Member States of the EU

Sweden

Year of EU entry: 1995
Political system: Constitutional monarchy
Capital city: Stockholm
Total area: 449 964 km²
Population: 9.2 million
Currency: krona
Listen to the official EU language:
Swedish

Detailed map - click on the map

Sweden has the largest population of the Nordic countries. It is separated in the west from Norway by a range of mountains and shares the Gulf of Bothnia to the north of the Baltic Sea with Finland.

The southern part of the country is chiefly agricultural, with forests covering an increasing percentage of the land the further north one goes. Population density is also higher in southern Sweden, with many people living in the valley of Lake Mälaren and the Öresund region.

In 1971 the Riksdag became a single-chamber Parliament. Its 349 members are elected on the basis of proportional representation for a four-year term.

The country has at least 17 000 indigenous Samis among its population – a community that derives most of its income from reindeer. Sweden is also home to a small number of ethnic Finns.

Sweden’s far north Sweden exports cars, engineering products, steel, electronic devices, communications equipment and paper products.

Swedes played a pioneering role of the early days of cinema. Leading the way were Mauritz Stiller and Victor Sjöström. Later on, directors like Ingmar Bergman and actresses such as Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman and Anita Ekberg made careers abroad. Swedish music is in many minds synonymous with the '70s pop group ABBA.

Swedish cuisine is known for its Smorgåsbord (a buffet of savoury delicacies), Baltic herring, pea soup and pancakes.

National public administration portal
Sweden.se is described as the “official gateway to Sweden”. Facts about the country are organised according to target groups, including those considering relocating to Sweden, tourists and businesses.
Introduction to the country
Sweden’s official website for tourism and travel information contains a practical A to Z guide to the country. Its pages give tailor-made travel advice according to a visitor’s country of origin. The ‘What to do’, ‘Where to stay’ and ‘Where to go’ sections enable tourists to make the most of their stay in Sweden.