Residents/Population:	487 371
Area:	262 km2
Expenditure per capita:	9 537,88 zł
Website:	www.gdansk.pl
Rulers/Leaders:
Aleksandra DulkiewiczMayor of Gdańsk	Agnieszka OwczarczakChair of the City Council

Gdańsk is one of the most recognizable Polish cities. It gained worldwide fame thanks to Lech Wałęsa and the "Solidarity" movement. The city boasts an over thousand-year history, Hanseatic heritage, dynamic economic development, and tremendous cultural potential. Trading traditions, a strategic geographical location, and dynamic economic growth - especially in the knowledge-based economy sector - make the capital of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area (OMG-G-S) an ideal place for investment.

The city has the deepest and one of the largest seaports on the Baltic Sea, adapted to handle the world's largest container ships. In recent years, a modern container terminal designed for ocean-going container ships and ro-ro vessels was built here. Fast connectivity with the world is ensured by the modern Lech Wałęsa Airport, which operates flights to major European cities. The distribution of goods in international transit to Central and Eastern European countries is facilitated by a consistently expanded system of road and rail connections.

The dynamically developing real estate market, which includes the construction of modern office buildings, production and logistics-distribution centers, as well as flats and apartments, opens up increasing opportunities for investors. Gdańsk is a key component of Pomerania's tourist appeal and one of the most frequently visited destinations in Poland. Numerous historical monuments, cultural heritage assets, natural attractions, and the possibility of active recreation by the sea (23 kilometers of clean beaches) mean that the city is visited by approximately 6 million domestic and foreign tourists every year.

Gdańsk's tourist image has been shaped over the years by its charming streets, historic interiors, wide and clean beaches, sailing and cultural routes, an ever-developing accommodation base, elegant restaurants, and atmospheric cafes. The cultural and intellectual heritage of Gdańsk consists of the "Solidarity" tradition, the merchant ethos of the medieval Hanseatic League, and a number of prominent figures associated with the city, such as Hevelius, Kabrun, Fahrenheit, Schopenhauer, Chodowiecki, as well as Nobel laureates Grass and Wałęsa.

The symbols of Gdańsk are its most magnificent monuments. It is impossible to list all the highly recommended and unique places, but those for which Gdańsk is best known include: the Main and Old Town, including Długa Street and Długi Targ (Long Market), which together form the Royal Route; the Main Town Hall; St. Mary's Basilica; and the Archcathedral Basilica in Oliwa. The city also features many monuments of fortification art, such as the Wisłoujście Fortress, the fortifications of the Grodzisko fort, and the complex of bastions in the Lower Town. Symbolic commemorations of important yet tragic events in Gdańsk's history include the Monument to the Defenders of the Coast on Westerplatte, the Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers in front of the Gdańsk Shipyard, and the Monument to the Defenders of the Polish Post.

The tourist and cultural map of Gdańsk is enriched by 21 cultural institutions, 19 museums and museum branches, 13 art galleries, 27 cinema halls, and 6 theaters and musical institutions. Gdańsk also features green spaces dedicated to recreation. Forest and park complexes include the picturesque Tricity Landscape Park with marked hiking and cycling trails, the Adam Mickiewicz Oliwa Park, the President Ronald Reagan Coastal Park, and the Ptasi Raj nature reserve on Sobieszewo Island. Water sports enthusiasts have at their disposal a yacht marina on the Motława River in the heart of the city and inland waterway routes on the Motława Channel (Opływ Motławy). Meanwhile, beachgoers can enjoy comfortable and safe recreation at five guarded bathing areas.

Gdańsk also has excellent infrastructure facilities, including two huge entertainment and sports complexes: the Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk stadium (formerly known as Stadion Energa Gdańsk, built for UEFA Euro 2012) and the ERGO Arena sports and entertainment hall - both admired throughout Europe.

To support the economic development of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area, the Gdańsk Economic Development Agency (InvestGDA) was established in 2008. Its main task is to engage in projects related to entrepreneurship development and to attract direct economic investments. The company offers a full range of services for domestic and foreign investors, including proposals for locating investments in attractive areas owned by InvestGDA.