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| Introduction | Sweden |
| 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 was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999. |
| People | Sweden |
| Population: | 8,986,400 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 807,193; female 762,882) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,974,107; female 2,886,840) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 668,719; female 886,659) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 40.3 years male: 39.2 years female: 41.5 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.18% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 10.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 10.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 2.93 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.3 years male: 78.12 years female: 82.62 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 3,300 (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2001 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 Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1979 est.) male: NA female: NA |
| Government | Sweden |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local short form: Sverige local long form: Konungariket Sverige |
| Government type: | constitutional monarchy |
| Capital: | Stockholm |
| 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 monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006) 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 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%, Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats 33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran HAGGLUND]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador M. Teel BEVINS embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64 |
| Flag description: | 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) |
| Communications | Sweden |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 6,579,200 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 7.949 million (2002) |
| 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: country code - 46; 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 hosts: | 945,221 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 29 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 5.125 million (2002) |
| Transportation | Sweden |
| Railways: | total: 11,481 km standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 212,402 km paved: 166,523 km (including 1,499 km of expressways) unpaved: 45,879 km (2000) |
| Pipelines: | gas 798 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall |
| Merchant marine: | total: 178 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,702,763 GRT/1,884,570 DWT by type: bulk 7, cargo 36, chemical tanker 31, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 39, short-sea/passenger 8, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 23 registered in other countries: 154 (2003 est.) foreign-owned: Denmark 12, Finland 10, Germany 3, Italy 7, Japan 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 12, Russia 1 |
| Airports: | 255 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 154 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 82 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 100 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 90 (2004 est.) |
| Heliports: | 2 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Sweden |
| Military branches: | Army, Royal Navy, Air Force (Flygvapnet) |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 19 years of age; conscripts serve seven to 15 months depending on their role; after completing their initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until the age of 47 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 7-17 months depending on conscript role; after completing initial service soldiers have a reserve commitment until the age of 47 (2004) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 2,082,776 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 1,821,394 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 56,859 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $4.395 billion (FY01) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.1% (FY01) |
| Transnational Issues | Sweden |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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