Communications
Airports [time series]
254 total, 252 usable; 139 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 94 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]
186 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,665,902 GRT/3,646,165 DWT; includes 10 short-sea passenger, 29 cargo, 3 container, 43 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 12 vehicle carrier, 2 railcar carrier, 33 petroleum tanker, 28 chemical tanker, 4 specialized tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 7 combination ore/oil, 12 bulk, 1 combination bulk, 1 refrigerated cargo
Pipelines [time series]
natural gas 84 km
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; mainly coaxial and multiconductor cables carry long-distance network; parallel microwave network carries primarily radio, TV and some telephone channels; automatic system; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 360 (mostly repeaters) FM, 880 (mostly repeaters) TV; 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 EUTELSAT
Defense Forces
Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]
Swedish Army, Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force
Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]
exchange rate conversion - $6.2 billion, about 4% of GDP (FY91)
Manpower availability [time series]
males 15-49, 2,129,996; 1,858,944 fit for military service; 57,492 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 $67.5 billion; expenditures $78.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92 est.)
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 (1991)
Exchange rates [time series]
Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 6.0259 (March 1992), 6.0475 (1991) 5.9188 (1990), 6.4469 (1989), 6.1272 (1988), 6.3404 (1987)
Exports [time series]
$54.5 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products partners: EC, (FRG, UK, Denmark), US, Norway
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$10.7 billion (November 1991)
Fiscal year [time series]
1 July - 30 June
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power equivalent - $147.6 billion, per capita $17,200; real growth rate -1.1% (1991)
Imports [time series]
$50.2 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing partners: EC 55.3%, US 8.4% (1990)
Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]
growth rate -5.3% (1991)
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]
8.0% (1991)
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. In the last few years, however, this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by inflation, growing absenteeism, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. The new center-right government, facing a sagging economic situation which is unlikely to improve until 1993, is pushing full steam ahead with economic reform proposals to end Sweden's recession and to prepare for possible EC membership in 1995. The free-market-oriented reforms are designed to spur growth, maintain price stability, lower unemployment, create a more efficient welfare state, and further adapt to EC standards. The measures include: cutting taxes, particularly the value-added tax (VAT) and levies on new and small business; privatization; liberalizing foreign ownership restrictions; and opening the welfare system to competition and private alternatives, which the government will still finance. Growth is expected to remain flat in 1992, but increase slightly in 1993, while inflation should remain around 3% for the next few years. On the down side, unemployment may climb to slightly over 4% in 1993, and the budget deficit will reach nearly $9 billion in 1992.
Unemployment rate [time series]
2.7% (1991)
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
Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]
slightly smaller than California
Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]
none
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
water pollution; acid rain
Area (Land area) [time series]
410,928 km2
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%
Maritime claims [time series]
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources [time series]
zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower potential
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
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; FAX [46] (8) 661-1964
Executive branch (Elections) [time series]
Riksdag: last held 15 September 1991 (next to be held NA September 1994); results - Social Democratic Party 37.6%, Moderate Party (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 Party (conservative) 80, Liberal People's Party 33, Center Party 31, Christian Democrats 26, New Democracy 25, Left Party (Communist) 16; note - the Green Party has no seats in the Riksdag because it received less than the required 4% of the vote
Executive branch [time series]
monarch, prime minister, Cabinet
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)
Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]
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)
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
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
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 WACHTMEISTER; Left Party (VP; Communist), Lars WERNER; Swedish Communist Party (SKP), Rune PETTERSSON; Communist Workers' Party, Rolf HAGEL; Green Party, no formal leader
Suffrage [time series]
universal at age 18
Government type (Type) [time series]
constitutional monarchy
People
Birth rate [time series]
13 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate [time series]
11 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
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 (1992)
Labor force [time series]
4,552,000 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)
Languages [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 (1992)
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]
2 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor [time series]
80% of labor force (1990 est.)
Population [time series]
8,602,157 (July 1992), growth rate 0.4% (1992)
Religions [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 (1992)