Topic: Photos of Lebanon

Topic: Introduction
Background: As a result of its location at the crossroads of three continents, the area that is modern-day Lebanon is rich in cultural and religious diversity. This region was subject to various foreign conquests for much of its history, including by the Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. From it the French demarcated the region of Lebanon in 1920, and it gained independence in 1943. Since then, Lebanon has experienced periods of political turmoil interspersed with prosperity built on its historical position as a regional center for finance and trade, although that status has significantly diminished since the beginning of Lebanon’s economic crisis in 2019, which includes simultaneous currency, debt, and banking crises. The country's 1975-90 civil war, which resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities, was followed by years of social and political instability. Sectarianism is a key element of Lebanese political life. Neighboring Syria has historically influenced Lebanon's foreign and domestic policies, and its military occupied Lebanon from 1976 until 2005. Hizballah - a major Lebanese political party, militia, and US-designated foreign terrorist organization - and Israel continued attacks and counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal, and fought a brief war in 2006. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N, 35 50 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 10,400 sq km

land: 10,230 sq km

water: 170 sq km
Area - comparative: about one-third the size of Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 484 km

border countries (2): Israel 81 km; Syria 403 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows
Terrain: narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Elevation: highest point: Qornet es Saouda 3,088 m

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 1,250 m
Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 63.3% (2018 est.)

arable land: 11.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 12.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 39.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 13.4% (2018 est.)

other: 23.3% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,040 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: the majority of the people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, and of these most live in and around the capital, Beirut; favorable growing conditions in the Bekaa Valley, on the southeastern side of the Lebanon Mountains, have attracted farmers and thus the area exhibits a smaller population density
Natural hazards: earthquakes; dust storms, sandstorms
Geography - note: smallest country in continental Asia; Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity
Map description: Lebanon map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Mediterranean Sea.Lebanon map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Mediterranean Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 5,296,814 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)

adjective: Lebanese
Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendants of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians
Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Muslim 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2020 est.)

note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations); 18 religious sects recognized
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.75% (male 581,015/female 554,175)

15-24 years: 14.98% (male 417,739/female 401,357)

25-54 years: 46.69% (male 1,296,250/female 1,257,273)

55-64 years: 9.62% (male 250,653/female 275,670)

65 years and over: 7.96% (2020 est.) (male 187,001/female 248,479)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 48.4

youth dependency ratio: 37.2

elderly dependency ratio: 11.2

potential support ratio: 8.9 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 33.7 years

male: 33.1 years

female: 34.4 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.66% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 13.1 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 5.57 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: the majority of the people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, and of these most live in and around the capital, Beirut; favorable growing conditions in the Bekaa Valley, on the southeastern side of the Lebanon Mountains, have attracted farmers and thus the area exhibits a smaller population density
Urbanization: urban population: 89.3% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: -1.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 2.433 million BEIRUT (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.76 years

male: 77.36 years

female: 80.23 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 8.7% (2019)
Physicians density: 2.21 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 2.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: (2020 est.) <.1%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,700 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <100
Major infectious diseases: note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Lebanon; as of 6 June 2022, Lebanon has reported a total of 1,099,821 cases of COVID-19 or 16,113.5 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with a total of 10,437 cumulative deaths or a rate of 152.9 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 30 May 2022, 39.69% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 32% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 38.2% (2020 est.)

male: 47.5% (2020 est.)

female: 28.9% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 1.4%

women married by age 18: 6% (2016 est.)
Education expenditures: 2.6% of GDP (2019 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.1%

male: 96.9%

female: 93.3% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years

male: 12 years

female: 11 years (2014)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 23.4%

male: 24.5%

female: 21.4% (2019)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil deterioration, erosion; desertification; species loss; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills; waste-water management
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 30.67 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 24.8 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 3.37 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows
Land use: agricultural land: 63.3% (2018 est.)

arable land: 11.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 12.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 39.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 13.4% (2018 est.)

other: 23.3% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 89.3% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: -1.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Lebanon; as of 6 June 2022, Lebanon has reported a total of 1,099,821 cases of COVID-19 or 16,113.5 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with a total of 10,437 cumulative deaths or a rate of 152.9 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 30 May 2022, 39.69% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Food insecurity: widespread lack of access: due to the ongoing financial and economic crisis - the World Food Program (WFP) estimates that, as a result of the ongoing economic crisis, over 1.3 million Lebanese citizens, about 36% of the total population, were food insecure by the end of September 2021; the number of Lebanese households with serious food access constraints reached 57% in September 2021, up from 40% in September 2020; domestic cereal production covers, on average, less than 20% of the consumption needs and the country depends heavily on imports (2022)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.04 million tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 163,200 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8% (2014 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 240 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 900 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 700 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 4.503 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Lebanese Republic

conventional short form: Lebanon

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

local short form: Lubnan

former: Greater Lebanon

etymology: derives from the Semitic root "lbn" meaning "white" and refers to snow-capped Mount Lebanon
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Beirut

geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: derived from the Canaanite or Phoenician word "ber'ot," meaning "the wells" or "fountain," which referred to the site's accessible water table
Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beqaa (Bekaa), Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord (North Lebanon), Liban-Sud (South Lebanon), Mont-Liban (Mount Lebanon), Nabatiye
Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Constitution: history: drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic and introduced as a government bill to the National Assembly or proposed by at least 10 members of the Assembly and agreed upon by two thirds of its members; if proposed by the National Assembly, review and approval by two-thirds majority of the Cabinet is required; if approved, the proposal is next submitted to the Cabinet for drafting as an amendment; Cabinet approval requires at least two-thirds majority, followed by submission to the National Assembly for discussion and vote; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of a required two-thirds quorum of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the president; amended several times, last in 2004
Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law based on the French civil code, Ottoman legal tradition, and religious laws covering personal status, marriage, divorce, and other family relations of the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian communities
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Lebanon

