Norway vs. Sweden
Introduction
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994; conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, Norway abandoned neutrality and became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness. | A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden's population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 19.1% in 2018.
|
Geography
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway |
| Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 10 00 E | 62 00 N, 15 00 E |
| Map references | Europe | Europe |
| Area | total: 323,802 sq km land: 304,282 sq km water: 19,520 sq km | total: 450,295 sq km land: 410,335 sq km water: 39,960 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than New Mexico | almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California |
| Land boundaries | total: 2,566 km border countries (3): Finland 709 km, Sweden 1666 km, Russia 191 km | total: 2,211 km border countries (2): Finland 545 km, Norway 1666 km |
| Coastline | 25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km) | 3,218 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Climate | temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast | temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north |
| Terrain | glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north | mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m mean elevation: 460 m | highest point: Kebnekaise South 2,100 m lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m mean elevation: 320 m |
| Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower | iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 2.7% (2018 est.) arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.5% (2018 est.) forest: 27.8% (2018 est.) other: 69.5% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 6.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 1.1% (2018 est.) forest: 68.7% (2018 est.) other: 23.8% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 900 sq km (2012) | 1,640 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | rockslides, avalanches volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano | ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic |
| Environment - current issues | water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions | marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soils and lakes; air pollution; inappropriate timber harvesting practices |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world | strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas; Sweden has almost 100,000 lakes, the largest of which, Vanern, is the third largest in Europe |
| Total renewable water resources | 393 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 174 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | most Norweigans live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated | most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated |
Demographics
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,509,591 (July 2021 est.) | 10,261,767 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.96% (male 503,013/female 478,901) 15-24 years: 12.02% (male 336,597/female 320,720) 25-54 years: 40.75% (male 1,150,762/female 1,077,357) 55-64 years: 11.84% (male 328,865/female 318,398) 65 years and over: 17.43% (male 442,232/female 510,594) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 17.71% (male 928,413/female 878,028) 15-24 years: 10.8% (male 569,082/female 532,492) 25-54 years: 39.01% (male 2,016,991/female 1,962,617) 55-64 years: 11.9% (male 610,521/female 603,795) 65 years and over: 20.59% (male 974,410/female 1,126,142) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 39.5 years male: 38.8 years female: 40.2 years (2020 est.) | total: 41.1 years male: 40.1 years female: 42.1 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.8% (2021 est.) | 0.74% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 12.09 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 11.93 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 9.39 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | 3.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 2.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 2.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 82.35 years male: 80.21 years female: 84.6 years (2021 est.) | total population: 82.6 years male: 80.61 years female: 84.7 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.84 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.86 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.1% (2018 est.) | 0.2% (2016 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian | noun: Swede(s) adjective: Swedish |
| Ethnic groups | Norwegian 83.2% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.3%, other 8.5% (2017 est.) | Swedish 80.3%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.4%, other 15% (2020 est.)note: data represent the population by country of birth; the indigenous Sami people are estimated to number between 20,000 and 40,000 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 5,800 (2018 est.) | 11,000 (2016 est.) |
| Religions | Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 68.1%, Muslim 3.4%, Roman Catholic 3.1%, other Christian 3.8%, other 9.6%, unspecified 15.4% (2020 est.) | Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 57.6%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 8.9%, none or unspecified 33.5% (2019 est.) note: estimates reflect registered members of faith communities eligible for state funding (not all religions are state-funded and not all people who identify with a particular religion are registered members) and the Church of Sweden |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <100 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children | NA |
