Population growth in Sweden
Sweden: Population growth was 0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Sweden, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth in Sweden is 0.3%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 18.9% on the previous year and down 76.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Sweden peaked at 1.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1983.
That places Sweden 157th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth in Sweden, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.5% | — |
| 1962 | 0.6% | +17.1% |
| 1963 | 0.6% | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 0.7% | +32.6% |
| 1965 | 0.9% | +26.1% |
| 1966 | 1.0% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 0.8% | -19.4% |
| 1968 | 0.6% | -26.7% |
| 1969 | 0.7% | +25.0% |
| 1970 | 0.9% | +32.8% |
| 1971 | 0.7% | -26.3% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | -57.1% |
| 1973 | 0.2% | -41.7% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | +68.3% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | +36.9% |
| 1976 | 0.4% | -8.5% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | -18.0% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | -25.0% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -7.0% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -40.9% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -52.3% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -20.8% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | +100.7% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | +81.8% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | +40.8% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | +43.5% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | +37.7% |
| 1989 | 0.7% | +45.2% |
| 1990 | 0.8% | +15.8% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | -11.8% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | -14.0% |
| 1993 | 0.6% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 0.7% | +22.4% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | -26.2% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -69.7% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | -64.0% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | +40.4% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | +106.1% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | +67.2% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | +21.2% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +14.3% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | +40.6% |
| 2007 | 0.7% | +31.8% |
| 2008 | 0.8% | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | +9.4% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | -11.4% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +14.5% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | +17.1% |
| 2015 | 1.1% | +6.6% |
| 2016 | 1.3% | +18.8% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -13.8% |
| 2019 | 1.0% | -12.7% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | -28.7% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | -16.9% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | +13.3% |
| 2023 | 0.5% | -30.5% |
| 2024 | 0.3% | -33.7% |
| 2025 | 0.3% | -18.9% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 0.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.4%, 57% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 0.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.3%, 86% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 154 United Kingdom 0.3% compare
- 155 North Korea 0.3% compare
- 156 Croatia 0.3% compare
- 158 France 0.2% compare
- 159 French Polynesia 0.2% compare
- 160 Saint Lucia 0.2% compare
More climate change data for Sweden
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 160.40 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,738 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 983.81 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3,754 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 3.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 134.07 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,196 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,185 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 10.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 4.47 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Sweden?
- Population growth in Sweden was 0.3% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 1.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1983.
- How does Sweden rank for population growth?
- Sweden ranks 157th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 76.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.