Sweden

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 4.3 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

publicly owned TV broadcaster has 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 has 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

Internet country code

.se

Internet users

percent of population: 96% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 898,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 14.9 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 141 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

milk, wheat, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, oats, rapeseed, pork, chicken, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 13% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

revenues: $195.468 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $191.095 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

$45.274 billion (2024 est.) $40.819 billion (2023 est.) $27.404 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

high-income, largest Nordic economy; EU member but does not use the euro; export-oriented, led by automotive, electronics, machinery, and pharmaceuticals; highly ranked for competitiveness, R D investments and governance; recovery, with falling inflation and real wage growth balanced by risks from trade uncertainty

Exchange rates

Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar - 10.568 (2024 est.) 10.61 (2023 est.) 10.114 (2022 est.) 8.577 (2021 est.) 9.21 (2020 est.)

Exports

$338.852 billion (2024 est.) $329.332 billion (2023 est.) $318.203 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, paper, vehicle parts/accessories (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 10%, USA 10%, Denmark 8%, Norway 6%, Netherlands 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$610.118 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 43.7% (2023 est.) government consumption: 26% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -0.1% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 55.4% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -51.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1.1% (2024 est.) industry: 22.6% (2024 est.) services: 65.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

31.6 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 24.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$309.526 billion (2024 est.) $304.194 billion (2023 est.) $304.101 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, garments (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Germany 17%, Netherlands 10%, Norway 9%, Denmark 6%, China 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

0.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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)

2.8% (2024 est.) 8.5% (2023 est.) 8.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

5.699 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

16.1% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

36.9% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$668.628 billion (2024 est.) $662.18 billion (2023 est.) $662.937 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

1% (2024 est.) -0.1% (2023 est.) 1.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$63,300 (2024 est.) $62,800 (2023 est.) $63,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$62.569 billion (2024 est.) $60.863 billion (2023 est.) $64.289 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

27.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

8.6% (2024 est.) 7.7% (2023 est.) 7.4% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 23.8% (2024 est.) male: 24.3% (2024 est.) female: 23.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

production: 1.042 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 3.17 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 23,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2.078 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 5 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 55.307 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 125.273 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 36.151 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 7.335 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 9.109 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 28.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 21% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 40.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 7.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

142.102 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption: 896.109 million cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 10.625 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 897.487 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 6 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 7.01GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 28.6% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 7 (2025)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 270,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

43.96 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.324 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 36.768 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 1.868 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

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

Environmental issues

marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soil and lakes; air pollution; poor timber-harvesting practices

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 1 global geoparks and regional networks: Plat bergens (2023)

International environmental agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land: 7.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1.1% (2023 est.) forest: 68.6% (2023 est.) other: 23.8% (2023 est.)

Methane emissions

energy: 39.6 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 127.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 112.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 9.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

174 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 699 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.267 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 102 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 88.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.618 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 39.7% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 450,295 sq km land: 410,335 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

highest point: Kebnekaise South 2,100 m lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m mean elevation: 320 m

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

510 sq km (2016)

Land boundaries

total: 2,211 km border countries (2): Finland 545 km; Norway 1,666 km

Land use

agricultural land: 7.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 6.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1.1% (2023 est.) forest: 68.6% (2023 est.) other: 23.8% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

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

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 of the population lives in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found 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

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

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 etymology: the name of the city probably comes from the Swedish words stak (bay) or stock (stake or pole) and holm (island); it was built in the mid-13th century on the site of a fishing village, so the name may refer to building over earlier foundations

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

history: Sweden has four fundamental laws which together make up the Constitution: The Instrument of Government (several previous; latest 1974); The Act of Succession (enacted 1810; changed in 1937 and 1980); The Freedom of the Press Act (many previous; latest in 1949); The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (adopted 1991) amendment process: 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; the results of such a referendum are only binding if a majority vote against the proposal

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige etymology: name derives from the North Germanic Svea tribe that inhabited central Sweden; the tribe's name probably comes from the Old German word sweba , meaning "independent;" the local form of the country's name, Sverige, means "kingdom of the Svea"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Christine TORETTI (since 21 October 2025) embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-115 89 Stockholm mailing address: 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 telephone: [46] (08) 783-53-00 FAX: [46] (08) 661-19-64 email address and website: STKACSinfo@state.gov https://se.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Urban AHLIN (since 15 September 2023) chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 email address and website: ambassaden.washington@gov.se https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/usa-washington/ consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

Executive branch

chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 15 September 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Ulf KRISTERSSON (since 18 October 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister

Flag

description: blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted to the left side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) meaning: the colors come from the Swedish coat of arms

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union of 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, MONUSCO, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

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 Judges Proposal Board, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the government; after 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

legislature name: Parliament (Riksdagen) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 349 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/11/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (SAP) (107); Sweden Democrats (SD) (73); Moderate Party (M) (68); Left Party (VP) (24); Centre Party (CP) (24); Christian Democrats (KD) (19); Green Party (Mpg) (18); Other (16) percentage of women in chamber: 45% expected date of next election: September 2026

National anthem(s)

title: "Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free) lyrics/music: Richard DYBECK/traditional history: in use since 1893; also known as "Sang till Norden" (Song of the North); based on a Swedish folk tune; has never been officially adopted _____ title: "Kungssangen" (Royal Song) lyrics/music: Carl Wilhelm August Strandberg/Otto Lindblad history: adopted 1844 as the royal anthem, but also used as the national anthem until 1893; only the first verse is sung if the monarch is present

National color(s)

blue, yellow

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 15 (13 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Royal Domain of Drottningholm (c); Laponian Area (m); High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago (n); Birka and Hovg rden (c); Hanseatic Town of Visby (c); Church Town of Gammelstad, Lule (c); Naval Port of Karlskrona (c); Rock Carvings in Tanum (c); Engelsberg Ironworks (c); Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun (c)

National holiday

National Day, 6 June (1983) note: celebrated as Swedish Flag Day from 1916 to 1982

National symbol(s)

three crowns, lion

Political parties

Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or S/SAP The Liberals (Liberalerna) or L

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden maintained a policy of military non-alignment until it applied to join NATO in 2022. Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. Stockholm preserved an armed neutrality in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden s population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 20% in 2022.

