1950s - space program initiated with the establishment of a space observatory and the Swedish Space Research Committee 1961 - launched first sounding rocket 1986 - first scientific satellite (Viking) launched on European rocket 1989 - first communications satellite (Tele-X) launched on European rocket 2006 - first astronaut into space on US Space Shuttle 2019 - established a space data lab for artificial intelligence-based analysis of imagery data 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration; launched first military communications satellite (GNA-3); adopted its first defense and security space strategy

Space agency/agencies

Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA; established 1972; known until 2018 as the Swedish National Space Board) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

Esrange Space Center (Kiruna) (2025)

Space program overview

aims to have one of Europe's leading space programs; produces and operates satellites; builds and launches sounding rockets; involved in the research, development, production, and operations of a variety of other space-related areas, including astronomy, atmospheric monitoring, geographic information systems, infrared imaging, meteorology, propulsion systems, remote sensing, satellite subsystems, spacecraft systems and structures, research, and telecommunications; member of the ESA and program is integrated into its framework; works extensively with foreign space agencies, in particular through the ESA and EU and their member states, as well as with the US; participates in programs such as Europe's Copernicus Earth observation and the Galileo global navigation satellite system, France's Pleiades project, and the Square Kilometer Array Project; has a large commercial space industry, including state-owned enterprises (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

5.324 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

1.868 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

36.768 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

43.96 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soil and lakes; air pollution; poor timber-harvesting practices

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Platåbergens (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

1

International environmental agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

agriculture

127.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

39.6 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

9.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

112.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

174 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

102 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

1.267 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

699 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4.618 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

39.7% (2022 est.)