Kingdom of Sweden

top of page

Key facts

Geography/Demographics

Land Area - 450,000 sq km, of which 9% water, 8% agricultural, and 52% forest
Population - 9.43 million
Capital City- Stockholm
Language - Swedish. Finnish and Sami are used by minorities in the north

Political

Political system - Constitutional monarchy, 4 year term of government
National government- Alliance for Sweden (Moderate, Centre, Liberal and Christian Democrat parties). The Alliance lacks an overall majority.
National legislature - Riksdag (unicameral)
Last election - September 2010
Next election due - September 2014
Head of State - His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf
Head of Government - Mr Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister

Economic (2011 figures)

GDP - US$538.4 bn
Real GDP growth - 4%
Exports - US$189 bn
Main exports - Machinery and transport equipment, chemicals and related products, mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, raw materials
Imports - US$176 bn
Current account balance - US$38.3bn
Inflation - 3%
Unemployment - 7.5%

New Zealand Trade (year ended December 2011)

NZ Exports (FOB) - NZ$70 million
Main Exports - sheep meat, wine, fish
NZ Imports (CIF) - NZ$283 million
Main Imports - Medicaments, bulldozers, graders etc, motor vehicles

top of page

Visits

New Zealand Ministerial Visits to Sweden

• Hon Tim Groser, Minister of Trade, April 2011
• Hon Murray McCully, Minister of Foreign Affairs, December 2009
• Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs, October 2007
• Hon Harry Duyhoven, Minister of Transport Safety, July 2005
• Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, September 2003*
• Hon Pete Hodgson, Minister for Research, Science and Technology, June 2003
• Hon Jim Anderton, Minister for Economic Development, April 2003
• Hon George Hawkins, Minister of Internal Affairs, January 2003
• Hon Annette King, Minister of Health, May 2002 and January 2003
• Rt Hon Helen Clark, Prime Minister, February 2002
• Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, April 2001
• Hon Marian Hobbs, Minister for the Environment, June 2000
• Hon Roger Sowry, Minister of Social Welfare, June 1998
• Rt Hon Don McKinnon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, March 1996

Swedish Ministerial Visits to New Zealand

• Princess Birgitta of Sweden, October 2008
• Göran Persson, Prime Minister, February 2005
• Kjell Larsson, Minister for the Environment, January 1999
• Mai-Inger Klingvall, Minister of Social Security, October 1997
• Mai-Inger Klingvall, Minister of Agriculture, 1993
• Mai-Inger Klingvall, Minister of Defence, 1993

*For the memorial service for Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh.

top of page

Representation

• The Embassy of New Zealand in Brussels is accredited to Sweden.
• The Embassy of Sweden in Canberra, Australia, is accredited to New Zealand.

Travel advice

The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Sweden [external link].

top of page