Expo 2000 was held in Hanover, Germany, from 1 June to 31 October 2000 at the Hanover Fairground ( Messegelände Hannover ). Organizers expected 40 million visitors, but only about 18.1 million attended—less than half the anticipated number. The shortfall contributed to the exhibition being widely regarded as a financial failure. A total of 108 countries and two international organizations participated. Today, most of the exhibition grounds are still used to host major trade fairs and exhibitions. Expo Plaza, meanwhile, has become part of Hanover’s hub for information technology, design, media, and the arts.