Sweden
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.
Location
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Geography
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
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
History
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.
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Government
parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Economy
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
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Suggested Reading
Adopt This Country
Will you help us keep the Sweden page accurate and up to date?
Adopt This Country