1272

SWEDEN

Minister of Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs. — Fridtjuv Berg.

Minister of Agriculture. — Alfred Petersson.

Ministers without Portfolio. — Bror Petren and Karl Stenström.

All the members of the Council of State are responsible for the acts of the Government.

The second chamber, elected Sept., 1911 : 101 Liberals, 63 Socialists, 64 Conservatives, 2 Independent Liberals.

The provincial administration is entrusted in Stockholm to a High Governor, and in each of the 24 governments to a prefect, who is nominated by the King. As executive officers of the prefects there are 118 bailiffs (Kronofogdar) and 519 sub-officers (Länsmän). The right of the people to regulate their own local affairs is based on the communal laws of March 21, 1862. Each rural parish, and each town, forms a commune or municipality in which all who pay the local taxes are voters, forming the communal assembly. The communal assembly in the country, and an elected town council in the towns, decide on all ijuestions of administration, police and communal economy. Ecclesiastical affairs and questions relating to primary schools are dealt with by the parish assemblies, presided over by the pastor of the parish. Each government has a county council (Landsting) which regulates the internal affairs of the government. The council meets annually for a few days in September under a president appointed by the King from among its members. The members are elected by the towns and provincial districts. Towns having a population of at least l-150th of the total population of the realm and towns already separated from the 'Landstings,' and where the number of inhabitants is not fallen below that whicli caused their separation, are administered separately by their municipal councils: these towns are Stockholm, Göteborg, Malmö, Norrköping, and Gäfle, As in elections for the Diet, so in the communal elections of municipal representatives, of members of the 'Landstings,' &c. , the method of election is proportional. Women possessing the right to the communal vote are also eligible to communal positions, except to be members of the 'Landstings.'

Area and Population.

I. Progress and Present Condition.

The first census took place in 1749, and it was repeated at first every third year, and subsequently, after 1775, every fifth year. At present, a general census is taken every ten years, besides which there are annual numerations of the people.

The area and population of Sweden, according to the census taken on December 31, 3 910, and estimate for December 31, 1911, are as follows : —

Governments (Län) Area: English
square miles Population
Dec. 31, 1910 Population
Dec. 31, 1911 Pop. per
square mile

1911

Stockholm (city) ....

13

342,323

340,599

26,661-5

Stockholm (rural district) .

3,015

229,181

234,973

77-9

Uppsala

2,051

128,171

129,404

63-1

Södermanland

2,631

178,568

179,640

68-3

Östergötland ....

4,267

294,179

295,745

09-3

Jönköping

• 4,447

214,454

215,369

48-4

Kronoberg

3,S25

157,905

157,580

41-2

Kalmar

4,443

228,129

228,373

51-4

Gottland

1,210

55,217

55,373

45-4

Blekingo

1,104

149,359

140,782

12S-7

Kristinnstad ....

2,480

228,307

230,042

92-5

Malmöhus

1,806

457,214

460,336

240-7

Halland

1,900

147,224

147,136

77-4

Göteborg and Bohus .

1,948

381,270

385,753

1980