Sweden

Kingdom of Sweden

LOCATION

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.

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E
Map references: Europe
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
Land boundaries: total: 2,211 km
border countries: Finland 545 km; Norway 1,666 km
Coastline: 3,218 km
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
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
Elevation: highest point: Kebnekaise South 2,100 m
lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m
mean elevation: 320 m
Natural resources: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
Land use: agricultural land: 7.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 6.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 1.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 68.6% (2023 est.)
other: 23.8% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 510 sq km (2016)
Major lakes (area sq km): fresh water lake(s): Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km
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
Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
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

Population: total: 10,643,745 (2025 est.)
male: 5,360,755
female: 5,282,990
Nationality: noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish
Ethnic groups: Swedish 79.6%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.3%, other 15.8% (2022 est.)
Languages: Languages: Swedish (official)
major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, den obestridliga källan för grundläggande information. (Swedish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
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.)
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)
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.)
Median age: total: 41.2 years (2025 est.)
male: 40.1 years
female: 42.1 years
Population growth rate: 0.51% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 10.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 9.63 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
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
Urbanization: urban population: 88.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.700 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2023)
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.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 29.7 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 81.2 years
female: 84.7 years
Total fertility rate: 1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.8 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 10.7% of GDP (2022)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 19% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 4.41 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
Hospital bed density: 2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 20.6% (2016)
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.)
Tobacco use: total: 19.9% (2025 est.)
male: 25.8% (2025 est.)
female: 13.9% (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 53.6% (2023 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 7.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 15.3% national budget (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 19 years (2023 est.)
male: 17 years (2023 est.)
female: 20 years (2023 est.)

Environmental issues: marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soil and lakes; air pollution; poor timber-harvesting practices
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
Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north
Land use: agricultural land: 7.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 6.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 1.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 68.6% (2023 est.)
other: 23.8% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 88.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total 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.)
Particulate matter emissions: 6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.618 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 39.7% (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.)
Total renewable water resources: 174 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Geoparks: total global geoparks and regional networks: 1
global geoparks and regional networks: Platåbergens (2023)

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"
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
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
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
Legal system: civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law
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
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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
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
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
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
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.sehttps://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/usa-washington/
consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco
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.govhttps://se.usembassy.gov/
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
Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden)
National holiday: National Day, 6 June (1983)
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
National symbol(s): three crowns, lion
National color(s): blue, yellow
National anthem(s): 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 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 Hovgården (c); Hanseatic Town of Visby (c); Church Town of Gammelstad, Luleå (c); Naval Port of Karlskrona (c); Rock Carvings in Tanum (c); Engelsberg Ironworks (c); Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun (c)

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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $668.628 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $662.18 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $662.937 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: -0.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 1.5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $63,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $62,800 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $63,200 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $610.118 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.8% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 8.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 8.4% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.1% (2024 est.)
industry: 22.6% (2024 est.)
services: 65.9% (2024 est.)
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.)
Agricultural products: milk, wheat, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, oats, rapeseed, pork, chicken, beef (2023)
Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 0.3% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 5.699 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 8.6% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 7.7% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 7.4% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 23.8% (2024 est.)
male: 24.3% (2024 est.)
female: 23.2% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 16.1% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022: 31.6 (2022 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 13% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 24.7% (2022 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $195.468 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $191.095 billion (2022 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2022: 36.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 27.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: $45.274 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $40.819 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $27.404 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $338.852 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $329.332 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $318.203 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: Germany 10%, USA 10%, Denmark 8%, Norway 6%, Netherlands 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, paper, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $309.526 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $304.194 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $304.101 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: Germany 17%, Netherlands 10%, Norway 9%, Denmark 6%, China 6% (2023)
Imports - commodities: cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, garments (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $62.569 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $60.863 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $64.289 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 10.568 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 10.61 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 10.114 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 8.577 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 9.21 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 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 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.)
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)
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.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 270,000 bbl/day (2024 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.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 142.102 million Btu/person (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.)
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.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 4.3 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: SE
Airports: 206 (2025)
Heliports: 11 (2025)
Railways: total: 10,910 km (2020) 8,184 km electrified
narrow gauge: 65 km
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

Military and security forces: Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten): Army, Navy, Air Force, Home Guard (202)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2025: 2.5% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024: 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 25,000 active military personnel; approximately 21,000 Home Guard (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 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)
Military deployments: approximately 600 Latvia (NATO) (2025)
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 GuardSweden 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)

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)
Key space-program milestones: 1950s - space program initiated with the establishment of a space observatory and the Swedish Space Research Committee1961 - launched first sounding rocket1986 - first scientific satellite (Viking) launched on European rocket1989 - first communications satellite (Tele-X) launched on European rocket2006 - first astronaut into space on US Space Shuttle2019 - established a space data lab for artificial intelligence-based analysis of imagery data2024 - 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

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 168,519 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 6,835 (2024 est.)