2018 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2018 Archive (Wayback Machine)
Introduction
Background
A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
Geography
Area
- land
- 410,335 sq km
- total
- 450,295 sq km
- water
- 39,960 sq km
Area Comparative
almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California
Climate
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north
Coastline
3,218 km
Elevation
- elevation extremes
- -2.4 m lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad
- mean elevation
- 320 m
- note
- 2111 highest point: Kebnekaise
Environment Current Issues
marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soils and lakes; air pollution; inappropriate timber harvesting practices
Environment International Agreements
- party to
- Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Geographic Coordinates
62 00 N, 15 00 E
Geography Note
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
Irrigated Land
1,640 sq km (2012)
Land Boundaries
- border countries (2)
- Finland 545 km, Norway 1666 km
- total
- 2,211 km
Land Use
- arable land: 6.4% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 1.1% (2011 est.)
- agricultural land
- 7.5% (2011 est.)
- forest
- 68.7% (2011 est.)
- other
- 23.8% (2011 est.)
Location
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
Map References
Europe
Maritime Claims
- continental shelf
- 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
- exclusive economic zone
- agreed boundaries or midlines
- territorial sea
- 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)
Natural Hazards
ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
Natural Resources
iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
Population Distribution
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
Terrain
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
People and Society
Age Structure
- 0-14 years
- 17.54% (male 904,957 /female 855,946)
- 15-24 years
- 11.06% (male 573,595 /female 537,358)
- 25-54 years
- 39.37% (male 2,005,422 /female 1,947,245)
- 55-64 years
- 11.67% (male 588,314 /female 583,002)
- 65 years and over
- 20.37% (male 946,170 /female 1,098,986) (2018 est.)
Birth Rate
12.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Death Rate
9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Dependency Ratios
- elderly dependency ratio
- 31.1 (2015 est.)
- potential support ratio
- 3.2 (2015 est.)
- total dependency ratio
- 58.5 (2015 est.)
- youth dependency ratio
- 27.4 (2015 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- 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 (2015 est.)
Education Expenditures
7.7% of GDP (2014)
Ethnic Groups
- Swedish 81.5%, Syrian 1.7%, Finnish 1.5%, Iraqi 1.4%, other 13.9% (2017 est.)
- note
- data represent the population by country of birth; the indigenous Sami people are estimated to number between 20,000 and 40,000
Health Expenditures
11.9% of GDP (2014)
Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
0.2% (2016 est.)
Hiv Aids Deaths
<100 (2016 est.)
Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids
11,000 (2016 est.)
Hospital Bed Density
2.4 beds/1,000 population (2015)
Infant Mortality Rate
- female
- 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
- male
- 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
- total
- 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
Languages
- Swedish (official)
- note
- Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages
Life Expectancy At Birth
- female
- 84.3 years (2018 est.)
- male
- 80.3 years (2018 est.)
- total population
- 82.2 years (2018 est.)
Major Urban Areas Population
1.583 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2018)
Maternal Mortality Rate
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
Median Age
- female
- 42.2 years (2018 est.)
- male
- 40.1 years
- total
- 41.1 years
Mother S Mean Age At First Birth
29.1 years (2015 est.)
Nationality
- adjective
- Swedish
- noun
- Swede(s)
Net Migration Rate
5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate
20.6% (2016)
Physicians Density
4.19 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Population
10,040,995 (July 2018 est.)
Population Growth Rate
0.8% (2018 est.)
Religions
- Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 61.8%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 8.2%, none or unspecified 30% (2016 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); an estimated 60.2% of Sweden's population were members of the Church of Sweden in 2017
Sanitation Facility Access
- improved: urban: 99.3% of population (2015 est.)
- rural: 99.6% of population (2015 est.)
- total: 99.3% of population (2015 est.)
- unimproved: urban: 0.7% of population (2015 est.)
- rural: 0.4% of population (2015 est.)
- total: 0.7% of population (2015 est.)
School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education
- female
- 20 years (2014)
- male
- 17 years (2014)
- total
- 18 years (2014)
Sex Ratio
- 0-14 years
- 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- 15-24 years
- 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- 25-54 years
- 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- 55-64 years
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.85 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- at birth
- 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
- total population
- 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total Fertility Rate
1.87 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24
- female
- 17% (2017 est.)
- male
- 18.8% (2017 est.)
- total
- 17.9% (2017 est.)
Urbanization
- rate of urbanization
- 1.05% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
- urban population
- 87.4% of total population (2018)
Government
Administrative Divisions
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
Capital
- daylight saving time
- +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
- geographic coordinates
- 59 20 N, 18 03 E
- name
- Stockholm
- time difference
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Citizenship
- 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
Constitution
- 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; amended several times, last in 2014 (changes to the "Instrument of Government") (2016)
- history
- several previous; latest adopted 1 January 1975 (2016)
Country Name
- conventional long form
- Kingdom of Sweden
- conventional short form
- Sweden
- etymology
- name ultimately derives from the North Germanic Svear tribe, which inhabited central Sweden and is first mentioned in the first centuries A.D.
- local long form
- Konungariket Sverige
- local short form
- Sverige
Diplomatic Representation From The Us
- chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David E. LINDWALL (since 20 January 2017)
- embassy
- Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
- FAX
- [46] (08) 661 19 64
- mailing address
- American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750
- telephone
- [46] (08) 783 53 00
Diplomatic Representation In The Us
- chancery
- The House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
- chief of mission
- Ambassador Karin Ulrika OLOFSDOTTER (since 17 September 2017)
- consulate(s) general
- New York
- FAX
- [1] (202) 536-1501
- telephone
- [1] (202) 536-1500
Executive Branch
- cabinet
- Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
- chief of state
- King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 15 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree (daughter of the monarch, born 14 July 1977)
- elections/appointments
- the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister
- head of government
- Acting Prime Minister Stefan LOFVEN (since 3 October 2014); Deputy Prime Minister Isabella LOVIN (since 25 May 2016); note - Prime Minister Stefan LOFVEN was ousted in a no-confidence vote on 25 September 2018 and is heading a caretaker government until a new government is formed
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); the colors reflect those of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field
Government Type
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Independence
6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden)
International Law Organization Participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International Organization Participation
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, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Judicial Branch
- highest courts
- 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 Board of Judges, 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
Legal System
civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law
Legislative Branch
- description
- unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; 310 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed, party-list proportional representation vote and 39 members in "at-large" seats directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
- election results
- percent of vote by party - SAP 28.3%, M 19.8%, SD 17.5%, C 8.6%, V 8%, KD 6.3%, L 5.5%, MP 4.4%, other 1.6%; seats by party - SAP 100, M 70, SD 62, C 31, V 28, KD 22, L 20, MP 16; composition - men 188, women 161, percent of women 46.1%
- elections
- last held on 9 September 2018 (next to be held in 2022)
National Anthem
- lyrics/music
- Richard DYBECK/traditional
- name
- "Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free)
- 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
National Holiday
National Day, 6 June (1983); note - from 1916 to 1982 this date was celebrated as Swedish Flag Day
National Symbol S
three crowns, lion; national colors: blue, yellow
Political Parties And Leaders
Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C [Annie LOOF]Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Ebba Busch THOR]Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP [Isabella LOVIN and Gustav FRIDOLIN]Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V [Jonas SJOSTEDT]Liberal Party (Liberalerna) or L [Jan BJORKLUND]Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M [Ulf KRISTERSSON]Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SAP [Stefan LOFVEN]Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON]
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture Products
barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk
Budget
- expenditures
- 264.4 billion (2017 est.)
- revenues
- 271.2 billion (2017 est.)
Budget Surplus Or Deficit
1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Central Bank Discount Rate
- -0.5% (31 December 2017)
- -0.5% (31 December 2016)
- note
- the Discount rate was abolished in 2002, and replaced by a "Reference rate" with no bearing on monetary policy; the rate quoted here is the Reference rate
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
- 1.93% (31 December 2017 est.)
- 2% (31 December 2016 est.)
