Sweden

Sweden is a country in Northern Europe covering 447,425 km², with a population of 10,609,460 and Stockholm as its capital. A constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, it has been shaped over more than a thousand years, from its origins around 900 to the Baltic empire of the 17th century and the welfare state of the 20th. With a GDP of approximately $610 billion in 2024, Sweden is the largest economy in the Nordic region, and its 2023 United Nations Human Development Index ranking placed it fifth in the world.

Key facts

  • Capital: Stockholm
  • Continent: Europe
  • Population: 10,609,460
  • Area: 447,425 km²
  • Official language: Swedish
  • Currency: Swedish krona
  • Head of state: Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
  • ISO code: SE
  • Founded: 900

Geography and natural landscape

Sweden’s terrain is defined by forest and water. More than two-thirds of the country’s land area is covered in forest, and it contains approximately 95,700 lakes larger than 100 metres by 100 metres. Lake Vänern, at 5,650 sq km, is the largest of these and the third largest lake in Europe.

The country’s highest point is Kebnekaise, a peak in the far north that reaches 2,097 metres, making it the tallest summit in Sweden and across northern Scandinavia. The landscape shifts from the Arctic conditions of Lapland in the north to more temperate lowlands and farmland in the south.

History

Sweden traces its origins to around 900. By the 17th century it had grown into one of Europe’s major powers. The period known as Stormaktstiden, or the Great Power era, ran roughly from 1611 to 1721 and saw Sweden extend territorial control over much of the Baltic region, following victories in the Thirty Years’ War and subsequent conflicts.

The welfare state that defines modern Sweden took shape primarily in the decades after World War II, driven by Social Democratic governments. Often called the Swedish model, it is characterised by universal social protection, a large public sector, and a labour market regulated through collective bargaining rather than legislation alone. On 1 July 1979, Sweden became the first country in the world to explicitly ban corporal punishment of children.

Government and political system

Sweden operates as a constitutional monarchy with Carl XVI Gustaf as head of state. Legislative power rests with the Riksdag, a single-chamber parliament of 349 members. The country is administratively divided into 20 counties and 290 municipalities.

The official language is Swedish, and the currency is the Swedish krona, abbreviated SEK.

Economy

Sweden’s GDP reached approximately $610 billion in 2024. Real GDP grew by 1 percent that year compared to 2023, driven by strong net exports and increased investment. The current account surplus widened to 7.4 percent of GDP in 2024, with Germany, Norway, and the United States as the leading export destinations.

The country’s goods export sector is anchored by vehicles, which generated SEK 292.7 billion in 2024, close to 14 percent of total goods exports. Other significant export categories include machinery, electrical equipment, mineral fuels, and pharmaceutical products.

Defence and NATO membership

Sweden spent approximately $16.5 billion on defence in 2025, its first full year as a NATO member. The Riksdag’s 2025 to 2030 Defence Resolution commits over SEK 170 billion to military defence and SEK 37.5 billion to civil defence across that period.

The 2026 military defence budget, presented in autumn 2025, set spending at 2.8 percent of GDP, up from 2.5 percent in 2025.

Society and quality of life

Life expectancy in Sweden was estimated at 82.9 years for the total population as of 2024 estimates. The country ranked fifth on the United Nations Human Development Index based on 2023 data.

Sweden’s social model extends to family policy. Parents are entitled to up to 480 days of paid parental leave per child, with the allowance shared between both parents.

Did you know

  • The world’s first ice hotel, ICEHOTEL, was built in Jukkasjärvi in Swedish Arctic Lapland in 1989. It uses ice and snow from the nearby Torne River, and is rebuilt each winter from scratch. (nordicperspective.com)
  • Only about 1 percent of Sweden’s household waste ends up in landfill. Around 49 percent is incinerated for energy generation, and Sweden imports waste from neighbouring countries including Norway and the United Kingdom to keep its incinerators running. (sailawaze.com)
  • Sweden grants up to 480 days of paid parental leave per child, shared between both parents, one of the most generous parental leave systems in the world. (usnews.com)
  • Sweden is home to the world’s largest scale model of the Solar System. The Sun is represented by the Ericsson Globe, the world’s largest hemispherical building, in Stockholm, and the model stretches 950 km north to Kiruna, where the concept of Termination Shock marks the edge of the solar system. (brbgonesomewhereepic.com)

Data sources

Data updated: 2026-10-31