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Germany

 Flag of Germany
Last reviewed: 01 June 2011

Country information

Map of Germany

Area: 357,050 sq km
Population: 81.8 million
Capital City: Berlin (population – 3.4 million)
People (ethnicity): Germans 91%, Turks 2%
Language: German
Religion: Protestant 30%, Roman Catholic 31%, unaffiliated or other 29% Muslim 3.5%
Currency: Euro
Major Political Parties: Social Democrats (SPD); Christian Democrats (CDU); Christian Social Union (CSU); Alliance 90/The Greens; Free Democrats (FDP); The Left Party (Die Linke).
Government: Germany is a federal republic made up of 16 states, called Länder. The German Parliament, the Bundestag, is elected every four years by a mixed constituency and PR list system.  The 16 state governments are represented in the Bundesrat, which has a role similar to that of an upper house. The Federal Government is formed by whichever party or coalition of parties has a majority in the Bundestag and is lead by the Chancellor. The Federal President, elected by a Federal Assembly for a term of five years, is the formal Head of State.  His role is largely ceremonial, although he does have the power to dismiss the Government.
Head of State: Christian Wulff (CDU), Minister President of Lower Saxony, was elected Federal President on 30 June 2010.  He succeeds Horst Köhler (CDU), who resigned on 31 May 2010.
Chancellor: Angela Merkel (since November 2005) - CDU
Foreign Minister: Guido Westerwelle - FDP
Europe Minister: Werner Hoyer – FDP
Membership of international organisations: European Union (EU), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), G8, World Trade Organisation (WTO), United Nations (UN) , North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), Organisation for Co-operation and Security in Europe (OSCE), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The composition of German beer is tightly governed by a 16th century law on brewing, the Reinheitsgebot, which rules that only barley, hops and water may be used.
  • Men should be careful when wearing a tie in Germany on Weiberfastnacht (Women’s Day – the Thursday before Ash Wednesday). On this day, women have the right to cut men’s ties off.
  • Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter Vicky, briefly became German Empress in 1888.

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