🇸🇪Sweden Political Stability: 84.4/100

Sweden scores 84.4 out of 100 on the Political Stability Index, rated "Very Stable" based on World Bank 2023 Worldwide Governance Indicators across six governance dimensions.

Very Stable
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Composite score is the unweighted average of six governance dimensions, each measured on a 0-100 percentile scale.

Sweden is located in Northern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Bothnia, and is part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It has a diverse landscape that includes the Scandinavian mountain chain to the west and a long coastline. The country has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, and about 65% of its land area is covered by forests. Sweden is the fifth-largest country in Europe, with a total area of 449,964 km².

Sweden has a population of approximately 10.5 million people, with a high level of urbanization, particularly in cities like Stockholm. The country is known for its progressive social policies and high standard of living. Gender equality and acceptance of diverse lifestyles are prominent in Swedish society.

Governance Indicators

Control of Corruption95/100
Voice & Accountability93/100
Rule of Law89/100
Regulatory Quality88/100
Government Effectiveness84/100
Political Stability57/100

Governance Profile: Sweden

World Bank governance: rule of law 89th percentile, corruption control 95th percentile, political stability 57th percentile.

Sweden's strongest governance dimension is Control of Corruption at 95/100, placing it in the top quartile globally. This indicates relatively effective mechanisms for limiting misuse of public office for private gain.

The weakest dimension is Political Stability at 57/100. Political instability concerns may affect the overall security environment and long-term predictability.

A notable 38-point gap between Control of Corruption and Political Stability reveals uneven governance. Some institutions function well while others lag significantly. Travelers should be aware that the quality of government services and protections may vary depending on the context.

For travelers, Sweden's strong governance indicators translate to reliable public services, transparent regulations, and effective rule of law. Visitors can expect well-maintained infrastructure, responsive emergency services, and clear legal protections.

The U.S. State Department currently rates Sweden as Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution). This aligns with a governance profile that, while not without challenges, provides a baseline of institutional functioning.

EU Governance Comparison

Top governance performers in EU based on the corruption composite ranking (weighted: 60% corruption control, 25% rule of law, 15% government effectiveness).

CountryScore
🇩🇰Denmark96.6
🇫🇮Finland95.2
🇳🇴Norway93.9
🇨🇭Switzerland93.8
🇱🇺Luxembourg92.9
🇸🇪Sweden92

Common Questions About Sweden's Political Stability

What is Sweden's political stability score?+
Sweden has a composite political stability score of 84.4 out of 100, placing it in the "Very Stable" category. This score is the average of six World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators for 2023: Voice & Accountability, Political Stability, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, and Control of Corruption.
What do the World Bank governance indicators measure?+
The six indicators come from the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) project. Each measures a different dimension of governance on a 0-100 percentile scale. Voice & Accountability captures perceptions of citizen participation and media freedom. Political Stability measures the likelihood of political instability or violence. Government Effectiveness assesses the quality of public services and policy implementation. Regulatory Quality evaluates the government's ability to formulate sound policies. Rule of Law captures confidence in contract enforcement, property rights, and courts. Control of Corruption measures the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain.
How does Sweden's stability affect travel safety?+
Governance indicators provide context beyond traditional travel advisories. Sweden's strongest area is Control of Corruption (95/100) and its weakest is Political Stability (57/100). Strong governance generally correlates with reliable infrastructure, transparent regulations, and effective emergency services.
How does Sweden compare to other countries in EU?+
Within EU, Sweden ranks among 6 peer countries with available governance data. Its composite score of 84.4/100 places it in the lower half of the regional ranking.
When was this data last updated?+
The governance data on this page is from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2023 dataset. The WGI project publishes annual updates covering over 200 countries. This page is refreshed every six hours to incorporate any new data from our sources.

More Sweden Data

Sweden Travel Advisory

Safety ratings, regional breakdown, and entry requirements.

Sweden Freedom Score

Free — 99/100 on the Freedom House index.

Interactive Advisory Map

View all 195 countries color-coded by advisory level.

Official State Dept. Page →

Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov.

Travel Advisory API

Access this data programmatically. Free tier available.

Travel Risk Reports

On-demand country risk PDFs from 6 government sources.