Imagine a nation where urban living meets vast forested landscapes, more than 20% are foreign-born adding vibrant diversity, and a forward-thinking society thrives with one of the world’s highest life expectancies; this is Sweden, a country of fascinating contrasts revealed through its numbers.
Key Takeaways
- Sweden's population as of 31 December 2022 was 10,452,326 people
- The median age in Sweden in 2023 was 41.1 years
- Sweden's population density in 2023 was 25 people per square kilometer
- Sweden's GDP in 2023 was 593.1 billion USD nominal
- Sweden's GDP per capita in 2023 was 56,424 USD
- Unemployment rate in Sweden in 2023 was 7.7%
- Life expectancy at birth in Sweden in 2023 was 82.8 years overall
- Sweden's healthcare expenditure as % of GDP in 2022 was 11.2%
- Infant mortality rate in Sweden 2022 was 2.1 per 1,000 live births
- Sweden's air quality PM2.5 average 2022: 6.5 μg/m³
- Forest cover in Sweden 2023: 69.8% of land area
- Sweden's CO2 emissions in 2022: 33.8 million tonnes
- Tertiary education attainment rate 25-34 in Sweden 2023: 52%
- PISA math score Sweden 2022: 482
- Public expenditure on education % GDP Sweden 2022: 6.3%
Sweden has an aging population with high urban density and strong immigration.
Demographics
- Sweden's population as of 31 December 2022 was 10,452,326 people
- The median age in Sweden in 2023 was 41.1 years
- Sweden's population density in 2023 was 25 people per square kilometer
- In 2022, 20.2% of Sweden's population was aged 65 and over
- Sweden's total fertility rate in 2022 was 1.52 children per woman
- As of 2023, 20.1% of Sweden's population were foreign-born
- The largest city in Sweden, Stockholm, had a population of 981,660 in 2022
- Sweden's net migration rate in 2022 was 4.7 migrants per 1,000 population
- In 2023, 52% of Sweden's population was female
- Life expectancy at birth for males in Sweden in 2023 was 81.3 years
- The urban population percentage in Sweden in 2023 was 88.1%
- Sweden's infant mortality rate in 2022 was 2.1 deaths per 1,000 live births
- In 2022, the largest age group in Sweden was 30-34 years old with 467,000 people
- Sweden's population growth rate in 2022 was 0.57%
- As of 2023, there were 2,487,000 households in Sweden
- The proportion of single-person households in Sweden in 2022 was 40%
- Sweden's youth population (0-14 years) in 2023 was 17.2% of total population
- In 2022, 1.9 million people in Sweden were born abroad from non-Western countries
- Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city, had 590,000 residents in 2022
- Sweden's dependency ratio in 2023 was 59.5%
- Malmö's population in 2022 was 347,000
- In 2023, 85% of Sweden's population lived in southern regions
- Sweden's sex ratio at birth in 2023 was 105 males per 100 females
- The number of people aged 80+ in Sweden in 2022 was 320,000
- Sweden's working-age population (15-64) percentage in 2023 was 62.8%
- In 2022, Finland-born residents in Sweden numbered 152,000
- Uppsala's population in 2022 was 241,000
- Sweden's ethnic Swedes make up approximately 80% of the population in 2023
- The number of Syrian-born in Sweden in 2022 was 201,000
- Västerås population in 2022 was 159,000
Demographics Interpretation
Sweden maintains a sophisticated, spacious society where a remarkably urban, aging, and diverse population navigates the delicate balance between welcoming newcomers and supporting its long-living residents.
Economy
- Sweden's GDP in 2023 was 593.1 billion USD nominal
- Sweden's GDP per capita in 2023 was 56,424 USD
- Unemployment rate in Sweden in 2023 was 7.7%
- Sweden's public debt to GDP ratio in 2023 was 33.5%
- Inflation rate in Sweden (CPI) in 2023 was 8.53%
- Sweden's exports in 2023 totaled 282 billion USD
- Imports to Sweden in 2023 were 259 billion USD
- Sweden's current account balance in 2023 was 2.1% of GDP
- Corporate tax rate in Sweden is 20.6%
- Sweden's labor force participation rate in 2023 was 82.3%
- Average monthly salary in Sweden in 2023 was 39,900 SEK before tax
- Sweden's Gini coefficient after taxes in 2022 was 0.277
- Foreign direct investment inflow to Sweden in 2022 was 11.2 billion USD
- Sweden's stock market capitalization in 2023 was 1,200 billion USD
- Tourism contributed 2.5% to Sweden's GDP in 2022
- Sweden's R&D expenditure as % of GDP in 2022 was 3.39%
- Hourly labor cost in Sweden in 2023 was 49.5 EUR
- Sweden's household saving rate in 2023 was 12.4%
- Number of startups in Sweden in 2023 exceeded 15,000
- Sweden's banking assets to GDP in 2023 was 250%
- Energy import dependency in Sweden is 30% in 2022
- Sweden's venture capital investment in 2022 was 2.8 billion EUR
- Retail sales growth in Sweden in 2023 was 1.2%
- Sweden's industrial production index in 2023 averaged 105.2 (2015=100)
- Government budget balance in Sweden 2023 was -0.7% of GDP
- Sweden's minimum wage is not statutory but averages 25,500 SEK/month in 2023
- ICT sector contributes 5.7% to Sweden's GDP in 2022
- Sweden's trade balance in 2023 was 23 billion USD surplus
Economy Interpretation
Sweden appears to be a high-functioning, innovative economy that diligently balances its books, nurtures its startups, and pays its workers well, all while quietly enduring the same inflationary hangover as the rest of us after the global economic party.
