| variable | 1980-1989 | 1990-1999 | 2000-2007 | 2008-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| real gdp growth | 2.66 | 2.19 | 2.45 | 0.75 | 1.71 | -0.2 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| CPI % | 7.61 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 1.8 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.37 | 8.8 | 6.74 | 8.55 | 7.53 | 7.7 | 8.4 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 8.0 |
| Debt/GDP % | - | 64.51 | 46.24 | 39.9 | 40.73 | 32.1 | 33.9 | 34.9 | 36.7 | 38.2 |
| Current account balance/GDP % | -0.94 | 1.66 | 6.34 | 5.9 | 3.91 | 6.2 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 5.3 | 4.7 |
Data derived from World Economic Outlook Database. To see main macroeconomic indicator in graphs click here
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.
Area: 450,295 sq km km2
Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north
Natural resources: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
Groups: <p>Swedish 79.6%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.3%, other 15.8%</p> (2022 est.)
Languages: Swedish (official)
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.)
Capital: Stockholm
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 15 September 1973)
Head of government: Prime Minister Ulf KRISTERSSON (since 18 October 2022)
Description: Parliament (Riksdagen) - unicameral
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
iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
GDP by sector: Agriculture: 1.1% (2024 est.), Industry: 22.6% (2024 est.), Services: 65.9% (2024 est.)
Export partners: Germany 10%, USA 10%, Denmark 8%, Norway 6%, Netherlands 5% (2023)
Export commodities: cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicine, paper, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)
Import partners: Germany 17%, Netherlands 10%, Norway 9%, Denmark 6%, China 6% (2023)
Import commodities: cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, garments (2023)
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
Military expenditure: 2025: 2.5% of GDP (2025 est.)
Information derived from worldfactbook.io (Lupon Media), open successor to the CIA World Factbook. Data sourced from World Bank, IMF, UN and other international organizations.