Blekinge is located in the heart of the most dynamic area of Europe – the Baltic Sea region. Blekinge’s harbors are the natural gateway to the new Europe, with daily ferry connections to Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

Blekinge is Sweden’s most densely populated county outside the major urban areas. Most people live along the coast, with a splendid archipelago within easy reach. The naval city of Karlskrona has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Blekinge has a long-standing industrial tradition. Thanks to wise investments in modern technology, local industry has maintained its strong position. The service sector is expanding rapidly, including tourism. Blekinge was at the forefront when it came to information technology and today is a leading region in Sweden, with technology parks like SoftCenter, organizations such as TelecomCity, and development centers in Svängsta, Olofström and Sölvesborg, as well as a number of projects which have introduced IT on a broad scale.

The biggest companies are Volvo, ABB, Ericsson, Valeo, ABU Garcia, Södra, Flextronics, Karlshamns, Tarkett Sommer and Kockums.

A vital part of the development of Blekinge in recent years has been the Blekinge University of Technology, with its focus on IT. It provides undergraduate studies as well as research in areas such as technology, the arts, nursing and the social sciences – all within the framework of applied IT. In 2004 a new international master’s program – Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability – was started, which attracts students worldwide.