Located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, Sweden is the largest country in Northern Europe, the third-largest country in the European Union and the fifth largest country in Europe by geographic area. It has a total population of 10.3 million of which almost a quarter (2.6 million) being of a foreign background. Though the majority of immigrants since world war two came from neighbouring Nordic countries, over the last decade Sweden started to receive immigrants and asylum from other parts of the world including Africa and the Middle East. Sweden has two major indigenous groups namely the Finnish-speaking people of the northeast along the Finnish border, and the Sami (Lapp) population scattered throughout the northern Swedish interior.

Summary

Sweden has achieved an overall intercultural dialogue index (ICDI)  score of 0.814, the highest in the current articulation of the ICDI results.  Many of the components of the intercultural dialogue have scores above 0.80. The high scores in the multiculturalism and anti-discrimination components indicate a conducive,  positive legislative environment. Relatively mixed scores in the structural dimension indicate slightly less positive  social connectedness and a level of inequality. Similarly, the Swedish intercultural environment tends to mix a high level of acceptance of  minorities, greater civil liberties, with an above average degree of social cohesion.

Current Situation and Outlook

Compared to its positive situation around the legislative dimension, Sweden achieves relatively lower scores in some components of the structural dimension (e.g., social contact, and equality). These are particularly related to ….. Sweden’s ICDI score could improve if more attention is given to …..  if this situation around structural dimensions persists, there is a possibility that social cohesion will be weakened and intercultural relations further compromised as conflict and contestation around social vulnerability and cultural marginalisation deepen.