Europe :: SWEDEN

  • Introduction :: SWEDEN

  • 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 :: SWEDEN

  • Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
    62 00 N, 15 00 E
    Europe
    total: 450,295 sq km
    land: 410,335 sq km
    water: 39,960 sq km
    country comparison to the world: 57
    almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California
    total: 2,211 km
    border countries (2): Finland 545 km, Norway 1,666 km
    3,218 km
    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
    temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north
    mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
    mean elevation: 320 m
    elevation extremes: lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m
    highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m
    iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
    agricultural land: 7.5%
    arable land 6.4%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 1.1%
    forest: 68.7%
    other: 23.8% (2011 est.)
    1,640 sq km (2012)
    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
    ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
    acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea
    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
    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

  • People and Society :: SWEDEN

  • 9,960,487 (July 2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 91
    noun: Swede(s)
    adjective: Swedish
    indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities; most common countries of origin among immigrants: Finland, Syria, Iraq, Poland, Iran
    Swedish (official)
    note: Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages
    Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 63%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 17% (2016 est.)
    0-14 years: 17.43% (male 892,462/female 843,375)
    15-24 years: 11.31% (male 581,025/female 545,971)
    25-54 years: 39.42% (male 1,993,590/female 1,933,080)
    55-64 years: 11.58% (male 578,942/female 574,479)
    65 years and over: 20.26% (male 931,593/female 1,085,970) (2017 est.)
    total dependency ratio: 58.5
    youth dependency ratio: 27.4
    elderly dependency ratio: 31.1
    potential support ratio: 3.2 (2015 est.)
    total: 41.2 years
    male: 40.2 years
    female: 42.2 years (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 38
    0.81% (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 131
    12.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 167
    9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 57
    5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 24
    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
    urban population: 86.1% of total population (2017)
    rate of urbanization: 0.86% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
    STOCKHOLM (capital) 1.486 million (2015)
    at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
    0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
    15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
    25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
    55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
    65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
    total population: 1 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
    29.1 years (2015 est.)
    4 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 177
    total: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births
    male: 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births
    female: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 218
    total population: 82.1 years
    male: 80.2 years
    female: 84.2 years (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 16
    1.88 children born/woman (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 141
    11.9% of GDP (2014)
    country comparison to the world: 6
    4.11 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
    2.54 beds/1,000 population (2014)
    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.)
    improved:
    urban: 99.3% of population
    rural: 99.6% of population
    total: 99.3% of population
    unimproved:
    urban: 0.7% of population
    rural: 0.4% of population
    total: 0.7% of population (2015 est.)
    0.2% (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 98
    11,000 (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 92
    <100 (2016 est.)
    20.6% (2016)
    country comparison to the world: 97
    7.7% of GDP (2013)
    country comparison to the world: 20
    total: 18 years
    male: 17 years
    female: 20 years (2014)
    total: 20.4%
    male: 21.2%
    female: 19.6% (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 40

  • Government :: SWEDEN

  • 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.
    parliamentary constitutional monarchy
    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
    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
    6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden)
    National Day, 6 June (1983); note - from 1916 to 1982 this date was celebrated as Swedish Flag Day
    history: several previous; latest adopted 1 January 1975
    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)
    civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law
    accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
    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
    18 years of age; universal
    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 Stefan LOFVEN (since 3 October 2014); Deputy Prime Minister Isabella LOVIN (since 25 May 2016)
    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
    description: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; 310 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 39 members in "at-large" seats directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
    elections: last held on 14 September 2014 (next to be held on or before 9 September 2018)
    election results: percent of vote by party - SAP 31.0%, M 23.3%, SD 12.9%, MP 6.9%, C 6.1%, V 5.7%, L 5.4%, KD 4.6%, other 4.1%; seats by party - SAP 113, M 84, SD 49, MP 25, C 22, V 21, L 19, KD 16
    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 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
    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]
    Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Naringsliv) [Carola LEMNE]
    Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations or SACO [Goran ARRIUS]
    Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees or TCO [Eva NORDMARK]
    Swedish Trade Union Confederation (Landsorganisationen) or LO [Karl-Petter THORWALDSSON]
    other: environmental groups; media
    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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
    chief of mission: Ambassador Karin Ulrika OLOFSDOTTER (since 17 September 2017)
    chancery: The House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
    telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600
    FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699
    consulate(s) general: New York
    chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David E. LINDWALL (since 20 January 2017)
    embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
    mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750
    telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
    FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64
    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
    three crowns, lion; national colors: blue, yellow
    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

