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Country Profile: Sweden - Basic Information About Sweden

By Terri Mapes, About.com

Population: 8.9 million
Capital: Stockholm
Language: Swedish

Area: 449,964 sq km (173,732 sq miles)
View Maps of Scandinavia
Currency unit: 1 Swedish krona = 100 ore
This European country decided not to adopt the Euro as a currency.

Main exports: Paper products, heavy equipment
GNI per capita: US $41,060
International dialing code: +46
Electricity: About electrical outlets in Sweden

Politics:

  • King: Carl XVI Gustaf
  • Prime minister: Goran Persson (Dem.)

Climate:

In southern Sweden the climate is temperate with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers. In the north, it is a subarctic climate. If you're heading to the warmer parts of the country, the best times to travel are late spring and summer. Read more: Weather in Sweden

Transportation:

If you'd like to rent a car and drive, make sure to read Driving in Sweden. Major airports are Arlanda International Airport (airport code ARN) in Stockholm and Landvetter Airport (airport code GOT) in Goteborg. Sweden has a well-developed public transportation system with trains, buses and trams. At all bigger stations, there are screens with arrival times so orientation in time and space becomes extremely easy.

Press:

  • Aftonbladet - Stockholm-based daily [br
  • Dagens Nyheter - Stockholm-based daily [br
  • Expressen - Stockholm-based daily [br
  • Svenska Dagbladet - Stockholm-based daily [br
  • Goteborgs Posten - Gothenburg-based daily [br
  • Sydsvenska Dagbladet - Malmo-based daily

Television:

  • Sveriges Television (SVT) - public, operates SVT 1 and SVT 2, news channel SVT24, SVT Europa [br
  • TV4 - commercial, terrestrial [br
  • TV3 - commercial satellite and cable [br
  • Kanal 5 - commercial satellite and cable [br
  • ZTV - commercial satellite and cable

Radio:

  • Sveriges Radio - public [br
  • Radio Sweden International - external service run by Sveriges Radio, broadcasts also in English [br
  • Rix FM - commercial pop music network [br
  • NRJ - commercial pop music network [br
  • Mix Megapol - commercial [br
  • Radio Match - commercial

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  6. Country Profile: Sweden - Basic Facts & Figures About Sweden's Weather, Transportation, People - Sweden Country Profile

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