What is the capital of Sweden?

Stockholm is the capital and largest city of Sweden, located where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea at coordinates 59.3293 N, 18.0686 E. The city is built across 14 islands and is home to the Swedish parliament (Riksdag), the royal palace, and the national government. Stockholm has a metropolitan population of roughly 2.4 million people.

What currency does Sweden use?

Sweden uses the Swedish Krona (SEK, symbol kr) as its official currency. Despite being a member of the European Union since 1995, Sweden has not adopted the Euro — a 2003 referendum voted against joining the Eurozone. The Riksbank (Swedish central bank), founded in 1668, is one of the oldest central banks in the world.

What time zone does Sweden use?

Sweden observes Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) in winter and Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) during daylight saving, which runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. The entire country uses a single time zone despite its relatively large north-south extent.

What is Sweden's population?

As of 2024, Sweden's population is approximately 10.5 million people, making it one of the largest Nordic countries by population. The population density is low at around 23 people per km², with the majority living in the southern third of the country. The largest cities are Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö.

What is Sweden's international calling code?

Sweden's country calling code is +46. When dialing from abroad, dial your country's exit code, then 46, followed by the local number without the leading 0 used domestically. Swedish landline numbers typically include a 1–3 digit area code.

Is Sweden a monarchy?

Yes. Sweden is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. King Carl XVI Gustaf has been the reigning monarch since September 15, 1973, making him one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs. The monarch's role is largely ceremonial; executive power rests with the Prime Minister and the Riksdag (parliament).

Sweden Country Facts

Name: Sweden Country Facts
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Author: Nham Vu

Browse key facts about Sweden — geography, demographics, economy, and government — all organized in a searchable reference card.

Official Name

Kingdom of Sweden

Konungariket Sverige in Swedish

Capital City

Stockholm

Largest city; built across 14 islands at Lake Mälaren

Total Area

450,295 km²

173,860 sq mi — rank 55th globally; 3rd largest in EU

Continent / Region

Northern Europe

Scandinavian Peninsula; borders Norway (west) and Finland (east)

Bordering Countries

Norway, Finland

Connected to Denmark via the Øresund Bridge

Time Zone

UTC+1 / UTC+2

CET in winter; CEST (daylight saving) in summer

Coastline

3,218 km

1,999 mi; Baltic Sea and Kattegat; ~270,000 islands

Elevation

0 m to 2,097 m

Highest: Kebnekaise (2,097 m) in the northern Lapland mountains

Forest Cover

~70% of land area

~28 million hectares; one of Europe's most forested nations

Population (2024)

~10.5 million

~23 people/km²; most live in the southern third of the country

Official Language

Swedish

Svenska; 5 recognized minority languages including Sami and Finnish

Calling Code

+46

Drop the leading 0 when dialing from abroad

Religion

Predominantly secular

Church of Sweden (Lutheran) has ~57% nominal membership; active practice low

Largest Cities

Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö

Also: Uppsala, Västerås, Örebro, Linköping, Helsingborg

Life Expectancy

~83.0 years

2023 estimate; among the highest in Europe

Government Type

Constitutional monarchy

Parliamentary democracy; unicameral Riksdag (parliament)

Monarch

King Carl XVI Gustaf

In office since September 15, 1973; ceremonial role only

Prime Minister

Ulf Kristersson

In office since October 18, 2022; Moderate Party leader

Kingdom Founded

~970 AD

One of Europe's oldest kingdoms; current constitution adopted 1974

Administrative Divisions

21 counties (län)

Further divided into 290 municipalities (kommuner)

NATO Member

Yes (since 2024)

Joined March 7, 2024; ended over 200 years of military non-alignment

Currency

Swedish Krona (SEK, kr)

EU member since 1995 but voted to keep the Krona in a 2003 referendum

Nominal GDP (2023)

~USD 593 billion

Rank ~23rd globally (IMF); 5th largest in the EU

GDP per Capita (2023)

~USD 56,900

PPP: ~USD 63,700 (IMF estimate)

Top Exports

Machinery, vehicles

Also: paper, iron, steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, telecom equipment

Major Industries

Automotive, telecom

Also: pharmaceuticals, forestry, mining, fintech (Klarna, Spotify HQ)

Internet TLD

.se

Administered by Internetstiftelsen (The Internet Foundation in Sweden)

ISO Codes

SE / SWE

ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 and alpha-3

National Day

June 6

Sveriges nationaldag; marks Gustav Vasa's coronation in 1523

Drives On

Right side of the road

Switched from left to right in 1967 (Dagen H)

UNESCO Heritage Sites

15 sites

Includes Gamla Uppsala, Drottningholm Palace, Birka, and Laponian Area

Nobel Prize

Nobel Prize host

Awarded in Stockholm since 1901; founded by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel

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Summary

Browse key facts about Sweden — geography, demographics, economy, and government — all organized in a searchable reference card.

How it works

All facts are organized into thematic sections: Geography, People, Government, Economy, and Culture.
Use the search box to filter facts by keyword across all categories.
Click any fact card to copy the value to your clipboard.
Switch between categories using the tab bar to focus on a specific section.
Use the "Copy All Facts" button to copy every fact as plain text in one click.
All data is embedded in the page — no network requests are made.

Use cases

Quick lookup for students doing geography or social studies homework.
Travelers preparing for a trip who need currency, timezone, and calling code info.
Business professionals researching Sweden's economy and GDP figures.
Journalists or writers needing accurate demographic and political facts.
Trivia enthusiasts brushing up on Scandinavian country statistics.
Teachers preparing classroom materials about Nordic or European countries.
Researchers studying one of Europe's most forested and sparsely populated nations.
Anyone curious about Sweden's geography, government, history, or culture.

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Last updated: 2026-06-24 · Reviewed by Nham Vu