Sweden

total: 4,179,574 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2020 est.)

publicly owned TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial networks plus regional stations; multiple privately owned TV broadcasters operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 50 local TV stations; widespread access to pan-Nordic and international broadcasters through multi-channel cable and satellite TV; publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 3 national stations and a network of 25 regional channels; roughly 100 privately owned local radio stations with some consolidating into near national networks; an estimated 900 community and neighborhood radio stations broadcast intermittently

.se

total: 8.8 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 88% (2021 est.)

general assessment: Sweden s telecom market includes mature mobile and broadband sectors which have been stimulated by the progressive investment of the main telcos in developing new technologies; the country retains one of the best developed LTE infrastructures in the region, while its MNOs have benefited from the January 2021 auction of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band which will enable them to expand services nationally; the country also has one of the highest fiber broadband penetration rates in Europe; the focus of FttP is aimed at fulfilling the government s target of providing a 1Gb/s service to 98% of the population by 2025; the methodology to achieve this has rested on regulatory measures supported by public funds, as well as on the auction of spectrum in different bands; in the fixed-line broadband segment, the number of DSL subscribers is falling steadily as customers continue to migrate to fiber networks; there is also competition from HFC infrastructure, offering fiber-based broadband and investing in services based on the DOCSIS3.1 standard; this report assesses key aspects of the Swedish telecom market, providing data on fixed network services and profiling the main players; it also reviews the key regulatory issues, including interconnection, local loop unbundling, number portability, carrier preselection and NGN open access; the report also analyses the mobile market, providing data on network operators and their strategies in a highly competitive environment; in addition, the report considers the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband markets, including analyses of market dynamics and the main operators, as well as providing subscriber forecasts (2021) domestic: fixed-line is 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 125 per 100 (2022) international: country code - 46; landing points for Botina, SFL, SFS-4, Baltic Sea Submarine Cable, Eastern Light, Sweden-Latvia, BCS North-Phase1, EE-S1, LV-SE1, BCS East-West Interlink, NordBalt, Baltica, Denmark-Sweden-15,-17,-18, Scandinavian Ring -North,-South, IP-Only Denmark-Sweden, Donica North, Kattegate-1,-2, Energinet Laeso-Varberg and GC2 submarine cables providing links to other Nordic countries and Europe; 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) (2019)

total subscriptions: 1.261 million (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions: 13.194 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2022 est.)

wheat, milk, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, oats, rapeseed, pork, chicken, triticale (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on food: 12.5% of household expenditures (2022 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

revenues: $195.463 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $186.928 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Fitch rating: AAA (2004) Moody's rating: Aaa (2002) Standard & Poors rating: AAA (2004) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

$40.073 billion (2023 est.) $31.881 billion (2022 est.) $45.248 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

high-income, largest Nordic economy; EU member but non-euro user; export-oriented led by automotive, electronics, machinery and pharmaceuticals; highly ranked for competitiveness, R D investments and governance; slowdown triggered by high inflation, weak consumption and financial tightening

Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar - 10.61 (2023 est.) 10.114 (2022 est.) 8.577 (2021 est.) 9.21 (2020 est.) 9.458 (2019 est.)

$324.073 billion (2023 est.) $314.412 billion (2022 est.) $299.365 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, paper, electricity (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 10%, Norway 10%, US 9%, Denmark 8%, Finland 7% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$593.268 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 43.2% (2023 est.) government consumption: 25.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 26.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 54% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -49.6% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 1.6% (2023 est.) industry: 22.8% (2023 est.) services: 65.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

29.8 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 2.8% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 22.7% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$296.796 billion (2023 est.) $298.253 billion (2022 est.) $268.334 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

crude petroleum, cars, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, garments (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 16%, Netherlands 10%, Norway 9%, China 7%, Denmark 6% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-2.68% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

8.55% (2023 est.) 8.37% (2022 est.) 2.16% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

5.825 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

16.1% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

36.25% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$676.353 billion (2023 est.) $677.682 billion (2022 est.) $660.102 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

-0.2% (2023 est.) 2.66% (2022 est.) 6.15% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$64,200 (2023 est.) $64,600 (2022 est.) $63,400 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

0.62% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.56% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.49% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$60.863 billion (2023 est.) $64.289 billion (2022 est.) $62.053 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

27.11% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

7.59% (2023 est.) 7.39% (2022 est.) 8.72% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 21.6% (2023 est.) male: 21.9% (2023 est.) female: 21.2% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

