Quick facts
Gothenburg overview
Gothenburg (orange) and the other large cities of Sweden
Gothenburg lies in Västra Götaland in Sweden at 57.71°N, 11.97°E, about 10 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Stockholm (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Stockholm (1,515,017) and larger than Malmö (362,133). The largest city in Sweden is Stockholm with 1,515,017 people; the capital, Stockholm, has 1,515,017.
The national capital, Stockholm, is about 397 km away; the nearest large city is Mölndal, 6 km from Gothenburg.
Sweden as a whole has a live population of 10,714,501 (+0.4% a year) and ranks #91 of 238 countries — see the Sweden population page for the full statistics and the Sweden atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Gothenburg
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Mölndal Västra Götaland | 6 km | 59,430 |
| Borås Västra Götaland | 58 km | 71,700 |
| Trollhättan Västra Götaland | 67 km | 48,573 |
| Halmstad Halland | 127 km | 70,480 |
| Jönköping Jönköping | 130 km | 112,766 |
| Skövde Västra Götaland | 134 km | 36,842 |
| Helsingborg Skåne | 190 km | 104,250 |
| Växjö Kronoberg | 194 km | 71,282 |
Largest cities in Sweden
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | StockholmCapital | Stockholm | 1,515,017 |
| 2 | Gothenburg | Västra Götaland | 608,462 |
| 3 | Malmö | Skåne | 362,133 |
| 4 | Uppsala | Uppsala | 177,074 |
| 5 | Linköping | Östergötland | 166,673 |
| 6 | Örebro | Örebro | 155,989 |
| 7 | Umeå | Västerbotten | 130,224 |
| 8 | Västerås | Västmanland | 127,799 |
| 9 | Jönköping | Jönköping | 112,766 |
| 10 | Helsingborg | Skåne | 104,250 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Gothenburg?
Gothenburg has about 608,462 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Gothenburg the capital of Sweden?
No. The capital of Sweden is Stockholm (1,515,017 people), about 397 km away. Gothenburg is the 2nd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Gothenburg compared with the rest of Sweden?
Its 608,462 residents are 5.7% of the 10,714,501 people living in Sweden today. Stockholm is larger with 1,515,017 people.
Where is Gothenburg?
In Västra Götaland, Sweden, at latitude 57.71 and longitude 11.97, 10 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Mölndal (6 km), Borås (58 km), Trollhättan (67 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Gothenburg Population 2026 — Sweden. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/sweden/gothenburg/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/sweden/gothenburg/">Gothenburg Population 2026 — Sweden</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.