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 which 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
