Economy - overview:
Sweden’s small, open, and competitive economy has been thriving and Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the euro zone largely out of concern that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union would diminish the country’s sovereignty over its welfare system.Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of a manufacturing economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Exports, including engines and other machines, motor vehicles, and telecommunications equipment, account for more than 44% of GDP. Sweden enjoys a current account surplus of about 5% of GDP, which is one of the highest margins in Europe.GDP grew an estimated 3.3% in 2016 and 2017 driven largely by investment in the construction sector. Economic growth is expected to ease slightly in the coming years as this investment subsides. Global economic growth boosted exports of Swedish manufactures further, helping drive domestic economic growth in 2017. The central bank is keeping an eye on deflationary pressures and is expected to maintain its expansionary monetary policy in 2018. Swedish prices and wages have grown only slightly over the past few years, helping to support the country’s competitiveness.In the short and medium term Sweden’s economic challenges include keeping rising house prices in check and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates:
$521.7 billion (2017 est.)
$506 billion (2016 est.)
$490.4 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 39
$541.9 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
3.1% (2017 est.)
3.2% (2016 est.)
4.1% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$51,300 (2017 est.)
$50,600 (2016 est.)
$49,800 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 26
29.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
29.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
28.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 44.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 25.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 25.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 45.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -40.7% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 1.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 33%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 65.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk
iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
2.5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
5.361 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture: 2%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 12%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 86% (2014 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
6.6% (2017 est.)
7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
15% (2014 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: 3.4%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 24% (2012)
24.9 (2013)
25 (1992)
country comparison to the world: 145
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues: $274.8 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $269.9 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
50.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
0.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
39% of GDP (2017 est.)
41.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
country comparison to the world: 137
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
calendar year
1.6% (2017 est.)
1.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
-0.5% (31 December 2016)
-0.35% (31 December 2015)
note:: the Discount rate was abolished in 2002, and replaced by a "Reference rate" with no bearing on monetary policy; the rate quoted here is the Reference rate
country comparison to the world: 160
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
2% (31 December 2017 est.)
1.85% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$339.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$273.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$395.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$321.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$953.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$748.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$560.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$470.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$581.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
$21.4 billion (2017 est.)
$23.07 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$169.7 billion (2017 est.)
$151.4 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals (2012 est.)
Germany 10.6%, Norway 10.4%, US 7.3%, Denmark 7%, Finland 6.8%, UK 6%, Netherlands 5.4%, Belgium 4.7%, France 4.4% (2016)
$154.8 billion (2017 est.)
$139.9 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing
Germany 18.8%, Netherlands 8.2%, Norway 7.8%, Denmark 7.6%, China 5.6%, UK 5.2%, Belgium 4.6%, Finland 4.5%, France 4.1% (2016)
$59.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$59.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$939.9 billion (31 March 2016 est.)
$929.4 billion (31 March 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$405.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$390.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
$495.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$479.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]
Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar -
8.442 (2017 est.)
8.5605 (2016 est.)
8.5605 (2015 est.)
8.4335 (2014 est.)
6.8612 (2013 est.)