Sweden (2003) | Aruba (2007) | |
Administrative divisions | 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens, Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.7% (male 804,296; female 763,213)
15-64 years: 65% (male 2,933,183; female 2,835,835) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 654,575; female 886,983) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 19.7% (male 9,943/female 9,761)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 33,553/female 36,661) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 4,046/female 6,054) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk | aloes; livestock; fish |
Airports | 245 (2002) | 1 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 145
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 82 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 25 (2002) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 100
914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 90 (2002) |
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Area | total: 449,964 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km water: 39,030 sq km |
total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than California | slightly larger than Washington, DC |
Background | A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment, rising maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999. | Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. |
Birth rate | 9.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 12.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $119 billion
expenditures: $110 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues: $507.9 million
expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.) |
Capital | Stockholm | name: Oranjestad
geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 3,218 km | 68.5 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1975 | 1 January 1986 |
Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
Currency | Swedish krona (SEK) | - |
Death rate | 10.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $66.5 billion (1994) | $478.6 million (2005 est.) |
Dependency status | - | member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. HEIMBOLD, Jr.
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64 |
the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.7 billion (1997) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $11.3 million (2004) |
Economy - overview | Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown, revenue declines, and spending increases. The Swedish central bank (the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with its inflation target of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003. On September 14, 2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system, concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty. | Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority. |
Electricity - consumption | 134.9 billion kWh (2001) | 716.1 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 18.45 billion kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 11.14 billion kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 152.9 billion kWh (2001) | 770 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 4%
hydro: 50.8% nuclear: 43% other: 2.3% (2001) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.41 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
Environment - current issues | acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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Ethnic groups | indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20% |
Exchange rates | Swedish kronor per US dollar - 9.74 (2002), 10.33 (2001), 9.16 (2000), 8.26 (1999), 7.95 (1998) | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002) |
Executive branch | chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006) election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131 out of 349 votes |
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held in 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA |
Exports | 203,700 bbl/day (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment |
Exports - partners | US 11.6%, Germany 10.1%, Norway 9%, UK 8.2%, Denmark 5.9%, Finland 5.6%, Netherlands 5.3%, France 5.1%, Belgium 4.7% (2002) | Netherlands 27.7%, Panama 25.5%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 11.1%, US 9.4%, Netherlands Antilles 7.1% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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) | blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $230.7 billion (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 29% services: 69% (2001) |
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.9% (2002 est.) | 2.4% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 15 00 E | 12 30 N, 69 58 W |
Geography - note | strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas | a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) |
Heliports | 2 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 212,402 km
paved: 166,523 km (including 1,499 km of expressways) unpaved: 45,879 km (2000) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 20.1% (1992) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine |
Imports | 553,100 bbl/day (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | Germany 18.5%, Denmark 8.8%, UK 8.6%, Norway 8.2%, Netherlands 6.7%, France 5.4%, Finland 5.2%, US 5% (2002) | US 53.6%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.6% (2006) |
Independence | 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king) | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0.9% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Industries | iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining |
Infant mortality rate | total: 3.42 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.2% (2002 est.) | 3.4% (2005) |
International organization participation | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC | Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 29 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 1,150 sq km (1998 est.) | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet) | Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) |
Labor force | 4.4 million (2000 est.) | 41,500 (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.) | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining |
Land boundaries | total: 2,205 km
border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 6.8%
permanent crops: 0% other: 93.2% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005) |
Languages | Swedish
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities |
Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census) |
Legal system | civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%, Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats 33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17 |
unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.97 years
male: 77.31 years female: 82.78 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 74.83 years
male: 71.8 years female: 77.91 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1979 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: NA
total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census) |
Location | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela |
Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines territorial sea: 12 NM (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) |
territorial sea: 12 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 166 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,329,925 GRT/1,609,986 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 35, chemical tanker 31, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 35, short-sea passenger 8, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 21 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 8, Finland 8, Germany 3, Italy 3, Japan 2, Norway 7 (2002 est.) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
Military branches | Army, Royal Navy (including Coast Artillery and Naval Helicopter Service), Air Force | no regular indigenous military forces; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2005) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $4.395 billion (FY01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.1% (FY01) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 2,060,044 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,800,376 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 19 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 52,692 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Flag Day, 6 June | Flag Day, 18 March (1976) |
Nationality | noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish |
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
Natural hazards | ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt |
Natural resources | zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower | NEGL; white sandy beaches |
Net migration rate | 1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 10 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 798 km (2003) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Alf SVENSSON]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or VP (formerly Communist) [Ulla HOFFMAN (acting)]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON] | Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 8,878,085 (July 2003 est.) | 100,018
note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.01% (2003 est.) | 1.522% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Railways | total: 11,481 km
standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2002) |
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Religions | Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.915 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.668 male(s)/female total population: 0.906 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; 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) |
general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system
domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 6.017 million (December 1998) | 38,300 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 3.835 million (October 1998) | 108,200 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation |
Total fertility rate | 1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4% (2002 est.) | 6.9% (2005 est.) |
Waterways | 2,052 km
note: navigable to small steamers and barges |
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