CIA - The World Factbook

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for 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 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.

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

slightly larger than California

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

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

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

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

acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

9,074,055 (July 2010 est.)

10.14 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

1.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

1.67 children born/woman (2010 est.)

fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

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

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

Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

constitutional monarchy

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

6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

Swedish Flag Day, 6 June (1916); National Day, 6 June (1983)

civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

18 years of age; universal

unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)

Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet)

Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran HAGGLUND]; Environment Party the Greens [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Jan BJORKLUND]; Moderate Party (liberal-conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic Party [Mona SAHLIN]

Children's Rights in Society; Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees or TCO; Swedish Federation of Trade Unions or LO

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

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

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. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. In September 2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system concerned about the impact on the economy and sovereignty. 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 little more than 1% of GDP and of employment. Until 2008, Sweden was in the midst of a sustained economic upswing, boosted by increased domestic demand and strong exports. This and robust finances offered the center-right government considerable scope to implement its reform program aimed at increasing employment, reducing welfare dependence, and streamlining the state's role in the economy. Despite strong finances and underlying fundamentals, the Swedish economy slid into recession in the third quarter of 2008 and growth continued downward in the first half of 2009 as deteriorating global conditions reduced export demand and consumption.

$333.5 billion (2009 est.)

$348.9 billion (2008 est.)

$350.6 billion (2007 est.)

$402.4 billion (2009 est.)

4.93 million (2009 est.)

17.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

43.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

36.7% of GDP (2008 est.)

2% (31 December 2008)

3.5% (31 December 2007)

NA% (31 December 2008)

$185.4 billion (31 December 2008)

$217.1 billion (31 December 2007)

$54.55 billion (31 December 2008)

$48.49 billion (31 December 2007)

$549 billion (31 December 2008)

$630.8 billion (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$612.5 billion (31 December 2007)

$573.3 billion (31 December 2006)

barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

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

144 billion kWh (2007 est.)

134.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)

14.71 billion kWh (2008 est.)

12.75 billion kWh (2008 est.)

3,572 bbl/day (2008 est.)

351,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

219,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

542,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

913 million cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

$18.93 billion (2009 est.)

$40.32 billion (2008 est.)

$132.8 billion (2009 est.)

$185.9 billion (2008 est.)

machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals

Germany 10.4%, Norway 9.5%, Denmark 7.4%, UK 7.3%, US 6.6%, Finland 6.3%, Netherlands 5.1%, France 4.9%, Belgium 4.4% (2008)

$121.1 billion (2009 est.)

$167.8 billion (2008 est.)

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

Germany 17.5%, Denmark 9.4%, Norway 8.5%, UK 6.2%, Finland 5.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, France 5%, Russia 4.4%, China 4.2% (2008)

$NA (31 December 2009 est.)

$29.72 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$669.1 billion (30 June 2009)

$617.3 billion (31 December 2008)

$298.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$290.4 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$338.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$333.9 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar - 7.821 (2009), 6.4074 (2008), 6.7629 (2007), 7.3731 (2006), 7.4731 (2005)

5.323 million (2008)

10.988 million (2008)

AM 1, FM 124, shortwave 0 (2008)

3.886 million (2009)

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

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

18-47 years of age for male compulsory or voluntary military service; conscript service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2009)

1.5% of GDP (2005 est.)