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Communications

Airports [time series]

256 total, 254 usable; 137 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 92 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

115 major transports

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

97,400 km (51,899 km paved, 20,659 km gravel, 24,842 km unimproved earth)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges

Merchant marine [time series]

182 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,226,923 GRT/2,879,057 DWT; includes 9 short-sea passenger, 29 cargo, 3 container, 45 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 11 vehicle carrier, 2 railcar carrier, 28 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 27 chemical tanker, 6 specialized tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 8 combination ore/oil, 12 bulk, 1 combination bulk

Pipelines [time series]

84 km natural gas

Ports [time series]

Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Kalmar, Malmo, Stockholm; numerous secondary and minor ports

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

12,000 km total; Swedish State Railways (SJ)--10,819 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 6,955 km electrified and 1,152 km double track; 182 km 0.891-meter gauge; 117 km rail ferry service; privately owned railways--511 km 1.435-meter standard gauge (332 km electrified); 371 km 0.891-meter gauge (all electrified)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

excellent domestic and international facilities; 8,200,000 telephones; stations--4 AM, 56 (321 relays) FM, 111 (925 relays) TV; 5 submarine coaxial cables; communication satellite earth stations operating in the INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean) and EUTELSAT systems

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Royal Swedish Air Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$4.9 billion, 2.5% of GDP (FY90)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 2,136,227; 1,865,645 fit for military service; 55,198 reach military age (19) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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, 85% self-sufficient in sugar beets

Budget [time series]

revenues $60.1 billion; expenditures $56.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY89)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Swedish krona (plural--kronor); 1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 ore

Economic aid [time series]

donor--ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.3 billion

Electricity [time series]

39,716,000 kW capacity; 142,000 million kWh produced, 16,700 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1--5.6402 (January 1991), 5.9188 (1990), 6.4469 (1989), 6.1272 (1988), 6.3404 (1987), 7.1236 (1986), 8.6039 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$57.5 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products; partners--EC 54.4%, (FRG 14.2%, UK 10.1%, Denmark 6.6%), US 8.6%, Norway 8.2%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$14.1 billion (December 1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$137.8 billion, per capita $16,200; real growth rate 0.3% (1990)

Imports [time series]

$54.7 billion (c.i.f., 1990); commodities--machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing; partners--EC 55.3%, US 8.4%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate - 2.0% (1990)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

10.9% (1990)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Aided by a long period of 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 essentially full employment, 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 that is 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. For some observers, the Swedish model has succeeded in making economic efficiency and social egalitarianism complementary, rather than competitive, goals. Others argue that the Swedish model is on the verge of collapsing by pointing to the serious economic problems Sweden faces in 1991: high inflation and absenteeism, growing unemployment and deficits, and declining international competitiveness. In 1990, to improve the economy, the government approved a mandate for Sweden to seek EC membership and an austerity and privatization package and implemented a major tax reform. These reforms may succeed in turning the economy around in 1992.

Unemployment rate [time series]

1.6% (1990)

Geography

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

3,218 km Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation; Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than California

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

water pollution; acid rain

Land boundaries [time series]

2,205 km total; Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

Land use [time series]

arable land 7%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 2%; forest and woodland 64%; other 27%; includes irrigated NEGL%

Natural resources [time series]

zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower potential

Note [time series]

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Area (Total area) [time series]

449,964 km2; land area: 410,928 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Stockholm

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

VP and SKP; VP, formerly the Left Party-Communists, is reported to have roughly 17,800 members and attracted 5.8% of the vote in the 1988 election; VP dropped the Communist label in 1990, but maintains a Marxist ideology

Constitution [time series]

1 January 1975

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Anders THUNBORG; Chancery at Suite 1200, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 944-5600; there are Swedish Consulates General in Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and New York; US--Ambassador Charles E. REDMAN; Embassy at Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm; telephone [46] (8) 783-5300

Executive branch [time series]

monarch, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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)

Independence [time series]

6 June 1809, constitutional monarchy established

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Hogsta Domstolen) 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 Carl BILDT (since 3 October 1991) ruling four-party coalition consists of the Moderate Party (conservative), Carl BILDT; Liberal People's Party, Bengt WESTERBERG; Center Party, Olof JOHANSSON; and the Christian Democratic Party, Alf SVENSSON; Social Democratic Party, Ingvar CARLSSON; New Democracy Party, Count Ian WACHMEISTER; Left Party (VP; Communist), Lars WERNER; Swedish Communist Party (SKP), Rune PETTERSSON; Communist Workers' Party, Rolf HAGEL; Green Party, no formal leader

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Parliament (Riksdag)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Kingdom of Sweden

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

AfDB, AG (observer) AsDB, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-6, G-8, G-9, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, INTELSAT, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18 Riksdag--last held 15 September 1991 (next to be held September 1994); results--Social Democratic 37.6%, Moderate (conservative) 21.9%, Liberal People's Party 9.1%, Center Party 8.5%, Christian Democrats 7.1%, New Democracy 6.7%, Left Party (Communist) 4.5%, Green Party 3.4%, other 1.2%; seats--(349 total) Social Democratic 138, Moderate (conservative) 80, Liberal People's Party 33, Center Party 31, Christian Democrats 26, New Democracy 25, Left Party (Communist) 16; note: the Green Party leaves the Riksdag because it received less than the required 4% of the vote

Government type (Type) [time series]

constitutional monarchy

People

Birth rate [time series]

13 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

11 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

homogeneous white population; small Lappish minority; foreign born or first-generation immigrants (Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks) about 12%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

4,572,000 (October 1990); government services 37.4%, mining, manufacturing, electricity, and water service 23.1%, private services 22.2%, transportation and communications 7%, construction 6.3%, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting 3.8%, other 0.2% (1988)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Swedish, small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities; immigrants speak native languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

75 years male, 81 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

99% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Swede(s); adjective--Swedish

Net migration rate [time series]

3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

80% of labor force (1990 est.)

Population [time series]

8,564,317 (July 1991), growth rate 0.4% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Pentecostal 1%, other 3.5% (1987)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.9 children born/woman (1991)