Facts about Sweden sweden.se

1. Facts about Sweden www.sweden.se

2. CONTENTS • General Information 3 • Arts & Culture 15 • Economy & Trade 22 • Education & Research 34 • Government & Politics 43 • Society & Welfare 57 • Sports & Leisure 72 • Technology & Infrastructure 73 • Travel & Tourism 77

3. GENERAL INFORMATIONGeneral Facts • Area: 450,000 km2 (174,000 sq miles) • 9 million inhabitants • Capital: Stockholm • Other major cities: Göteborg, Malmö • Language: Swedish

4. GENERAL INFORMATIONGeneral Facts • Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy • Head of state: King Carl XVI Gustaf • Prime minister: Göran Persson (leader of the Social Democratic Party) • Currency: 1 Swedish krona (SEK) = 100 öre, equal to approximately EUR 0.11or USD 0.14 • Average life expectancy: men 77 years, women 82 years

5. GENERAL INFORMATIONGeography • Forests (mostly coniferous): 54% • Mountains: 17% • Cultivated land: 8% • Lakes and rivers: 9% • Highest mountain: Kebnekaise, 2,111 m (6,926 ft) • Distance north–south: 1,574 km (977 miles) • Distance east–west: 499 km (310 miles)

6. GENERAL INFORMATIONGeography • Average temperature IN JANUARY IN JULY Malmö -0.2°C (31.6°F) +16.8°C (62.2°F) Stockholm -2.8°C (30.0°F) +17.2°C (63.0°F) Kiruna -16.0°C (3.2°F) +12.8°C (55.0°F) • Daylight (approx. values) JANUARY 1 JULY 1 Malmö 7 hours 17 hours Stockholm 6 hours 18 hours Kiruna 0 hours 24 hours

7. GENERAL INFORMATIONHistory • Approx. 10,000 BC: Inland ice started to recede. First settlements in Sweden date from this period. • 8,000–6,000 BC: Population of the whole country begins • 800–1050: Viking era. Christianization begins • 13th century: Colonialization of Finland begins

8. GENERAL INFORMATIONHistory • 1350: Magnus Eriksson’s National Law Code • 1397–1521: Sweden, Denmark and Norway united in the Kalmar Union. Sweden gradually acquires Baltic territories. • 1523: Gustav Vasa elected King of Sweden • 1527: Reformation of the Church • 1611–1718: Great Power Era

9. GENERAL INFORMATIONHistory • 1630–48: The Thirty Years’ War • 1700–21: Great Northern War. Loss of Baltic possessions. • 1719–72: The Era of Liberty. Parliamentary government. • Gustav III (1771–1792) reintroduces absolutism • 1809: Finland lost to Russia • 1814–1905: Union with Norway

10. GENERAL INFORMATIONHistory • 1818: Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte became king under the name of Karl XIV Johan • 1850: Industrialization begins • 1911:Universal suffrage for men. Women’s suffrage follows in 1921. • Sweden remains neutral in world wars I and II • 1986: Assassination of Prime Minister Olof Palme • 1995: Membership of the European Union

11. GENERAL INFORMATIONThe Swedish Language • Swedish—national language of Sweden, native tongue of some 90 per cent of its inhabitants • Nordic language, belonging to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European family of languages • Also spoken by about 300,000 Finno-Swedes in Finland • One common language in Scandinavia until the 9th century. Many runic inscriptions from this period • German has influenced Swedish more than any other foreign language • Swedish taught at some 200 universities outside Sweden

12. GENERAL INFORMATION\Monarchy • Early Middle Ages: Elected kings.The Code of Kings 1350 • 15th century: Establishment of a parliament, the Riksdag, with four estates: nobility, clergy, burghers, and landowning farmers • Gustav Vasa. Monarchy becomes hereditary • The Era of Liberty: reaction against royal absolutism • 1771 Gustav III ascends the throne • 1914 Conflict between Gustav V and Parliament over the defence issue • Carl XVI Gustaf, king of Sweden since 1973

