Judging by the territory, part of 450 thousand square kilometers (174 thousand square meters. Miles), Sweden is one of the largest countries in Western Europe. At the same time, the population density of the country is relatively large, and lives in Sweden, only 8.8 million people. Like other small economies of the industrialized countries of the Old World, the Swedish economy is very dependent on foreign trade, which she needs to maintain its high productivity and the level of living. Export volume is approximately 40% of the gross domestic product (GDP). Over 80% of all exports are manufactured goods. The most important export markets are in Western Europe.
More than half Swedish exports go to the European Union (EU). Also important are the neighboring Nordic countries, Finland and Norway. Although Sweden is a small country, Sweden's economy is very diversified. Traditional industries based on the two most important raw material resources – iron ore and timber, still play an important role, but the increased value of machinery and various high-tech sectors. Modern Sweden has its own aviation industry and nuclear energy, the two largest carmakers, are well known in the world, the military-industrial complex, the telecommunications industry with high level of technology and two major pharmaceutical groups. Sweden is one of the key players in the world market copper and lead. The largest mines in Sweden: Copper – Aitik, and lead – Laysval. From complex sulfide ore deposits of the district Buliden-Christine Berg, along with copper, zinc and lead are extracted gray pyrite, arsenic, gold and silver.
Sweden's economy as a whole can be called socially oriented. The term 'Swedish model' or 'Swedish socialism' has arisen specifically in connection with the development of Sweden as one of the most developed in socio-economically States. Another feature of the Swedish economy, which secrete economists – a specific relationship between capital and labor in the labor market. For many decades, an important part of Sweden was actually a centralized negotiation of collective treaties in the area of wages, with the participation of powerful organizations, trade unions and employers as the main actors, unions and policy based on solidarity between the different groups of workers. Sweden is a country increasingly integrated into the global economy. On the size of the foreign trade turnover of Sweden took 10 th place among the developed capitalist countries. In the export is dominated by: Machinery and metalworking (49% in value), woodworking and pulp and paper industry (20%), industry (8%). Major imports: machinery and equipment (36%), fuel (18%), chemical products (8%) metals (7%). Geographical direction of foreign trade of Sweden indicates a strong economic and trade policy attachment that country to the States of the European Union.