Sweden
Country Guide

Explore Sweden

Sweden with its capital Stockholm is located in Europe (Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea). It covers some 450,296 square kilometers (almost three times the size of Georgia) with a population of 9,960,490. Swedish, Northern Sami and Finnish are some of the languages spoken by the majority in Sweden (consider regional differences). Did you know that is sharing borders with Finland and Norway.

Sweden is the largest of the Nordic countries in Northern Europe, with a population of about 9.3 million. Sweden has a strong tradition of being an open, yet discreet country. Citizens sometimes appear to be quite reserved at first, but once they get to know who they are dealing with, they'll be as warm and friendly as you'd wish. Sweden is great for outdoor life - skiing, skating, hiking, canoeing, cycling and berry-picking depending of season. Stockholm and Gothenburg have great nightlife and shopping opportunities. Most cities have well-preserved preindustrial architecture. Sceneries of nature, less populated than most of Europe. Ice and snow during winter.

Popular Destinations in Sweden

Administrative regions of Sweden

• Blekinge
• Dalarna
• Gaevleborgs laen
• Gotland
• Halland
• Jaemtlands laen
• Joenkoepings laen
• Kalmar
• Kronoberg
• Norrbotten
• OErebro laen
• OEstergoetlands laen
• Skane County
• Soedermanlands laen
• Stockholm
• Uppsala
• Vaermlands laen
• Vaesterbottens laen
• Vaesternorrlands laen
• Vaestmanlands laen
• Vastra GOtaland County

About the country

The terrain is mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands having mountains in west. The average density of population is about 22 per km². The climate in Sweden can be described as temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers with subarctic in north. Possible natural disasters include ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic.

To reach someone Sweden dial +46 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".se". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F). The sign for the locally used currency Krona is SEK.

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.

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
Total (World Rank: 57)	450,295	sq km
Land (World Rank: 58)	410,335	sq km
Water (World Rank: 17)	39,960	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 186)	1.10	%
Comparative	almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California
Coastline
3218
Landborder
2211
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 44)	-2	m
Highest point (World Rank: 118)	2,111	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 203)	7.50	%
Arable (World Rank: 141)	6.40	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 186)	1.10	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 81)	1,640	sq km
Map reference
Europe
Environment
Issues	- acid rain damage to soils and lakes - pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea
Agreement party	- 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 Treaty - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol - Antarctic-Marine Living Resources - 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
Hazzards	ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
Location
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
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

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 91)	9,960,490
Deathrate (World Rank: 54)	0.94	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 162)	1.21	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 128)	0.81	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 22)	0.53	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 138)	1.88	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 34)	40.20
Female (World Rank: 46)	42.20
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 100)	892,462
0 14 female (World Rank: 100)	843,375
15 24 male (World Rank: 99)	581,025
15 24 female (World Rank: 102)	545,971
25 54 male (World Rank: 86)	1,993,590
25 54 female (World Rank: 87)	1,933,080
55 64 male (World Rank: 63)	578,942
55 64 female (World Rank: 66)	574,479
65 x male (World Rank: 42)	931,593
65 x female (World Rank: 49)	1,085,970
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 214)	0.26	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 16)	82	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 25)	84	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 11)	80	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 13)	4.11
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 87)	2.54
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 26)	99.30	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 97)	20.60	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 35)	100.00	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 24)	154,300,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 29)	125,400,000,000	kWh
Export (World Rank: 6)	26,020,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 16)	14,290,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 203)	6.30	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 76)	24.30	%
Source renew (World Rank: 13)	30.00	%
Crude oil
Imports (World Rank: 24)	393,900	bbl / day
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 37)	418,700	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 41)	320,200	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 24)	336,300	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 28)	220,300	bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 93)	1,250,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 34)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
62000000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 11)	8	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 110)	1	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 6)	12	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 27)	1	% of GDP
National symbol
three crowns
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Swedish
Noun
Swede(s)
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.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 39)	497,400,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 87)	3.20	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 25)	49,800	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 187)	1.60	%
Source industry (World Rank: 56)	33.20	%
Source service (World Rank: 88)	65.20	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 77)	5,276,000
In poverty (World Rank: 130)	15.00	%
Products
Industries	- armaments - bearings - iron - motor vehicles - paper products - precision equipment - processed foods - radio - steel - telephone parts - wood pulp
Agriculture	- barley - meat - milk - sugar beets - wheat
Exports	- chemicals - iron - machinery - motor vehicles - paper products - pulp - steel products - wood
Imports	- chemicals - clothing - foodstuffs - iron - machinery - motor vehicles - petroleum - petroleum products - steel

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 47)	3,328,370
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 52)	34.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 67)	125.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 49)	9,041,430
Population (World Rank: 20)	91.50	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 14)	149.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 43)	82.00
Heliports (World Rank: 54)	2.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 20)	14,127
Road
Total length (World Rank: 13)	573,134
Paved length (World Rank: 21)	140,100
Unpaved length (World Rank: 7)	433,034
Water
Total length (World Rank: 41)	2,052

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