| Languages | Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami has three dialects: Lule, North Sami, and South Sami; Sami is an official language in nine municipalities in Norway's three northernmost counties: Finnmark, Nordland, and Troms major-language sample(s): Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Swedish (official) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, den obestridliga källan för grundläggande information. (Swedish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 18 years male: 18 years female: 19 years (2018) | total: 20 years male: 19 years female: 21 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 7.9% of GDP (2017) | 7.6% of GDP (2017) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 83.3% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands | urban population: 88.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.056 million OSLO (capital) (2021) | 1.657 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Health expenditures | 10.1% (2018) | 10.9% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 2.92 physicians/1,000 population (2018) | 3.98 physicians/1,000 population (2016) |
| Hospital bed density | 3.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 2.2 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 23.1% (2016) | 20.6% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 29.7 years (2019 est.) note: data is calculated based on actual age at first births | 29.5 years (2019 est.) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 53.3 youth dependency ratio: 26.5 elderly dependency ratio: 26.9 potential support ratio: 3.7 (2020 est.) note: data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands | total dependency ratio: 61.2 youth dependency ratio: 28.4 elderly dependency ratio: 32.8 potential support ratio: 3.1 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge etymology: derives from the Old Norse words "nordr" and "vegr" meaning "northern way" and refers to the long coastline of western Norway | conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige etymology: name ultimately derives from the North Germanic Svear tribe, which inhabited central Sweden and is first mentioned in the first centuries A.D. |
| Government type | parliamentary constitutional monarchy | parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Capital | name: Oslo geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the medieval name was spelt "Aslo"; the "as" component refered either to the Ekeberg ridge southeast of the town ("as" in modern Norwegian), or to the Aesir (Norse gods); "lo" refered to "meadow," so the most likely interpretations would have been either "the meadow beneath the ridge" or "the meadow of the gods"; both explanations are considered equally plausible | name: Stockholm geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: "stock" and "holm" literally mean "log" and "islet" in Swedish, but there is no consensus as to what the words refer to |
| Administrative divisions | 18 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Telemark, Troms, Trondelag, Vest-Agder, Vestfold | 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarna, Gavleborg, Gotland, Halland, Jamtland, Jonkoping, Kalmar, Kronoberg, Norrbotten, Orebro, Ostergotland, Skane, Sodermanland, Stockholm, Uppsala, Varmland, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland, Vastmanland, Vastra Gotaland |
| Independence | 7 June 1905 (declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union); notable earlier dates: ca. 872 (traditional unification of petty Norwegian kingdoms by HARALD Fairhair); 1397 (Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden); 1524 (Denmark-Norway); 17 May 1814 (Norwegian constitution adopted); 4 November 1814 (Sweden-Norway union confirmed) | 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) |
| National holiday | Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) | National Day, 6 June (1983); note - from 1916 to 1982 this date was celebrated as Swedish Flag Day |
| Constitution | history: drafted spring 1814, adopted 16 May 1814, signed by Constituent Assembly 17 May 1814 amendments: proposals submitted by members of Parliament or by the government within the first three years of Parliament's four-year term; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in the next elected Parliament; amended over 400 times, last in 2020 | history: Sweden has four fundamental laws which together make up the Constitution: The Instrument of Government (several previous; latest 1974); The Act of Succession (enacted 1810; changed in 1937 and 1980); The Freedom of the Press Act (many previous; latest in 1949); The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (adopted 1991) amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires simple majority vote in two consecutive parliamentary terms with an intervening general election; passage also requires approval by simple majority vote in a referendum if Parliament approves a motion for a referendum by one third of its members; The Instrument of Government - amended several times, last in 2018; The Act of Succession - changed in 1937, 1980; The Freedom of the Press Act - amended several times, last in 2019; The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression - amended several times, last in 2018 |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts | civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS (son of the monarch, born 20 July 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Erna SOLBERG (since 16 October 2013) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch, approved by Parliament elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament | chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 15 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree (daughter of the monarch, born 14 July 1977) head of government: