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| CIA Background Information |
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.
| U.S. State Department Description |
Country Description:
Sweden is a highly developed, stable democracy with a modern economy. Read the Department of State Background Notes
on Sweden for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: Sweden is a party to the Schengen agreement. As such, U.S. citizens may enter Sweden for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. The passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. For further details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen Fact Sheet. Contact the Swedish Embassy at 901 30 ... Read this Article
People
Nationality: Noun--Swedes; adjective--Swedish.
Population (May 2008): 9,208,034.
Annual population growth rate (May 2008): 0.78%.
Ethnic groups: Indigenous Swedes, ethnic Finns, ethnic Sami.
Immigrants (2007): 1.2 million of Sweden's residents are foreign-born; 17.3% of all Swedes are either born abroad or have two parents born abroad. In 2007 99,485 People immigrated to Sweden. The immigrant groups are Finns, Iraqis, ... Read this Article
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Location: Sweden is Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway See Map
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
Currency (Code): Swedish krona (SEK) ...More
Area: total: 449,964 sq km , land: 410,934 sq km , water: 39,030 sq km ( 1 sq km is approximately 0.4 sq miles or 250 acres)
Area Comparison: slightly larger than California
Elevation Extremes: lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.41 m , highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m (1 meter = 3.28 feet)
Population: 9,045,389 (July 2008 est.)
Unemployment: 6.1% (2007 est.)
Ethnic Groups: indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks
Religion: Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%
Languages: Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
More Statistics
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| History
During the seventh and eighth centuries, the Swedes were merchant seamen well known for their far-reaching trade. In the ninth century, Nordic Vikings raided and ravaged the European continent as far as the Black and Caspian Seas. During the 11th and 12th centuries, Sweden gradually became a unified Christian ... Read this Article
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| Geographic Info for Sweden : |
Geography
Area: 449,964 sq. km. (173,731 sq. mi.)--slightly larger than California.
Cities: Capital--Stockholm (city population: 795,163). Other cities--Göteborg (city population: 493,498), Malmö (city population: 280,801).
Terrain: Generally flat or rolling. Three of the principal rivers, the Ume, the Torne and the Ångerman, flow into the Gulf of Bothnia. The highest areas are found ... Read this Article
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