Education
- Tertiary education attainment rate 25-34 in Sweden 2023: 52%
- PISA math score Sweden 2022: 482
- Public expenditure on education % GDP Sweden 2022: 6.3%
- Student-teacher ratio primary Sweden 2022: 12.2
- University enrollment rate Sweden 2023: 65% of 19-24 year olds
- Literacy rate adult Sweden: 99%
- Number of universities in Sweden: 40 public
- Early childhood education enrollment 3-5 years: 95% in 2022
- Sweden's education index HDI 2022: 0.950
- PISA reading score Sweden 2022: 487
- Vocational education graduates % upper secondary: 45% in 2022
- R&D personnel in higher education per million: 6,500 in 2022
- Sweden's NEET rate 15-29 2023: 6.2%
- Patent applications per million Sweden 2022: 450
- Graduation rate upper secondary 25-34: 87% in 2023
- Sweden spends 1.5% GDP on tertiary education 2022
- PISA science score Sweden 2022: 485
- Number of international students in Sweden 2023: 40,000
- Teachers' statutory salary progression index primary: 80% in 2022
- Sweden's adult learning participation rate: 33% in 2022
- PhD graduates % of 25-34: 1.6% in 2023
- School autonomy index Sweden: high at 0.7
- Digital learning devices per student Sweden: 1.1 in 2023
- Sweden's TIMSS math score grade 8 2023: 509
- Funding per student primary Sweden 2022: 11,200 USD
Education Interpretation
Sweden’s education system paints a picture of a nation that has, with remarkable consistency, achieved high enrollment and literacy, yet seems to be gently patting itself on the back with decent PISA scores while its neighbors sprint ahead, proving that excellence can sometimes be a very comfortable plateau.
Environment
- Sweden's air quality PM2.5 average 2022: 6.5 μg/m³
- Forest cover in Sweden 2023: 69.8% of land area
- Sweden's CO2 emissions in 2022: 33.8 million tonnes
- Renewable energy share in Sweden 2022: 59.4% of gross final energy consumption
- Protected areas cover 13.9% of Sweden's land in 2023
- Sweden's annual precipitation average: 653 mm
- Recycling rate for municipal waste in Sweden 2022: 99.4%
- Number of bears in Sweden 2023: 3,300
- Sweden's average temperature 2023: 6.5°C
- Wind power capacity in Sweden 2023: 16 GW
- Freshwater withdrawal as % of resources in Sweden: 0.8%
- Sweden's nitrogen oxide emissions 2022: 62,000 tonnes
- Wolf population in Sweden 2023: 400
- Hydropower generation share 2022: 38% of electricity
- Sweden's biodiversity index score: 0.75 in 2022
- Annual forest growth in Sweden: 120 million m³/year
- Sweden's energy intensity 2022: 0.11 koe per USD GDP
- Moose population in Sweden 2023: 300,000
- Sweden GHG emissions reduction since 1990: 27% by 2022
- Solar power capacity Sweden 2023: 3 GW
- Threatened species in Sweden 2023: 2,200
- Sweden's peatland area: 15% of land
- Biofuel share in transport 2022: 30%
- Reindeer population managed: 250,000 in 2023
- Sweden's carbon footprint per capita 2022: 4.5 tonnes CO2e
- Number of lynx in Sweden 2023: 1,600
Environment Interpretation
Sweden seems to have cracked the code of being an environmental overachiever, diligently tending its vast forests and near-perfect recycling while still maintaining enough bears, wolves, and moose to convincingly star in a Nordic fairy tale.
