Gijón is located on the coast of the Cantabrian Sea in the Bay of Biscay, in the central-northern part of Asturias.

During the 20th century, Gijón developed as an industrial city in the steel and naval industries. However, due to the decline in manufacturing in these industries, in recent years Gijón is undergoing a transformation into an important tourist, university, commercial and R&D center.