Visitors to Kiel cannot miss the water, as the Baltic Sea is right in the city. The charm of Germany's northernmost state capital comes from its location along the 19-kilometer-long fjord. Kiel surrounds the water, and the ferries, cargo ships, and cruise liners in the heart of the city often tower over the buildings. The city, with a population of 237,000, is not only the venue for the Kiel Week but also a place where beaches are located within the urban area. As the only major city in Germany, Kiel boasts a genuine deep-water port. It is also home to the large locks of the Kiel Canal, one of the busiest artificial waterways in the world.