Germany

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Germany's Information


Capital	Berlin
Languages	German (official)
Ethnic Groups	German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Polish, Italian, Romanian, Syrian, and Greek)
Religion	Roman Catholic 29%, Protestant 27%, Muslim 4.4%, Orthodox Christian 1.9%, other 1.7%, none or members of unrecorded religious groups 36% (2015 est.)
Government	Federal parliamentary republic
Independance	18 January 1871 (establishment of the German Empire); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed on 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed on 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West Germany and East Germany unified on 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights on 15 March 1991; notable earlier dates: 10 August 843 (Eastern Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 2 February 962 (crowning of OTTO I, recognized as the first Holy Roman Emperor)
Area	357,022.00 km²
Water Area	8,350.00 km²
Land Area	348,672.00 km²
Population	80,722,792.00 Most populous country in Europe; a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations, particularly in the far western part of the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia
Location	Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark
No. Bordering Countries	9
Bordering Countries	Austria 801 km, Belgium 133 km, Czech Republic 704 km, Denmark 140 km, France 418 km, Luxembourg 128 km, Netherlands 575 km, Poland 467 km, Switzerland 348 km
GDP(PPP)	$3,980,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$48,200.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are motor vehicles, machinery, and chemicals.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are the Netherlands, France, and China.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery, data processing equipment, vehicles, and chemicals.
Climate	Temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind
Terrain	Lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Where is Germany?

Located in Central Europe, Germany has a 3,714.00 km border with Austria (801 km), Belgium (133 km), Czech Republic (704 km), Denmark (140 km), France (418 km), Luxembourg (128 km), Netherlands (575 km), Poland (467 km) and Switzerland (348 km). It has a 2,389.00 km coastline.

The historic city of Berlin has been the capital city of Germany since 1871 after the unification of German kingdoms. Located in the northern plains near River Spree and Havel, the metropolis city is home to more than six million residents. As a historical, commercial, and cultural city, Berlin offers many attractions from museums and art galleries to modern shopping and nightlife. The city's inland location makes it experience moderate winters with warm summers.

Geography

Germany has a mean elevation of 263 m above sea level.

It has a temperate, marine climate with cool, wet winters and summers. Its terrain consists mainly of lowlands in the north, uplands in the center, and mountains in the south.

Population

Germany has a population of 80,722,792 making it the 18th largest in the world. The country has a fairly even population distribution.

German is the official language. The majority ethnic group is German. The majority of the country is Roman Catholic or Protestant.

The official language in Germany is German. It is a West Germanic subdivision of the Indo-European language family. Out of the country’s population, 95% speak the language. It is closely related to English, Afrikaans, Low German, Dutch, and Frisian. The German alphabet is similar to the English alphabet except for four additional letters. Other languages found in Germany include Romani with 0.08%, Sorbian at 0.09%, North Frisian which holds 0.01%, and Danish which is spoken by 0.06%. Other languages spoken include Turkish and Kurdish, spoken by about 1.8% and 0.3% respectively. Due to the association of German with other languages, some words in the German vocabulary are borrowed from English, Latin, Greek, and French.

Government

Germany is an independent country. The German Empire was established in 1871. Its constitution was last ratified in 1949.

Germany is a federal republic government with powers shared among the Lader, Federal Republic, and the Bundestag. Both have a president and a chancellor. The chancellor takes care of the day to day activities of the government while the president’s duties are mainly ceremonial. Germany’s chancellor has no set limit to how long they can serve. The president serves for only 2 five-year terms. Both the chancellor and the president have their official residence in Berlin. The president has two official residences: one in Berlin and the other in West Germany.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Germany's GDP is $3,980,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $48,200.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 5th largest economy and its citizens the 29th richest in the world. The currency of Germany is the Euro (EUR).

Its major export partners are the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. Its main exports are motor vehicles, machinery, and chemicals. Its major import partners are the Netherlands, France, and China. Its major imports include machinery, data processing equipment, vehicles, and chemicals.

Flag

The current German flag came into use in 1949 although the flag had been used before in German history. The flag’s design emerged at a time when popular revolutions were taking place, and Germany had a complex identity. The German Empire, Roman Empire, and Nazi Germany used other versions of the flag. The colors of the German flag obtained political meaning after World War I. Today the colors of the flag signify freedom as well as the unity of the German nation.