Prime Minister Stefan LOFVEN (since 3 October 2014); Deputy Prime Minister Isabella LOVIN (since 25 May 2016); note - Prime Minister Stefan LOFVEN was ousted in a no-confidence vote on 25 September 2018 and headed a caretaker government until the next government was formed; LOFVEN was reelected as Prime Minister and took office on 21 January 2019 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 11 September 2017 (next to be held on 13 September 2021) election results: percent of vote by party - Ap 27.4%, H 25%, FrP 15.2%, SP 10.3%, SV 6%, V 4.4%, KrF 4.2%, MDG 3.2%, R 2.4%, other/invalid 1.9%; seats by party - Ap 49, H 45, FrP 27, SP 19, SV 11, V 8, KrF 8, MDG 1, R 1; composition - men 99, women 70, percent of women 41.4% | description: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; 310 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed, party-list proportional representation vote and 39 members in "at-large" seats directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 9 September 2018 (next to be held in 2022) election results: percent of vote by party - SAP 28.3%, M 19.8%, SD 17.5%, C 8.6%, V 8%, KD 6.3%, L 5.5%, MP 4.4%, other 1.6%; seats by party - SAP 100, M 70, SD 62, C 31, V 28, KD 22, L 20, MP 16; composition - men 188, women 161, percent of women 46.1% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (consists of the chief justice and 18 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the monarch (King in Council) upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Board; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal or Lagmennsrett; regional and district courts; Conciliation Boards; ordinary and special courts; note - in addition to professionally trained judges, elected lay judges sit on the bench with professional judges in the Courts of Appeal and district courts | highest courts: Supreme Court of Sweden (consists of 16 justices, including the court chairman); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 18 justices, including the court president) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court justices nominated by the Judges Proposal Board, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the Government; following a probationary period, justices' appointments are permanent subordinate courts: first instance, appellate, general, and administrative courts; specialized courts that handle cases such as land and environment, immigration, labor, markets, and patents |
| Political parties and leaders | Center Party or Sp [Trygve Slagsvold VEDUM] Christian Democratic Party or KrF [Kjell Ingolf ROPSTADT] Conservative Party or H [Erna SOLBERG] Green Party or MDG [Rasmus HANSSON and Une Aina BASTHOLM] Labor Party or Ap [Jonas Gahr STORE] Liberal Party or V [Trine SKEI GRANDE] Progress Party or FrP [Siv JENSEN] Red Party or R [Bionar MOXNES] Socialist Left Party or SV [Audun LYSBAKKEN] | Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C [Annie LOOF] Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Ebba Busch THOR] Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP [Isabella LOVIN and Per BOLUND] Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V [Jonas SJOSTEDT] Liberal Party (Liberalerna) or L [Jan BJORKLUND] Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M [Ulf KRISTERSSON] Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SAP [Stefan LOFVEN] Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON] |
| International organization participation | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Anniken Ramberg KRUTNES (since 17 September 2020) chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 469-3990 email address and website: emb.washington@mfa.no https://www.norway.no/en/usa/ consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco | chief of mission: Ambassador Karin Ulrika OLOFSDOTTER (since 8 September 2017) chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 email address and website: ambassaden.washington@gov.se https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/usa-washington/ consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sharon HUDSON-DEAN (since 29 July 2021) embassy: Morgedalsvegen 36, 0378 Oslo mailing address: 5460 Oslo Place, Washington DC 20521-5460 telephone: [47] 21-30-85-40 FAX: [47] 22-56-27-51 email address and website: OsloACS@state.gov https://no.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Pamela M. TREMONT (since 20 January 2021) embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-115 89 Stockholm mailing address: 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 telephone: [46] (08) 783-53-00 FAX: [46] (08) 661-19-64 email address and website: STKACSinfo@state.gov https://se.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | red with a blue cross outlined in white 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); the colors recall Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white) and Sweden (blue) | blue with a golden yellow cross extending 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); the colors reflect those of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field |