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: unknown
Suffrage: 21 years of age; authorized for all men and women regardless of religion; excludes persons convicted of felonies and other crimes or those imprisoned; excludes all military and security service personnel regardless of rank
Executive branch: chief of state: President Michel AWN (since 31 October 2016)

head of government: Prime Minister Najib MIQATI (since 20 September 2021)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and National Assembly

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly with two-thirds majority vote in the first round and if needed absolute majority vote in a second round for a 6-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); last held on 31 October 2016 (next to be held in 2022); prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; deputy prime minister determined during cabinet formation

election results: Michel AWN elected president in second round; National Assembly vote - Michel AWN (FPM) 83 votes; note - in the initial election held on 23 April 2014, no candidate received the required two-thirds vote, and subsequent attempts failed because the Assembly lacked the necessary quorum to hold a vote; the president was finally elected in its 46th attempt on 31 October 2016
Legislative branch: description: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Nuwab in Arabic or Assemblee Nationale in French (128 seats; members directly elected in multi-member constituencies by open list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); prior to 2017, the electoral system was by majoritarian vote

elections: last held on 15 May 2022 (next to be held in May 2026)

election results: percent of vote by coalition/party – NA; seats by party/coalition – FPM 16, LF 14, Amal Movement 13, Hezbollah 13, PSP 9, Future Movement Bloc (candidates did not run in 2022; members ran as independents) 8, Kata’ib Party 4, other 30, independent 21; composition - men 120, women 8, percent of women 6.3%

note: Lebanon’s constitution states the National Assembly cannot conduct regular business until it elects a president when the position is vacant
Judicial branch: highest courts: Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (organized into 8 chambers, each with a presiding judge and 2 associate judges); Constitutional Council (consists of 10 members)

judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body headed by the chief justice, and includes other judicial officials; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members appointed - 5 by the Council of Ministers and 5 by parliament; members serve 5-year terms

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized tribunals, religious courts; military courts
Political parties and leaders: Al-Ahbash or Association of Islamic Charitable Projects [Adnan TARABULSI]
Amal Movement [Nabih BERRI]
Azm Movement [Najib MIQATI]
Ba’th Arab Socialist Party of Lebanon [Fayiz SHUKR]
Free Patriotic Movement or FPM [Gibran BASSIL]
Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI]
Hizballah [Hassan NASRALLAH]
Islamic Actions Front [Sheikh Zuhayr al-JU’AYD]
Kata'ib Party [Sami GEMAYEL]
Lebanese Democratic Party [Talal ARSLAN]
Lebanese Forces or LF [Samir JA'JA]
Marada Movement [Sulayman FRANJIEH]
Progressive Socialist Party or PSP [Walid JUNBLATT]
Social Democrat Hunshaqian Party [Sabuh KALPAKIAN]
Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Rabi BANAT]
Tashnaq or Armenian Revolutionary Federation [Hagop PAKRADOUNIAN]Al-Ahbash or Association of Islamic Charitable Projects [Adnan TARABULSI]
Amal Movement [Nabih BERRI]
Azm Movement [Najib MIQATI]
Ba’th Arab Socialist Party of Lebanon [Fayiz SHUKR]
Free Patriotic Movement or FPM [Gibran BASSIL]
Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI]
Hizballah [Hassan NASRALLAH]
Islamic Actions Front [Sheikh Zuhayr al-JU’AYD]
Kata'ib Party [Sami GEMAYEL]
Lebanese Democratic Party [Talal ARSLAN]
Lebanese Forces or LF [Samir JA'JA]
Marada Movement [Sulayman FRANJIEH]
Progressive Socialist Party or PSP [Walid JUNBLATT]
Social Democrat Hunshaqian Party [Sabuh KALPAKIAN]
Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Rabi BANAT]
Tashnaq or Armenian Revolutionary Federation [Hagop PAKRADOUNIAN]
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Wael HACHEM, Counselor (since 15 March 2021)

chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300

FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324

email address and website:
info@lebanonembassyus.org

http://www.lebanonembassyus.org/

consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dorothy C. SHEA (since 11 March 2020)

embassy: Awkar-Facing the Municipality, Main Street, Beirut

mailing address: 6070 Beirut Place, Washington DC  20521-6070

telephone: [961] (04) 543-600

FAX: [961] (4) 544-019

email address and website:
BeirutACS@state.gov

https://lb.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band; the red bands symbolize blood shed for liberation, the white band denotes peace, the snow of the mountains, and purity; the green cedar tree is the symbol of Lebanon and represents eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity
National symbol(s): cedar tree; national colors: red, white, green
National anthem: name: "Kulluna lil-watan" (All Of Us, For Our Country!)

