Sweden

Fact Sheet :

- Area : 449,964 sq km

- Population : 9,031,088 (July 2007 est.)

- Capital : Stockholm

- Language : Swedish

- Currency : Swedish krona (SEK)

- Government type : constitutional monarchy

- Elements of History :

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 and in 2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries.

Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.

- Climate :

temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north