13. GENERAL INFORMATIONPopulation • World’s oldest system of population records (since 1686) • 71% live in nuclear families (1990 census) • 80% live in urban areas and along the coast • Fertility rate: 1.65 children per woman • Sámi (Lapp) minority of some 15,000 • 15% of Sweden’s population were either born outside Sweden or have two foreign-born parents

14. GENERAL INFORMATIONReligion • Christianity gained ground during the 10th and 11th centuries • 80% belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church • The Church of Sweden ceased to be the state church in 2000 • Sweden has a large number of free churches, immigrant religiousdenominations and other faiths

15. ARTS & CULTUREArtists and authors • Endeavors to expand cultural institutions, support for independent groups and cultural centres as well as purchasing works of art for public buildings to create job opportunities for artists • The state remunerates artists and sculptors for their works on displayin public settings and authors, translators and book illustrators whose works are available at libraries • Authors, translators and book illustrators can be awardeda guaranteed author’s allowance

16. ARTS & CULTURE Cultural Policy • The State finances central cultural institutions including the Royal Opera, the Royal Dramatic Theatre and the national museums • The State supports local and regional cultural activities through financial contributions • The municipalities bear responsibility for cultural policy at local level. They support libraries, run music schools and give grants to theatres, music, dance, exhibitions, museums etc.

17. ARTS & CULTURELiterature and Libraries • 1,500 public libraries which loan books free of charge • Authors receive payments from state funds when their books areborrowed from public libraries • Activities to promote reading among children and young people

18. ARTS & CULTUREMuseums • A group of national museums coordinates activities throughout the entire museum system within their particular field • Every county has a museum which acts as the centre for museum-related activities in the region • Rural heritage associations with collections or preserved environments • An increasing number of new museums depict more recent times

19. ARTS & CULTUREMusic • The Swedish National Concert Institute, Svenska Rikskonserter, supplements regional and local music production in cooperation withthe county music organization, Länsmusiken • Eleven professional symphony and chamber orchestras playingat regional level • Independent groups, representing all musical genres

20. ARTS & CULTUREPopular Education • Cultural activities mostly under the auspices of popular movements and amateur theatre organizations • 11 educational associations, each with its own ideological profile, have local branches in most municipalities • 1,700 art clubs • 400,000 sing regularly in choirs

21. ARTS & CULTURETheatre, Film and Dance • Operan and Dramaten are the national stages for opera and drama • Svenska Riksteatern performs throughout the country • 28 municipal/city and county theatre companies • Around 200 independent theatre groups (also children’s theatre) • Five permanent dance ensembles • Around 20 films which are partly or wholly Swedish-financed are premiered each year

22. ECONOMY & TRADEAgriculture and Food Processing • Fewer than 3% of labor force in agriculture and forestry • Crop-growing season averages around 240 days/year in the south, 120 days/year in the north • 74% of agricultural enterprises combine farming with forestry • Structural changes have resulted in fewer and larger farmswith fewer employees • Food exports more than doubled between 1994–2000 • High standars in the field of animal welfare

23. ECONOMY & TRADEEconomy • GDP: SEK 2,440 billion; per capita: SEK 272,000 (2003) • Unemployment: 4.9 % (2003) • Enrolled in government-financed labor market programs: 2 % • Sweden is in 17th place in the GDP per capita ranking (OECD) • Expansion of the public sector came to a halt during the 1990s • Most forecasts for 2004 and 2005 indicate a GDP growth of 2–3 % per year

24. ECONOMY & TRADEEconomy • Diversified economy. Large public sector. Growing private sector • Strong dependence on international trade • High R&D expenditure • Floating exchange rate • New, stricter Competition Act 1993 • Dependence on a number of very large international companies

25. ECONOMY & TRADEEngineering industry • Accounts for just over 50% of Sweden’s industrial production and 10% of total GDP • 2/3 of Swedish-produced engineering products exported • 50% of the sector are engine and vehicle manufacturers • Most companies small or medium-sized • High degree of specialisation • Focus on knowledge-intensive engineering, services and R&D

