According to the1997 IDC/World Times Information Imperative index, which evaluates the social, information, and computing infrastructure, Sweden was the third most advanced IT nation in the world. Sweden scored a 3.442, coming in right after Finland (3.591) and the United States (4.987).(Source: IDC) 

Swedes are among the most advanced users of information technology and telecommunications.  More than 36 percent of the population or 80 percent of households are cellular phone subscribers. About 60 percent of Swedes aged 16 to 64 regularly work with computers. In early 1998, 40 percent of Swedes were estimated to have access to the Internet. (Source: IDC) 

History 

In the past 100 years Sweden has evolved from a largely agrarian country to one where less than 3% of the labor force is employed in agriculture.  Information technology plays a crucial role in the development of the current economy.  This push toward technology is heavily driven by a cultural emphasis on research and development (R&D).  Sweden is the leading country in the world for expenditures in R&D.  (Source: ISA) 

Industry 

In 1993, it was estimated that about 80% of workers were employed in a computerized workplace. In 1989 the figure was 63% which represents a significant increase that is growing every year.  In the workplace, just over 50% of all those in employment use computers in their daily jobs. The use of IT to atomate production is greatest within the process industry, which is one of the largest in Sweden. More than 60% of pulp and paper workers work with equipment for computer control of production processes. (Source: Country Commercial Guide) 

Household 

Telecommuting is a growing trend in Sweden.  This is driven by geography and climate.  In 1995 approximately 800,000 people worked regularly worked from their homes by agreement with their employer.  Of these, about 60% are teachers, academics and recreation leaders. Of those who use a computer in the home and who have employment (about 1.1 million), 42 % use the computer in connection with their work. However, just over 80% work only up to a quarter of their working hours in the home. By far the most common use for computer users in the home are writing, managing private finances, club activities and interest groups. It is also common to use computers for games, and hobbies. 

Government 

The government sector has the largest proportion of computer users (about 83%). 78% of government authorities and county councils have internal e-mail, as do 60% of municipalities. 

Gender 

Men use, or have used computers to a greater extent than women, both at work and in the home. Men are the largest users at work (about 60%).  In the home, men aged 16-19 years constitute a particularly high proportion (44%) of computer users with respect to the average (30%) for men. Women aged 16-19 years are also a higher proportion (30%) than the average for women (22%). 84% of women and 79% of men who worked in offices in 1993 were advanced users. About 120,000 women and 50,000 men had simple feed-in tasks.  (Source: Country Commercial Guide)

Education 

The number of computers in teaching in municipal compulsory comprehensive schools has doubled in two years and within Upper Secondary, the number has increased by 60%. Computers in school are placed to a greater and greater degree in classrooms. More than half of the computers in the municipal compulsory comprehensive school are today placed in classrooms, compared to almost a third in 1993. (Source: Statistics Sweden )