Göteborg

Göteborg, commonly known in English as Gothenburg, is Sweden’s second-largest city and a major maritime and industrial center on the west coast. It lies at the mouth of the Göta älv river, near the Kattegat and the North Sea. The city is the seat of Västra Götaland County and Gothenburg Municipality.

Founded in 1621 by King Gustav II Adolf, Göteborg was built to secure Swedish access to the sea and strengthen coastal trade. The fortifications and the nearby Nya Älvsborg fortress anchored the city’s development as a port. Over the centuries it grew as a center of shipbuilding, trade, and industry, and today remains Sweden’s principal port city.

Its economy combines logistics, manufacturing, education, and technology. The Port of Gothenburg is Sweden’s largest port and a major logistics hub for Northern Europe. The city is home to the University of Gothenburg and the Chalmers University of Technology, among other institutions, supporting research in science, engineering, and the arts. Volvo Cars and Volvo Group are significant employers in the metropolitan area.

Göteborg has a wide cultural scene, with venues like the Gothenburg Opera and the Gothenburg Symphony, and institutions such as Universeum and Liseberg, one of Europe’s largest amusement parks. The city hosts the Gothenburg Film Festival and other annual events, and it serves as a gateway to the western archipelago.

Its climate is temperate maritime, with mild winters and cool summers and ample rainfall. The city is connected by rail and road, with Gothenburg Central Station serving national and international routes, plus Landvetter Airport nearby. A notable tram network operates within the city.