A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
Full Name: Kingdom of Sweden
Area: 449,964 sq km (land: 410,934 sq km, water: 39,030 sq km)
Population: 9,045,389 (July 2008 est.)
Capital City: Stockholm
People: Indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks
Language: Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Religion: Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist
Government Type: Constitutional monarchy
Chief of State King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Fredrik REINFELDT (since 5 October 2006)
GDP: $US 338.5 billion (2007 est.)
GDP per Capita: $US 37,500 (2007 est.)
Inflation: 2.2% (2007 est.)
Unemployment: 6.1% (2007 est.)
Industries: Iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
Currency: Swedish krona (SEK)
Member of EU: Yes
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