Basic facts about Sweden

Capital: Stockholm

Population: 10,521,556 people , 0.13 per cent of the world’s population

Life expectancy: Men 81.34 years , women 84.73 years

Language: Swedish (main language); and five official minority languages: Sami, Finnish, Meänkieli (Tornedalen Finnish), Yiddish and Romani Chib

Religion: The Church of Sweden is Evangelical Lutheran, but there are also many other religions and faiths in the country

National Day: 6 June

Government

Form of government: Constitutional monarchy, with parliamentary democracy – political power lies with the parliament and government; the monarch has ceremonial functions

Parliament: Called ‘riksdag’ – 349 members of parliament in a single chamber

Head of state: His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf; heir to the throne is Crown Princess Victoria

Education and work

Education: Ten years of compulsory schooling, but most students continue to the three-year upper secondary school. Around one-third go on to higher education at universities and colleges throughout Sweden

Working hours: Standard work week is 40 hours, minimum paid holiday allowance is 5 weeks (25 working days)

Employment rate (20–64 years): Men: 71.8% ; women: 66.0% ; total: 69.0%

Geography and nature

Longest north–south distance: 1,572 km

Longest east–west distance: 499 km

Land area: 410,000 sq km

Total area: 528,447 sq km, the fifth largest country in Europe and roughly the same size as California

– Forests: 63% (69 % of the land area)

– Lakes and rivers: 9%

– Marshland: 6.5%

– Agricultural land: 7%

– Grasslands: 7%

– Urban and industrial land: 3%

– Exposed rock and mountains: 4.5%

Highest mountain: Kebnekaise (2,099 m)

Biggest lake: Vänern (5,650 sq km)

Number of lakes larger than 100m x 100m: 95,700

Biggest cities and their population:

Stockholm: 984,748

Göteborg: 596,841

Malmö: 357,377

Number of national parks: 30

Time zone: GMT +1

Money and trade

Currency: 1 krona (SEK) = 100 öre ≈ EUR 0.095

GDP: SEK 5,926 billion (2022)

Most important export goods: Vehicles and machines, pharmaceuticals/chemicals, electronics, minerals, wood products, energy, foods, shoes and clothes

Contacting Sweden

Calling code: +46

Internet code: .se