Facts about Sweden

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in 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 by the global economic downturn, 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.

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


• Population: 9,016,596 (July 2006 est.)


• International Organization Participation: AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
• Foreign Trade Zones: Marstrand (17th century) Saint-Barthélemy (1785-1878)
• GDP, Purchasing Power Parity:$285.1 billion (2006 est.)

• Exports: $173.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)


• Export Commodities: machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals


• Export Partners: US 10.6%, Germany 10.2%, Norway 8.7%, UK 7.3%, Denmark 6.5%, Finland 5.7%, France 4.9%, Netherlands 4.5%, Belgium 4.3% (2005)


• Import: $151.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)


• Import Commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing


• Import Partners: Germany 17.6%, Denmark 8.9%, Norway 7.8%, UK 6.6%, Netherlands 6.2%, Finland 5.8%, France 5% (2005)


• Currency (code): Swedish krona (SEK)


• Exchange Rates: Swedish kronor per US dollar - 7.43321 (2006), 7.4731 (2005), 7.3489 (2004), 8.0863 (2003), 9.7371 (2002)

• Airports: 255 (2006)


• Railways: total: 11,481 km standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2005)


• Roadways: total: 424,947 km paved: 129,651 km (including 1,591 km of expressways) unpaved: 295,296 km (2004)


• Waterways: 2,052 km (2005)


• Port and Terminals: Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Oxelosund, Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg

Facts taken from the CIA World Factbook