Part 714

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973) is a constitutional monarch; Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the King (born 14 July 1977) head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996) was elected by the Riksdag cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Riksdag): elections last held 18 September 1994 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - Social Democrats 45.4%, Moderate Party (Conservatives) 22.3%, Center Party 7.7%, Liberals 7.2%, Left Party 6.2%, Greens 5.8%, Christian Democrats 4.1%, New Democracy Party 1.2%; seats - (349 total) Social Democrats 162, Moderate Party (Conservatives) 80, Center Party 27, Liberals 26, Left Party 22, Greens 18, Christian Democrats 14; note - the New Democracy Party did not receive a seat because parties require a minimum of 4.0% of votes for a seat in parliament

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Hogsta Domstolen), judges are appointed by the government (prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party, Goran PERSSON; Moderate Party (conservative), Carl BILDT; Liberal People's Party, Maria LEISSNER; Center Party, Olof JOHANSSON; Christian Democratic Party, Alf SVENSSON; New Democracy Party, Vivianne FRANZEN; Left Party (VP; Communist), Gudrun SCHYMAN; Communist Workers' Party, Rolf HAGEL; Green Party, no formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG

International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 8, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carl Henrik Sihver LILJEGREN chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: (202) 467-2600 FAX: (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas L. SIEBERT embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (8) 783 53 00 FAX: (8) 661 19 64

Flag: blue with a yellow cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy -------

Economic overview: Aided by peace and neutrality during World War I through World War II, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately-owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. In 1993, agriculture accounted for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. In recent years, however, this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by budgetary difficulties, inflation, growing unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. In November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU (European Currency Unit), and depreciation of the krona has boosted export competitiveness and helped lift Sweden out of its 1991-93 recession. To curb the budget deficit and bolster confidence in the economy, the government adopted an adjustment program in November 1994 that aims to eliminate the government budget deficit and to stabilize the debt to GDP ratio. Sweden has harmonized its economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start of 1995.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $177.3 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 3.5% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $20,100 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 27% services: 71% (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1995)

Labor force: 4.552 million (84% unionized, 1992) by occupation: community, social and personal services 38.3%, mining and manufacturing 21.2%, commerce, hotels, and restaurants 14.1%, banking, insurance 9.0%, communications 7.2%, construction 7.0%, agriculture, fishing, and forestry 3.2% (1991)

Unemployment rate: 7.8% (December 1995) plus about 6% in training programs

Budget: revenues: $109.4 billion expenditures: $146.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate: 11.7% (1994)

Electricity: capacity: 34,560,000 kW production: 141 billion kWh consumption per capita: 14,891 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics shipped via the former Soviet Republics and Baltic states for the European market

Exports: $61.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products partners: EU 59.1% (Germany 13.2%, UK 10.2%, Denmark 6.9%, France 5.1%), Norway 8.1%, Finland 4.8%, US 8.0% (1994)

Imports: $51.8 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing partners: EU 62.6% (Germany 18.4%, UK 9.5%, Denmark 6.6%, France 5.5%), Finland 6.3%, Norway 6.1%, US 8.5% (1994)

External debt: $66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid: donor: ODA, $1.769 billion (1993)