| National anthem | name: "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country) lyrics/music: lyrics/music: Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK note: adopted 1864; in addition to the national anthem, "Kongesangen" (Song of the King), which uses the tune of "God Save the Queen," serves as the royal anthem | name: "Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free) lyrics/music: Richard DYBECK/traditional note: in use since 1844; also known as "Sang till Norden" (Song of the North), is based on a Swedish folk tune; it has never been officially adopted by the government; "Kungssangen" (The King's Song) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | lion; national colors: red, white, blue | three crowns, lion; national colors: blue, yellow |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Norway dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Sweden; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Sweden and the father unknown dual citizenship recognized: no, unless the other citizenship was acquired involuntarily residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Norway has a stable economy with a vibrant private sector, a large state sector, and an extensive social safety net. Norway opted out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. However, as a member of the European Economic Area, Norway partially participates in the EU's single market and contributes sizably to the EU budget. The country is richly endowed with natural resources such as oil and gas, fish, forests, and minerals. Norway is a leading producer and the world's second largest exporter of seafood, after China. The government manages the country's petroleum resources through extensive regulation. The petroleum sector provides about 9% of jobs, 12% of GDP, 13% of the state's revenue, and 37% of exports, according to official national estimates. Norway is one of the world's leading petroleum exporters, although oil production is close to 50% below its peak in 2000. Gas production, conversely, has more than doubled since 2000. Although oil production is historically low, it rose in 2016 for the third consecutive year due to the higher production of existing oil fields and to new fields coming on stream. Norway's domestic electricity production relies almost entirely on hydropower. In anticipation of eventual declines in oil and gas production, Norway saves state revenue from petroleum sector activities in the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, valued at over $1 trillion at the end of 2017. To help balance the federal budget each year, the government follows a "fiscal rule," which states that spending of revenues from petroleum and fund investments shall correspond to the expected real rate of return on the fund, an amount it estimates is sustainable over time. In February 2017, the government revised the expected rate of return for the fund downward from 4% to 3%. After solid GDP growth in the 2004-07 period, the economy slowed in 2008, and contracted in 2009, before returning to modest, positive growth from 2010 to 2017. The Norwegian economy has been adjusting to lower energy prices, as demonstrated by growth in labor force participation and employment in 2017. GDP growth was about 1.5% in 2017, driven largely by domestic demand, which has been boosted by the rebound in the labor market and supportive fiscal policies. Economic growth is expected to remain constant or improve slightly in the next few years. | 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. Swedish economists expect economic growth 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 bank observers expect it to maintain an 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 providing affordable housing and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $340.303 billion (2019 est.) $336.418 billion (2018 est.) $332.135 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $547.595 billion (2019 est.) $540.776 billion (2018 est.) $530.433 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 0.86% (2019 est.) 1.36% (2018 est.) 2.75% (2017 est.) | 1.29% (2019 est.) 2.06% (2018 est.) 2.82% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $63,633 (2019 est.) $63,333 (2018 est.) $62,941 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $53,240 (2019 est.) $53,146 (2018 est.) $52,739 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.3% (2017 est.) industry: 33.7% (2017 est.) services: 64% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 1.6% (2017 est.) industry: 33% (2017 est.) services: 65.4% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 12.7% (2018 est.) | 17.1% (2018 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.8% highest 10%: 21.2% (2014) | lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24% (2012) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (2019 est.) 2.7% (2018 est.) 1.8% (2017 est.) | 1.7% (2019 est.) 1.9% (2018 est.) 1.7% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 2.699 million (2020 est.) | 5.029 million (2020 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 2.1% industry: 19.3% services: 78.6% (2016 est.) | agriculture: 2% industry: 12% services: 86% (2014 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 3.72% (2019 est.) 3.89% (2018 est.) | 6.78% (2019 est.) 6.33% (2018 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 27 (2017 est.) 25.8 (1995) | 28.8 (2017 est.) 25 (1992) |
| Budget | revenues: 217.1 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 199.5 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 271.2 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 264.4 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | petroleum and gas, shipping, fishing, aquaculture, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles | iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles |
| Industrial production growth rate | 1.5% (2017 est.) | 4.1% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | milk, barley, wheat, potatoes, oats, pork, poultry, beef, eggs, rye | wheat, milk, sugar beet, barley, potatoes, oats, rapeseed, pork, rye, triticale |
| Exports | $185.101 billion (2019 est.) $184.094 billion (2018 est.) $185.952 billion (2017 est.) | $302.65 billion (2019 est.) $291.846 billion (2018 est.) $279.461 billion (2017 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | crude petroleum, natural gas, fish, refined petroleum, aluminum (2019) | cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, lumber (2019) |
