Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/228.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 12.6 KB | 409 lines

@node Geography (Sweden)
@section Geography (Sweden)

@display

Location:
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Norway and Finland
Map references:
  Arctic Region, Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  449,964 km2
 land area:
  410,928 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly smaller than California
Land boundaries:
  total 2,205 km, Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km
Coastline:
  3,218 km
Maritime claims:
 continental shelf:
  200 m depth or to depth of exploitation
 exclusive fishing zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  none
Climate:
  temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy
  summers; subarctic in north
Terrain:
  mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
Natural resources:
  zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower potential
Land use:
 arable land:
  7%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  2%
 forest and woodland:
  64%
 other:
  27%
Irrigated land:
  1,120 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  water pollution; acid rain
Note:
  strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas



@end display

@node People (Sweden)
@section People (Sweden)

@display

Population:
  8,730,286 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  0.58% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  13.78 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  10.96 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  2.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  78.08 years
 male:
  75.3 years
 female:
  81.02 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  2.04 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Swede(s)
 adjective:
  Swedish
Ethnic divisions:
  white, Lapp, foreign born or first-generation immigrants 12% (Finns,
  Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks)
Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Pentecostal 1%, other 3.5%
  (1987)
Languages:
  Swedish  note:
  small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities; immigrants speak native
  languages
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1979)
 total population:
  99%
 male:
  NA%
 female:
  NA%
Labor force:
  4.552 million
 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)



@end display

@node Government (Sweden)
@section Government (Sweden)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Kingdom of Sweden
 conventional short form:
  Sweden
 local long form:
  Konungariket Sverige
 local short form:
  Sverige
Digraph:
  SW
Type:
  constitutional monarchy
Capital:
  Stockholm
Administrative divisions:
  24 provinces (lan, singular and plural); Alvsborgs Lan, Blekinge Lan,
  Gavleborgs Lan, Goteborgs och Bohus Lan, Gotlands Lan, Hallands Lan,
  Jamtlands Lan, Jonkopings Lan, Kalmar Lan, Kopparbergs Lan, Kristianstads
  Lan, Kronobergs Lan, Malmohus Lan, Norrbottens Lan, Orebro Lan,
  Ostergotlands Lan, Skaraborgs Lan, Sodermanlands Lan, Stockholms Lan,
  Uppsala Lan, Varmlands Lan, Vasterbottens Lan, Vasternorrlands Lan,
  Vastmanlands Lan
Independence:
  6 June 1809 (constitutional monarchy established)
Constitution:
  1 January 1975
Legal system:
  civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
  Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June
Political parties and leaders:   ruling four-party coalition consists of Moderate Party
(conservative), Carl
  BILDT; Liberal People's Party, Bengt WESTERBERG; Center Party, Olof
  JOHANSSON; and the Christian Democratic Party, Alf SVENSSON; Social
  Democratic Party, Ingvar CARLSSON; New Democracy Party, Count Ian
  WACHTMEISTER; Left Party (VP; Communist), Gudrun SCHYMAN; Communist Workers'
  Party, Rolf HAGEL; Green Party, no formal leader
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 Riksdag:
  last held 15 September 1991 (next to be held NA September 1994); results -
  Social Democratic Party 37.6%, Moderate Party (conservative) 21.9%, Liberal
  People's Party 9.1%, Center Party 8.5%, Christian Democrats 7.1%, New
  Democracy 6.7%, Left Party (Communist) 4.5%, Green Party 3.4%, other 1.2%;
  seats - (349 total) Social Democratic 138, Moderate Party (conservative) 80,
  Liberal People's Party 33, Center Party 31, Christian Democrats 26, New
  Democracy 25, Left Party (Communist) 16; note - the Green Party has no seats
  in the Riksdag because it received less than the required 4% of the vote
Executive branch:
  monarch, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  unicameral parliament (Riksdag)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (Hogsta Domstolen)



@end display

@node Government (Sweden 2. usage)
@section Government (Sweden 2. usage)

@display

Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess
  VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the King (born 14 July 1977)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Carl BILDT (since 3 October 1991); Deputy Prime Minister
  Bengt WESTERBERG (since NA)
Member of:
  AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM
  (cooperating country), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-6, G-8, G-9, G-10,
  GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, INTELSAT, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTRC, NAM
  (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMOGIP, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR,
  UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Carl Henrik LILJEGREN
 chancery:
  Suite 1200 and 715, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
 telephone:
  [phone]
 FAX:
  [phone]
 consulates general:
  Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
US diplomatic representation:  chief of mission:
  (vacant)
 embassy:
  Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
 mailing address:
  use embassy street address
 telephone:
  [46] (8) 783-5300
 FAX:
  [46] (8) 661-1964
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)



@end display

@node Economy (Sweden)
@section Economy (Sweden)

