01
Physical geography
Mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west.
Local timeStockholm ·
Europe / Northern Europe · Card 051
Sweden
Sweden is a country in Northern Europe. Its capital is Stockholm.
Find Sweden
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Stockholm
- Languages
- Swedish
- Currency
- Swedish krona (SEK)
- Population
- 10.6 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 450,295 km²173,859.80 square miles
- Kingdom milestone
- 1523Gustav Vasa’s accession and the end of the Kalmar Union.
Sweden in context
Europe and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Stockholm; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include Swedish.
03
Location
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway.
Flag
Blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted to the left side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · NATO · enlargement dates
History & status
Sweden developed as a medieval kingdom and left the Kalmar Union in 1523 under Gustav Vasa. It later became a major Baltic power. Modern Sweden evolved into a parliamentary democracy and joined the EU in 1995.
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Gustav Vasa becomes king and Sweden leaves the Kalmar Union
-
Sweden joins the European Union
-
Sweden joins NATO
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · NATO · enlargement dates
Economy
Main activities
Engineering, vehicles, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and forest products are important industries. Services account for much economic activity. Sweden is an EU member but uses its own currency, the krona.
Industry and production
iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · NATO · enlargement dates
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people10.62025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8,042,801 | 8.043 |
| 1980 | 8,310,531 | 8.311 |
| 1990 | 8,558,835 | 8.559 |
| 2000 | 8,872,109 | 8.872 |
| 2010 | 9,378,126 | 9.378 |
| 2020 | 10,353,442 | 10.353 |
| 2025 | 10,596,620 | 10.597 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars583.02025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 298,731,996,823 | 298.732 |
| 1991 | 295,308,603,269 | 295.309 |
| 1992 | 291,887,179,172 | 291.887 |
| 1993 | 285,857,909,820 | 285.858 |
| 1994 | 297,337,294,168 | 297.337 |
| 1995 | 309,511,442,391 | 309.511 |
| 1996 | 314,787,745,399 | 314.788 |
| 1997 | 324,435,964,185 | 324.436 |
| 1998 | 338,210,969,504 | 338.211 |
| 1999 | 352,419,615,812 | 352.420 |
| 2000 | 368,740,595,936 | 368.741 |
| 2001 | 373,758,441,664 | 373.758 |
| 2002 | 382,271,644,879 | 382.272 |
| 2003 | 389,462,280,396 | 389.462 |
| 2004 | 405,740,184,307 | 405.740 |
| 2005 | 417,073,066,880 | 417.073 |
| 2006 | 436,575,715,828 | 436.576 |
| 2007 | 450,654,706,999 | 450.655 |
| 2008 | 446,494,653,686 | 446.495 |
| 2009 | 427,493,565,400 | 427.494 |
| 2010 | 452,077,714,778 | 452.078 |
| 2011 | 466,380,936,831 | 466.381 |
| 2012 | 464,448,264,944 | 464.448 |
| 2013 | 469,732,138,277 | 469.732 |
| 2014 | 480,516,119,003 | 480.516 |
| 2015 | 501,602,351,912 | 501.602 |
| 2016 | 512,292,396,638 | 512.292 |
| 2017 | 521,937,949,816 | 521.938 |
| 2018 | 531,177,584,321 | 531.178 |
| 2019 | 545,031,918,112 | 545.032 |
| 2020 | 534,492,107,011 | 534.492 |
| 2021 | 562,423,939,233 | 562.424 |
| 2022 | 569,484,812,988 | 569.485 |
| 2023 | 568,322,714,848 | 568.323 |
| 2024 | 574,107,082,599 | 574.107 |
| 2025 | 582,966,494,885 | 582.966 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.959Very High human developmentRank 5 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.818
20000.912
20100.918
20200.951
20230.959
83.3 yearsLife expectancy at birth
12.7 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Parliament (Riksdagen) has one chamber (a unicameral legislature).
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · NATO · enlargement dates
Knowledge check
Three questions about Sweden.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which city is identified as the capital of Sweden?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · NATO · enlargement dates
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.