| Exports - partners | United Kingdom 18%, Germany 14%, Netherlands 10%, Sweden 9%, France 6%, United States 5% (2019) | Germany 10%, Norway 9%, United States 8%, Denmark 7%, Finland 6%, United Kingdom 5%, Netherlands 5%, China 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $158.037 billion (2019 est.) $150.972 billion (2018 est.) $148.802 billion (2017 est.) | $276.622 billion (2019 est.) $273.125 billion (2018 est.) $262.597 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | cars, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, crude petroleum (2019) | cars and vehicle parts, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, computers (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Sweden 17%, Germany 12%, China 8%, Denmark 7%, United States 6%, United Kingdom 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019) | Germany 18%, Netherlands 9%, Denmark 7%, Norway 7%, China 6%, Finland 5%, Belgium 5%, Poland 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $651.04 billion (2019 est.) $648.878 billion (2018 est.) note: Norway is a net external creditor | $911.317 billion (2019 est.) $1,012,171,000,000 (2018 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 8.81535 (2020 est.) 9.14245 (2019 est.) 8.4837 (2018 est.) 8.0646 (2014 est.) 6.3021 (2013 est.) | Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar - 8.49085 (2020 est.) 9.52915 (2019 est.) 9.01895 (2018 est.) 8.4335 (2014 est.) 6.8612 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 36.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 36.4% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data exclude treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental 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 | 40.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 42.3% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover general government debt and include 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 intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental 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 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $65.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $57.46 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $62.22 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $59.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $16.656 billion (2019 est.) $31.111 billion (2018 est.) | $22.339 billion (2019 est.) $13.902 billion (2018 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $405.695 billion (2019 est.) | $531.35 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: AAA (1995) Moody's rating: Aaa (1997) Standard & Poors rating: AAA (1975) | Fitch rating: AAA (2004) Moody's rating: Aaa (2002) Standard & Poors rating: AAA (2004) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 82.6 (2020) Starting a Business score: 94.3 (2020) Trading score: 97 (2020) Enforcement score: 81.3 (2020) | Overall score: 82 (2020) Starting a Business score: 93.1 (2020) Trading score: 98 (2020) Enforcement score: 67.6 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 54.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 50.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | 4.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 10% male: 10.4% female: 9.5% (2019 est.) | total: 20.1% male: 20.5% female: 19.7% (2019 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 44.8% (2017 est.) government consumption: 24% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.1% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 4.8% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 35.5% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -33.2% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 44.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 26% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 24.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.8% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 45.3% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -41.1% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 33.3% of GDP (2019 est.) 35.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 34.1% of GDP (2017 est.) | 29.4% of GDP (2019 est.) 28.5% of GDP (2018 est.) 28.4% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 147.7 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 152.9 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 122.2 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 133.5 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 15.53 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 26.02 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 5.741 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 14.29 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 1.517 million bbl/day (2018 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 36,550 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 400,200 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 1.383 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 14,570 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 6.376 billion bbl (1 January 2018) | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 1.782 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 123.9 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 4.049 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 764.5 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 120.2 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 5.663 million cu m (2017 est.) | 764.5 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 33.86 million kW (2016 est.) | 40.29 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 3% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 93% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 42% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 22% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 32% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 