Gothenburg is a city, a municipality and an urban area on the west-coast of Sweden. As of 2006, the population was 489,787 in the municipality (Göteborgs kommun) and 510,491 in the urban area (Göteborgs tätort), making it the second largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm.
The metropolitan area (Storgöteborg), which is a statistical area, encompassing thirteen municipalities in western Sweden has 890,000 inhabitants.
Gothenburg is also a significant university city with Scandinavia's largest university (Göteborg University) in terms of number of students.
Situated where the Göta Älv discharges into the Kattegatt, the river divides Gothenburg in two halves, with the upper part located on the island Hisingen. The inlet of Göta Älv is well suited for a harbor, and Gothenburg has expanded its port to become the largest amongst the Nordic countries.
In Dutch, Scots, German and English - languages with a long history of being spoken in the trade and maritime-oriented city - the name Gothenburg has traditionally been used for the city, while the French form of the city name is Gothembourg. These traditional forms are now sometimes replaced with the use of the Swedish Göteborg, for example by Göteborg University, Göteborg Opera, Göteborg Ballet, and by the city itself (in English, the City of Göteborg).
Other old variations in Swedish are Gotheborgh, and the most common Götheborg.
The Swedish company Stena Line operates between Gothenburg/Fredrikshavn in Denmark and Gothenburg/Kiel in Germany
Gothenburg, with its location by the North Sea, is famous for its many fish dishes and varieties of these dishes. Various fish restaurants exist in the city, all from low class shacks to world class eateries. The city also has a number of star chefs – over the past decade, 7 of the Swedish Chef of the Year Awards have been won by Gothenburgers. A popular place to buy fish ingredients is the Feskekôrka ("Fish Church"); an indoor fish market, which got it's name from the building's resemblance to a Gothic church. Four Gothenburg restaurants have a star in the 2006 Michelin Guide: 28 +, Basement, Fond and Sjomagasinet
