Advanced search
image
Travel & living abroad
   

Europe

Germany

 Flag of Germany
Last reviewed: 04 April 2012

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 (usually known simply as The Greens); Free Democrats (FDP); The Left Party (Die Linke).
Government: Germany is a Federal Republic made up of 16 states. The German Parliament, called the Bundestag, is elected every 4 years. The 16 state governments are represented in the Bundesrat, which has a role similar to that of an upper house. The Federal Government is led by the Chancellor. Germany is currently governed by a conservative-liberal coalition of CDU/ CSU and FDP.
Head of State:  The formal Head of State is the Federal President. The President is elected for a term of five years by the Federal Assembly (which is made up of the Bundestag and representatives from the Länder). The role of President is largely ceremonial, although the President does have the power to dismiss the Government. Joachim Gauck was elected Federal President on 18 March 2012.  He succeeds Christian Wulff (CDU), who resigned on 17 February 2012.
Chancellor: Angela Merkel (since November 2005) - CDU
Foreign Minister: Guido Westerwelle - FDP
Europe Minister: Michael Link – 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.

Country information

Pick Another Country :