Barcelona is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, some 120 kilometres south of the Pyrenees and the French border, on a plain confined by the sea to the East, the Sierra de Collserola coastal range to the west, the Llobregat River to the South and the Besós River to the North.

With a population of 4.3 million, Barcelona is the quintessential industrial city, and one of most important business centres in the country accounting for almost 67% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Countless sectors of manufacturing and service industries established their bases in the city over the past centuries. The most representative industrial sectors of the city’s economy are the textile, chemical, pharmaceutical, automobile, tourism and electronics industries.

Currently the city is showing a clear and decided shift toward its role as an important international reference. Business is one of the main reasons why people visit the city and the sector represents 25% of tourist expenditure.