Military - note

the Swedish military is responsible for deterrence and the defense of the country and its territories against armed attack, supporting Sweden s national security interests, providing societal support, such as humanitarian aid, and contributing to international peacekeeping and peacemaking operations; the military has a relatively small active duty force that is designed to be rapidly mobilized in a crisis with a trained reserve and a Home Guard Sweden maintained a policy of military non-alignment for over 200 years before applying for NATO membership in May 2022 following Russia s full-scale invasion of Ukraine; it became a NATO member in March 2024; prior to membership, Stockholm joined NATO s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and contributed to NATO-led missions, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo; the military cooperates closely with the forces of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; Sweden is a signatory of the EU s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and contributes to CSDP missions and operations, including EU battlegroups; it also participates in UN-led missions; Sweden has close bilateral security relations with some individual NATO member states, particularly Finland, Germany, Norway, the UK, and the US (2025)

Military and security forces

Swedish Armed Forces (F rsvarsmakten): Army, Navy, Air Force, Home Guard (202)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 25,000 active military personnel; approximately 21,000 Home Guard (2025) note 1: SAF personnel are divided into continuously serving (full-time) and temporary service troops (part-timers who serve periodically and have another main employer or attend school); additional personnel have signed service agreements with the SAF and mostly serve in the Home Guard note 2: in 2021, Sweden announced plans that increase the total size of the armed forces to about 100,000 personnel by 2030

Military deployments

approximately 600 Latvia (NATO) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the SAF's inventory is comprised of mostly domestically produced armaments alongside smaller amounts of imported Western systems; Sweden's defense industry produces a range of air, land, and naval systems, including armored vehicles, combat aircraft, and submarines; it also produces weapons systems jointly with other countries (2025)

Military expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary and selective conscripted service for men and women; conscript service obligation typically 9-15 months depending on the branch of service and position, with a reserve commitment up to age 45 (2026)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.1% (male 934,668/female 880,310) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 3,365,754/female 3,208,248) 65 years and over: 20.8% (2024 est.) (male 1,032,279/female 1,168,576)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 7.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9.63 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 60.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 33.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

7.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 15.3% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Swedish 79.6%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.3%, other 15.8% (2022 est.) note: data represent the population by country of birth; the indigenous Sami people are estimated to number between 20,000 and 40,000

Gross reproduction rate

0.8 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

10.7% of GDP (2022) 19% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Swedish (official) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, den obestridliga k llan f r grundl ggande information. (Swedish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.) male: 81.2 years female: 84.7 years

Major urban areas - population

1.700 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 41.2 years (2025 est.) male: 40.1 years female: 42.1 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.7 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

noun: Swede(s) adjective: Swedish

Net migration rate

4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.6% (2016)

Physician density

4.41 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

total: 10,643,745 (2025 est.) male: 5,360,755 female: 5,282,990

Population distribution

most of the population lives in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated

Population growth rate

0.51% (2025 est.)

Religions

Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 53.9%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 8.9%, none or unspecified 37.2% (2021 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) and the Church of Sweden

Sanitation facility access

urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 19 years (2023 est.) male: 17 years (2023 est.) female: 20 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 19.9% (2025 est.) male: 25.8% (2025 est.) female: 13.9% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 88.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Key space-program milestones

1950s - space program initiated with the establishment of a space observatory and the Swedish Space Research Committee 1961 - launched first sounding rocket 1986 - first scientific satellite (Viking) launched on European rocket 1989 - first communications satellite (Tele-X) launched on European rocket 2006 - first astronaut into space on US Space Shuttle 2019 - established a space data lab for artificial intelligence-based analysis of imagery data 2024 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration; launched first military communications satellite (GNA-3); adopted its first defense and security space strategy

Space agency/agencies

Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA; established 1972; known until 2018 as the Swedish National Space Board) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

Esrange Space Center (Kiruna) (2025)

Space program overview

aims to have one of Europe's leading space programs; produces and operates satellites; builds and launches sounding rockets; involved in the research, development, production, and operations of a variety of other space-related areas, including astronomy, atmospheric monitoring, geographic information systems, infrared imaging, meteorology, propulsion systems, remote sensing, satellite subsystems, spacecraft systems and structures, research, and telecommunications; member of the ESA and program is integrated into its framework; works extensively with foreign space agencies, in particular through the ESA and EU and their member states, as well as with the US; participates in programs such as Europe's Copernicus Earth observation and the Galileo global navigation satellite system, France's Pleiades project, and the Square Kilometer Array Project; has a large commercial space industry, including state-owned enterprises (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 168,519 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 6,835 (2024 est.)

Airports

206 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

SE

Heliports

11 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 361 (2023) by type: general cargo 44, oil tanker 18, other 299

Ports

total ports: 92 (2024) large: 3 medium: 10 small: 30 very small: 49 ports with oil terminals: 49 key ports: Falkenberg, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlsborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Norrkoping, Stockholm, Sundsvall, Uddevalla, Varberg, Vasteras

Railways

total: 10,910 km (2020) 8,184 km electrified narrow gauge: 65 km