Sweden




                                 Geography


Location:
     Nordic State, Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between
     Norway and Finland
Map references:
     Arctic Region, Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     449,964 sq km
land area:
     410,928 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
     total 2,205 km, Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km
Coastline:
     3,218 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
     200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     12 nm
International disputes:
     none
Climate:
     temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy
     summers; subarctic in north
Terrain:
     mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
Natural resources:
     zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower
     potential
Land use:
arable land:
     7%
permanent crops:
     0%
meadows and pastures:
     2%
forest and woodland:
     64%
other:
     27%
Irrigated land:
     1,120 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
     acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the
     Baltic Sea




natural hazards:
     ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of
     Bothnia, can interfere with navigation
international agreements:
     party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
     Pollution-Sulphur, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
     Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
     Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
     Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
     Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling;
     signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Note:
     strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas


                                  People


Population:
     8,778,461 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     0.52% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     13.5 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     10.9 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     2.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     78.25 years
male:
     75.47 years
female:
     81.2 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     2 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Swede(s)
adjective:
     Swedish
Ethnic divisions:
     white, Lapp (Sami), foreign born or first-generation immigrants 12%
     (Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks)
Religions:
     Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Pentecostal 1%, other
     3.5% (1987)
Languages:
     Swedish
note:
     small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities; immigrants speak native
     languages
Literacy:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.)




total population:
     99%
male:
     NA%
female:
     NA%
Labor force:
     4.552 million (84% unionized,1992)
by occupation:
     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)


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Konungariket Sverige
local short form:
     Sverige
Digraph:
     SW
Type:
     constitutional monarchy
Capital:
     Stockholm
Administrative divisions:
     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
Independence:
     6 June 1809 (constitutional monarchy established)
National holiday:
     Day of the Swedish Flag, 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 King (born 14 July
     1977)




head of government:
     Prime Minister Carl BILDT (since 3 October 1991); Deputy Prime
     Minister Bengt WESTERBERG (since NA)
cabinet:
     Cabinet; appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
parliament (Riksdag):
     elections 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
Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court (Hogsta Domstolen)
Political parties and leaders:
     ruling four-party coalition consists of 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, Harriet
     COLLIANDER; Left Party (VP; Communist), Gudrun SCHYMAN; Communist
     Workers' Party, Rolf HAGEL; Green Party, no formal leader
Member of:
     AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN,
     COCOM (cooperating), 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, ISO, ITU,
     LORCS, MTRC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, PCA, UN,
     UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM,
     UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU,
     WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Carl Henrik LILJEGREN
chancery:
     Suites 1200 and 715, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:
     (202) 944-5600
FAX:
     (202) 342-1319
consulate(s) general:
     Los Angeles and New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Thomas SIEBERT
embassy:
     Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
mailing address:
     use embassy street address
telephone:
     [46] (8) 783-5300




FAX:
     [46] (8) 661-1964
Flag:
     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)


                                  Economy


Overview:
     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 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 unemployment, and a gradual loss of
     competitiveness in international markets. Although Prime Minister
     BILDT's center-right minority coalition had hoped to charge ahead with
     free-market-oriented reforms, a skyrocketing budget deficit - almost
     14% of GDP in FY94 projections - and record unemployment have
     forestalled many of the plans. Unemployment in 1993 is estimated at
     around 8% with another 5% in job training. Continued heavy foreign
     exchange speculation forced the government to cooperate in late 1992
     with the opposition Social Democrats on two crisis packages - one a
     severe austerity pact and the other a program to spur industrial
     competitiveness - which basically set economic policy through 1997. In
     November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU, and the krona has
     since depreciated about 25% against the dollar. The government hopes
     the boost in export competitiveness from the depreciation will help
     lift Sweden out of its 3-year recession. To curb the budget deficit
     and bolster confidence in the economy, BILDT continues to propose cuts
     in welfare benefits, subsidies, defense, and foreign aid. Sweden
     continues to harmonize its economic policies with those of the EU in
     preparation for scheduled membership by early 1995, which will help to
     broaden European economic unity.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $153.7 billion (1993)
National product real growth rate:
     -2.7% (1993)
National product per capita:
     $17,600 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     4.4% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     8.2% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
     $45.1 billion
expenditures:
     $73.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94)




Exports:
     $49.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
     machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and
     steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products
partners:
     EC 55.8% (Germany 15%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.2%, France 5.8%), EFTA 17.4%
     (Norway 8.4%, Finland 5.1%), US 8.2%, Central and Eastern Europe 2.5%
     (1992)
Imports:
     $42.3 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
commodities:
     machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
     vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing
partners:
     EC 53.6% (Germany 17.9%, UK 6.3%, Denmark 7.5%, France 4.9%), EFTA
     (Norway 6.6%, Finland 6%), US 8.4%, Central and Eastern Europe 3%
     (1992)
External debt:
     $19.5 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
     growth rate 0.8% (1993 est.)
Electricity:
capacity:
     39,716,000 kW
production:
     142.5 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
     16,560 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone
     parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods,
     motor vehicles
Agriculture:
     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; Sweden is about 50%
     self-sufficient in most products; farming accounted for 1.2% of GDP
     and 1.9% of jobs in 1990
Illicit drugs:
     transshipment point for narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic
     states for the European market
Economic aid:
donor:
     ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.3 billion
Currency:
     1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates:
     Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 8.1255 (January 1994), 7.834 (1993),
     5.8238 (1992), 6.0475 (1991) 5.9188 (1990), 6.4469 (1989)
Fiscal year:
     1 July - 30 June


                              Communications




Railroads:
     12,084 km total; Swedish State Railways (SJ) 11,202 km - 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 882 km - 511 km 1.435-meter standard gauge
     (332 km electrified) and 371 km 0.891-meter gauge (all electrified)
Highways:
total:
     205,000 km
paved:
     69,754 km (including 936 km of expressways)
unpaved:
     gravel 45,900 km; unimproved earth 38,060 km; NA 51,286 km (1990)
Inland waterways:
     2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges
Pipelines:
     natural gas 84 km
Ports:
     Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Kalmar, Malmo, Stockholm;
     numerous secondary and minor ports
Merchant marine:
     161 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,049,554 GRT/2,516,350 DWT,
     bulk 10, cargo 24, chemical tanker 25, combination ore/oil 1,
     container 2, oil tanker 30, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1,
     roll-on/roll-off cargo 39, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker
     4, vehicle carrier 13
Airports:
total:
     252
usable:
     248
with permanent-surface runways:
     138
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     11
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     94
Telecommunications:
     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


Branches:
     Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 2,146,145; fit for military service 1,874,787; reach
     military age (19) annually 55,262 (1994 est.)




Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $5.2 billion, 2.6% of GDP (FY93/94)