Economy overview: Thanks to peace and neutrality during the 20th century. Swedes have achieved an enviable standard of living by combining a high-tech capitalist system with significant social benefits. The country has a modern infrastructure, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled workforce. Timber, hydropower and iron ore form the resource base of an international trade-oriented economy. Private enterprises produce about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of total output and exports. Agriculture makes up only 2% of GDP and provides 2% of jobs. In recent years, however, the favorable picture has been marred by fiscal pressures, inflation, high unemployment and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. See topb2bwebsites.com to know more about Sweden Forest and Mineral Industry. GDP: at purchasing power parity – $197 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 4.3% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: Purchasing power parity – $22,200 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 2.2%; industry: 27.9%; service sector: 69.9% (1997). Proportion of the population below the poverty line: no data available. Percentage distribution of family income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 3.7%; by the top 10% of families: 20.1% (1992). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 1.2% (2000 est.). Labor force: 4.4 million people (2000 est.). Employment structure: agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (1999 est.). Unemployment rate: 6% (2000 est.). Budget: revenues: $133 billion; expenditures: $125.2 billion, including capital expenditures – NA (2000 est.). Spheres of economy: ferrous metallurgy, production of high-precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, weapons), pulp and paper industry, food production, automotive industry. Growth in industrial production: 7% (2000 est.). Electricity generation: 146.633 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 5.53%; hydropower: 47.24%; nuclear fuel: 45.42%; others: 1.81% (1999). Electricity consumption: 128.819 billion kWh (1999). Export of electricity: 15.9 billion kWh (1999). Electricity import: 8.35 billion kWh (1999) Agricultural products: cereals, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk. Export: $95.5 billion (free on board, 2000) Exports: engineering products 35%, automobiles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals. Export partners: EU 55% (Germany 11%, UK 10%, Denmark 6%, Finland 5%), US 9%, Norway 8% (1999). Imports: $80 billion (free on board, 2000) Imports: machinery, oil and oil products, chemicals, automobiles, iron and steel; food, clothing. Import partners: EU 67% (Germany 18%, UK 10%, Denmark 7%, France 6%), Norway 8%, US 6% (1999). External debt: $66.5 billion (1994) Economic Aid Donor: Official Development Support $1.7 billion (1997). Currency: Swedish krona. Currency code: SEK. Exchange rate: SEK/USD – 9.4669 (January 2001), 9.1622 (2000), 8.2624 (1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997), 6.7060 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 6.017 million (December 1998). Mobile cell phones: 3.835 million (October 1998) Telephone system: excellent domestic and international communications; automatic system; internal: coaxial and multi-core cables provide most of the voice traffic; a parallel microwave radio relay network serves some additional telephone channels; international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; ground satellite stations – 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (regions of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans); note – Sweden shares the ynmarsat satellite earth station with other Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway). Broadcast stations: AM – 1, FM – 265, shortwave – 1 (1998). Radio receivers: 8.25 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 169 (and 1,299 repeaters) (1995). Televisions: 4.6 million (1997) Internet country code: se Internet service providers: 29 (2000). Number of users: 4.5 million (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total: 12,821 km (including 3,594 km privately owned); standard gauge: 12,821 km (1.435 m gauge) (7,918 km electrified, 1,152 km dual gauge) (1998). Roads: total: 210,760 km; paved: 162,707 km (including 1,428 km of expressways); unpaved: 48,053 km (1999) Waterways: 2,052 km navigable for small craft and barges. Pipelines: for natural gas – 84 km. Ports and harbours: Gothenburg, Gävle, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmö, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall. Merchant navy: total: 167 ships (of 1,000 tons displacement and over) with a total displacement of 2,205,370 gross register tons / 1,663,091 long tons of gross tonnage; ships of various types: bulk carriers – 5, cargo ships – 28, chemical tankers – 31, combination ships carrying ore and oil – 4, liquefied gas tankers – 1, passenger ships – 1, oil tankers – 29, ships for railway wagon transportation 1, loaded transport ferries 40, coastal passenger ships 4, specialized tankers 6, transport cargo ships 17 (2000 est.). Airports: 255 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 147; over 3,047 m: 3; from 2438 to 3047 m:11; from 1524 to 2437 m: 80; from 914 to 1523 m:28; less than 914 m: 25 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 108; from 914 to 1523 m:5; less than 914 m: 103 (2000 est.). Helipads: 1 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the Armed Forces: Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force. Conscription.age: 19 years old. Enlistment age: Total military manpower: male 15 to 49: 2,062,566 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: males aged 15 to 49: 1,803,995 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: male: 51,506 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $5 billion (1998) Military spending as part of GDP: 2.1% (1998).
