ABSTRACT
Sweden joined the European Community on 1 January 1995, along with its close neighbour Finland. Sweden has a high proportion of forestry land, but a relatively low proportion of agricultural land; combined giving a slightly lower than average total value. The management of government affairs in Sweden is somewhat different to that of the other countries of Europe in that much of the work of the government, at a national level, is carried out not only by a governmentemployed Civil Service, but by agencies and administrative boards. Local government in Sweden mirrors the organizational arrangements at National level, with 24 countries and 286 municipalities having, in effect, local offices of both the ministry and the administrative boards. The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources was instrumental not only in negotiating on Sweden's behalf to keep its own internal stringent environmental measures, but was responsible for helping to raise European levels of control.
