Chapter 11 of 13 in Sverige i fokus

Sweden and the world: the EU, Nato, the UN and Nordic cooperation

Published: 21 September 2026 · Reading time: about 6 min

Quick answers

Is Sweden a member of the EU?: Yes. Sweden has been a member of the EU since 1995.
Is Sweden a member of Nato?: Yes. Sweden applied after Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022 and became a member in 2024.
What is the Nordic Council (Nordiska rådet)?: A cooperation between Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway. The countries reach agreement on different issues, which each country can then implement.
When was the UN (FN) founded?: 1945, after the Second World War. Almost all the world's countries are members, including Sweden.

The citizenship test is written in Swedish, so the key Swedish terms are given in brackets the first time they appear. This chapter is also available in Swedish: Sverige och omvärlden.

Chapter 11 of Sverige i fokus is about how Sweden cooperates with other countries: in the Nordic region, in Europe and across the world. The chapter also covers Sweden’s security policy: the long peace, the road into Nato and how the defence is organised. Here you get the most important points explained in plain English.

Is Sweden a member of the EU?

Yes. Sweden has been a member of the EU since 1995. The EU, the European Union (Europeiska unionen), is a political and economic cooperation between several European countries. The cooperation started after the Second World War. The aim was to create peace and stability in Europe.

The EU countries cooperate in many areas, such as agriculture, the economy, the environment, trade and migration. They make joint decisions and produce laws that apply in all member states. The idea is that the countries are stronger together.

An important part of the EU is the four freedoms (de fyra friheterna). They mean that people can study, move, work and sell goods freely between the countries. So every EU citizen can work or study in another EU country.

The Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights

The Council of Europe (Europarådet) is something other than the EU. It is a European organisation founded in 1949. The Council of Europe works for human rights, democracy and the rule of law (rättsstaten). It is home to the European Court of Human Rights (Europadomstolen). Sweden is a member of the Council of Europe too.

The Nordic Council: how does Sweden cooperate with the Nordic countries?

Sweden cooperates with the other Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway. The cooperation mainly takes place through two bodies, the Nordic Council (Nordiska rådet) and the Nordic Council of Ministers (Nordiska ministerrådet). The two councils reach agreement on different issues. Each country can then implement what the councils have agreed.

Sweden and the UN

Sweden is a member of the UN, the United Nations (FN, Förenta nationerna). The UN was founded in 1945, after the Second World War. Almost all the world’s countries are members. According to Sverige i fokus, the UN has four purposes:

to preserve peace and security in the world
to resolve conflicts and stop wars
to work for the equal value and self-determination of all peoples
to work for human rights and freedoms

Sida and development cooperation

Sweden also works for development around the world. This is done through Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Styrelsen för internationellt utvecklingssamarbete). Sida is a government agency that works to reduce poverty and oppression in the world. Through Sida, Sweden supports other countries with democracy, gender equality, the economy and a sustainable society.

So Sweden takes part in cooperation on three levels: Nordic, European and global. Keep them apart when you study. The Nordic Council belongs to the Nordic region, the EU and the Council of Europe to Europe, and the UN and Sida to the whole world.

Is Sweden in Nato, and since when?

Yes. Sweden became a member of Nato in 2024. To understand why this was a big step, you need to know about Sweden’s long peace.

The long peace

Sweden last fought a war against another state in the early 1800s. Few countries in the world have had peace for so long without interruption. In the war against Russia in 1808–1809, Sweden lost Finland. Finland had by then been part of Sweden for almost 700 years. A few years later Norway was forced into a union (union) with Sweden after the Napoleonic Wars. Norway became an independent state in 1905, peacefully. After these events, Sweden’s policy has been aimed at avoiding new wars.

The Cold War and neutrality

After the Second World War the world entered a cold war (kalla kriget). It was a conflict between two blocs. The western bloc was led by the USA and the eastern bloc by the Soviet Union. The blocs threatened each other with nuclear weapons and strong military forces. Denmark and Norway joined Nato, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Sweden chose neutrality (neutralitet) and stayed outside Nato.

