Up to 186o the percentage of urban population re mained nearly stationary at about 11. Its subsequent figures have been 188o, 15.12; 190o, 21.49; 1932, 33. The towns with a population exceeding 25,000 in 1934 are Stockholm (521,618) , GOteborg ( 252,721) , Malmo (132,090), Norrkoping (62,266), Halsingborg (57,872), Boras (40,580), Gavle (39,099), Orebro (38,483), Eskilstuna (33,368), Jonkoping (32,069), Linkoping (31,579), Uppsala (31,56o), Vasteras (31,229), Karlskrona (28, 482), Karlstad (25,666), and Lund (25,500). Stockholm has in creased over 200,000 during the 2oth century.
Sweden is a limited mon archy, the Constitution resting primarily on a law (Regerings formen) of June 6, 1809. The executive and judicial authority is vested in the king alone but his resolutions must be taken in the presence of the Council of State (statsrddet). The councillors, appointed by the king, are responsible to the parliament (Riks dag). At present they are 12 in number, one being prime minister (statsministern) two others consultative ministers, without port folio, and the remaining nine are heads of the departments of ad ministration, which are justice, foreign affairs, defence, social affairs, communications, finance, public worship and education, agriculture, commerce. Administrative posts are in principle equally open to men and women. Holders of Government offices are appointed by the king on the advice of the Council of State. Apart from a very few exceptions, none may he dismissed except in case of default and after trial and judgment. The king shares legislative powers with the Riksdag, possessing the rights of initia tion and absolute veto. He has also, in certain administrative and economic matters, e.g., the police system, a special legislative right. The general tendency in the constitutional system of Sweden, however, since 1809 has been to restrict the influence of the Crown in favour of the Riksdag.
The Riksdag consists of two elected chambers. The members of the upper chamber are elected by the landsthing (representa tives of the /an) and by the municipal councils of the larger towns. They number 150, and are distributed among the 19 con stituencies in proportion to population; the distribution being revised periodically. Eligibility necessitates Swedish birth, an age of at least 35 years, and the possession, at the time of elec tion and for three years previously, either of real property to the value of 50,000 kronor (i2,777), or an annual income of 3,000 kronor (£166) on which taxes have been paid. Members are elected for eight years. The members of the second chamber number 23o, chosen in 28 election areas and elected for four years. The members of both chambers receive travelling expenses to and from the Riksdag, together with a salary for 140 days.
The salary 24 kronor or 32 kronor a day is dependent on the place of home residence. The franchise was for long extremely limited, but it is now universal for men and women over 23 years of age. The agreement of both chambers is necessary be fore a bill is sent forward for royal assent, but when they differ on taxation questions—for which the Riksdag alone has the power of decision—the matter is settled by joint voting, which arrange ment gives the second chamber a certain advantage from the greater number of its members. A feature of the Riksdag is the numerous standing committees, controlling the army, navy and other departments.
Sweden is divided into 25 administra tive districts or Uin (see population statistics). The elected rep resentative body in each is the landsthing, which deliberates on the more local affairs of the liin. The chief official of the kin is the governor (landshofding) under whom are secretarial, police and fiscal departments. Seven privileged towns, receiving their privileges from the Government (not necessarily on the basis of present population), are under a mayor (borgmdstare) normally a professional lawyer, and aldermen (rddman). The aldermen are elected by the citizens, while the mayor is appointed by the Government from the first three aldermen on the poll, is paid and holds office for life. The city of Stockholm (q.v.), a Ian in itself, has a special form of government. The major rural divi sions are the 119 fogderier, under bailiffs, a subdivision of which is the lansmansdistrikt (489 in all), under a constable.
Justice is administered by tribunals of three instances (I) District and borough courts. There are 125 rural judicial circuits (domsagor), which may be subdivided into judicial divi sions (tingslag). Each tingslag has a district court (hdradsratt), consisting of a judge and 12 unpaid assessors (namndeman), elected by the people for a period of six years. If all jurors pres ent are unanimously of a different opinion from the judge, they can outvote him. The town-courts in the privileged towns are called radhusrdtt, and consist of the mayor and at least two aldermen; they are without jurors and therein differ from the district courts. (2) There are three courts of appeal (hofratter), in Stockholm, Jonkoping and Malmo. (3) The Supreme Court (Hogsta Domstolen) passes sentences in the name of the king, who is nominally the highest judicial authority. The court, which meets at Stockholm, has a membership of 24 justices (justitierdd). The Law Council (Lagrddet) which consists of three high court judges and one member of the Supreme administrative Court (Regeringsratten) examines all legislative bills before they are laid before the Riksdag.