Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 571 million kWh (1996)
note: imports about 60% of its electricity from South Africa
Agriculture--products: sugarcane, cotton, maize, tobacco, rice,
citrus, pineapples, corn, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Exports: $972 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp,
cotton yarn, citrus and canned fruit (1996)
Exports--partners: South Africa 58%, EU 17%, Mozambique, North
Korea (1995)
Imports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport
equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals (1996)
Imports--partners: South Africa 96%, Japan, UK, Singapore (FY95/96)
Debt--external: $175 million (1998)
Economic aid--recipient: $55 million (1995)
Currency: 1 lilangeni (E) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: emalangeni (E) per US$1--5.9812 (January 1999),
5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997), 4.2706 (1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490
(1994); note--the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African
rand
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: NA; 45,000 cellular telephone subscribers (1993 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
low-capacity, microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: 200,000 (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (in addition, there are seven
repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 20,000 (1998 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 297 km; note--includes 71 km which are not in use
narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways:
total: 3,810 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 18 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal
Swaziland Police Force
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 221,199 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 128,806 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $23 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY95/96)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open
negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African
territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long
ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
======================================================================
@Sweden
------
Introduction
Background: Having long lost its military prowess of the 17th
century, Sweden has evolved into a prosperous and peaceful
constitutional monarchy with a capitalist system interlarded with
substantial welfare elements. As the 20th century comes to an end,
this long successful formula is being undermined by high
unemployment; the rising cost of a "cradle to the grave" welfare
state; the decline of Sweden's competitive position in world
markets; and indecision over the country's role in the political and
economic integration of Europe. A member of the European Union,
Sweden chose not to participate in the introduction of the euro on 1
January 1999.
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: 449,964 sq km
land: 410,928 sq km
water: 39,036 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 2,205 km
border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km
Coastline: 3,218 km
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)
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 extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m
Natural resources: zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber,
uranium, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 68%
other: 24% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,150 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially
in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
Environment--current issues: acid rain damaging soils and lakes;
pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking
Baltic and North Seas
People
Population: 8,911,296 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 856,819; female 812,958)
15-64 years: 64% (male 2,896,383; female 2,802,571)
65 years and over: 17% (male 651,549; female 891,016) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.29% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.77 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.29 years
male: 76.61 years
female: 82.11 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish
Ethnic groups: white, Lapp (Sami), foreign-born or
first-generation immigrants 12% (Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes,
Norwegians, Greeks, Turks)
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 94%, Roman Catholic 1.5%,
Pentecostal 1%, other 3.5% (1987)
Languages: Swedish
note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1979 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden
local long form: Konungariket Sverige
local short form: Sverige
Data code: SW
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Stockholm
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
Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king); 6 June 1809
(constitutional monarchy was established)
National holiday: Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June
Constitution: 1 January 1975
Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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 monarch is hereditary; prime minister elected by the
Parliament; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA
2002)
election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister; percent of
parliamentary vote--131 votes out of 349
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 20 September 1998 (next to be held NA September
2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--Social Democrats 36.5%,
Moderates 22.7%, Left Party 12%, Christian Democrats 11.8%, Center
Party 5.1%, Liberal Party 4.7%, Greens 4.5%; seats by party--Social
Democrats 131, Moderates 82, Left Party 43, Christian Democrats 42,
Center Party 18, Liberal Party 17, Greens 16
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen, judges are
appointed by the government (prime minister and cabinet)
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party [Goran
formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG]
International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB,
Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA,
FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG,
UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rolf EKEUS
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lyndon Lowell OLSON, Jr.
embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)
Flag description: blue with a yellow cross that extends to the
edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy
Economy--overview: Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole
twentieth 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. In recent years, however,
this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by budgetary
difficulties, inflation, high unemployment, and a gradual loss of
competitiveness in international markets. Sweden has harmonized its
economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start
of 1995. Sweden decided not to join the euro system at its outset in
January 1999 but plans to hold a referendum in 2000 on whether to
join. Annual GDP growth is forecast for 2.2% and 2.6% in 1999 and
2000 respectively. Budgetary problems and shaky business confidence
will constrain government plans to reduce unemployment.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$175 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.9% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$19,700 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 30.5%
services: 67.3% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 4.552 million (1992)
Labor force--by occupation: community, social and personal
services 38.3%, mining and manufacturing 21.2%, commerce, hotels,
and restaurants 14.1%, banking, insurance 9%, communications 7.2%,
construction 7%, agriculture, fishing, and forestry 3.2% (1991)
Unemployment rate: 6.3% plus about 5% in training programs (1998
est.)
