Sweden

Did you know

Sweden's constitutional right of public access lets everyone walk and camp in nature, even on private land. (source)

Elders in numbers

of people are 65 or older

20.9%

people aged 65 or older

2.2M

will be 65 or older in 2050

25.7%

is how long people live after 60, on average

24.9 years

of people 65+ live alone

30.5%

women 38%, men 21.7%

of people 65+ live in collective quarters: care homes, hospitals, hostels and the like

3.5%

Sources: World Bank, 2025; World Bank projection for 2050; WHO, 2023; UN, 2012; UN, 2011 census

Compare with the world

Languages

18 languages, 13 of them endangered

• Pite SamiCritically endangered
• Ume SamiCritically endangered
• Archaic NorrlandicSeverely endangered
• MeänkieliSeverely endangered
• DalecarlianDefinitely endangered
• Finnish KaloDefinitely endangered
• JämtlandicDefinitely endangered
• Lule SamiDefinitely endangered
• Northern SamiDefinitely endangered
• Old GutnishDefinitely endangered
• Southern SamiDefinitely endangered
• Swedish Sign LanguageDefinitely endangered

Languages and their status: Glottolog v5.3, CC BY 4.0. Names: Wikidata.

UNESCO intangible heritage

• Summer farming at fäbod and seter: knowledge, traditions and practices related to the grazing of outlying lands and artisan food production2024
• Nyckelharpa network, an innovative dissemination of a music and instrument-building tradition with roots in Sweden2023
• Nordic clinker boat traditions2021
• Land-of-Legends programme, for promoting and revitalizing the art of storytelling in Kronoberg Region2018

List and years: ich.unesco.org