26. ECONOMY & TRADEForeign Trade • Exports by important commodity groups (percent of total value)January–November 2003: – Forestry products 13.5% – Mineral products 8.5% – Chemical products 12.8% – Energy products 3.2% – Engineering products 50.5% – Other 11.4%

27. ECONOMY & TRADEForeign Trade • Imports by important commodity groups (percent of total value) January–November 2003: – Forestry products 3.5% – Mineral products 8.1% – Chemical products 12.5% – Energy products 9.5% – Engineering products 45.5% – Other 20.8%

28. ECONOMY & TRADEForestry and the Forest Products Industry • National forest policy: a reliable yield of timber while preserving biological diversity • Private individuals the largest category of owners • Nearly 12 million hectares of forest certified as sustainably managed • Original genetic material of Sweden’s tree species preserved in a forest gene bank • Sweden is among the world’s leading exporters of forest products

29. ECONOMY & TRADEIndustry • Some important Swedish industries: – industries based on iron ore and wood – telecommunications industry – pharmaceutical industry – aviation industry – automotive industry – defence material industry – nuclear power industry

30. ECONOMY & TRADEIndustry • Supply of indigenous raw material an important for Swedish industry • The main increase in output has been in knowledge-intensive manufacturing and service sectors. • Fast expansion in the telecommunications industry and the pharmaceutical industry • Mergers and acquisitions have been among the most important elementsof Swedish business restructuring in recent decades

31. ECONOMY & TRADEMining and steel industries • Iron played a dominant role for many centuries • Manufacture of iron and non-ferrous metal goods started the modern engineering industry • Iron ore and sulfide extracted in northern Sweden • Smelting of non-ferrous metals including copper, lead, silver and gold • Focus on making high-value specialty steels • Around 20,000 people employed in the steel industry

32. ECONOMY & TRADEMotor vehicle industry • Central role in Swedish economy • Exports of automobiles and automobile parts 15% of total Swedish exports 2003 • One fifth of the global heavy truck production 2003 either Volvo or Scania. • Catalytic exhaust emission checks mandatory in Sweden. Around 85% of cars fitted with catalytic converters

33. ECONOMY & TRADEService sector • 3.7 million people (85% of total workforce) employed in service sector • Extensive public service sector funded by central or local government, mainly health care, education and social services • Expansion of private sector in late 1990s. Most job growth in knowledge- intensive fields • Company and household-oriented services dominate private service sector • Services have become more important in international trade

34. EDUCATION & RESEARCHAlfred Nobel and the Nobel Prizes • Alfred Nobel (1833–1896), inventor, global industrial magnate, linguist, philosopher and humanist • The Nobel prizes are awarded for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace (Norway). Since 1969 there is also a prize in Economics in honor of Alfred Nobel • In 2003 the prizes were each worth SEK 10 million

35. EDUCATION & RESEARCHCompulsory Schooling • 9 years’ compulsory education • More than 97% of all pupils attend municipal compulsory schools • Few private schools. They generally receive government grants • Parents and pupils shall have a free choice of municipal schoolsand can also opt for publicly-funded independent schools • The municipalities bear overall responsibility for the implementation and development of education within the school system

36. EDUCATION & RESEARCHCompulsory Schooling • Instruction, teaching material, school lunches and school transport are free of charge • Parents and pupils shall have a free choice of municipal schoolsand can also opt for publicly-funded independent schools • School health care for all pupils • Schooling for pupils with learning difficulties is compulsory for nine years plus one optional year • English is the compulsory first foreign language • Home language instruction available for pupils speaking a languageother than Swedish

37. EDUCATION & RESEARCHEducation and research • All children and young people in Sweden have equal access to education, regardless of ethnic and social background or residential locality • Education is free on all levels • Very few private schools and colleges • Strong ambition to increase the number of women in leading academic posts

38. EDUCATION & RESEARCHHigher Education • No tuition fees • Undergraduate education: – Diploma or certificate (2 years) – Bachelor’s degree (3 years) – Master’s degree (4 years) • Courses of varying length for professional degrees

