| Sweden Practical Information |
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 ALCOHOL RESTRICTIONS
Wine, spirits and strong beer are sold only from state-licensed Systembolaget, which are generally open Mon-Fri from 9:30 am-6:00 pm. Some are also open on Saturdays, evenings, and holidays.
Alcohol may be sold to persons 20 years or older. Light beer is sold by local stores to persons over 18. Most restaurants are fully licensed to serve alcohol to persons over 18.BANKING AND BUSINESS HOURS
BANKING HOURS
Mon-Fri 9:30 am-3:00 pm
Prolonged opening hours once a week: 9:30 am?6:00 pm
STORE HOURS
Mon-Fri 9:30 am-6:00 pm
Sat 9:30 am-1:00/4:00 pm
Sun 12:00 pm?4:00 pm (department stores in major cities)
In Sweden, many convenience stores ("närbutiker") are open 7:00 am-11:00 pm in major cities, such as Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, and in smaller cities many "närbutiker" are open until 10:00 pm every day. Essential groceries may also be bought from gas stations, some of which are open 24 hours a day.
DENMARK, FINLAND, NORWAY and SWEDEN: Many airport, harbor and railway station branches are open longer hours for exchange of currency. These hours have slight local variations.
CLIMATE
Visitors to Scandinavia will find the region?s climate much like that of the northern and New England states in the U.S., but decidedly more solar than polar and more dry than wet. Thanks to the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, Scandinavia has relatively mild winters. Above the Arctic Circle in Finland, Norway and Sweden, winter (December-February) can be described as crisp and invigorating. Scandinavia's northerly position has a definite summer advantage in that temperatures are rarely extreme and humidity levels are not high. The four seasons are distinct in all five countries. The inter-annual variability of the climate is large, especially between winters.
CLOTHING
Medium-weight clothes are recommended as a base for a travel wardrobe. A raincoat with removable lining is a good choice for summer visitors. A topcoat is necessary in fall, winter and spring. Comfortable, low-heeled shoes are important, not only for countryside hikes, but also for sightseeing along cobblestone streets. In top restaurants, jackets and ties are required for men. Visitors traveling on business will find that the typical businessman will wear a suit or jacket and tie to work, while women dress in business attire similar to that which is normally worn in the U.S. and Canada. Pants are acceptable.
CREDIT CARDS
Major credit cards, including American Express, Diners Club, Visa, CIRRUS ATM and MasterCard, are honored throughout Scandinavia at hotels, stores, banks and restaurants-depending on card type; they are also good for payment of air tickets and car rentals. Credit cards are not as universally recognized for ship and rail passage.
Visa and MasterCard can be used at 2,300 ATM-marked cash dispensers called Bankomat or Minuten, usually situated close to banks and post offices. At the FOREX Exchange offices in Sweden (31 locations), one can receive cash with American Express. American Express, Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in most hotels, banks, stores and restaurants.
CURRENCY
The monetary unit in Sweden is one krona.
No restrictions apply to importing U.S. or Canadian currency into Sweden. No limits for exporting Swedish currency.
The exchange rate as of December 1999, were as follows:
1 USD = SEK 8.50
EURO
On New Year's Day 1999, the Euro came to life as the single currency of 11 European nations, with Finland as the single Scandinavian country participating. Denmark and Sweden have yet to ratify the Euro. Iceland and Norway are not members of the European Union.
What does this entail for your clients? Because the Euro will not immediately replace national currencies, visitors will experience little impact in 2000-2002. During the three-year transition period (1999-2002) the Euro will be mainly limited to electronic, some credit card and other similar transactions. All transactions with paper money and coins will continue in national currencies through January 1, 2002, when seven different Euro notes and eight different coins will be issued.
ELECTRIC CURRENT
The electric current in all five Scandinavian countries is 220 volt AC in 50 cycles, and prongs for outlets differ from those in North America, so clients should bring along transformers for electrical appliances such as hair dryers and shavers. Some hotels and shops in larger cities can supply adapters.
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
Laptop computers that are made to work on both 110 and 220 volts can be used in Scandinavia with an adapter. Outlet prongs differ from the ones in North America. For laptop computers working on 110 volts only, transformers are also necessary. For further information, check with a computer store. Most mobile phones bought in North America cannot be used in Scandinavia.
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Emergency#112
LANGUAGE
Your clients can throw away their phrase books when they go to Scandinavia. Most Danes, Finns, Icelanders, Norwegians and Swedes have a working knowledge of English. In fact, Scandinavians are famously multilingual, with English only one of several "second" languages spoken freely throughout the region.
MEDICAL CARE
Most hotels and other places of accommodation in Sweden maintain contact with a nearby doctor who can be summoned quickly in case of illness. Emergency medical care is supplied by municipal authorities, and hotel staff can direct guests to local emergency centers or hospitals. In Sweden, citizens of EEA countries must have an E-111 form, otherwise the patient must pay in full. Citizens of other countries will be charged in full. Contact your insurance agent or broker before traveling to check if your health plan is valid in Sweden.