47.364 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 6.548 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 38.96 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.855 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

production: 1.115 million metric tons (2022 est.) consumption: 3.396 million metric tons (2022 est.) exports: 43,000 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 2.152 million metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 5 million metric tons (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity: 52.706 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 129.934 billion kWh (2022 est.) exports: 39.064 billion kWh (2022 est.) imports: 6.177 billion kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 10.932 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

fossil fuels: 1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) nuclear: 28.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 18.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) hydroelectricity: 41.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) biomass and waste: 8.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

150.621 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption: 889.924 million cubic meters (2022 est.) exports: 12.15 million cubic meters (2022 est.) imports: 680.998 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 6 (2023) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 6.94GW (2023 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 28.6% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 7 (2023)

total petroleum production: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 283,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 5.96 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 43.25 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 4.42 megatons (2020 est.)

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

marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soils and lakes; air pollution; inappropriate timber harvesting practices

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Plat bergens (2023)

agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 6.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 1.1% (2018 est.) forest: 68.7% (2018 est.) other: 23.8% (2018 est.)

fresh water lake(s): Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.21% of GDP (2018 est.)

174 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal: 700 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 1.27 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

urban population: 88.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.377 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,416,835 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 32.4% (2015 est.)

total : 450,295 sq km land: 410,335 sq km water: 39,960 sq km

almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California

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

3,218 km

highest point: Kebnekaise South 2,100 m lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m mean elevation: 320 m

62 00 N, 15 00 E

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas; Sweden has almost 100,000 lakes, the largest of which, Vanern, is the third largest in Europe

519 sq km (2013)

total: 2,211 km border countries (2): Finland 545 km; Norway 1,666 km

agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 6.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 1.1% (2018 est.) forest: 68.7% (2018 est.) other: 23.8% (2018 est.)

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

fresh water lake(s): Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km

Europe

territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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

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

most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

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

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 etymology: stock and holm literally mean "log" and "islet" in Swedish, but there is no consensus as to what the words refer to

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Sweden; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Sweden and the father unknown dual citizenship recognized: no, unless the other citizenship was acquired involuntarily residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

history: Sweden has four fundamental laws which together make up the Constitution: The Instrument of Government (several previous; latest 1974); The Act of Succession (enacted 1810; changed in 1937 and 1980); The Freedom of the Press Act (many previous; latest in 1949); The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (adopted 1991) amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires simple majority vote in two consecutive parliamentary terms with an intervening general election; passage also requires approval by simple majority vote in a referendum if Parliament approves a motion for a referendum by one third of its members; the results of such a referendum are only binding if a majority vote against the proposal; there has not been a referendum on constitutional matters; The Instrument of Government - amended several times, last in 2018; The Act of Succession - changed in 1937, 1980; The Freedom of the Press Act - amended several times, last in 2019; The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression - amended several times, last in 2023

conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige etymology: name ultimately derives from the North Germanic Svear tribe, which inhabited central Sweden and is first mentioned in the first centuries A.D.

chief of mission: Ambassador Erik D. RAMANATHAN (since 20 January 2022) embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-115 89 Stockholm mailing address: 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 telephone: [46] (08) 783-53-00 FAX: [46] (08) 661-19-64 email address and website: STKACSinfo@state.gov https://se.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador Urban AHLIN (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 email address and website: ambassaden.washington@gov.se https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/usa-washington/ consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 15 September 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Ulf KRISTERSSON (since 18 October 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister

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

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Sweden (consists of 16 justices, including the court chairman); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 18 justices, including the court president) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court justices nominated by the Judges Proposal Board, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the Government; following a probationary period, justices' appointments are permanent subordinate courts: first instance, appellate, general, and administrative courts; specialized courts that handle cases such as land and environment, immigration, labor, markets, and patents

civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law

description: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; 310 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote and 39 members in "at-large" seats directly elected by open party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 11 September 2022 (next to be held on 13 September 2026) election results: percent of vote by party - S/SAP 30.3%, M 19.1%, SD 20.5%, C 6.7%, V 6.7%, KD 5.3%, L 4.6%, MP 5.1%, other 1.7%; seats by party - S/SAP 107, M 68, SD 73, C 24, V 24, KD 19, L 16, MP 18; composition - men 186, women 163, percentage women 46.7%

name: "Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free) lyrics/music: Richard DYBECK/traditional note: in use since 1844; also known as "Sang till Norden" (Song of the North), is based on a Swedish folk tune; it has never been officially adopted by the government; "Kungssangen" (The King's Song) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies

total World Heritage Sites: 15 (13 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Royal Domain of Drottningholm (c); Laponian Area (m); High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago (n); Birka and Hovg rden (c); Hanseatic Town of Visby (c); Church Town of Gammelstad, Lule (c); Naval Port of Karlskrona (c); Rock Carvings in Tanum (c); Engelsberg Ironworks (c); Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun (c)