From 1991 to Nato membership in 2024

The Cold War ended in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed. The security situation in Europe changed. Sweden joined the EU in 1995 and became more integrated in European cooperation.

When Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, concern about security in the Nordic region grew. Sweden and Finland therefore applied for Nato membership almost at the same time. Nato is a defence alliance (försvarsallians) that is meant to protect its member countries. Sweden became a member in 2024.

How does Sweden’s defence work?

Sweden is responsible for protecting the country and everyone who lives here. Everyone living in Sweden between 16 and 70 is covered by the total defence duty (totalförsvarsplikten). This means they can be required to help defend the country if needed. The total defence (totalförsvaret) has two parts: the military defence and the civil defence.

The military defence

The military defence consists of the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten). The Armed Forces have three parts: the army (armén), the navy (marinen) and the air force (flygvapnet). Their task is to protect Sweden’s territory and independence. The Armed Forces must also be able to take part in international operations.

Sweden has general conscription (allmän värnplikt). It applies to all men and women who have turned 18. They answer questions and take tests. It is then decided who will be considered for basic military training. Only some of them go on to complete the training.

The civil defence

Civil defence (civilt försvar) means that more than the military must be able to meet threats and crises. Civil defence includes activities that keep schools, workplaces and healthcare running even in war or crisis. The Armed Forces’ task is to strengthen both the military and the civil defence. The goal is to increase resilience and deter possible attackers.

What the test usually asks about

UHR has only published a few sample questions. This list is based on what the chapter emphasises, not on real test questions.

Which countries take part in Nordic cooperation and what the Nordic Council does.
That Sweden has been in the EU since 1995 and what the four freedoms mean.
The difference between the EU and the Council of Europe, and what the European Court of Human Rights is.
The UN’s four purposes and that the UN was founded in 1945.
What Sida works with.
Why Sweden was neutral for so long and why the country joined Nato in 2024.
What total defence duty, conscription and civil defence mean.
The three parts of the Armed Forces: the army, the navy and the air force.

Practise the questions for chapter 11. The questions are our own, not UHR’s. You can also try the practice test.

Difficult words in this chapter

försvarsallians: defence alliance: a group of countries that promise to protect each other if one of them is attacked
neutralitet: neutrality: that a country does not take sides in a war
totalförsvarsplikt: total defence duty: the obligation of everyone between 16 and 70 to help defend Sweden if needed
värnplikt: conscription: the obligation to answer questions and take tests for military training from the age of 18
civilt försvar: civil defence: the part of the defence that keeps schools, healthcare and workplaces running in a crisis or war
union: union: when two or more countries are joined under the same leadership
rättsstat: rule of law: a country where the law applies equally to everyone, including the state itself
fyra friheterna: the four freedoms: that people in the EU can freely study, move, work and sell goods between the countries

Frequently asked questions

When did Sweden join the EU?

1995. The EU started after the Second World War to create peace and stability in Europe.

Why did Sweden join Nato?

When Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, concern about security in the Nordic region grew. Sweden and Finland applied for membership almost at the same time. Sweden became a member in 2024.

What is the difference between the EU and the Council of Europe (Europarådet)?

The EU is a political and economic cooperation that produces common laws. The Council of Europe was founded in 1949 and works for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It is home to the European Court of Human Rights.

Who has to do conscription (värnplikt) in Sweden?

General conscription applies to all men and women who have turned 18. They answer questions and take tests. Only some of them go on to basic military training.

When was Sweden last at war?

In the early 1800s. In the war against Russia in 1808–1809, Sweden lost Finland. Sweden has been at peace since then.

The course

The full course, all 13 chapters

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Lessons for every chapter of Sverige i fokus
Practice questions with explanations and page references
A mock test in the same form as the August test
Difficult words explained in plain Swedish

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Sources

Sverige i fokus, UHR (2026): s. 39–41 (kapitel 11). Årtalet för FN:s grundande följer UHR:s rättelse 2026-08-10: 1945.