Facebook’s first data center outside the United States is in Luleå, Sweden. The northern city sits near the Arctic Circle on the Gulf of Bothnia and became an important hub in Facebook’s global infrastructure.
Facebook announced the Luleå project on October 27, 2011, with the first building planned to begin operations in 2012. The facility went live in June 2013, handling traffic from Facebook users around the world. It was the company’s first major data center outside the United States and its first in Europe.
Luleå was chosen for practical reasons. Its cold climate allows outside air to help cool the servers, reducing the energy required for mechanical cooling. The center also uses locally generated hydroelectric power, giving it a largely renewable electricity supply. Facebook said the design reduced the need for backup generators and improved efficiency.
A common mix-up is confusing Luleå with Stockholm, Sweden’s capital and technology center. Stockholm has Facebook offices and strong connectivity, but Luleå is the city associated with Facebook’s first overseas data center.