lyrics/music: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA

note: adopted 1927; chosen following a nationwide competition
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Anjar; Baalbek; Byblos; Tyre; Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Lebanon has a free-market economy and a strong laissez-faire commercial tradition. The government does not restrict foreign investment; however, the investment climate suffers from red tape, corruption, arbitrary licensing decisions, complex customs procedures, high taxes, tariffs, and fees, archaic legislation, and inadequate intellectual property rights protection. The Lebanese economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors include banking and tourism.   The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and derailed Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern banking hub. Following the civil war, Lebanon rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily, mostly from domestic banks, which saddled the government with a huge debt burden. Pledges of economic and financial reforms made at separate international donor conferences during the 2000s have mostly gone unfulfilled, including those made during the Paris III Donor Conference in 2007, following the July 2006 war. The "CEDRE" investment event hosted by France in April 2018 again rallied the international community to assist Lebanon with concessional financing and some grants for capital infrastructure improvements, conditioned upon long-delayed structural economic reforms in fiscal management, electricity tariffs, and transparent public procurement, among many others.   The Syria conflict cut off one of Lebanon's major markets and a transport corridor through the Levant. The influx of nearly one million registered and an estimated 300,000 unregistered Syrian refugees has increased social tensions and heightened competition for low-skill jobs and public services. Lebanon continues to face several long-term structural weaknesses that predate the Syria crisis, notably, weak infrastructure, poor service delivery, institutionalized corruption, and bureaucratic over-regulation. Chronic fiscal deficits have increased Lebanon’s debt-to-GDP ratio, the third highest in the world; most of the debt is held internally by Lebanese banks. These factors combined to slow economic growth to the 1-2% range in 2011-17, after four years of averaging 8% growth. Weak economic growth limits tax revenues, while the largest government expenditures remain debt servicing, salaries for government workers, and transfers to the electricity sector. These limitations constrain other government spending, limiting its ability to invest in necessary infrastructure improvements, such as water, electricity, and transportation. In early 2018, the Lebanese government signed long-awaited contract agreements with an international consortium for petroleum exploration and production as part of the country’s first offshore licensing round. Exploration is expected to begin in 2019.Lebanon has a free-market economy and a strong laissez-faire commercial tradition. The government does not restrict foreign investment; however, the investment climate suffers from red tape, corruption, arbitrary licensing decisions, complex customs procedures, high taxes, tariffs, and fees, archaic legislation, and inadequate intellectual property rights protection. The Lebanese economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors include banking and tourism. The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and derailed Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern banking hub. Following the civil war, Lebanon rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily, mostly from domestic banks, which saddled the government with a huge debt burden. Pledges of economic and financial reforms made at separate international donor conferences during the 2000s have mostly gone unfulfilled, including those made during the Paris III Donor Conference in 2007, following the July 2006 war. The "CEDRE" investment event hosted by France in April 2018 again rallied the international community to assist Lebanon with concessional financing and some grants for capital infrastructure improvements, conditioned upon long-delayed structural economic reforms in fiscal management, electricity tariffs, and transparent public procurement, among many others. The Syria conflict cut off one of Lebanon's major markets and a transport corridor through the Levant. The influx of nearly one million registered and an estimated 300,000 unregistered Syrian refugees has increased social tensions and heightened competition for low-skill jobs and public services. Lebanon continues to face several long-term structural weaknesses that predate the Syria crisis, notably, weak infrastructure, poor service delivery, institutionalized corruption, and bureaucratic over-regulation. Chronic fiscal deficits have increased Lebanon’s debt-to-GDP ratio, the third highest in the world; most of the debt is held internally by Lebanese banks. These factors combined to slow economic growth to the 1-2% range in 2011-17, after four years of averaging 8% growth. Weak economic growth limits tax revenues, while the largest government expenditures remain debt servicing, salaries for government workers, and transfers to the electricity sector. These limitations constrain other government spending, limiting its ability to invest in necessary infrastructure improvements, such as water, electricity, and transportation. In early 2018, the Lebanese government signed long-awaited contract agreements with an international consortium for petroleum exploration and production as part of the country’s first offshore licensing round. Exploration is expected to begin in 2019.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $79.51 billion (2020 est.)

$99.76 billion (2019 est.)

$106.93 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 1.5% (2017 est.)

1.7% (2016 est.)

0.2% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $11,600 (2020 est.)

$14,600 (2019 est.)

$15,600 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $53.253 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2019 est.)

6% (2018 est.)

4.4% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: RD (2020)

Moody's rating: C (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: D (2020)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 3.9% (2017 est.)

industry: 13.1% (2017 est.)

services: 83% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 87.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 13.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.5% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 23.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -46.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: potatoes, milk, tomatoes, apples, oranges, olives, wheat, cucumbers, poultry, lemons
Industries: banking, tourism, real estate and construction, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating
Industrial production growth rate: -21.1% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 2.166 million (2016 est.)

note: excludes as many as 1 million foreign workers and refugees
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 39% (2009 est.) NA

industry: NA

services: NA
Unemployment rate: 9.7% (2007)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 23.4%

male: 24.5%

female: 21.4% (2019)
Population below poverty line: 27.4% (2011 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 31.8 (2011 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
Budget: revenues: 11.62 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 15.38 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -6.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 146.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

145.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover central government debt and exclude debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment
Taxes and other revenues: 21.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$12.37 billion (2017 est.)