Budget:
revenues: $109.4 billion
expenditures: $146.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY95/96)
Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio
and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products,
processed foods, motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (1998)
Electricity--production: 135.192 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 9.75%
hydro: 37.52%
nuclear: 52.62%
other: 0.11% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 141.392 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 9.7 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 15.9 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk
Exports: $85.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper
products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals
Exports--partners: EU 55% (Germany 11%, UK 9%, Denmark 6%, Finland
5%), Norway 8%, US 8% (1994)
Imports: $66.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products,
chemicals, motor vehicles, foodstuffs, iron and steel, clothing
Imports--partners: EU 68% (Germany 19%, UK 10%, Denmark 8%, France
6%), Norway 8%, US 6% (1997)
Debt--external: $66.5 billion (1994)
Economic aid--donor: ODA, $1.7 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1--7.8193 (January
1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997), 6.7060 (1996), 7.1333 (1995),
7.7160 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 13 million (1996 est.)
Telephone system: excellent domestic and international
facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cable carry most voice traffic;
parallel microwave radio relay network carries 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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 360 (mostly repeaters),
shortwave 0
Radios: 7.272 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 163 (1997)
Televisions: 3.5 million
Transportation
Railways:
total: 13,415 km (includes 3,594 km of privately-owned railways)
standard gauge: 13,415 km 1.435-m gauge (7,917 km electrified and
1,152 km double track) (1996)
Highways:
total: 138,000 km
paved: 105,018 km (including 1,330 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,982 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges
Pipelines: natural gas 84 km
Ports and harbors: Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg,
Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm,
Sundsvall
Merchant marine:
total: 154 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,894,783
GRT/1,528,077 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 28, chemical tanker 28, combination
ore/oil 4, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 24, railcar carrier 1,
refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 39, short-sea passenger
5, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 13 (1998 est.)
Airports: 255 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 145
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 82
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 24 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 110
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 105 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air
Force
Military manpower--military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 2,076,903 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,817,554 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 52,486 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $4.9 billion (FY97/98)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.2% (FY97/98)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for and consumer of
narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic states; increasing consumer
of European amphetamines
======================================================================
@Switzerland
-----------
Introduction
Background: Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long
been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland did not
participate in either World War I or II. The political and economic
integration of Europe since World War II may be rendering obsolete
Switzerland's concern for neutrality.
Geography
Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy,
rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with
occasional showers
Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with
a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 28%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 28% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods
Environment--current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions
and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use
of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography--note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern
Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains
the highest elevations in Europe
People
Population: 7,275,467 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 639,970; female 611,876)
15-64 years: 68% (male 2,509,988; female 2,417,580)
65 years and over: 15% (male 444,482; female 651,571) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.2% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 10.53 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.06 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.99 years
male: 75.83 years
female: 82.32 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss
Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%,
other 6%
Religions: Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, no
religion 8.9% (1990)
Languages: German 63.7%, French 19.2%, Italian 7.6%, Romansch
0.6%, other 8.9%
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
(Italian)
Data code: SZ
Government type: federal republic
Capital: Bern
Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular--canton in
French; cantoni, singular--cantone in Italian; kantone,
singular--kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,
Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden,
Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt
Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri,
Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
Independence: 1 August 1291
National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss
Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Constitution: 29 May 1874
Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal
decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1999); Vice
President Adolf OGI (since 1 January 1999); note--the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1999);
Vice President Adolf OGI (since 1 January 1999); note--the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
Assembly from among its own members for a four-year term
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
terms that run concurrently; election last held NA December 1998
(next to be held NA December 1999)
election results: Ruth DREIFUSS elected president; percent of
Federal Assembly vote--Ruth DREIFUSS 75%; Adolf OGI elected vice
president; percent of legislative vote --NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or
Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French),
Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or
Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio
degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats--members serve four-year terms)
and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil
National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200
seats--members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Council of States--last held throughout 1997 (each canton
determines when the next election will be held); National
Council--last held 20 October 1995 (next to be held probably 24
October 1999)
election results: Council of States--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--FDP 17, CVP 16, SVP 5, SPS 5, LPS 2, LdU 1; National
Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--FDP 45, SPS 54,
CVP 34, SVP 29, Greens 9, LPS 7, FPS 7, LdU 3, EVP 2, SD 3, PdAdS 3,
Ticino League 1, EDU 1, FRAP 1, CSP 1
Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court, judges elected for
six-year terms by the Federal Assembly