Sweden: Introduction

Sweden is a country located in Northern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak. Neighboring countries include Finland and Norway. It boasts a strategic location along the Danish Straits linking the Baltic and North Seas. The geography of Sweden is primarily flat, with mountains in the west. The government system is a constitutional monarchy; the chief of state is the king, and the head of government is the prime minister. Sweden has a mixed economic system in which there are a variety of private freedoms combined with centralized economic planning and government regulation. Sweden is a member of the European Union (EU).