Sweden vs United Kingdom
Sweden vs United Kingdom: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 0.27% of the labour force in Sweden and 0.45% of the labour force in United Kingdom, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 0.17 percentage points, or 1.63 times that in Sweden.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher since 2018, when it overtook Sweden.
- In 2020, Sweden ranked 147 and United Kingdom ranked 121 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Sweden | United Kingdom | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0.27 | 0.45 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 0.27 | 0.44 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 0.28 | 0.44 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 0.56 | 0.44 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 0.58 | 0.45 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 0.59 | 0.46 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 0.6 | 0.47 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 0.32 | 0.52 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 0.43 | 0.52 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 0.43 | 0.55 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 0.45 | 0.56 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 0.36 | 0.51 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 0.36 | 0.51 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 0.52 | 0.58 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 0.61 | 0.71 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 0.6 | 0.68 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 1.37 | 0.71 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 1.52 | 0.71 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1.53 | 0.72 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 1.97 | 0.73 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 1.96 | 0.75 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 1.99 | 0.76 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 1.97 | 0.76 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 2.17 | 0.78 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 2.2 | 0.82 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 1.57 | 0.91 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 1.56 | 0.96 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 1.53 | 1.03 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 1.35 | 1.05 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 1.38 | 1.07 | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Sweden vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancySweden: 83.3 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySweden: 0.2 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySweden: 1.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSweden: 99.7% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionSweden: 4.49% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateSweden: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSweden: 10.6 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSweden: 0.56% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSweden: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSweden: 89.1% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageSweden: 39.9 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSweden: 20.5% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSweden: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSweden: 2.47% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSweden: $15B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personSweden: $1,549 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSweden: 5% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSweden: 15,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerSweden: 0.19% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsSweden: 146 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSweden: 235 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025