Current Account Balance
- $17.79 billion (2017 est.)
- $21.84 billion (2016 est.)
Debt External
- $939.9 billion (31 March 2016 est.)
- $929.4 billion (31 March 2015 est.)
Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index
- 24.9 (2013)
- 25 (1992)
Economy Overview
Sweden’s small, open, and competitive economy has been thriving and Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the euro zone largely out of concern that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union would diminish the country’s sovereignty over its welfare system.Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of a manufacturing economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Exports, including engines and other machines, motor vehicles, and telecommunications equipment, account for more than 44% of GDP. Sweden enjoys a current account surplus of about 5% of GDP, which is one of the highest margins in Europe.GDP grew an estimated 3.3% in 2016 and 2017 driven largely by investment in the construction sector. Swedish economists expect economic growth to ease slightly in the coming years as this investment subsides. Global economic growth boosted exports of Swedish manufactures further, helping drive domestic economic growth in 2017. The Central Bank is keeping an eye on deflationary pressures and bank observers expect it to maintain an expansionary monetary policy in 2018. Swedish prices and wages have grown only slightly over the past few years, helping to support the country’s competitiveness.In the short and medium term, Sweden’s economic challenges include providing affordable housing and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market.
Exchange Rates
- Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar -
- 8.442 (2017 est.)
- 8.5605 (2016 est.)
- 8.5605 (2015 est.)
- 8.4335 (2014 est.)
- 6.8612 (2013 est.)
Exports
- $165.6 billion (2017 est.)
- $151.4 billion (2016 est.)
Exports Commodities
machinery (26%), motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals (2016 est.)
Exports Partners
Germany 11%, Norway 10.2%, Finland 6.9%, US 6.9%, Denmark 6.9%, UK 6.2%, Netherlands 5.5%, China 4.5%, Belgium 4.4%, France 4.2% (2017)
Fiscal Year
calendar year
Gdp Composition By End Use
- exports of goods and services
- 45.3% (2017 est.)
- government consumption
- 26% (2017 est.)
- household consumption
- 44.1% (2017 est.)
- imports of goods and services
- -41.1% (2017 est.)
- investment in fixed capital
- 24.9% (2017 est.)
- investment in inventories
- 0.8% (2017 est.)
Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin
- agriculture
- 1.6% (2017 est.)
- industry
- 33% (2017 est.)
- services
- 65.4% (2017 est.)
Gdp Official Exchange Rate
$535.6 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
Gdp Per Capita Ppp
- $51,200 (2017 est.)
- $50,800 (2016 est.)
- $50,100 (2015 est.)
- note
- data are in 2017 dollars
Gdp Purchasing Power Parity
- $518 billion (2017 est.)
- $507.3 billion (2016 est.)
- $494 billion (2015 est.)
- note
- data are in 2017 dollars
Gdp Real Growth Rate
- 2.1% (2017 est.)
- 2.7% (2016 est.)
- 4.5% (2015 est.)
Gross National Saving
- 28.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
- 28.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
- 28.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share
- highest 10%
- 24% (2012)
- lowest 10%
- 24% (2012)
Imports
- $153.2 billion (2017 est.)
- $140.2 billion (2016 est.)
Imports Commodities
machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing
Imports Partners
Germany 18.7%, Netherlands 8.9%, Norway 7.7%, Denmark 7.2%, China 5.5%, UK 5.1%, Finland 4.7%, Belgium 4.7% (2017)
Industrial Production Growth Rate
4.1% (2017 est.)
Industries
iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
Inflation Rate Consumer Prices
- 1.9% (2017 est.)
- 1.1% (2016 est.)
Labor Force
5.361 million (2017 est.)
Labor Force By Occupation
- agriculture
- 2%
- industry
- 12%
- services
- 86% (2014 est.)
Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
- $560.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
- $470.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
- $581.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line
15% (2014 est.)
