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Aerial view of Gothenburg's harbor inlet and Göta River.
Photo: Per Pixel Petersson
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About Gothenburg

Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden. It is beautifully situated on the west coast and has a population of 570,000 in the actual city and one million in the greater Gothenburg area.

It is spelled Göteborg in Swedish and pronounced [yuhteborg].

Everything is close by in Gothenburg. In fact, most things are within walking or cycling distance. The sea and several beaches are within a couple of kilometres from the city, as are extensive nature reserves and outdoor recreation areas. The beautiful archipelago with its many islands is a short trip away.

A friendly and international university city

The city is well known for its friendly locals and laid back atmosphere, making it relatively easy for newcomers to blend in. Attracting students, academics, and companies from around the world, Gothenburg has an international feel.

Photo: Frida Winter/Mediabank Göteborg & Co

The green city

During spring, summer, and early autumn, Gothenburg is wonderfully leafy and lush. In the city, green areas for recreation and exercise are never far away, the most well-known being Slottsskogen and the Botanical Garden. You can also find a great number of smaller parks dotted throughout the city.

In the central parts of the city and in the outskirts, you will find trails for jogging and hiking. The Delsjö area, in the eastern part of the city, is famous for its hilly landscape crisscrossed with forest paths overlooking beautiful lakes. If you are the outdoorsy type, you can hike any of the trails passing through the city, the longest of them stretching all the way to the Norwegian border.

Photo: Peter Kvarnström/Göteborg & Co

Gothenburg a sustainable choice

In Gothenburg, sustainability is an ever important perspective with a strong focus on public transportation and sustainable living. The practices that go along with this attitude make for a very enjoyable city in terms of activities, people, entertainment, and liveability as the air is clean and the traffic relatively minimal.

Photo: Alana Da Silva

The financial hub on the West Coast

Gothenburg is one of the country’s major financial hubs with a huge concentration of national and international industries spanning from automotive and automation to biotech, pharmaceuticals, and life science – from education and IT to clean tech, creative, and textile.

Gothenburg is home to extensive collaboration among universities, the private sector, and the public sector. This is paving the way towards success for both start-ups and established companies.

This was also reflected in the 2019 European Capital of Innovation Award (iCapital), where Gothenburg made it to the finals, with fierce competition from 11 other cities. The innovative spirit of the city is not a recent evolution. As early as 2013, Gothenburg was ranked the 12th most inventive city in the world by Forbes.

A region undergoing rapid development

Nightlife and culture

Although not a huge city, Gothenburg hosts a wide variety of festivals and events, and the nightlife is vibrant with an ever-increasing number of bars, clubs, restaurants, and other venues to discover. The presence of a lively arts scene makes for an interesting and diverse cultural landscape, underpinned by strong institutions within the Artistic Faculty.

Photo: aveny.se/Göteborg & Co

Experience Gothenburg's nightlife and vibrant culture

About Sweden

Sweden is seen in Europe and around the globe as a modern and safe country with a reputation for being competitive and innovative. It has one of the highest standards of living in the world and a respected system of democracy, equality, and individual rights. Most Swedes are able to speak English at a high level, being taught the language in school from an early age.

In Sweden, we have a particular focus on certain areas, like animal health and welfare, which goes far beyond European standards. We excel in organic farming, and environmental awareness is noticeable everywhere, from food production to garbage handling and public transportation.