  • Economy :: SWEDEN

  • 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 an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade.
    Sweden’s economy experienced modest growth in 2014-16, with real GDP growth above 2%, but continues to struggle with deflationary pressure.
    $497.4 billion (2016 est.)
    $476 billion (2015 est.)
    $452.4 billion (2014 est.)
    note: data are in 2016 dollars
    country comparison to the world: 39
    $511 billion (2016 est.)
    3.2% (2016 est.)
    4.1% (2015 est.)
    2.6% (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 86
    $49,800 (2016 est.)
    $48,900 (2015 est.)
    $47,500 (2014 est.)
    note: data are in 2016 dollars
    country comparison to the world: 26
    29.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
    28.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
    28% of GDP (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 28
    household consumption: 44.6%
    government consumption: 26.2%
    investment in fixed capital: 24%
    investment in inventories: 0.6%
    exports of goods and services: 44.3%
    imports of goods and services: -39.7% (2016 est.)
    agriculture: 1.6%
    industry: 33.2%
    services: 65.2% (2016 est.)
    barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk
    iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
    1.4% (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 131
    5.276 million (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 78
    agriculture: 2%
    industry: 12%
    services: 86% (2014 est.)
    7% (2016 est.)
    7.4% (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 92
    15% (2014 est.)
    lowest 10%: 3.4%
    highest 10%: 24% (2012)
    24.9 (2013)
    25 (1992)
    country comparison to the world: 145
    revenues: $261 billion
    expenditures: $256.2 billion (2016 est.)
    51% of GDP (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 14
    0.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 27
    41.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
    43.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
    note: data cover general government debt, and includes 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 intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental 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
    country comparison to the world: 129
    calendar year
    1.1% (2016 est.)
    0% (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 89
    -0.5% (31 December 2016)
    -0.35% (31 December 2015)
    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
    country comparison to the world: 160
    1.85% (31 December 2016 est.)
    1.97% (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 179
    $273.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $271.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 17
    $321.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $323 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 32
    $748.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $749.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 19
    $560.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
    $470.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
    $581.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 21
    $23.07 billion (2016 est.)
    $23.28 billion (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 15
    $151.4 billion (2016 est.)
    $152.1 billion (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 30
    machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals (2012 est.)
    Germany 10.6%, Norway 10.4%, US 7.3%, Denmark 7%, Finland 6.8%, UK 6%, Netherlands 5.4%, Belgium 4.7%, France 4.4% (2016)
    $139.9 billion (2016 est.)
    $138.5 billion (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 29
    machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing
    Germany 18.8%, Netherlands 8.2%, Norway 7.8%, Denmark 7.6%, China 5.6%, UK 5.2%, Belgium 4.6%, Finland 4.5%, France 4.1% (2016)
    $59.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $58.11 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 36
    $939.9 billion (31 March 2016 est.)
    $929.4 billion (31 March 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 17
    $390.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $412 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 20
    $479.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
    $483.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 17
    Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar -
    8.5605 (2016 est.)
    8.5605 (2015 est.)
    8.4335 (2014 est.)
    6.8612 (2013 est.)
    6.77 (2012 est.)

  • Energy :: SWEDEN

  • electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
    154.3 billion kWh (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 25
    125.4 billion kWh (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 30
    26.02 billion kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 7
    14.29 billion kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 17
    39.67 million kW (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 26
    6.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 203
    24.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 5
    40.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 50
    30% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 13
    0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 197
    0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 194
    393,900 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 24
    0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
    country comparison to the world: 196
    418,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 38
    320,200 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 42
    336,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 25
    220,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 30
    0 cu m (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 199
    1.25 billion cu m (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 94
    0 cu m (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 187
    812 million cu m (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 63
    0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)
    country comparison to the world: 197
    62 million Mt (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 55

  • Communications :: SWEDEN

  • total subscriptions: 3,328,371
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (July 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 43
    total: 12,362,191
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (July 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 75
    general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line, mobile-cellular, Internet, and broadband penetration
    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; 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)
    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)
    .se
    total: 9,041,427
    percent of population: 91.5% (July 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 47

  • Transportation :: SWEDEN

  • number of registered air carriers: 8
    inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 219
    annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 11,623,930
    annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)
    SE (2016)
    231 (2013)
    country comparison to the world: 25
    total: 149
    over 3,047 m: 3
    2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
    1,524 to 2,437 m: 75
    914 to 1,523 m: 22
    under 914 m: 37 (2013)
    total: 82
    914 to 1,523 m: 5
    under 914 m: 77 (2013)
    2 (2013)
    gas 1,626 km (2013)
    total: 14,127 km
    standard gauge: 14,062 km 1.435-m gauge (12,322 km electrified)
    narrow gauge: 65 km 0.891-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2016)
    country comparison to the world: 21
    total: 573,134 km (includes 2,050 km of expressways)
    paved: 140,100 km
    unpaved: 433,034 km
    note: includes 98,500 km of state roads, 433,034 km of private roads, and 41,600 km of municipal roads (2016)
    country comparison to the world: 13
    2,052 km (2010)
    country comparison to the world: 40
    total: 190
    by type: bulk carrier 7, general dry cargo 8, anti-pollution vessel 1, cable layer 2, dredge 2, ice 6, inspection 7, survey 6, training 4, tug 11, multi-purpose 1, passenger/ferry 26, ro-pax 38, ro-ro 29, ro-ro/container 4, tanker (ej gas) 37, tanker (LNG) 1
    foreign: 275 (Bahamas 7, Barbados 3, Bermuda 20, Cayman Islands 1, Cook Islands 2, Cyprus 14, Danish Int’l 20, Denmark 2, Faeroe Islands 19, Finland 2, France 1, Germany 5, Gibraltar 19, Italy 1, Latvia 1, Liberia 10, Madeira 11, Malaysia 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 7, Netherlands 35, Norway 2, Norwegian International 25, Panama 3, Russia 2, Singapore 16, Spain 2, St. Kitts and Nevis 1, St. Vincent and the Grenadines 11, Tanzania 1, Togo 1, UK 24) (2015)
    country comparison to the world: 35
    major seaport(s): Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby
    LNG terminal(s) (import): Brunnsviksholme, Lysekil

  • Military and Security :: SWEDEN

  • 1.04% of GDP (2016)
    1.09% of GDP (2015)
    1.14% of GDP (2014)
    1.13% of GDP (2013)
    1.15% of GDP (2012)
    country comparison to the world: 84
    Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal Swedish Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2016)
    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, is due to be reinstated in 2018 (2017)

  • Transnational Issues :: SWEDEN

  • none
    refugees (country of origin): 96,914 (Syria); 25,968 (Eritrea); 21,693 (Iraq); 22,548 (Somalia); 16,558 (Afghanistan) (2016)
    stateless persons: 36,036 (2016); note - the majority of stateless people are from the Middle East and Somalia