Sweden/Geography

Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, [Gulf of Bothnia]?, Kattegat, and Skagerrak?, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 449,964 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km
water: 39,030 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 2,205 km
border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline: 3,218 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
territorial sea: 12 nautical miles (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)

Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Kebnekaise? 2,111 m

Natural resources: zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 68%
other: 24% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,150 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the [Gulf of Bothnia]?, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues: acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, [Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides]?, [Air Pollution-Sulphur 85]?, [Air Pollution-Sulphur 94]?, [Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds]?, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, [Hazardous Wastes]?, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, [Ship Pollution]?, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: [Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants]?, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas