Germany

Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Western and Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north with the Alps to the south. Germany has a population of over 82 million people, making it the most populous member state of the European Union. The country borders Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Its capital and largest city is Berlin, and Frankfurt is its main financial center.

Germany has a rich history. Settlement began in the Lower Paleolithic era, with various tribes living there, including the Celts and Germanic tribes. In 962, the Kingdom of Germany became part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the 16th century, northern Germany played a key role in the Protestant Reformation. After the Napoleonic Wars, Germany formed the German Confederation.

In 1871, Germany became a unified nation under the leadership of Prussia, creating the German Empire. After World War I, Germany became the Weimar Republic. However, in 1933, the Nazi rise to power led to a totalitarian government, World War II, and the Holocaust. After the war, Germany was divided into East Germany and West Germany. The two parts reunited on 3 October 1990.

Today, Germany is a developed country with a strong economy. It is the largest economy in Europe by nominal GDP and is a leading force in many industrial, scientific and technological fields. Germany is the world's third-largest exporter and third-largest importer. It is also a great power and participates in many international organizations. Germany has the third-highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Etymology

Further information: Names of Germany, Germani, and Germania

The English word Germany comes from the Latin word Germania. This name was used by Julius Caesar for the peoples living east of the Rhine River. In German, the country is called Deutschland, which means "the German lands." This term comes from an old word meaning "of the people," used to describe the common language compared to Latin.

History

Main article: History of Germany

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of German history.

Prehistory

Main articles: Linear Pottery culture, Unetice culture, Urnfield culture, and Celts

Ancient humans were present in Germany at least 600,000 years ago. The first non-modern human fossil (the Neanderthal) was discovered in the Neander Valley. Evidence of modern humans has been found in the Swabian Jura, including some of the oldest musical instruments ever found.

Germanic tribes, Roman frontier and the Frankish Empire

Main articles: Jastorf culture, Germanic peoples, Germania, Migration Period, and Frankish Realm

The Germanic peoples are thought to have emerged from the Jastorf culture. From southern Scandinavia and northern Germany, they expanded south, east, and west. Southern Germany was inhabited by Celtic-speaking peoples.

Under Augustus, the Roman Empire began to invade lands inhabited by the Germanic tribes, creating a short-lived Roman province of Germania. In 9 AD, three Roman legions were defeated by Arminius in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. By 100 AD, Germanic tribes had settled along the Rhine and the Danube.

East Francia and the Holy Roman Empire

Main articles: East Francia and Holy Roman Empire

Charlemagne founded the Carolingian Empire in 800. The eastern successor kingdom of East Francia stretched from the Rhine in the west to the Elbe river in the east. The Holy Roman Empire emerged from it. The Ottonian rulers consolidated several major duchies. The population declined starting with the Great Famine in 1315, followed by the Black Death of 1348–1350.

Johannes Gutenberg introduced moveable-type printing to Europe. In 1517, Martin Luther incited the Protestant Reformation. From the Cologne War through the Thirty Years' Wars (1618–1648), religious conflict devastated German lands.

German Confederation and Empire

Main articles: German question, German Confederation, Unification of Germany, German Empire, and German colonial empire

Following the fall of Napoleon, the Congress of Vienna founded the German Confederation, a loose league of 39 sovereign states. Disagreement within politics partly led to the rise of liberal movements. King Frederick William IV of Prussia was offered the title of emperor, but he rejected the crown.

King William I appointed Otto von Bismarck as the Minister President of Prussia in 1862. After the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, the German princes proclaimed the founding of the German Empire in 1871. Prussia was the dominant constituent state of the new empire.

Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany

Main articles: Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany

On 11 August 1919, President Friedrich Ebert signed the democratic Weimar Constitution. The worldwide Great Depression hit Germany in 1929, and by 1932 the unemployment rate had risen to 24%. The Nazi Party led by Adolf Hitler became the largest party in the Reichstag after the election of July 1932, and President Hindenburg appointed Hitler chancellor on 30 January 1933.

In 1935, the regime withdrew from the Treaty of Versailles and introduced laws which targeted Jews and other minorities. Germany also reacquired control of the Saarland in 1935, remilitarised the Rhineland in 1936, annexed Austria in 1938, annexed the Sudetenland in 1938, and, in violation of the agreement, occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939.

In August 1939, Hitler's government negotiated the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland, beginning World War II in Europe. In the spring of 1940, Germany conquered Denmark and Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. The British repelled German air attacks in the Battle of Britain in the same year. In 1941, German troops invaded Yugoslavia, Greece and the Soviet Union, and Germany declared war on the United States. By 1942, Germany and its allies controlled most of continental Europe and North Africa, but following the Soviet victory at the Battle of Stalingrad, the Allied reconquest of North Africa and invasion of Italy in 1943, German forces suffered repeated military defeats. In 1944, the Soviets pushed into Eastern Europe; the Western allies landed in France and entered Germany despite a final German counteroffensive. Following Hitler's suicide during the Battle of Berlin, Germany signed the surrender document on 8 May 1945, ending World War II in Europe.

East and West Germany

Main articles: History of Germany (1945–1990), Allied-occupied Germany, West Germany, and East Germany

After the surrender of Nazi Germany, the Allies abolished the German state and partitioned Berlin and Germany's remaining territory into four occupation zones. The western sectors, controlled by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, were merged on 23 May 1949 to form the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG); on 7 October 1949, the Soviet Zone became the German Democratic Republic (GDR). They were informally known as West Germany and East Germany.

West Germany was established as a federal parliamentary republic with a social market economy. In 1948, West Germany became a major recipient of reconstruction aid under the American Marshall Plan. The country enjoyed prolonged economic growth beginning in the early 1950s. West Germany joined NATO in 1955 and was a founding member of the European Economic Community.

