from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Sweden
Introduction
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 was challenged in the 1990s by high
unemployment and in 2000-02 by the global economic
downturn, but fiscal discipline over the past several
years has allowed the country to weather economic
vagaries. Indecision over the country's role in the
political and economic integration of Europe delayed
Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995, and waived the
introduction of the euro in 1999.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of
Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and
Norway
Geographic 62 00 N, 15 00 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 449,964 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km
water: 39,030 sq km
Area - slightly larger than California
comparative:
Land total: 2,233 km
boundaries: border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km
Coastline: 3,218 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a
claims: portion of straits to high seas)
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation
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
Elevation lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near
extremes: Kristianstad -2.41 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m
Natural iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten,
resources: uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 5.93%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 94.06% (2005)
Irrigated 1,150 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the
hazards: Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
Environment - acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the
current North Sea and the Baltic Sea
issues:
Environment - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
international Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
agreements: 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
Geography - strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic
note: and North Seas
People
Population: 9,016,596 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 775,433/female 732,773)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,001,928/female 2,918,242)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 689,756/female 898,464)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 40.9 years
male: 39.8 years
female: 42 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.16% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 10.27 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 2.76 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 2.92 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 80.51 years
expectancy at male: 78.29 years
birth: female: 82.87 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 3,600 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 100 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish
Ethnic groups: indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and 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, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden
local long form: Konungariket Sverige
local short form: Sverige
Government constitutional monarchy
type:
Capital: name: Stockholm
geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in
March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge,
divisions: 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 Flag Day, 6 June
holiday:
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 chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19
branch: September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid
Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July
1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Fredrik REINFELDT
(since 5 October 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following
legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by
the parliament; election last held 17 September 2006
(next to be held in September 2010)
election results: Fredrik REINFELDT elected prime
minister with 175 out of 349 votes
Legislative unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members
branch: are elected by popular vote on a proportional
representation basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 September 2006 (next to be held
September 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social
Democrats 37.2%, Moderates 27.8%, Center Party 8.3%,
People's Party 8.0%, Christian Democrats 6.9%, Left
Party 6.3%, Greens 5.4%; seats by party - Social
Democrats 130, Moderates 97, Center Party 29, People's
Party 28, Christian Democrats 24, Left Party 22, Greens
19
Judicial Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed
branch: by the prime minister and the cabinet)
Political Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic
parties and Party [Goran HAGGLUND]; Environment Party the Greens
leaders: [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria
WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V
(formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Moderate Party
(conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; People's Party
[Lars LEIJONBORG]; Social Democratic Party [Goran
PERSSON]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS,
organization CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9,
participation: G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM
(guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO, ZC
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Gunnar LUND
representation chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600
FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Michael M. WOOD
representation embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
from the US: mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, US
Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington,
DC 20521-5750 (pouch)
telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64
Flag blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges
description: of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted
to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish
flag)
Economy
Economy - Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 20th
overview: 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 of jobs. The
government's commitment to fiscal discipline resulted
in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was
cut by more than half in 2002, due to the global
economic slowdown, declining revenue, and increased
spending. The Swedish central bank (the Riksbank)
focuses on price stability with its inflation target of
2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003, but picked up in
2004 and 2005. Presumably because of generous
sick-leave benefits, Swedish workers report in sick
more often than other Europeans. In September 2003,
Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,
concerned about the impact on democracy and
sovereignty.
GDP $268.3 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $348.1 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 2.7% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $29,800 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 1.1%
composition by industry: 28.2%
sector: services: 70.7% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 4.49 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 2%
by occupation: industry: 24%
services: 74% (2000 est.)
Unemployment 5.8% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 3.7%
income or highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 25 (2000)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 0.5% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 17% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $210.5 billion
expenditures: $205.9 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 50.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk
products:
Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio
and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper
products, processed foods, motor vehicles
Industrial 1.6% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 127.9 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 4%
production by hydro: 50.8%
source: nuclear: 43%
other: 2.3% (2001)
Electricity - 131.8 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 11.5 billion kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 24.3 billion kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 2,441 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 346,100 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 203,700 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: 553,100 bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 980 million cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 968 million cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Current $25.62 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $126.6 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and
commodities: wood, iron and steel products, chemicals
Exports - US 10.6%, Germany 10.2%, Norway 8.7%, UK 7.3%, Denmark
partners: 6.5%, Finland 5.7%, France 4.9%, Netherlands 4.5%,
Belgium 4.3% (2005)
Imports: $104.4 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
commodities: motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - Germany 17.5%, Denmark 8.9%, Norway 7.8%, UK 6.6%,
partners: Netherlands 6.2%, Finland 5.8%, France 5% (2005)
Reserves of $22.33 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $516.1 billion (30 June 2005)
external:
Economic aid - ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)
donor:
Currency Swedish krona (SEK)
(code):
Currency code: SEK
Exchange Swedish kronor per US dollar - 7.4731 (2005), 7.3489
rates: (2004), 8.0863 (2003), 9.7371 (2002), 10.3291 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 6.447 million (2004)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 8.436 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: excellent domestic and
system: international facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most
of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay
systems carry some additional telephone channels
international: country code - 46; 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 AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 8.25 million (1997)
Television 169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 4.6 million (1997)
Internet .se
country code:
Internet 2,958,435 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 29 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 6.8 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 255 (2006)
Airports - total: 155
with paved over 3,047 m: 3
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 80
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 36 (2006)
Airports - total: 100
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 9
runways: under 914 m: 91 (2006)
Heliports: 2 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 798 km (2006)
Railways: total: 11,481 km
standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km
electrified) (2005)
Roadways: total: 424,981 km
paved: 132,339 km (including 1,544 km of expressways)
unpaved: 292,642 km (2003)
Waterways: 2,052 km (2005)
Merchant total: 198 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,703,834 GRT/
marine: 2,382,754 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 28, chemical tanker 47,
container 5, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 36, petroleum
tanker 15, roll on/roll off 31, specialized tanker 4,
vehicle carrier 21
foreign-owned: 37 (Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 11,
Germany 3, Italy 7, Japan 2, Norway 7, US 1)
registered in other countries: 161 (Bahamas 6, Bermuda
14, Cayman Islands 9, Cook Islands 3, Cyprus 3, Denmark
1, France 2, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 9,
Gibraltar 5, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 8, Malta 3,
Netherlands 26, Netherlands Antilles 5, Norway 28,
Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore
12, UK 15, US 5) (2006)
Ports and Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo,
terminals: Oxelosund, Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg
Military
Military Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen),
branches: Royal Swedish Navy (Marinen), Air Force (Flygvapnet)
(2006)
Military 19 years of age for compulsory military service;
service age conscript service obligation - 7-17 months depending on
and conscript role; after completing initial service,
obligation: soldiers have a reserve commitment until age of 47
(2004)
Manpower males age 19-49: 1,838,427
available for females age 19-49: 1,774,659 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 19-49: 1,493,668
for military females age 19-49: 1,441,257 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 58,724
reaching females age 19-49: 55,954 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $5.51 billion (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1.5% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international: