Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1353

 AREA AND POPULATION 1301

Minister of Communications. — Walter Murray.

Minister of Commerce. — G. Malm.

Minister of Finance. — K. J. Btslow.

Minister of Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs. — B. Bergqvist.

Minister of Agriculture. — N. Hansson.

Ministers without Portfolio. — K. Dahlberg and M. Ericsson.

All the members of the Council of State are responsible for the acta of the Government.

The second chamber, elected 1920 : 70 Moderates, 29 of the two Agrarian Parties, 75 Socialists, 7 of the Socialistic Left, 47 Liberals, and 2 non-party men. The upper chamber (totally renewed 1919, after having been dissolved by the Government) : 37 Moderates, 19 of the Agrarian Parties, 41 Liberals, 49 Socialists, and 4 of the Socialistic Left.

The provincial administration is entrusted in Stockholm to a High Governor, and in each of the 24 governments to a prefect, who is nominated by the King. As executive officers of the prefects there are 491 sub-bailiffs (Landsfiskaler). The right of the people to regulate their own local affairs is based on the communal laws of March 21, 1862. Each rural parish, and each town, forms a commune or municipality in which all men and women who have paid the local taxes for at least one of the preceding three years from the calendar year following the completion of their 23rd birthday are voters. In small communes and towns the communal assembly may itself decide on all questions of administration, police and communal economy. It may, however, elect a communal council to decide on the questions, and all communes with 1,500 inhabitants and over do so. These councils are named Kommunalfullmdktiye in the country, and Stads- fullmakHyc in the towns. Ecclesiastical affairs and questions relating to primary schools are dealt with by the parish assemblies, presided over by the pastor of the parish. Each government has a county council (Landsting") elected by men and women who enjoy municipal suffrage, but they must have completed their 27th year. The county council regulates the internal affairs of the government, meeting annually for a few days in September under a president elected by and from the members. Towns havin» a population of at least l-150th of the total population of the realm, and towns already separated from the ' Laudstings,' and where the number of inhabitants is not fallen below that which caused their separation, are administered separately by their municipal councils : these towns are Stock- holm, Goteborg, Malmo, Norrkoping, Halsingborg and Gavle. As in elections for the Diet, so in the communal elections of municipal representatives, of members of the 'Laudstings,' &c, the method of election is proportional "Women are eligible for communal offices.

Area and Population. I. Progress and Present Condition.

The first census took place in 1749, and it was repeated at first every third }ear, and subsequently, after 1775, every fifth year. At present, a general census is taken every ten years, besides which there are annual numerations of the people.

The area and population of Sweden, according to the census taken