| 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. |
| 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 |
| Area: |
total:
449,964 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km
water: 39,030 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly larger
than California |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
2,205 km
border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619
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 (adjustments made to
return a portion of straits to high seas) |
| 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
extremes: |
lowest point:
Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m |
| Natural
resources: |
zinc, iron ore,
lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 68%
other: 24% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
1,150 sq km (1993
est.) |
| 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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur
85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, 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: Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol |
| Geography
- note: |
strategic
location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas |
| Population: |
8,875,053 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
18.19% (male 828,308; female 786,353)
15-64 years: 64.53% (male 2,911,949; female
2,814,730)
65 years and over: 17.28% (male 649,296; female
884,417) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.02% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
9.91 births/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
10.61
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0.91 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.06 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 (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
3.47 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 79.71 years
male: 77.07 years
female: 82.5 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.53 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.08% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
3,000 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish |
| Ethnic
groups: |
indigenous
population: Swedes and 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
note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking
minorities |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1979 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA% |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden
local long form: Konungariket Sverige
local short form: Sverige |
| Government
type: |
constitutional
monarchy |
| 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: |
Flag Day, 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 prime minister
and the 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] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| 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, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, 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 Jan ELIASSON
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: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589
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
- 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 somewhat clouded by budgetary
difficulties, 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. GDP growth is forecast for
4% in 2001. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $197 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.3% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $22,200 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
2.2%
industry: 27.9%
services: 69.9% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
3.7%
highest 10%: 20.1% (1992) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1.2% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
4.4 million (2000
est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 2%,
industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
6% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$133 billion
expenditures: $125.2 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
iron and steel,
precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts,
armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods,
motor vehicles |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
7% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
146.633 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
5.53%
hydro: 47.24%
nuclear: 45.42%
other: 1.81% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
128.819 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
15.9 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
8.35 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
grains, sugar
beets, potatoes; meat, milk |
| Exports: |
$95.5 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
machinery 35%,
motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and
steel products, chemicals |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 55% (Germany
11%, UK 10%, Denmark 6%, Finland 5%, France 5%), US 9%,
Norway 8% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$80 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery,
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles,
iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing |
| Imports
- partners: |
EU 67% (Germany
18%, UK 10%, Denmark 7%, France 6%), Norway 8%, US 6% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$66.5 billion
(1994) |
| Economic
aid - donor: |
ODA, $1.7 billion
(1997) |
| Currency: |
Swedish krona (SEK) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Swedish kronor
per US dollar - 9.4669 (January 2001), 9.1622 (2000), 8.2624
(1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997), 6.7060 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
6.017 million
(December 1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
3.835 million
(October 1998) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: excellent domestic and 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: 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: |
169 (plus 1,299
repeaters) (1995) |
| Televisions: |
4.6 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.se |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
29 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
4.5 million
(2000) |
| 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:
210,760 km
paved: 162,707 km (including 1,428 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 48,053 km (1999) |
| Waterways: |
2,052 km
note: navigable for small steamers and barges |
| Pipelines: |
natural gas 84 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Gavle, Goteborg,
Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo,
Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
167 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,205,370 GRT/1,663,091
DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 28, chemical
tanker 31, combination ore/oil 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger
1, petroleum tanker 29, railcar carrier 1, roll on/roll off
40, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 6, vehicle
carrier 17 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
255 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
147
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 80
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 25 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
108
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 103 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Swedish Army,
Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
19 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 2,062,566 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 1,803,995 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
51,506 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$5 billion (FY98) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.1% (FY98) |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