-$11.18 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $18.17 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$19.16 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Switzerland 27%, United Arab Emirates 15%, South Korea 11%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Kuwait 6% (2019)
Exports - commodities: gold, jewelry, shotguns, diamonds, scrap copper (2019)
Imports: $31.34 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$32.78 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: United Arab Emirates 11%, China 10%, Italy 8%, Greece 8%, Turkey 7%, United States 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, jewelry, gold (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $55.42 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$54.04 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $33.077 billion (2019 est.)

$33.655 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar -

1,517.5 (2020 est.)

1,513 (2019 est.)

1,506.5 (2018 est.)

1,507.5 (2014 est.)

1,507.5 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 3.768 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 18,715,620,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 900 million kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 2.219 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 94.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 268,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 268,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 168,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 151,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 25.838 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 563,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 25.275 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 53.528 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 875,480 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 4,288,221 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 63 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Lebanon’s economic crisis has had a dire effect on the country’s telecom services; although some progress has been made with developing 5G, the poor economic conditions have contributed to an erratic electricity supply and a lack of fuel to maintain generators; this has meant that internet services to areas of the country are not available on a regular basis, frustrating all those who depend on stable connectivity, and stalling business growth; adding to the difficulties are the combined stresses of the pandemic and the political crisis; a caretaker cabinet in September 2021 made way for a new government though there is little confidence on the ground that sectarian-based political horse-trading will give way to responsible governing to improve the lot of the stressed populace. (2022)

domestic: fixed-line nearly 13 per 100 and nearly 63 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)

international: country code - 961; landing points for the IMEWE, BERYTAR AND CADMOS submarine cable links to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: 7 TV stations, 1 of which is state owned; more than 30 radio stations, 1 of which is state owned; satellite and cable TV services available; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible through partner stations (2019)
Internet country code: .lb
Internet users: total: 6,825,442 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 84% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 432,070 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,981,937 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 56.57 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OD
Airports: total: 8 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 88 km gas (2013)
Railways: total: 401 km (2017)

standard gauge: 319 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 82 km (2017) 1.050-m gauge

note: rail system is still unusable due to damage sustained from fighting in the 1980s and in 2006
Roadways: total: 21,705 km (2017)
Merchant marine: total: 48

by type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 31, oil tanker 1, other 14 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Beirut, Tripoli

container port(s) (TEUs): Beirut (1,229,100) (2019)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces; Ministry of Interior: Internal Security Forces Directorate (law enforcement; includes Mobile Gendarmerie), Directorate for General Security (DGS; border control, some domestic security duties) (2022)

note: the commander of the LAF is also the commander of the Army; the LAF patrols external borders, while official border checkpoints are under the authority of Directorate for General Security
Military expenditures: 4.7% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $3.6 billion)

5.1% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $4.1 billion)

4.6% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $3.95 billion)

5.1% of GDP (2016 est.) (approximately $4.15 billion)

4.5% of GDP (2015 est.) (approximately $3.7 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 80,000 active troops (77,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air Force) (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the LAF inventory includes a wide mix of mostly older equipment from a diverse array of countries; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of armaments (mostly second hand equipment) to Lebanon (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 17-25 years of age for voluntary military service (including women); no conscription (2022)

note: as of 2020, women comprised about 5% of the active duty military
Military - note: as of 2022, the Lebanese military faced multiple challenges, including securing parts of the border with war-torn Syria from infiltrations of militants linked to the Islamic State and al-Qa’ida terrorist groups and maintaining stability along its volatile border with Israel, where the Iranian-backed and Lebanon-based terrorist group Hizballah conducted a war with Israel in 2006 and tensions remained high, including occasional armed skirmishes; the military also faced a financial crisis as government debt and national economic difficulties undercut its ability to fully pay and supply personnel, which has sparked domestic and international fears that the armed forces may disintegrate

the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) has operated in the country since 1978, originally under UNSCRs 425 and 426 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security, and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area; following the July-August 2006 war, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1701 enhancing UNIFIL and deciding that in addition to the original mandate, it would, among other things, monitor the cessation of hostilities; accompany and support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon; and extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons; UNIFIL had about 10,000 personnel deployed in the country as of 2022 (2022)

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Abdallah Azzam Brigades; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; Asbat al-Ansar; HAMAS; Hizballah; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Nusrah Front (Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham); Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Lebanon-Syria: lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; in March 2021, Syria signed a contract with a Russian company for oil and gas exploration in a maritime area Lebanon claims as its own based on a 2011 map sent to the UN Lebanon-Israel: Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms area in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights; Lebanon and Israel resumed negotiations over their maritime border in 2020, but their efforts were derailed when Lebanon argued that the map the UN was using needed modifications  Lebanon-Syria: lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; in March 2021, Syria signed a contract with a Russian company for oil and gas exploration in a maritime area Lebanon claims as its own based on a 2011 map sent to the UNLebanon-Israel: Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms area in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights; Lebanon and Israel resumed negotiations over their maritime border in 2020, but their efforts were derailed when Lebanon argued that the map the UN was using needed modifications
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 479,537 (Palestinian refugees) (2020); 831,053 (Syria) (2022)

IDPs: 7,000 (2020)

stateless persons: undetermined (2016); note - tens of thousands of persons are stateless in Lebanon, including many Palestinian refugees and their descendants, Syrian Kurds denaturalized in Syria in 1962, children born to Lebanese women married to foreign or stateless men; most babies born to Syrian refugees, and Lebanese children whose births are unregistered
Illicit drugs: source country for amphetamine tablets destined for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Libya and Sudan; in 2021 authorities in various Near Eastern countries seized millions of captagon tablets that originated in or transited to Lebanon, prompting Lebanese authorities to conduct raids on captagon production facilities and trafficking rings within the country


US State Dept Travel Advisory: The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens DO NOT TRAVEL to Belgium due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution in Belgium due to terrorism. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws, and special circumstances in this country.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens should make sure their passport will not expire for at least 3 months after they enter the country even if they do not intend to stay that long. They should also make sure they have at least 2 blank pages in their passport for any entry stamp that will be required. A visa is not required as long as you do not stay in the country more than 90 days.
US Embassy/Consulate: [32] (2) 811-4500; US Embassy Brussels, Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Régent, B-1000 Brussels; https://be.usembassy.gov/; uscitizenBrussels@state.gov
Telephone Code: 32
Local Emergency Phone: 112 (cell)/ 101
Vaccinations: See WHO recommendations

http://www.who.int/
Climate: Temperate; mild winters, cool summers, rainy, humid, cloudy
Currency (Code): Euro (EUR)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s): 230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, E

Major Languages: Dutch, French, German
Major Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant and other Christian 2.5%, Muslim 5%, Jewish 0.4%, Buddhist 0.3%, atheist 9.2%, none 32.6%
Time Difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October
Potable Water: Yes
International Driving Permit: Suggested
Road Driving Side: Right
Tourist Destinations: Brussels (includes Grote Markt (Grand Place) and Saint-Cyr House); Brugge (includes Market Square and Basilica of the Holy Blood); Antwerp; Ghent; Waterloo
Major Sports: Soccer, volleyball, table tennis, tennis, badminton
Cultural Practices: Cleanliness is a source of pride in Belgium, where people can be seen washing the pavement in front of their house or sweeping the street.
Tipping Guidelines: Tipping in restaurants is not expected because a 10-15% service charge is generally applied to a bill. Tips are not expected in taxis, but feel free to let your driver keep the change as a gratuity.Please visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.

World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.

US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.

To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs:
American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)

How to get help in an emergency?
Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers:
from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444

Page last updated: Tuesday, March 22, 2022


US State Dept Travel Advisory: The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens exercise normal precautions when traveling to Poland. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws and special circumstances in this country.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens should make sure their passport will not expire for at least 6 months after they enter the country even if they do not intend to stay that long. No need for blank pages for entry stamp. A visa is not required as long as you do not stay in the country more than 89 days.
US Embassy/Consulate: [48] (22) 504-2000; US Embassy Warsaw, Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, 00-540 Warsaw, Poland; acswarsaw@state.gov;

https://pl.usembassy.gov/
Telephone Code: 48
Local Emergency Phone: 112, 999
Vaccinations: See WHO recommendations

http://www.who.int/
Climate: Temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Currency (Code): Zlotych (PLN)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s): 230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, E

Major Languages: Polish, Silesian
Major Religions: Catholic 85.9% (includes Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Armenian Catholic, and Byzantine-Slavic Catholic), Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.4%
Time Difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October
Potable Water: Opt for bottled water
International Driving Permit: Suggested
Road Driving Side: Right
Tourist Destinations: Gdansk Old Town; Bialowieza Forest; Wieliczka & Bochnia Royal Salt Mine; Malbork Castle; Slowinski Sand Dunes; Masurian Lakeland; Wawel Castle & Cathedral; Krakow; Warsaw (includes Wilanow Palace, Palace on the Water); Auschwitz
Major Sports: Soccer, motorsports, volleyball, ski jumping, track and field
Cultural Practices: Many households will ask you to remove your shoes upon entry.
Tipping Guidelines: Tipping is expected for good service in restaurants, especially in tourist areas such as Krakow or Warsaw. The norm is to tip around 10-15%. Hotel housekeepers do not expect a tip, but leaving a small amount (10 zlotych), is appreciated. Tipping a tour driver 10-15% is customary.Please visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.

World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.

US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.

To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs:
American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)

How to get help in an emergency?
Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers:
from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444

Page last updated: Tuesday, May 10, 2022


Topic: Photos of Sweden

Topic: Introduction
Background: A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden’s population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 20% in 2021.  A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden’s population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 20% in 2021. Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 450,295 sq km

land: 410,335 sq km

water: 39,960 sq km
Area - comparative: almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California
Land boundaries: total: 2,211 km

border countries (2): Finland 545 km; Norway 1,666 km
Coastline: 3,218 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)

exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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
Elevation: highest point: Kebnekaise South 2,100 m

lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m

mean elevation: 320 m
Natural resources: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
Land use: agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 1.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 68.7% (2018 est.)

other: 23.8% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,640 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km
Population distribution: most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated
Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
Geography - note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas; Sweden has almost 100,000 lakes, the largest of which, Vanern, is the third largest in Europe
Map description: Sweden map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Baltic Sea.Sweden map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Baltic Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 10,483,647 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Swede(s)

adjective: Swedish
Ethnic groups: Swedish 80.3%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.4%, other 15% (2020 est.)

