Facebook chooses Sweden for giant new data centre

Facebook has chosen a Swedish city near the Arctic Circle for a giant new data centre.

The facility – the first Facebook has built outside the US – will utilise the freezing cold Swedish air to help keep its servers cool.

The centre will be the largest of its kind in Europe, covering 30,000m² – the size of 11 football pitches.

It will handle all data requests from its millions of users across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The company said yesterday it had also picked the city of Lulea – 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle – because of its access to nearby sources of renewable energy.