Gothenburg's 2025 population is now estimated at 643,993. In 1950, the population of Gothenburg was 352,200. Gothenburg has grown by 6,113 in the last year, which represents a 0.96% annual change.These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Gothenburg, which typically includes Gothenburg's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.
Gothenburg is a city in Sweden that is one of the largest in all of the Nordic countries. It is the second-largest city in the country. The city has a population of 581,822, while the metro area has a population that exceeds 1 million residents.
The city’s total area is over 447 square kilometers (172 square miles), with a population density of 1,300 individuals residing per square kilometer (3,300 people living per square mile). Gothenburg has a history that dates back to its founding in 1621. The city has a rich culture and is the host of many annual events such as film and music festivals that are the biggest in Scandinavia.
Approximately three-quarters of the people that live in Gothenburg were born in Sweden. However, there is a large population of immigrants from all over the world. Over 140,000 foreign residents live in Gothenburg. The largest groups come from Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Poland, and other areas.
The city is home to the Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg, so it has a sizable student population.
Swedish is the official language, while Finnish and English are also in heavy use.
Gothenburg has a rich and long history. The city was founded in 1621 by Gustav II Adolf. Gothenburg was built during the 1600s by the Dutch. During the 1700s, the city began to grow quickly. The city port helped significantly increase the importance of the town by supporting it with import and export with the Swedish East India Company. In this time, log cabins were popular among the residents; however, the original structures have all since burnt and no longer remain in the area. After the fires, stone homes were strongly encouraged to the residents. By 1902 electricity was used to run the transport system, replacing the horse driven trams. The city also continued to expand its trade and industry.
The city’s population grew by 1.6% between 2015 and 2016. Previous periods of growth, a strong economy, and educational and employment opportunities point to continued population growth for Gothenburg.
| City | 2025 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | 1,737,760 | 1.06% |
| Gothenburg | 643,993 | 0.96% |
| Malmo | 339,816 | 0.95% |
