Port city (pop., 2000 est.: city, 259,579; metro. area, 522,857), southern Sweden, located across the Sound from Copenhagen .
Originally known as Malmhaug, it was chartered in the late 13th century. Following its union with Sweden in 1658, it suffered an economic decline, partly because of the loss of trade. The building of the harbour in 1775 and the arrival of the railroad after 1800 stimulated economic development. Sweden's third largest city, it is an important commercial centre. Its economy is based on export products, shipbuilding, and textile manufactures. Its historic buildings include a 16th-century fortress, the town hall, and the 14th-century St. Peter's Church.