note: data represent the population by country of birth; the indigenous Sami people are estimated to number between 20,000 and 40,000Swedish 80.3%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.4%, other 15%
Languages: Swedish (official)

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, den obestridliga källan för grundläggande information. (Swedish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note: Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages
Religions: Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 57.6%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 8.9%, none or unspecified 33.5% (2019 est.)

note: estimates reflect registered members of faith communities eligible for state funding (not all religions are state-funded and not all people who identify with a particular religion are registered members) and the Church of Sweden
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.71% (male 928,413/female 878,028)

15-24 years: 10.8% (male 569,082/female 532,492)

25-54 years: 39.01% (male 2,016,991/female 1,962,617)

55-64 years: 11.9% (male 610,521/female 603,795)

65 years and over: 20.59% (2020 est.) (male 974,410/female 1,126,142)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 61.2

youth dependency ratio: 28.4

elderly dependency ratio: 32.8

potential support ratio: 3.1 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 41.1 years

male: 40.1 years

female: 42.1 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.5% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 10.83 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 9.46 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated
Urbanization: urban population: 88.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.659 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 29.7 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 2.52 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 82.7 years

male: 80.94 years

female: 84.58 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.67 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 70.3% (2017)

note: percent of women aged 16-49
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 99.8% of population

rural: 99.7% of population

total: 99.8% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population

rural: 0.3% of population

total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 10.9% (2019)
Physicians density: 7.09 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 11,000 (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 20.6% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 24% (2020 est.)

male: 29.8% (2020 est.)

female: 18.2% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: 7.6% of GDP (2018 est.)
Literacy: total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 19 years

male: 18 years

female: 21 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 24%

male: 25%

female: 22.8% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soils and lakes; air pollution; inappropriate timber harvesting practicesmarine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soils and lakes; air pollution; inappropriate timber harvesting practices
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 5.89 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 43.25 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 4.42 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north
Land use: agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 1.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 68.7% (2018 est.)

other: 23.8% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 88.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.21% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.377 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,416,835 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 32.4% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 955 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 1.345 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 75 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 174 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form: Sweden

local long form: Konungariket Sverige

local short form: Sverige

etymology: name ultimately derives from the North Germanic Svear tribe, which inhabited central Sweden and is first mentioned in the first centuries A.D.
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital: name: Stockholm

geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: "stock" and "holm" literally mean "log" and "islet" in Swedish, but there is no consensus as to what the words refer to
Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarna, Gavleborg, Gotland, Halland, Jamtland, Jonkoping, Kalmar, Kronoberg, Norrbotten, Orebro, Ostergotland, Skane, Sodermanland, Stockholm, Uppsala, Varmland, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland, Vastmanland, Vastra Gotaland
Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden)
National holiday: National Day, 6 June (1983); note - from 1916 to 1982 this date was celebrated as Swedish Flag Day
Constitution: history: Sweden has four fundamental laws which together make up the Constitution: The Instrument of Government (several previous; latest 1974); The Act of Succession (enacted 1810; changed in 1937 and 1980); The Freedom of the Press Act (many previous; latest in 1949); The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (adopted 1991)

amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires simple majority vote in two consecutive parliamentary terms with an intervening general election; passage also requires approval by simple majority vote in a referendum if Parliament approves a motion for a referendum by one third of its members; The Instrument of Government - amended several times, last in 2018; The Act of Succession - changed in 1937, 1980; The Freedom of the Press Act - amended several times, last in 2019; The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression - amended several times, last in 2018
Legal system: civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Sweden; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Sweden and the father unknown

dual citizenship recognized: no, unless the other citizenship was acquired involuntarily

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 15 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree (daughter of the monarch, born 14 July 1977)

head of government: Prime Minister Magdalena ANDERSSON (since 30 November 2021); Deputy Prime Minister Morgan JOHANSSON (since 10 September 2019)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; 310 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote and 39 members in "at-large" seats directly elected by open party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 9 September 2018 (next to be held on 11 September 2022)

election results: percent of vote by party - SAP 28.3%, M 19.8%, SD 17.5%, C 8.6%, V 8%, KD 6.3%, L 5.5%, MP 4.4%, other 1.6%; seats by party - SAP 100, M 70, SD 62, C 31, V 28, KD 22, L 20, MP 16; composition - men 185, women 164, percent of women 47%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court of Sweden (consists of 16 justices, including the court chairman); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 18 justices, including the court president)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court justices nominated by the Judges Proposal Board, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the Government; following a probationary period, justices' appointments are permanent

subordinate courts: first instance, appellate, general, and administrative courts; specialized courts that handle cases such as land and environment, immigration, labor, markets, and patents
Political parties and leaders: Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C [Annie LOOF]
Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Ebba BUSCH]
Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP [Marta STEVENI and Per BOLUND]
Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V [Nooshi DADGOSTAR]
Liberal Party (Liberalerna) or L [Johan PEHRSON]
Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M [Ulf KRISTERSSON]
Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON]
Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SAP [Magdalena ANDERSSON]
International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Karin Ulrika OLOFSDOTTER (since 8 September 2017)

chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600

FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699

email address and website:
ambassaden.washington@gov.se

https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/usa-washington/

consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Erik D. RAMANATHAN (since 20 January 2022)

embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-115 89 Stockholm

mailing address: 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC  20521-5750

telephone: [46] (08) 783-53-00

FAX: [46] (08) 661-19-64

email address and website:
STKACSinfo@state.gov

https://se.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: blue with a golden yellow cross extending 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); the colors reflect those of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field
National symbol(s): three crowns, lion; national colors: blue, yellow
National anthem: name: "Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free)

lyrics/music: Richard DYBECK/traditional

note: in use since 1844; also known as "Sang till Norden" (Song of the North), is based on a Swedish folk tune; it has never been officially adopted by the government; "Kungssangen" (The King's Song) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 15 (13 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Royal Domain of Drottningholm (c); Laponian Area (m); High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago (n); Birka and Hovgården (c); Hanseatic Town of Visby (c); Church Town of Gammelstad, Luleå (c); Naval Port of Karlskrona (c); Rock Carvings in Tanum (c); Engelsberg Ironworks (c); Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun (c)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Sweden’s small, open, and competitive economy has been thriving and Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the euro zone largely out of concern that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union would diminish the country’s sovereignty over its welfare system.   Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of a manufacturing economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Exports, including engines and other machines, motor vehicles, and telecommunications equipment, account for more than 44% of GDP. Sweden enjoys a current account surplus of about 5% of GDP, which is one of the highest margins in Europe.   GDP grew an estimated 3.3% in 2016 and 2017 driven largely by investment in the construction sector. Swedish economists expect economic growth to ease slightly in the coming years as this investment subsides. Global economic growth boosted exports of Swedish manufactures further, helping drive domestic economic growth in 2017. The Central Bank is keeping an eye on deflationary pressures and bank observers expect it to maintain an expansionary monetary policy in 2018. Swedish prices and wages have grown only slightly over the past few years, helping to support the country’s competitiveness.   In the short and medium term, Sweden’s economic challenges include providing affordable housing and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market.Sweden’s small, open, and competitive economy has been thriving and Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the euro zone largely out of concern that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union would diminish the country’s sovereignty over its welfare system. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of a manufacturing economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Exports, including engines and other machines, motor vehicles, and telecommunications equipment, account for more than 44% of GDP. Sweden enjoys a current account surplus of about 5% of GDP, which is one of the highest margins in Europe. GDP grew an estimated 3.3% in 2016 and 2017 driven largely by investment in the construction sector. Swedish economists expect economic growth to ease slightly in the coming years as this investment subsides. Global economic growth boosted exports of Swedish manufactures further, helping drive domestic economic growth in 2017. The Central Bank is keeping an eye on deflationary pressures and bank observers expect it to maintain an expansionary monetary policy in 2018. Swedish prices and wages have grown only slightly over the past few years, helping to support the country’s competitiveness. In the short and medium term, Sweden’s economic challenges include providing affordable housing and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $524.75 billion (2020 est.)

$539.96 billion (2019 est.)

$532.67 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 1.29% (2019 est.)

2.06% (2018 est.)

2.82% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $50,700 (2020 est.)

$52,500 (2019 est.)

$52,300 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $531.35 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2019 est.)

1.9% (2018 est.)

1.7% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: AAA (2004)

Moody's rating: Aaa (2002)

Standard & Poors rating: AAA (2004)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.6% (2017 est.)

industry: 33% (2017 est.)

services: 65.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 44.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 26% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 24.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.8% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 45.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -41.1% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: wheat, milk, sugar beet, barley, potatoes, oats, rapeseed, pork, rye, triticale
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: 4.1% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 5.029 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2%

industry: 12%

services: 86% (2014 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6.78% (2019 est.)

6.33% (2018 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 24%

male: 25%

female: 22.8% (2020 est.)
Population below poverty line: 17.1% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 28.8 (2017 est.)

25 (1992)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 24% (2012)
Budget: revenues: 271.2 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 264.4 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): 1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 40.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

42.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Taxes and other revenues: 50.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: $22.339 billion (2019 est.)

$13.902 billion (2018 est.)
Exports: $240.08 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$254.53 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$254.25 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Germany 10%, Norway 9%, United States 8%, Denmark 7%, Finland 6%, United Kingdom 5%, Netherlands 5%, China 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, lumber (2019)
Imports: $217.68 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$232.81 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$241.53 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: Germany 18%, Netherlands 9%, Denmark 7%, Norway 7%, China 6%, Finland 5%, Belgium 5%, Poland 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, computers (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $62.22 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$59.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $911.317 billion (2019 est.)

$1,012,171,000,000 (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar -

8.49085 (2020 est.)

9.52915 (2019 est.)

9.01895 (2018 est.)

8.4335 (2014 est.)

