Sweden

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Total area: 449,964 sq km
Land area: 410,928 sq km
Comparative area: slightly smaller than California

Land Boundaries

Total 2,205 km, 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

International Disputes

None

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
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%
Meadows and pastures: 2%
Forest and woodland: 64%
Other: 27%

Irrigated Land

1,120 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

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 maritime traffic
International agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, 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 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Note: Strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

PEOPLE

Population

8,900,954 (July 1996 est.)
8,821,759 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

19% (male 860,940; female 815,967) (July 1996 est.)
19% (male 854,553; female 810,859) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

64% (male 2,884,687; female 2,794,593) (July 1996 est.)
64% (male 2,856,012; female 2,761,060) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

17% (male 654,439; female 890,328) (July 1996 est.)
17% (male 651,678; female 887,597) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.56% (1996 est.)
0.46% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

11.55 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
13.19 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

11.43 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
10.84 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

5.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) 2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 78.06 years (1996 est.), 78.43 years (1995 est.)
Male: 75.62 years (1996 est.), 75.64 years (1995 est.)
Female: 80.63 years (1996 est.), 81.39 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.72 children born/woman (1996 est.)
1.97 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Swede(s)
Adjective: Swedish

Ethnic Divisions

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; many immigrants speak native languages

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1991 est.)

Total population: 99%

Labor Force

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)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
Conventional short form: Sweden
Local long form: Konungariket Sverige
Local short form: Sverige

Digraph

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

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) was elected by the Riksdag
Prime Minister (1994-1996):Ingvar CARLSSON
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the prime minister

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Parliament (Riksdag)

Elections last held 18 September 1994 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - 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 - (349 total) 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 (Hogsta Domstolen)

Political Parties and Leaders

Social Democratic Party, Goran PERSSON; Moderate Party (conservative), Carl BILDT; Liberal People's Party, Maria LEISSNER; Center Party, Olof JOHANSSON; Christian Democratic Party, Alf SVENSSON; New Democracy Party, Vivianne FRANZEN; Left Party (VP; Communist), Gudrun SCHYMAN; Communist Workers' Party, Rolf HAGEL; Green Party, no formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG

Member of

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, 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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

National Anthem

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

Overview

Aided by 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 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 1993, agriculture accounted 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, growing unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. In November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU (European Currency Unit), and depreciation of the krona has boosted export competitiveness and helped lift Sweden out of its 1991-93 recession. 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.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $177.3 billion (1995 est.), $163.1 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

3.5% (1995 est.)
2.4% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$20,100 (1995 est.)
$18,580 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

2.6% (1995)
2.5% (1994 est.)

Unemployment Rate

7.8% (December 1995) plus about 6% in training programs
8.8% (1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues: $109.4 billion (1996 est.), $47.9 billion (1995 est.)
Expenditures: $146.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96), $70.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY93/94)

Exports

$61.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

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%, U.K. 10.2%, Denmark 6.9%, France 5.1%, Finland 4.8%)
Norway 8.1%
U.S. 8.0% (1994)

Imports

$51.8 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

Commodities:

Machinery
Petroleum and petroleum products
Chemicals
Motor vehicles
Foodstuffs
Iron and steel
Clothing

Partners:

EU 62.6% (Germany 18.4%, U.K. 9.5%, Denmark 6.6%, France 5.5%, Finland 6.3%)
Norway 6.1%
U.S. 8.5% (1994)

External Debt

$66.5 billion (1994)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 11.7% (1994)

Electricity

Capacity: 34,560,000 kW
Production: 141 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 14,891 kWh (1993)

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

Illicit Drugs

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

Economic Aid

Donor: ODA, $1.769 billion (1993), ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.3 billion

Currency

1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere

Exchange Rates

Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 6.7240 (January 1996), 7.1333 (1995), 7.7160 (1994), 7.7834 (1993), 5.8238 (1992), 6.0475 (1991), 5.9188 (1990)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Total: 12,624 km (includes 953 km of privately owned railways)
Standard gauge: 11,767 km 1.435-m gauge (7,320 km electrified and 1,152 km double track)
Other: 857 km NA-m gauge (1995)

Highways

Total: 135,859 km
Paved: 97,818 km (including 936 km of expressways)
Unpaved: gravel 38,041 km (1991 est.)

Inland Waterways

2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges

Pipelines

Natural gas 84 km

Ports

Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Merchant Marine

Total: 169 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,993,422 GRT/2,183,215 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 10, cargo 35, chemical tanker 24, combination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 32, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 38, short-sea passenger 7, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 14 (1995 est.)

Airports

Total: 251
With paved runways over 3,047 m: 2
With paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 85
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 26
With paved runways under 914 m: 127
With unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Heliports:

1 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

7.41 million telephones (1986 est.); excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system

Domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cable carry most voice traffic; parallel microwave network carries TV, radio, and some additional telephone channels; nationwide GSM mobile phone system
International: 5 submarine coaxial cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 EUTELSAT earth station

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

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 2,133,816; males fit for military service 1,867,031; males reach military age (19) annually 51,357 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $5.8 billion, 2.5% of GDP (FY94/95)

History
World Atlas

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