To main content

Regional Accounts 2014

GDP at regional level rose in most counties in 2014

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2016-12-14 8.42

The Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) increased in the majority of Swedish counties in 2014. The GRDP per inhabitant, the GRDP per employed person, and disposable income per inhabitant was the highest in Stockholm County. Gross fixed capital formation rose in four of the eight NUTS 2 regions in Sweden in 2014.

In 2014, the GRDP increased the most in the counties with the largest cities. Stockholm County, home to the capital of Sweden, showed strong growth in 2014, as its regional GDP increased by 4.5 percent in volume. The GRDP of Västra Götaland County, where the city of Gothenburg is located, increased by 3.4 percent. Sweden’s southernmost county, Skåne, where the city of Malmö is located, benefited from growth, as its GRDP increased by 3.5 percent in volume in 2014.

Regional contributions to the GDP of Sweden: Largest contributions from counties with the largest cities

In 2014, Sweden’s GDP rose by 2.6 percent in volume, to which Stockholm County contributed 1.4 percentage points. More than half of Sweden’s GDP increase can therefore be attributed to growth in Stockholm County. Västra Götaland County, which is the second most populated county, contributed 0.6 percentage points, while Skåne contributed 0.4 percentage points.

GRDP per inhabitant: Stockholm County above the national average

In 2014 the GRDP per inhabitant in current prices rose in nearly all counties. Once more, Stockholm took the lead with a GRDP per inhabitant of SEK 576 000, and was the only county with a GRDP per inhabitant above the national average of SEK 406 000. The lowest GRDP per inhabitant was in Södermanland County, where the GRDP per inhabitant was SEK 298 000 in 2014.

The large differences in GRDP per inhabitant between neighbouring counties can in part be explained by commuting patterns. For more information, please see the explanatory notes at the end of this document.

GRDP per employed person: Highest in Stockholm and Norrbotten

The GRDP per employed person was above the national average in both Stockholm County and Norrbotten County. In Stockholm, the GRDP per employed person was SEK 1 018 000 and was therefore higher than national average of SEK 831 000 per employed person. The lowest GRDP per employed person (SEK 590 000) was observed in Gotland County.

Employment: Increased in 15 of Sweden’s counties

In 2014, Stockholm County and Gotland County showed the largest percentage increases and both rose by 2.4 percent compared with the previous year. Jönköping County showed the third largest increase, as employment figures rose by 2.0 percent. Employment figures increased by more than 1 percent in 13 of 21 counties.

Employment figures fell in four counties. The largest decrease was in Värmland County, where employment figures fell by 1.1 percent compared with 2013. The fall in employment figures in Norrbotten County was at the same level, as a decrease of 1.0 percent occurred in this county.

Households’ disposable income: Largest increase in Uppsala County

In 2014, the average growth rate of households’ disposable income was 3.9 percent in current prices. The largest increases in households’ disposable income occurred in Uppsala, Halland, Västra Götaland, Stockholm and Jämtland counties. The increases in these regions were all in the range 4.2-4.8 percent. The lowest growth rate was observed in Gotland County, where the disposable income rose by 2.0 percent.

In current prices, the national average of disposable income per inhabitant was SEK 198 000 in 2014. As in previous years, households in Stockholm County had the highest disposable income per inhabitant; In 2014 this figure was SEK 231 000. Halland County also displayed figures above the national average – in 2014 the disposable income per inhabitant in this region was SEK 205 000. Uppsala County, neighbouring Stockholm, was slightly below the national average, as the disposable income per inhabitant in 2014 was SEK 197 000. Disposable incomes per inhabitant were lowest in Värmland (SEK 174 000) and Jämtland (SEK 177 000) counties.

Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF): GFCF increased in four of eight regions

In 2014, the Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) increased in four of eight NUTS 2 regions. (For more information on NUTS 2 regions, please see the explanatory notes at the end of this document.) The largest increase occurred in Västsverige, where the GFCF in current prices rose by nearly 16 percent compared with the previous year. The GFCF also increased in Stockholm, Östra Mellansverige and Sydsverige. The GFCF decreased for the second consecutive year in Mellersta Norrland, and the largest decrease in the eight NUTS 2 regions occurred in this region in 2014.

Various measures of GRDP and households’ disposable income in 2014
 GRDP,
change in
volume
Contribution to
change in GDP
GRDP,
per capita
GRDP,
per employed
person
Disposable income
per capita
CountypercentpercentagesSEK thousand,
current prices
SEK thousand,
current prices
SEK thousand,
current prices
Stockholm
4.5 1.4 576 1 018 231
Uppsala
1.6 0.1 379 821 197
Södermanland
‑0.6 0.0 298 738 185
Östergötland
2.1 0.1 357 774 186
Jönköping
2.4 0.1 352 694 188
Kronoberg
0.2 0.0 367 746 185
Kalmar
0.3 0.0 315 711 184
Gotland
‑0.1 0.0 309 590 178
Blekinge
1.6 0.0 324 718 181
Skåne
3.5 0.4 347 759 187
Halland
‑0.2 0.0 319 702 205
Västra Götaland
3.4 0.6 404 818 195
Värmland
‑1.0 0.0 312 742 174
Örebro
1.1 0.0 349 754 179
Västmanland
‑0.2 0.0 336 747 191
Dalarna
0.5 0.0 337 749 183
Gävleborg
1.7 0.0 325 745 180
Västernorrland
0.0 0.0 358 773 186
Jämtland
1.6 0.0 332 733 177
Västerbotten
0.3 0.0 340 714 180
Norrbotten
‑1.9 ‑0.1 404 840 193
WHOLE COUNTRY
2.6 2.6 406 831 198

Preliminary regional accounts 2015:

Preliminary estimates are based on preliminary data sources and will be revised next year when definitive calculations of regional accounts are published. Preliminary estimates are compiled for GRDP, wages and salaries and average number of persons employed.