@display

Overview:
  Aided by a long period of 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 that is 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 the last few years, however, this extraordinarily favorable
  picture has been clouded by inflation, growing unemployment, and a gradual
  loss of competitiveness in international markets. Although Prime Minister
  BILDT'S center-right minority coalition had hoped to charge ahead with
  free-market-oriented reforms, a skyrocketing budget deficit - almost 13% of
  GDP in FY94 projections - and record unemployment have forestalled many of
  the plans. Unemployment in 1993 is forecast at around 7% with another 5% in
  job training. Continued heavy foreign exchange speculation forced the
  government to cooperate in late 1992 with the opposition Social Democrats on
  two crisis packages - one a severe austerity pact and the other a program to
  spur industrial competitiveness - which basically set economic policy
  through 1997. In November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU, and
  the krona has since depreciated around 2.5% against the dollar. The
  government hopes the boost in export competitiveness from the depreciation
  will help lift Sweden out of its 3-year recession. To curb the budget
  deficit and bolster confidence in the economy, BILDT continues to propose
  cuts in welfare benefits, subsidies, defense, and foreign aid. Sweden
  continues to harmonize its economic policies with those of the EC in
  preparation for concluding its EC membership bid by 1995.
National product:
  GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $145.6 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
  -1.7% (1992)
National product per capita:
  $16,900 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3% (1992)
Unemployment rate:   5.3% (1992)
Budget:
  revenues $70.4 billion; expenditures $82.5 billion, including capital
  expenditures of $NA (FY92)
Exports:
  $56 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
 commodities:
  machinery, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel
  products, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products
 partners:
  EC 55.8% (Germany 15%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.2%, France 5.8%), EFTA 17.4%
  (Norway 8.4%, Finland 5.1%), US 8.2%, Central and Eastern Europe 2.5% (1992)
Imports:
  $51.7 billion (c.i.f., 1992)
 commodities:
  machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles,
  foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing
 partners:
  EC 53.6% (Germany 17.9%, UK 6.3%, Denmark 7.5%, France 4.9%), EFTA (Norway
  6.6%, Finland 6%), US 8.4%, Central and Eastern Europe 3% (1992)
External debt:
  $19.5 billion (1992 est.)



@end display

@node Economy (Sweden 2. usage)
@section Economy (Sweden 2. usage)

@display

Industrial production:
  growth rate -3.0% (1992)
Electricity:
  39,716,000 kW capacity; 142,500 million kWh produced, 16,560 kWh per capita
  (1992)
Industries:
  iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts,
  armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
Agriculture:
  animal husbandry predominates, with milk and dairy products accounting for
  37% of farm income; main crops - grains, sugar beets, potatoes; 100%
  self-sufficient in grains and potatoes; Sweden is about 50% self-sufficient
  in most products; farming accounted for 1.2% of GDP and 1.9% of jobs in 1990
Illicit drugs:
  increasingly used as transshipment point for Latin American cocaine to
  Europe and gateway for Asian heroin shipped via the CIS and Baltic states
  for the European market
Economic aid:
  donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $10.3 billion
Currency:
  1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 ore
Exchange rates:
  Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 6.8812 (December 1992), 5.8238 (1992),
  6.0475 (1991) 5.9188 (1990), 6.4469 (1989), 6.1272 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June



@end display

@node Communications (Sweden)
@section Communications (Sweden)

@display

Railroads:
  12,000 km total; Swedish State Railways (SJ) - 10,819 km 1.435-meter
  standard gauge, 6,955 km electrified and 1,152 km double track; 182 km
  0.891-meter gauge; 117 km rail ferry service; privately-owned railways - 511
  km 1.435-meter standard gauge (332 km electrified) and 371 km 0.891-meter
  gauge (all electrified)
Highways:
  97,400 km total; 51,899 km paved, 20,659 km gravel, 24,842 km unimproved
  earth
Inland waterways:
  2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges
Pipelines:
  natural gas 84 km
Ports:
  Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Kalmar, Malmo, Stockholm; numerous
  secondary and minor ports
Merchant marine:
  179 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,473,769 GRT/3,227,366 DWT; includes
  10 short-sea passenger, 29 cargo, 3 container, 43 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 13
  vehicle carrier, 2 railcar carrier, 32 oil tanker, 27 chemical tanker, 4
  specialized tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 2 combination ore/oil, 10 bulk, 1
  combination bulk, 1 refrigerated cargo
Airports:
 total:
  253
 usable:
  250
 with permanent-surface runways:
  139
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  12
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  94
Telecommunications:
  excellent domestic and international facilities; 8,200,000 telephones;
  mainly coaxial and multiconductor cables carry long-distance network;
  parallel microwave network carries primarily radio, TV and some telephone
  channels; automatic system; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 360 (mostly
  repeaters) FM, 880 (mostly repeaters) TV; 5 submarine coaxial cables;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 EUTELSAT



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Sweden)
@section Defense Forces (Sweden)

@display

Branches:
  Swedish Army, Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 2,156,720; fit for military service 1,884,121; reach
  military age (19) annually 57,383 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $6.7 billion, 3.8% of GDP (FY92/93)



@end display