s: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister; percent of
parliamentary vote--131 votes out of 349

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: Social Democratic Party [Goran
formal leader but party spokesperson is Briger SCHLAUG]

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB,
Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA,
FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG,
UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rolf EKEUS
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
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)

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 cons