371,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 413,200 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 205,300 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 323,100 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 432,800 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 371,100 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 135,300 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 229,600 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 444,600 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8.2 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 1,750,989 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.32 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 5,775,830 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106.57 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 12,895,854 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127.57 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .no | .se |
| Internet users | total: 5,183,627 percent of population: 96.49% (July 2018 est.) | total: 9,251,773 percent of population: 92.14% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: sophisticated telecom market with high broadband and mobile penetration rates and a highly developed digital media sector; synchronized with EC legislation; comprehensive LTE and focus on 5G; broadband penetration among highest in Europe; operators will migrate all DSL subscribers to fiber by 2023 and close 2G and 3G networks by 2025; regulator assigned spectrum for 5G; operator partners with Huawei for smart agriculture project; Oslo utilizes smart city technology; municipalities access EU-funded public Wi-Fi; importer of broadcasting equipment and computers from China (2021) (2020)domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of mobile-cellular systems; fixed-line 11 per 100 and mobile-cellular 107 per 100 (2019) international: country code - 47; landing points for the Svalbard Undersea Cable System, Polar Circle Cable, Bodo-Rost Cable, NOR5KE Viking, Celtic Norse, Tempnet Offshore FOC Network, England Cable, Denmark-Norwary6, Havfrue/AEC-2, Skagerrak 4, and the Skagenfiber West & East submarine cables providing links to other Nordic countries, Europe and the US; satellite earth stations - Eutelsat, Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: Sweden's telecom market includes mature mobile and broadband sectors stimulated by investment of the main operators in new technologies; one of the best developed LTE infrastructures in the region; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line, mobile-cellular, Internet, and broadband penetration; best developed LTE infrastructure in the region; government promotes national broadband strategy to increase connectivity (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line 19 per 100 and mobile-cellular 126 per 100; coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels (2019) international: country code - 46; landing points for Botina, SFL, SFS-4, Baltic Sea Submarine Cable, Eastern Light, Sweden-Latvia, BCS North-Phase1, EE-S1, LV-SE1, BCS East-West Interlink, NordBalt, Baltica, Denmark-Sweden-15,-17,-18, Scandinavian Ring -North,-South, IP-Only Denmark-Sweden, Donica North, Kattegate-1,-2, Energinet Laeso-Varberg and GC2 submarine cables providing links to other Nordic countries and Europe; 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) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 2,260,605 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41.71 (2019 est.) | total: 4,038,725 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39.95 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | state-owned public radio-TV broadcaster operates 3 nationwide TV stations, 3 nationwide radio stations, and 16 regional radio stations; roughly a dozen privately owned TV stations broadcast nationally and roughly another 25 local TV stations broadcasting; nearly 75% of households have access to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; 2 privately owned radio stations broadcast nationwide and another 240 stations operate locally; Norway is the first country in the world to phase out FM radio in favor of Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), a process scheduled for completion in late 2017 (2019) | publicly owned TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial networks plus regional stations; multiple privately owned TV broadcasters operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 50 local TV stations; widespread access to pan-Nordic and international broadcasters through multi-channel cable and satellite TV; publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 3 national stations and a network of 25 regional channels; roughly 100 privately owned local radio stations with some consolidating into near national networks; an estimated 900 community and neighborhood radio stations broadcast intermittently |
Transportation
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 4,200 km (2019) standard gauge: 4,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2,480 km electrified) (2019) | total: 14,127 km (2016) standard gauge: 14,062 km 1.435-m gauge (12,322 km electrified) (2016) narrow gauge: 65 km 0.891-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2016) |
| Roadways | total: 94,902 km (includes 455 km of expressways) (2018) | total: 573,134 km (includes 2,050 km of expressways) (2016) paved: 140,100 km (2016) unpaved: 433,034 km (2016) note: includes 98,500 km of state roads, 433,034 km of private roads, and 41,600 km of municipal roads |
| Waterways | 1,577 km (2010) | 2,052 km (2010) |
| Pipelines | 8520 km gas, 1304 km oil/condensate (2017) | 1626 km gas (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Bergen, Haugesund, Maaloy, Mongstad, Narvik, Sture LNG terminal(s) (export): Kamoy, Kollsnes, Melkoya Island LNG terminal(s) (import): Fredrikstad, Mosjoen | major seaport(s): Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby LNG terminal(s) (import): Brunnsviksholme, Lysekil |
