Anatomy of a Swedish population-scale network

Abstract

Abstract With the increasing interest in large-scale social network analysis, recent research has expanded into nation-wide networks generated from administrative data. We construct a multilayer population-scale social network for Sweden using public register data from 2000 to 2017, covering approximately 8.3 million individuals aged 15 and older. The network models the social opportunity structure in Sweden across six layers: close family, extended family, household, school, neighbors, and work. We analyze the structure and connectivity patterns in the network, comparing our findings to a similar study of the Netherlands. The comparison reveals broadly similar degree distributions and small-world characteristics, but also discrepancies likely driven by differences in population density.