A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for 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 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.

Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

slightly larger than California

temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

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

strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas

indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Swedish (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%

9,103,788 (July 2012 est.)

10.24 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

10.21 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

1.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

STOCKHOLM (capital) 1.279 million (2009)

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

1.67 children born/woman (2012 est.)

3.583 physicians/1,000 population (2006)

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

constitutional monarchy

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)

Swedish Flag Day, 6 June (1916); National Day, 6 June (1983)

civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)

Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen; Supreme Administrative Court note: the Supreme Court is the highest court of general jurisdiction and the Supreme Administrative Court is the highest administrative court

Center Party (Centerpartiet) [Annie LOOF]; Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Goran HAGGLUND]; Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) [no formal leader, spokespersons are Asa ROMSON and Gustav FRIDOLIN]; Left Party (Vansterpartiet) (formerly Communist Party) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party (Folkpartiet) or LPP [Jan BJORKLUND]; Moderate Party (Moderaterna) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SDP [Stefan LOFVEN]; Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON]

Children's Rights in Society; Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees or TCO; Swedish Trade Union Confederation (Landsorganisationen) or LO [Wanja LUNDBY-WEDIN]

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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

Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 20th century, 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 highly skilled labor force. In September 2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system concerned about the impact on the economy and sovereignty. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for vast majority of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for about 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for little more than 1% of GDP and of employment. Until 2008, Sweden was in the midst of a sustained economic upswing, boosted by increased domestic demand and strong exports. This and robust finances offered the center-right government considerable scope to implement its reform program aimed at increasing employment, reducing welfare dependence, and streamlining the state's role in the economy. Despite strong finances and underlying fundamentals, the Swedish economy slid into recession in the third quarter of 2008 and growth continued downward in 2009 as deteriorating global conditions reduced export demand and consumption. Strong exports of commodities and a return to profitability by Sweden''s banking sector drove the strong rebound in 2010, which continued in 2011, and the government is proposing stimulus measures in the 2012 budget to curb the effects of a global economic slowdown and boost employment and growth.

$386.6 billion (2011 est.)

$371.8 billion (2010 est.)

$351.2 billion (2009 est.)

$538.2 billion (2011 est.)

5.018 million (2011 est.)

18.3% of GDP (2011 est.)

51.6% of GDP (2011 est.)

0.1% of GDP (2011 est.)

37.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

39.4% of GDP (2010 est.)

5.5% (31 December 2010 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

4.3% (31 December 2011 est.)

3.386% (31 December 2010 est.)

$229.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$235.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$440.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$298.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$790.7 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$705.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$470.1 billion (31 December 2011)

$581.2 billion (31 December 2010)

$432.3 billion (31 December 2009)

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

$41.2 billion (2011 est.)

$30.41 billion (2010 est.)

$192.9 billion (2011 est.)

$160.4 billion (2010 est.)

machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals

Germany 10.5%, Norway 9.3%, UK 7.4%, Denmark 6.5%, Finland 6.5%, US 5.5%, Netherlands 5.2%, France 4.9%, Belgium 4.8% (2011)

$179.6 billion (2011 est.)

$149.5 billion (2010 est.)

machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Germany 18.4%, Denmark 8.2%, Norway 7.8%, Netherlands 6.1%, UK 5.9%, Russia 5.7%, Finland 5.3%, China 4.7%, France 4.6% (2011)

$50.35 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$48.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.016 trillion (30 June 2011)

$853.3 billion (30 June 2010)

$360.8 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$348.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$364.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$336.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar -

147.8 billion kWh (2010 est.)

127.1 billion kWh (2009 est.)

12.85 billion kWh (2010 est.)

14.93 billion kWh (2010 est.)

35.29 million kW (2009 est.)

12.5% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

25% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

46.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

15.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

380,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

413,300 bbl/day (2009 est.)

316,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)

243,200 bbl/day (2009 est.)

166,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

1.296 billion cu m (2011 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

62.74 million Mt (2010 est.)

11.194 million (2011)

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)

5.727 million (2010)

8.398 million (2009)

Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby

Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal Swedish Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2010)

18-47 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); the Swedish Parliament has abolished compulsory military service, with exclusively voluntary recruitment as of July 2010; conscription remains an option in emergencies; after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47 (2010)

1.5% of GDP (2005 est.)