39. EDUCATION & RESEARCHHigher Education • To be admitted to post-graduate education, an undergraduateprogram of at least 3 years’ duration must be completed • Four years of doctoral studies and an approved dissertation are required for a doctorate • Study assistance available to all students who need help to finance their studies • Students are represented on decision-making bodies

40. EDUCATION & RESEARCHResearch System • Sweden is one of the countries that invests the largestpercentage of its Gross Domestic Product in R&D • Most research carried out in universities,university colleges, institutes of technology, professional schools etc • Companies account for some 75% of R&D expenditure • Long tradition of state funding for research • Ministry of Education and Science has overall responsibility for research policy

41. EDUCATION & RESEARCHUpper Secondary and Adult Education • Municipalities are obliged to provide upper secondary schooling (16+) for all residents who start studying before the age of 20 • Instruction is free of charge • 17 national programs, 14 mainly vocational and three which prepare for university studies • About 98% of school leavers go on to the three-year upper secondaryschool with vocational and academic programs • Pupils aged 16–20 receive study assistance

42. EDUCATION & RESEARCHUpper Secondary and Adult Education The public school system for adults comprises: - municipal adult education • adult education for people with learning difficulties • basic Swedish for immigrants Other forms of adult education (usually affiliated with political parties or special-interest organizations): - Folk high schools - Voluntary educational associations

43. GOVERNMENT & POLITICSForeign Policy • Sweden has not been at war since 1814 • Non-participation in military alliances with the aim of remaining neutral in the event of conflict in Sweden’s vicinity • High priority to working with the United Nations • EU membership in 1995 • Participation in the multilateral disarmament negotiations in Geneva since they started in 1962 • Active participant in efforts to address environmental threats

44. GOVERNMENT & POLITICSForeign Policy • Sweden supports EU efforts to establish civilian and military capacity for crisis management. Close cooperation with NATO • Membership in Partnership for Peace (PFP) • Endeavors to develop and reinforce UN peacekeeping operations • Pursues a policy of non-participation in military alliances • Supports the strengthening of open, multilateral trading

45. GOVERNMENT & POLITICSLaw and Justice • Power to enact laws is vested in the Riksdag (Parliament) • The Government has the power to issue decrees concerning less important matters • Spadework in preparation of bills is done by commissions of inquiry, legal experts in the ministries and Parliament standing committees

46. GOVERNMENT & POLITICSLaw and Justice • Hierarchy of general courts: – district courts (tingsrätt) – courts of appeal (hovrätt) – Supreme Court (Högsta domstolen) • Only cases which may set legal precedent are tried before the Supreme Court • Appeals against administrative authorities are heard in a three-tier administrative court system

47. GOVERNMENT & POLITICSLaw and Justice • Prosecution system divided into seven districts. Prosecutors conduct preliminary investigations in criminal cases • Defence counsel in criminal proceedings for serious crimes is appointed by the court. • Legal aid available under certain conditions • Supervision of courts and administrative organs by the Chancellor of Justice (Justitiekanslern, JK)

48. GOVERNMENT & POLITICSLocal Government • 290 municipalities (kommun) with responsibility for: – schools – social services – elder care, care of people with physical or intellectual disabilities – physical planning and building – certain environmental tasks – rescue services • 21 county councils (landsting) with responsibility for: – health care services at hospitals and local health centres – public dental services – psychiatric care

49. GOVERNMENT & POLITICSNational Government • The Swedish Constitution consists of – the Instrument of Government (1974) – the Act of Succession (1810) – the Freedom of the Press Act (1949) – the Freedom of Expression Act (1991) – the Parliament Act (1974)

50. GOVERNMENT & POLITICSNational Government • Unicameral Parliament, Riksdag, with 349 seats • Direct parliamentary elections every 4 years. Right to vote from the age of 18. • The Government governs the country but is answerable to Parliament • The monarch is head of state, with primarily ceremonial functions • Government decisions are prepared by the ministries