Healthcare
- Life expectancy at birth in Sweden in 2023 was 82.8 years overall
- Sweden's healthcare expenditure as % of GDP in 2022 was 11.2%
- Infant mortality rate in Sweden 2022 was 2.1 per 1,000 live births
- Number of hospital beds per 1,000 people in Sweden 2022 was 2.1
- Physicians per 1,000 people in Sweden 2022 was 4.3
- Obesity rate among adults in Sweden 2022 was 20.6%
- Cancer incidence rate in Sweden 2022 was 300 per 100,000
- Suicide rate in Sweden 2022 was 12.5 per 100,000
- Vaccination coverage for DTP3 in Sweden 2022 was 97%
- Maternal mortality ratio in Sweden 2020-2022 was 5 per 100,000 live births
- Sweden has 290 hospitals as of 2023
- Alcohol consumption per capita in Sweden 2022 was 7.5 liters pure alcohol
- Smoking prevalence among adults in Sweden 2022 was 6.4%
- Mental health treatment seekers in Sweden 2023: 1.2 million
- COVID-19 vaccination rate full doses in Sweden 2023: 86%
- Average waiting time for specialist care in Sweden 2023: 92 days
- Sweden's universal healthcare covers 100% of population
- Incidence of tuberculosis in Sweden 2022: 4.5 per 100,000
- HIV prevalence in Sweden 2022: 0.1%
- Number of pharmacists per 1,000 in Sweden 2022: 0.9
- Diabetes prevalence in adults Sweden 2022: 5.0%
- Emergency room visits per capita in Sweden 2022: 0.45
- Organ transplants in Sweden 2022: 500 kidneys
- Antidepressant consumption in Sweden 2022: 45 DDD per 1,000 inhabitants/day
- Child vaccination coverage MMR1 Sweden 2022: 97%
- Long-term care beds per 1,000 elderly in Sweden 2022: 45
Healthcare Interpretation
Sweden’s healthcare system demonstrates that you can achieve remarkably long, healthy lives not by pouring excessive money or beds into the system, but by consistently prioritizing prevention, access, and public trust, even if it means sometimes waiting your turn.
Sources & References
- Reference 1SCBscb.seVisit source
- Reference 2CIAcia.govVisit source
- Reference 3ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 4DATAdata.un.orgVisit source
- Reference 5WHOwho.intVisit source
- Reference 6DATAdata.worldbank.orgVisit source
- Reference 7DATAdata.unicef.orgVisit source
- Reference 8MACROTRENDSmacrotrends.netVisit source
- Reference 9DATAdata.oecd.orgVisit source
- Reference 10TRADINGECONOMICStradingeconomics.comVisit source
- Reference 11OECoec.worldVisit source
- Reference 12DATAdata.imf.orgVisit source
- Reference 13DATAdata.unctad.orgVisit source
- Reference 14WTTCwttc.orgVisit source
- Reference 15ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 16SUPERSUEDEsupersuede.seVisit source
- Reference 17INVESTEUROPEinvesteurope.euVisit source
- Reference 18UNIONENunionen.seVisit source
- Reference 19PTSpts.seVisit source
- Reference 20GCOgco.iarc.who.intVisit source
- Reference 21DATAdata.who.intVisit source
- Reference 22SOCIALSTYRELSENsocialstyrelsen.seVisit source
- Reference 23OURWORLDINDATAourworldindata.orgVisit source
- Reference 24HEALTHSYSTEMSFACTShealthsystemsfacts.orgVisit source
- Reference 25COMMONWEALTHFUNDcommonwealthfund.orgVisit source
- Reference 26UNAIDSunaids.orgVisit source
- Reference 27OECDoecd.orgVisit source
- Reference 28IQAIRiqair.comVisit source
- Reference 29SLUslu.seVisit source
- Reference 30GLOBALCARBONPROJECTglobalcarbonproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 31CBDcbd.intVisit source
- Reference 32LANSSTYRELSENlansstyrelsen.seVisit source
- Reference 33SMHIsmhi.seVisit source
- Reference 34ENERGIMYNDIGHETENenergimyndigheten.seVisit source
- Reference 35EEAeea.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 36VILTRAPPORTENviltrapporten.seVisit source
- Reference 37SVERIGESVATTENKRAFTCENTRUMsverigesvattenkraftcentrum.seVisit source
- Reference 38IUCNiucn.orgVisit source
- Reference 39SKOGSSTYRELSENskogsstyrelsen.seVisit source
- Reference 40IEAiea.orgVisit source
- Reference 41JAGAREFORBUNDETjagareforbundet.seVisit source
- Reference 42NATURVARDSVERKETnaturvardsverket.seVisit source
- Reference 43ARTDATABANKENartdatabanken.seVisit source
- Reference 44SGUsgu.seVisit source
- Reference 45SAMERsamer.seVisit source
- Reference 46GLOBALCARBONATLASglobalcarbonatlas.orgVisit source
- Reference 47UKAuka.seVisit source
- Reference 48HDRhdr.undp.orgVisit source
- Reference 49STUDYINSWEDENstudyinsweden.seVisit source
- Reference 50TIMSS2023timss2023.orgVisit source