Sweden

The Kingdom of Sweden is considered to have the sixth highest standard of living in the world, according to the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Reports. This high ranking is likely due to the mixture of a strong market economy harnessed in support of substantial social welfare programs. The population of 9,001,774 enjoy a per capita income of $29,600. In 1995 Sweden joined the European Union (EU), but in 1999 the Swedish people voted against adopting the euro. Sweden is rich in natural resources, with timber, hydropower, and iron ore providing substantial trade revenue. Other resources include lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, and feldspar.

Bordering on the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia, the Skagerrak (an offshoot of the North Sea), and Kattegat ...