Tianjin and Gothenburg are friendly associated on May, 1st, in1993. Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden (after Stockholm) and the fifth-largest amongst the Nordic countries. Situated on the south-west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a total population of 911,406(2009-05-10)in the metropolitan area of 3,717km2. Due to the 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. Gothenburg port has come to be the largest harbour in the whole of Scandinavia. Apart from trade, the second pillar of Gothenburg has traditionally been manufacturing, and industry which significantly contributes to the city's wealth. Major companies operating plants in the area include SKF, Volvo, and Ericsson. Volvo Cars is the largest employer in Gothenburg, not including jobs in supply companies. The blue collar industries which have dominated the city for long are still important factors in the city's economy, but they are being gradually replaced by high tech industries. Banking and finance are also important trades as well as the event and tourist industry. Gothenburg has Sweden's second-largest airport, Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport, which is an international airport serving the Gothenburg region in Sweden and operated by the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration. Other major transportation hubs in Gothenburg are Centralstationen and the Nils Ericson Terminal with trains and buses to various destinations in Sweden, as well as connections to Oslo and Copenhagen. Gothenburg is a logistic centre, with transports by train and truck from Sweden and Norway to Gothenburg harbour which is by far the largest port in Scandinavia with a cargo turnover of 36.9 million tonnes a year (2004). Gothenburg is also home to many students, as the city includes both the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology. |