Public Debt
- 40.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
- 42.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
- note
- data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold
- $62.22 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
- $59.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Stock Of Broad Money
- $329.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
- $273.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad
- $523.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
- $479.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home
- $458.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
- $390.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Stock Of Domestic Credit
- $929.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
- $749.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Stock Of Narrow Money
- $329.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
- $273.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Taxes And Other Revenues
50.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment Rate
- 6.7% (2017 est.)
- 7% (2016 est.)
Energy
Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy
52.31 million Mt (2017 est.)
Crude Oil Exports
14,570 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude Oil Imports
400,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude Oil Production
0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude Oil Proved Reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Electricity Access
- electrification - total population
- 100% (2016)
Electricity Consumption
133.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity Exports
26.02 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity From Fossil Fuels
5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants
42% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity From Nuclear Fuels
22% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity From Other Renewable Sources
32% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity Imports
14.29 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity Installed Generating Capacity
40.29 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity Production
152.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Natural Gas Consumption
764.5 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural Gas Exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural Gas Imports
764.5 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural Gas Production
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural Gas Proved Reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption
323,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined Petroleum Products Exports
371,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined Petroleum Products Imports
229,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined Petroleum Products Production
413,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Communications
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 38 (2017 est.)
- total
- 3,735,884 (2017 est.)
Broadcast Media
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 (2008)
Internet Country Code
.se
Internet Users
- percent of population
- 91.5% (July 2016 est.)
- total
- 9,041,427 (July 2016 est.)
Telephone System
- domestic
- coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels (2016)
- general assessment
- highly developed telecommunications infrastructure; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line, mobile-cellular, Internet, and broadband penetration (2016)
- international
- country code - 46; submarine cables provide 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) (2016)
Telephones Fixed Lines
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 28 (2017 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 2,794,418 (2017 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 125 (2017 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 12,435,709 (2017 est.)
Transportation
Airports
231 (2013)
Airports With Paved Runways
- 1,524 to 2,437 m
- 75 (2013)
- 2,438 to 3,047 m
- 12 (2013)
- 914 to 1,523 m
- 22 (2013)
- over 3,047 m
- 3 (2013)
- total
- 149 (2013)
- under 914 m
- 37 (2013)
Airports With Unpaved Runways
- 914 to 1,523 m
- 5 (2013)
- total
- 82 (2013)
- under 914 m
- 77 (2013)
Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix
SE (2016)
Heliports
2 (2013)
Merchant Marine
- by type
- general cargo 71, oil tanker 23, other 274 (2017)
- total
- 368 (2017)
National Air Transport System
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers
- 0 mt-km (2015)
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers
- 11,623,930 (2015)
- inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers
- 219 (2015)
- number of registered air carriers
- 8 (2015)
Pipelines
1626 km gas (2013)
Ports And Terminals
- LNG terminal(s) (import)
- Brunnsviksholme, Lysekil
- major seaport(s)
- Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby
Railways
- narrow gauge
- 65 km 0.891-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2016)
- standard gauge
- 14,062 km 1.435-m gauge (12,322 km electrified) (2016)
- total
- 14,127 km (2016)
Roadways
- note
- includes 98,500 km of state roads, 433,034 km of private roads, and 41,600 km of municipal roads
- paved
- 140,100 km (2016)
- total
- 573,134 km (includes 2,050 km of expressways) (2016)
- unpaved
- 433,034 km (2016)
Waterways
2,052 km (2010)
Military and Security
Military Branches
Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal Swedish Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2018)
Military Expenditures
- 1% of GDP (2017)
- 1.04% of GDP (2016)
- 1.09% of GDP (2015)
- 1.14% of GDP (2014)
- 1.13% of GDP (2013)
Military Service Age And Obligation
18-47 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; Swedish citizenship required; service obligation: 7.5 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 2018 (2018)
Transnational Issues
Disputes International
none
Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons
- refugees (country of origin)
- 103,614 (Syria), 27,153 (Eritrea), 25,645 (Afghanistan), 21,973 (Somalia), 15,524 (Iraq) (2017)
- stateless persons
- 35,101 (2017); note - the majority of stateless people are from the Middle East and Somalia