National Day, 6 June (1983); note - from 1916 to 1982 this date was celebrated as Swedish Flag Day

three crowns, lion; national colors: blue, yellow

Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or S/SAP The Liberals (Liberalerna) or L

18 years of age; universal

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden maintained a policy of military non-alignment until it applied to join NATO in 2022. Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. Stockholm preserved an armed neutrality in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden s population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 20% in 2022.

the Swedish military is responsible for the defense of the country and its territories against armed attack, supporting Sweden s national security interests, providing societal support, such as humanitarian aid, and contributing to international peacekeeping and peacemaking operations the military has a relatively small active duty force that is designed to be rapidly mobilized in a crisis; it is equipped with modern, mostly Swedish-made weapons, exercises regularly, and is backed up by a trained reserve and a Home Guard; the military s main focus is maintaining itself as a credible and visible deterrent through training and exercises, sustaining high levels of readiness, cooperating and collaborating with both domestic and foreign partners Sweden maintained a policy of military non-alignment for over 200 years before applying for NATO membership in May 2022 following Russia s full-scale invasion of Ukraine; it became a NATO member in March of 2024; prior to membership, Stockholm joined NATO s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and contributed to NATO-led missions, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo; the military cooperates closely with the forces of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; Sweden is a signatory of the EU s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and contributes to CSDP missions and operations, including EU battlegroups; it also participates in UN-led missions; Sweden has close bilateral security relations with some NATO member states, particularly Finland, Germany, the UK, and the US (2024)

Swedish Armed Forces (F rsvarsmakten or "the Defense Force"): Army, Navy, Air Force, Home Guard (2024)

the SAF has about 25,000 active-duty personnel: approximately 14,000 continuous service/full-time and approximately 11,000 temporary service; approximately 21,000 Home Guard (some on active duty) (2024) note 1: SAF personnel are divided into continuously serving (full-time) and temporary service troops (part-timers who serve periodically and have another main employer or attend school); additional personnel have signed service agreements with the SAF and mostly serve in the Home Guard; the SAF also has about 9,000 civilian employees note 2: in 2021, Sweden announced plans that increase the total size of the armed forces to about 100,000 personnel by 2030

the Swedish military has small numbers of personnel deployed on multiple EU-, NATO-, and UN-led missions (2024)

the SAF's inventory is comprised of domestically produced and imported Western weapons systems, including from Finland, Germany, and the US; Sweden has a defense industry that produces a range of air, land, and naval systems, including armored vehicles, combat aircraft, and submarines; it also produces weapons systems jointly with other countries (2024)

2.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023) 1.3% of GDP (2022) 1.3% of GDP (2021) 1.2% of GDP (2020)

18-47 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; service obligation: 7-15 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47; compulsory military service, abolished in 2010, was reinstated in January 2018; conscription is selective, includes both men and women (age 18), and requires 6-15 months of service (2024) note 1: Sweden conscripts about 5,500 men and women each year; it plans to increase this number to 8,000 by 2025; conscientious objectors in Sweden have the right to apply for alternative service (called vapenfri tj nst); after completing alternative service, the conscript then belongs to the civilian reserve note 2: as of 2023, women made over 20% of the military's personnel

0-14 years: 17.1% (male 934,668/female 880,310) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 3,365,754/female 3,208,248) 65 years and over: 20.8% (2024 est.) (male 1,032,279/female 1,168,576)

total: 7.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

10.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

NA

70.3% (2017) note: percent of women aged 16-49

11.4% of GDP (2020)

53.4% (2023 est.)