| Merchant marine | total: 1,619 by type: bulk carrier 102, general cargo 242, oil tanker 92, other 1,183 (2020) | total: 368 by type: general cargo 49, oil tanker 20, other 299 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 95 (2013) | total: 231 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 67 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 22 (2017) under 914 m: 21 (2017) | total: 149 (2013) over 3,047 m: 3 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 75 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 22 (2013) under 914 m: 37 (2013) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 28 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2013) under 914 m: 22 (2013) | total: 82 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2013) under 914 m: 77 (2013) |
| Heliports | 1 (2013) | 2 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 8 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 125 | number of registered air carriers: 11 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 316 |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | LN | SE |
Military
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Norwegian Armed Forces: Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret), Norwegian Special Forces, Norwegian Cyber Defense, Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2021) | Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army, Navy, Air Force; Home Guard (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 19-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; 17 years of age for male volunteers (16 in wartime); 18 years of age for women; 19-month service obligation; conscripts first serve 12 months from 19-28, and then up to 4-5 refresher training periods until age 35, 44, 55, or 60 depending on rank and function (2019) note - Norway was the first NATO country to allow females to serve in all combat arms branches of the military (1988); it also has an all-female commando unit known as Jegertroppen (The Hunter Troop), which was established in 2014 | 18-47 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47; compulsory military service, abolished in 2010, was reinstated in January 2018; conscription is selective, includes both female and male (age 18), and requires 9-12 months of service (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.86% of GDP (2019) 1.73% of GDP (2018) 1.72% of GDP (2017) 1.74% of GDP (2016) | 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2019) 1% of GDP (2018) 1% of GDP (2017) 1.1% of GDP (2016) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Norwegian Armed Forces have approximately 23,000 active personnel (8,500 Army; 3,500 Navy; 3,500 Air Force; 7,500 other, including special operations, cyber, joint staff, intelligence, logistics support, active Home Guard, etc.); 40,000 Home Guard (2021) | information varies; approximately 16,000 active duty troops (7,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force; 3,000 other, including staff, logistics, support, medical, cyber, intelligence, etc); 22,000 Home Guard (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Norwegian Armed Forces inventory includes mostly imported European and US weapons systems, as well as a limited mix of domestically-produced equipment, particularly small naval craft; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of weapons systems to Norway, followed by a variety of other countries, including France, Italy, South Korea, and Spain (2020) | the inventory of the Swedish Armed Forces is comprised of domestically-produced and imported Western weapons systems; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of military hardware to Sweden, followed by France and Germany; Sweden's defense industry is capable of producing a range of air, land, and naval systems (2020) |
| Military deployments | 120 Lithuania (NATO) (2021) | approximately 450 Mali (EUTM, MINUSMA, Task Force Takuba) (Jan 2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010 | none |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 14,359 (Syria), 14,038 (Eritrea), 6,518 (Somalia), 5,108 (Afghanistan) (2019) stateless persons: 4,206 (2020) | refugees (country of origin): 113,418 (Syria), 27,933 (Eritrea), 30,546 (Afghanistan), 17,593 (Somalia), 12,460 (Iraq), 7,408 (Iran) (2019) stateless persons: 50,414 (2020); note - the majority of stateless people are from the Middle East and Somalia |
Environment
| Norway | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 7.02 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 41.02 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 4.81 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 5.89 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 43.25 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 4.42 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 775.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 1.071 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 844.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 955 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 1.345 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 75 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.05% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.21% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.187 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 572,119 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 26.2% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.377 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,416,835 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 32.4% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