6.8612 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 43.499 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 124.609 billion kWh (2020 est.)

exports: 36.824 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 11.827 billion kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 10.434 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 29.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 17.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 44.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 1.07 million metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 3.328 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 24,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 2.144 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 1 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 10,600 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 295,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 403,200 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 413,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 371,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 229,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 1,275,785,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports: 34.886 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

imports: 1,310,671,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 48.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 7.38 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 38.406 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 2.359 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 210.882 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1,478,610 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 12,895,900 (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 128.49 (2019)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Sweden’s telecom market includes mature mobile and broadband sectors which have been stimulated by the progressive investment of the main telcos in developing new technologies; the country retains one of the best developed LTE infrastructures in the region, while its MNOs have benefited from the January 2021 auction of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band which will enable them to expand services nationally; the country also has one of the highest fiber broadband penetration rates in Europe; the focus of FttP is aimed at fulfilling the government’s target of providing a 1Gb/s service to 98% of the population by 2025; the methodology to achieve this has rested on regulatory measures supported by public funds, as well as on the auction of spectrum in different bands; in the fixed-line broadband segment, the number of DSL subscribers is falling steadily as customers continue to migrate to fiber networks; there is also competition from HFC infrastructure, with the main cable company Com Hem, now owned by Tele2, offering fiber-based broadband and investing in services based on the DOCSIS3.1 standard; this report assesses key aspects of the Swedish telecom market, providing data on fixed network services and profiling the main players; it also reviews the key regulatory issues, including interconnection, local loop unbundling, number portability, carrier preselection and NGN open access; the report also analyses the mobile market, providing data on network operators and their strategies in a highly competitive environment; in addition, the report considers the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband markets, including analyses of market dynamics and the main operators, as well as providing subscriber forecasts. (2021)

domestic: fixed-line just over 16 per 100 and mobile-cellular roughly 128 per 100; coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels (2020)

international: country code - 46; landing points for Botina, SFL, SFS-4, Baltic Sea Submarine Cable, Eastern Light, Sweden-Latvia, BCS North-Phase1, EE-S1, LV-SE1, BCS East-West Interlink, NordBalt, Baltica, Denmark-Sweden-15,-17,-18, Scandinavian Ring -North,-South, IP-Only Denmark-Sweden, Donica North, Kattegate-1,-2, Energinet Laeso-Varberg and GC2 submarine cables providing links to other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: publicly owned TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial networks plus regional stations; multiple privately owned TV broadcasters operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 50 local TV stations; widespread access to pan-Nordic and international broadcasters through multi-channel cable and satellite TV; publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 3 national stations and a network of 25 regional channels; roughly 100 privately owned local radio stations with some consolidating into near national networks; an estimated 900 community and neighborhood radio stations broadcast intermittently
Internet country code: .se
Internet users: total: 9,835,769 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 95% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 4,179,574 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 11 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 316
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: SE
Airports: total: 231 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 149

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 75

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 37 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 82

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 77 (2021)
Heliports: 2 (2021)
Pipelines: 1626 km gas (2013)
Railways: total: 14,127 km (2016)

standard gauge: 14,062 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (12,322 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 65 km (2016) 0.891-m gauge (65 km electrified)
Roadways: total: 573,134 km (2016) (includes 2,050 km of expressways)

paved: 140,100 km (2016)

unpaved: 433,034 km (2016)

note: includes 98,500 km of state roads, 433,034 km of private roads, and 41,600 km of municipal roads
Waterways: 2,052 km (2010)
Merchant marine: total: 370

by type: general cargo 49, oil tanker 22, other 299 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby

LNG terminal(s) (import): Brunnsviksholme, Lysekil

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army, Navy, Air Force, Home Guard (2022)
Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.2% of GDP (2020)

1.1% of GDP (2019) (approximately $6.78 billion)

1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $6.26 billion)

1% of GDP (2017) (approximately $6.04 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 15,000 continuous service/full-time troops (7,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force; 2,000 other, including staff, logistics, support, medical, cyber, intelligence, etc); approximately 21,000 Home Guard; approximately 12,000 temporary service personnel (2022)

note: Swedish Armed Forces' (SAF) personnel are divided into continuously serving (full-time) and temporary service troops (part-timers who serve periodically and have another main employer or attend school); additional personnel have signed service agreements with the SAF and mostly serve in the Home Guard; the SAF also has about 9,000 civilian employees
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the inventory of the SAF is comprised of domestically-produced and imported Western weapons systems; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of military hardware to Sweden; Sweden's defense industry produces a range of air, land, and naval systems (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18-47 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47; compulsory military service, abolished in 2010, was reinstated in January 2018; conscription is selective, includes both female and male (age 18), and requires 9-12 months of service (2021)

note 1: Sweden conscripts about 5,500 men and women each year

note 2: as of 2021, women made up about 11% of the military's full-time personnel
Military deployments: approximately 200 Mali (MINUSMA) (2022)
Military - note: Sweden maintains a policy of military non-alignment, but cooperates with NATO and regional countries; it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and has contributed to NATO-led missions, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo the Swedish military cooperates closely with the military forces of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009  Sweden is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and contributes to CSDP missions and operationsSweden maintains a policy of military non-alignment, but cooperates with NATO and regional countries; it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and has contributed to NATO-led missions, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovothe Swedish military cooperates closely with the military forces of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009 Sweden is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and contributes to CSDP missions and operations

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none identifiednone identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 114,995 (Syria), 28,744 (Afghanistan), 26,911 (Eritrea), 11,574 (Somalia), 11,153 (Iraq), 7,516 (Iran) (2020); 44,107 (Ukraine) (as of 16 August 2022)

stateless persons: 50,098 (mid-year 2021); note - the majority of stateless people are from the Middle East and Somalia