Gothenburg (/ˈɡɒθənbɜːrɡ/ ⓘ GOTH-ən-burg;[4] Swedish: Göteborg [jœtɛˈbɔrj] ⓘ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries.

Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gubernatorial seat of Västra Götaland County, with a population of approximately 600,000 in the city proper and about 1.1 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area.

[5][6] King Gustavus Adolphus founded Gothenburg by royal charter in 1621 as a heavily fortified, primarily Dutch, trading colony.

[26]The site of the first church built in Gothenburg, subsequently destroyed by Danish invaders, is marked by a stone near the north end of the Älvsborg Bridge in the Färjenäs Park.

However, in 1731, the Swedish East India Company was founded, and the city flourished due to its foreign trade with highly profitable commercial expeditions to China.

[42] Gothenburg is located on the west coast, in southwestern Sweden, about halfway between the capital cities of Copenhagen (Denmark) and Oslo (Norway).

The climate has become significantly milder in later decades, particularly in summer and winter; July temperatures used to be below Stockholm's 1961–1990 averages, but have since been warmer than that benchmark.

Selection of parks: Very few buildings are left from the 17th century when the city was founded, since all but the military and royal houses were built of wood.

The first major architecturally interesting period is the 18th century when the East India Company made Gothenburg an important trade city.

[68] In the 19th century, the first comprehensive town plan after the founding of city was created, which led to the construction of the main street, Kungsportsavenyen.

Noted buildings on the square include Gothenburg City Hall (formerly the stock exchange, opened in 1849) and the Nordic Classicism law court.

[91] Aeroseum, close to the Göteborg City Airport, is an aircraft museum in a former military underground air force base.

[100] The Avenyn was created in the 1860s and 1870s as a result of an international architecture contest, and is the product of a period of extensive town planning and remodelling.

The record company Nacksving and the editorial office for the magazine Musikens Makt which also were part of the progg movement were located in Gothenburg during this time as well.

[120] Other internationally acclaimed indie artists include the electro pop duos Studio,[121] The Knife,[122] Air France,[123] The Tough Alliance,[124] indie rock band Love is All, songwriter José González,[125] and pop singer El Perro del Mar,[126] as well as genre-bending quartet Little Dragon fronted by vocalist Yukimi Nagano.

[130] Gothenburg's own commercially successful At the Gates, In Flames, and Dark Tranquillity are credited with pioneering melodic death metal.

[137][138] As in all of Sweden, a variety of sports are followed, including football, ice hockey, basketball, handball, floorball, baseball, and figure skating.

[140] The city's three major football clubs, IFK Göteborg, Örgryte IS, and GAIS[141] share a total of 34 Swedish championships between them.

[143] Other notable clubs include BK Häcken (football),[144] Göteborg HC (women's ice hockey), Pixbo IBK (floorball),[145] multiple national handball champion Redbergslids IK,[146] and five-time national ice hockey champion Frölunda HC,[147] Gothenburg had a professional basketball team, Gothia Basket, until 2010 when it ceased.

The group stage match between the main rivals Sweden and Russia in the 2013 Bandy World Championship was played at Arena Heden in central Gothenburg.

[168] With around 25,000 sailboats and yachts scattered about the city, sailing is a popular sports activity in the region, particularly because of the nearby Gothenburg archipelago.

Due to Gothenburg's advantageous location in the centre of Scandinavia, trade and shipping have always played a major role in the city's economic history, and they continue to do so.

[176] From its founding until the late 1970s, the city was a world leader in shipbuilding, with such shipyards as Eriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstad, Götaverken, Arendalsvarvet, and Lindholmens varv.

Political legitimacy can be based on various factors: legality, due process, and equality before the law, as well as the efficiency and effectiveness of public policy.

One method used to achieve greater legitimacy for controversial policy reforms such as congestion charges is to allow citizens to decide or advise on the issue in public referendums.

Trains depart from Gothenburg Central Station to various destinations in Sweden, as well as frequent connections to Oslo and Copenhagen (via Malmö).

[197] Gothenburg is served by Göteborg Landvetter Airport (IATA: GOT, ICAO: ESGG), located about 20 km (12 mi) east of the city centre.

In addition to commercial airlines, the airport was also operated by a number of rescue services, including the Swedish Coast Guard, and was used for other general aviation.

[204] The "England ferry" (Englandsfärjan) to Newcastle via Kristiansand (run by the Danish company DFDS Seaways) ceased at the end of October 2006,[205] after being a Gothenburg institution since the 19th century.

They are a working class couple called Kal and Ada, featured in "Gothenburg jokes" (göteborgsvitsar), songs, plays and names of events.