Volume changes in GRDP

The GRDP (in volume) increased in 20 of Sweden’s 21 counties. The largest increase occurred in Västra Götaland County. In this county, the GRDP increased by 5.8 percent in 2015 compared with the previous year. The second largest increase occurred in Kronoberg County, closely followed by Västmanland County. The GRDP fell in Norrbotten County by 0.3 percent.

GRDP per capita

Preliminary estimates reveal that the national average of the GDP per capita was SEK 427 000 in 2015. The GRDP per capita in Stockholm and Västra Götaland counties exceeded the national average, while figures below the national average were observed in all other counties. The lowest GRDP per capita occurred in Södermanland County, where the GRDP per capita was estimated to SEK 310 000.

GRDP per employed person

Preliminary estimates show a national average of SEK 869 000 per employed person in 2015. The GRDP per employed person in Stockholm and Västra Götaland counties were above the national average, and the highest GRDP per employed person in 2015 (SEK 1 068 000) occurred in Stockholm County. Norrbotten County has shown figures above the national average for the past five years. This trend was broken in 2015, as the GRDP per employed person in Norrbotten was estimated to SEK 841 000 and was therefore below the national average. The lowest GRDP per employed person occurred once more in Gotland County (SEK 631 000).

Various measures of GDPR 2015
 GRDP
change
in volume
GRDP
per
capita
GRDP per
employed
person
  PercentSEK thousand
current prices
SEK thousand
current prices
Stockholm
5.0 606 1 068
Uppsala
2.5 392 844
Södermanland
2.9 310 768
Östergötland
3.3 375 800
Jönköping
3.0 367 715
Kronoberg
5.5 391 784
Kalmar
1.7 324 731
Gotland
3.8 326 631
Blekinge
2.7 336 764
Skåne
3.4 362 787
Halland
2.6 329 730
Västra Götaland
5.8 436 875
Värmland
4.6 331 782
Örebro
2.6 362 766
Västmanland
5.4 359 794
Dalarna
1.8 347 774
Gävleborg
1.2 334 765
Västernorrland
2.9 375 813
Jämtland
1.5 341 733
Västerbotten
3.8 357 744
Norrbotten
‑0.3 404 841
WHOLE COUNTRY
4.1 427 869

Definitions and explanations

Regional Accounts are compiled in accordance with the ESA 2010 regulations (European System of National and Regional Accounts) and cover the period from 2000 to 2015. Calculations at the municipal level have been implemented for the years 2012 to 2015.

The GRDP is an indicator of a region’s output and can therefore be used to measure and compare the degree of economic activity in different regions. The GRDP is not a measure of regional welfare or regional income. The sum of all regions’ GRDP is, by definition, equal to the GDP of the nation.

The figures on change in volume for individual counties fluctuate considerably from one year to another, which calls for a word of caution. Instead of looking at a county’s change in volume in an individual year, the time frame should be extended to a few consecutive years.

Commuting between regions affects GRDP per inhabitant. Commuters contribute to the production and GRDP of the region in which they work, but belong to the population of the region in which they reside. Commuting into a region therefore affects that region's GRDP per inhabitant upwards, while commuting out of the region naturally affects the GRDP per inhabitant downwards.

The GRDP per inhabitant is also influenced by population structures. A region with a relatively large share of the population outside the labour market/production (pensioners, children, etc.) tends to have a lower GRDP per inhabitant than a region where a larger share of the population participates in production.

The industrial structure affects the GRDP per employed person. A region with a large proportion of capital-intensive industries, with high operating surpluses in combination with few employees, tends to have a relatively high GRDP per employed person. By definition, the general government sector reports no operating surpluses (or rather, reports operating surpluses equal to zero). Therefore, a region with a large proportion of its population employed in the general government sector or in industries with low, or even negative, operating surpluses tends to have a relatively low GRDP per employed person. It should also be noted that the number of employed persons in a region consists of all the people working in that region (both the region’s inhabitants and people commuting in from other regions).

Households’ disposable income is an indicator of households’ consumption possibilities and savings possibilities. Regional differences are smaller in households’ disposable income per inhabitant than in GRDP per inhabitant. Income is redistributed between individuals (and between regions) through transfers.

Employment and compensation of employees according to Regional Accounts cannot be directly compared with other statistics on employment and compensation of employees published by Statistics Sweden, since Regional Accounts are required to apply ESA 2010 regulations (European System of national and regional account).

Regional subdivision is made in accordance with NUTS (Nomenclature des Unités Territoriales Statistics), the regional classification used in the European Union. NUTS 0 refers to the whole nation, NUTS 1 contains 3 major regions, NUTS 2 consists of 8 regions, NUTS 3 contains 21 counties and LAU2 (Local Administrative Units, previously called NUTS5) consists of 290 municipalities.

Next publishing will be

The next statistical news in this series will be published on 2017-12-15 at 09.30.

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.

Statistical agency and producer

Statistics Sweden, National Accounts

Address
Solna strandväg 86
171 54 Solna
E-mail
nrinfo@scb.se

Enquiries

Jenny Lunneborg

Telephone
+46 10 479 44 42
E-mail
jenny.lunneborg@scb.se