Residents/Population:	460 517
Area:	26 196 km2
Expenditure per capita:	4 519,49 zł
Website:	www.gdansk.pl
Rulers/Leaders:
Paweł AdamowiczCity President	Bogdan OleszekLeader of the City Council

Gdansk is one of the most recognizable cities in Poland. It gained worldwide fame thanks to the actions of people like Lech Walesa and Solidarity. The city prides itself on its over one-thousand-year history, Hanseatic heritage and thriving economic development, and its cultural potential. The tradition of trade, a strategic geographical location and dynamic economic development, especially in the area of the knowledge-based economy, make the capital of the Gdansk metropolis the ideal place for investment.

The city has the deepest and one of the largest seaport in the Baltic, equipped to handle the world's largest container ships and recently a modern container terminal equipped to handle ocean-going container ships and ro-ro vessels has been constructed. Rapid communication with the rest of the world is provided by the modern Lech Walesa airport which provides connections to the major cities in Europe. Distribution of goods in international transit to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, is made easy by thanks to an expanded system of road and rail connections.

More and more opportunities are open to investors in the booming real estate market, including the construction of modern office buildings, manufacturing, logistics and distribution centres as well as apartments and houses. Gdansk is an important component in the tourist attractiveness of Pomerania and is one of the most visited places in Poland by tourists. Numerous monuments, cultural heritage sites, natural attractions and opportunities for active relaxation by the sea (23 km of clean sandy beaches) see the city visited by approximately 6 million domestic and foreign tourists every year.

Over many years the tourist image of Gdansk has been shaped by its charming streets, historic buildings, wide clean beaches, sailing and cultural routes, a constantly expanding accommodation sector and elegant restaurants and atmospheric cafes. The rich spiritual heritage of Gdansk comes from the traditions of Solidarity, the ethos of medieval Hanseatic merchants and a number of prominent figures associated with the city, such as Hevelius, Kabrun, Fahrenheit, Schopenhauer, Chodowiecki, and Nobel Prize winners Grass and Walesa.

The symbols of Gdansk are its most illustrious monuments. Not to mention all commendable and unique places , though these , of which the most famous is the Gdańsk are: the Main and Old Towns, including ul. Dluga (Long Street) and Dlugi Targ (Long Market) which together form the Royal Route, the Main Town Hall, St. Mary's Basilica and the Cathedral Basilica. The city also has many monuments to the art of fortification including the Wisloujscie Fortress, the Grodzisko fort and a series of fortifications in the Lower Town. The symbolic commemoration of important but also tragic events in the history of Gdansk include the Monument to the Defenders of Westerplatte, the Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers in front of the Gdansk shipyard and the Monument to the Defenders of the Polish Post Office.

The tourist and cultural map of Gdansk is enriched by 21 cultural institutions, 19 museums and museum branches, 13 art galleries, 27 cinemas and 6 theatres and musical institutions. In Gdansk there are also plenty of green spaces in which to relax including the forest-parks of the picturesque Tri-city Landscape Park with its signposted hiking and cycling routes; the Adam Mickiewicz Park in Oliwa , the Ronald Reagan Seaside Park as well as the Bird Paradise reserve on Sobieszewska Island. Sailing enthusiasts can enjoy the yacht marina on the Motlawa river in the heart of the city as well as  inland water routes on the tributaries to the Motlawa. Sunbathers can enjoy a comfortable and safe holiday in our five guarded bathing areas.

Gdansk also has some excellent facilities, including two large entertainment and sports complexes in the form of the PGE Arena, built to host matches at UEFA Euro 2012 and the indoor ERGO Arena - both stadia are admired throughout Europe.

Within the framework of supporting the economic development of the metropolis of Gdansk the Gdansk Economic Development Agency - InvestGDA was created in 2008 with the task of engaging in projects related to the development of entrepreneurship and attracting direct investment business. The company offers a full range of services for domestic and foreign investors, including the opportunity to invest in attractive pieces of land belonging to InvestGDA.