Travelers taking prescribed medicines should be sure to bring along a supply large enough to last throughout the trip because some medicines available in North America are not on the market in Sweden. It should be noted, however, that medicine containing narcotics may in some cases only be imported in quantities sufficient for a two-week stay, and some cases only with a special permission. Travelers should contact diplomatic representatives. Clients running out of prescribed medicine will need a Swedish doctor?s prescription to obtain new supplies.
PASSPORTS AND VISAS
Unless staying for longer than three months, U.S. and Canadian citizens do not need a visa to enter any of the five Scandinavian countries, but they must hold a valid passport. Because of the Scandinavian passport union, border formalities between the five countries are minimal, but passports must always be carried. For visa applications please contact diplomatic representatives.
SMOKING RESTRICTIONS
Smoking is not permitted in most indoor public areas nor on board domestic aircraft or other means of public transportation. In restaurants, there are often designated areas for smokers.
TIME DIFFERENCE
The time difference between New York (EST) and Sweden is 6 hours.
In Scandinavia, Daylight Saving Time (DST) will be in effect March 26-October 29, 2000, and March 25-October 28, 2001.
TIPPING
An outstretched hand in Scandinavia more often welcomes a handshake than a tip. Tipping is not as widespread a custom in the Scandinavian countries as in the U.S. and Canada. A service charge is automatically included in most Scandinavian hotel bills.
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden
local long form: Konungariket Sverige
local short form: Sverige
Data code: SW
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Stockholm
Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens, Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands
Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)
National holiday: Day of the Swedish Flag, 6 June
Constitution: 1 January 1975
Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister elected by the Parliament; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131 out of 349 votes
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 36.5%, Moderates 22.7%, Left Party 12%, Christian Democrats 11.8%, Center Party 5.1%, Liberal Party 4.7%, Greens 4.5%; seats by party - Social Democrats 131, Moderates 82, Left Party 43, Christian Democrats 42, Center Party 18, Liberal Party 17, Greens 16
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen, judges are appointed by the government (prime minister and cabinet)
Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Lennart DALEUS]; Christian Democratic Party [Alf SVENSSON]; Communist Workers' Party [Rolf HAGEL]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG]; Left Party or VP (formerly Communist) [Gudrun SCHYMAN]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Bo LUNDGREN]; New Democracy Party [Vivianne FRANZEN]; Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rolf EKEUS
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600
FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lyndon Lowell OLSON, Jr.
embassy: Strandvagen 101, S-115 89 Stockholm
mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)
telephone: [46] (8) 783 53 00
FAX: [46] (8) 661 19 64
Flag description: blue with a yellow cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy
Economy - overview: Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole twentieth century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. In recent years, however, this extraordinarily favorable picture has been clouded by budgetary difficulties, inflation, high unemployment, and a gradual loss of competitiveness in international markets. Sweden has harmonized its economic policies with those of the EU, which it joined at the start of 1995. Sweden decided not to join the euro system at its outset in January 1999 but plans to hold a referendum in 2000 on whether to join. GDP growth is forecast for 4% in 2000, buttressed by solid consumer confidence.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $184 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,700 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 30.5%
services: 67.3% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.4% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 4.3 million (1996)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.5% plus about 5% in training programs (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $109.4 billion
expenditures: $146.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)
Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 156.772 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 6.09%
hydro: 46.49%
nuclear: 45.16%
other: 2.26% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 135.098 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 16.8 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 6.1 billion kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milk
Exports: $85.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals
Exports - partners: EU 57% (Germany 11%, UK 9%, Denmark 6%, Finland 5%), Norway 9%, US 9% (1998)
Imports: $67.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners: EU 68% (Germany 19%, UK 10%, Denmark 6%, France 6%), Norway 8%, US 6% (1998)
Debt - external: $66.5 billion (1994)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)
Currency: 1 Swedish krona (SKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SKr) per US$1 - 8.4831 (January 2000), 8.2624 (1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997), 6.7060 (1996), 7.1333 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 6.017 million (December 1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 3.835 million (October 1998)
Telephone system: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cable carry most voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay network carries some additional telephone channels
international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 8.25 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 163 (1997)
Televisions: 4.6 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 29 (1999)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 12,821 km (includes 3,594 km of privately-owned railways)
standard gauge: 12,821 km 1.435-m gauge (7,918 km electrified and 1,152 km double track) (1998)
Highways:
total: 210,907 km
paved: 163,453 km (including 1,439 km of expressways)
unpaved: 47,454 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 2,052 km navigable for small steamers and barges
Pipelines: natural gas 84 km
Ports and harbors: Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall
Merchant marine:
total: 165 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,301,633 GRT/1,726,018 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 26, chemical tanker 33, combination ore/oil 4, liquified gas 1, petroleum tanker 23, rail car carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off 43, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 18 (1999 est.)
Airports: 256 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 147
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 80
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 25 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 109
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 104 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
Military
Military branches: Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,067,631 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,809,129 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 51,962 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $5 billion (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY98) |
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