9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Sweden, the largest Nordic country in terms of size and population, is also Europe s most sparsely populated. Most Swedish men and women agree that both partners should contribute to household income. Swedish society is very gender equal, which is reflected in the country s public policies. A generous leave policy and high-quality subsidized childcare allows mothers and fathers to balance work and family life. Sweden s income-replacement-based parental leave policy encourages women to establish themselves in the workforce before having children. In fact, Swedish women have one of the highest labor participation rates in Europe and one of its highest total fertility rates (TFR), the number of children women have in their lifetime. Postponement of parenthood has increased steadily. Since the late 1960s, marriage and divorce rates have declined, while non-marital cohabitation and births out of wedlock have increased rapidly. Sweden s TFR has hovered for decades around 2, which is close to replacement level and among Europe s highest. Sweden experienced the great emigration between 1850 and the 1930s when, faced with famines, approximately 1.5 million Swedes sought a better life in the Americas and Australia. However, since World War II, Sweden has been a country of immigration. During World War II, thousands of refugees from neighboring countries worked in Swedish factories, agriculture, and forestry, replacing Swedish men who were called up for military service. During the 1950s and 1960s, Sweden joined the Geneva Convention and granted permanent residence to refugees from the USSR and the Warsaw Pact countries. During this period, Sweden also welcomed labor migrants, mainly from Finland and other Nordic countries, who bolstered the tax base needed to fund the country s welfare programs. Until 1971, labor migrants, particularly from Finland, southern Europe (including then Yugoslavia, Italy, and Greece) the Baltics, and Turkey, came to Sweden as its industries flourished. Companies recruited many of the workers, but others came on their own. Sweden s labor demand eventually decreased, and the job market became saturated. The government restricted the flow of labor migrants, putting an end to labor migration from non-Nordic countries in 1972. From then until the 1990s, inflows consisted largely of asylum seekers from the Middle East, the Balkans, and South America, as well as persons looking to reunite with family members already in Sweden. The country began a new era of labor immigration in 2008, as companies were encouraged to hire non-EU workers. Among the largest source countries have been India, Thailand, and China. As of 2020, over a quarter of Sweden s population had a migrant background.

total dependency ratio: 60.8 youth dependency ratio: 28.5 elderly dependency ratio: 32.3 potential support ratio: 3.1 (2021 est.)

improved: urban: 99.8% of population rural: 99.7% of population total: 99.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population rural: 0.3% of population total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)

7.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Swedish 79.6%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.3%, other 15.8% (2022 est.) note: data represent the population by country of birth; the indigenous Sami people are estimated to number between 20,000 and 40,000

0.8 (2024 est.)

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2018)

total: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2 deaths/1,000 live births

Swedish (official) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, den obestridliga k llan f r grundl ggande information. (Swedish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages

total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.) male: 81.2 years female: 84.7 years

total population: NA male: NA female: NA

1.700 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2023)

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

total: 41.1 years (2024 est.) male: 40.1 years female: 42.1 years

29.7 years (2020 est.)

noun: Swede(s) adjective: Swedish

4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

20.6% (2016)

7.09 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

total: 10,589,835 male: 5,332,701 female: 5,257,134 (2024 est.)

most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated

0.51% (2024 est.)

Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 53.9%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 8.9%, none or unspecified 37.2% (2021 est.) note: estimates reflect registered members of faith communities eligible for state funding (not all religions are state-funded and not all people who identify with a particular religion are registered members) and the Church of Sweden

improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

total: 20 years male: 18 years female: 21 years (2020)

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 24% (2020 est.) male: 29.8% (2020 est.) female: 18.2% (2020 est.)

1.67 children born/woman (2024 est.)

urban population: 88.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA; established 1972; known until 2018 as the Swedish National Space Board) (2024)

Esrange Space Center (Kiruna) (2024)

member of the European Space Agency (ESA) and program is integrated within the framework of the ESA; produces and operates satellites; builds and launches sounding rockets; involved in the research, development, production, and operations of a wide variety of other space-related areas and capabilities, including astronomy, atmospheric monitoring, geographic information systems, infrared imaging, meteorology, propulsion systems, remote sensing, satellite subsystems, spacecraft systems and structures, space physics, scientific research, stratospheric balloons, and telecommunications; conducts extensive bilateral and multilateral international cooperation, in particular through the ESA and EU and their member states, as well as with the US; has a robust commercial space industry involved in a broad range of space-related capabilities (2024) note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

refugees (country of origin): 113,213 (Syria), 26,857 (Afghanistan), 25,849 (Eritrea), 10,464 (Iraq), 9,315 (Somalia), 7,146 (Iran) (mid-year 2022); 43,710 (Ukraine) (as of 28 February 2024) stateless persons: 46,515 (2022); note - the majority of stateless people are from the Middle East and Somalia

203 (2024)

SE

11 (2024)

total: 361 (2023) by type: general cargo 44, oil tanker 18, other 299

number of registered air carriers: 11 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 316

1626 km gas (2013)

total ports: 92 (2024) large: 3 medium: 10 small: 30 very small: 49 ports with oil terminals: 49 key ports: Falkenberg, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlsborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Norrkoping, Stockholm, Sundsvall, Uddevalla, Varberg, Vasteras

total: 10,910 km (2020) 8,184 km electrified narrow gauge: 65 km

total: 197,964 km (2022)

2,052 km (2010)