East Germany remained under political and military control by the Soviet Union and became an Eastern Bloc state, joining the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact and Comecon. Political power was exercised solely by leading members of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. The Berlin Wall, built in 1961, prevented East German citizens from escaping to West Germany.

In 1989, Hungary dismantled the Iron Curtain and opened its Austrian border, triggering a mass emigration of East Germans to West Germany. This had devastating effects on the GDR, where regular mass demonstrations received increasing support. In an effort to help retain East Germany as a state, the East German authorities eased border restrictions, but this actually led to an acceleration of the reform process, culminating in the Two Plus Four Treaty. This permitted German reunification on 3 October 1990.

Reunified Germany and the European Union

Main articles: German reunification and History of Germany since 1990

United Germany was considered the enlarged continuation of West Germany, so it retained its memberships in international organisations. Based on the Berlin/Bonn Act of 1994, Berlin again became the capital of Germany, while Bonn obtained the unique status of a Bundesstadt (federal city).

Since reunification, Germany has taken a more active role in the European Union, signing the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 and the Lisbon Treaty in 2007, and co-founding the eurozone. Germany sent a peacekeeping force to secure stability in the Balkans and sent German troops to Afghanistan as part of a NATO effort.

In the 2005 elections, Angela Merkel became the first female chancellor. During the 2015 European migrant crisis, the country took in over a million refugees and migrants.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Germany

Germany is the seventh-largest country in Europe. It shares borders with Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It also touches the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The country's land covers 357,022 km².

Germany has varied landscapes, from the high Alps in the south, where the Zugspitze is the tallest mountain, to lowlands near the northern seas. Major rivers such as the Rhine, Danube, and Elbe flow through the country. Germany has many natural resources, including coal, iron ore, and timber.

Most of Germany has a temperate climate, with mild oceans in the north and more continental conditions in the southeast. The country has many forests and parks, with animals like roe deer, wild boar, and fox living there. Germany also has many zoos, with the Berlin Zoo being the oldest.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Germany

See also: Taxation in Germany and Federal budget of Germany

Germany is a federal, parliamentary, representative democratic republic. Its government is organized into a parliament with two parts: the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. The Bundestag is chosen by voters, while the Bundesrat represents the leaders of Germany’s sixteen states.

The president of Germany is the head of state, currently Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The chancellor is the head of government, currently Friedrich Merz. The political system has been led mainly by two big parties: the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party of Germany. Other parties also help form governments together.

Constituent states

Main articles: States of Germany, Federalism in Germany, and List of current heads of government of the German federal states

Germany is made up of sixteen states called Länder. Most of these states are regular areas, but three—Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen—are cities that are also states.

Law

Main article: Law of Germany

Further information: Judiciary of Germany and Law enforcement in Germany

Germany uses a civil law system, which means its laws are written down in books. There is a special court, the Federal Constitutional Court, that checks if laws follow the country’s rules. Germany has different courts for different types of cases, like crime or taxes.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Germany

Germany has relationships with many countries around the world. It is part of important groups like the European Union, NATO, and the United Nations. Germany works closely with its neighbor, France, and is friends with the United States. The country also helps other nations through development aid.

Military

Main article: Bundeswehr

Germany’s army is called the Bundeswehr. It includes an Army, Navy, Air Force, and a Cyber and Information Service. After 2022, Germany decided to spend more money on its military. Today, the Bundeswehr has many soldiers and civilians working for it, and it helps keep peace around the world.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Germany

See also: Science and technology in Germany and List of German inventions and discoveries

Germany has a strong and modern economy, known for its skilled workers, low corruption, and creativity. It is the biggest economy in Europe and the third-largest in the world. Most of Germany’s money comes from services, but it is also very good at making things like cars and machines.

Germany is part of the European Union and uses the euro as its money. It is great at trading with other countries, especially in selling cars, machinery, and chemicals. Many famous companies come from Germany, such as Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Siemens. The country also spends a lot on research and has many important science institutions.

Main articles: Transport in Germany, Energy in Germany, Telecommunications in Germany, and Water supply and sanitation in Germany

Germany is a key place for travel and moving things around Europe. It has many roads, including famous highways called the Autobahn, which sometimes have no speed limit. Fast trains connect big cities, and Germany has some of the busiest airports and ports in Europe.

Germany uses a lot of clean energy, like wind and solar power, and has been a leader in making these types of energy work well. The country is also very good at recycling and taking care of its environment.

Main article: Tourism in Germany

Germany is a popular place for visitors from around the world. Famous sights include Cologne Cathedral, the Brandenburg Gate, and beautiful castles like Neuschwanstein. Europa-Park, near Freiburg, is one of Europe’s most visited theme parks. Tourism helps create many jobs and adds a lot to the country’s economy.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Germany

See also: Germans

Germany has a big population, with about 84.7 million people making it the most populous country in the European Union. It is also the second-most populous country in Europe after Russia. The country has many people living close together, with an average of 236 inhabitants per square kilometre.

Germany is a popular place for people from other countries to live. Many people have moved there over the years, especially after big events like the 2015 refugee crisis and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Today, about 28.7 percent of people in Germany come from other countries. The largest city is Berlin.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Germany

Further information: Catholic Church in Germany, Evangelical Church in Germany, History of the Jews in Germany, and Islam in Germany

Christianity is the most common religion in Germany, with about half of the people identifying as Christian. Many people, however, do not belong to any religion. Islam is the second-largest religion, with many Muslims coming from countries like Turkey. There are also small communities of other faiths, such as Judaism.

Languages

Main article: Languages of Germany

See also: German language

German is the main language spoken in Germany and is one of the official languages of the European Union. There are also many other languages spoken by people who have moved to Germany from other countries, such as Turkish, Arabic, and Polish. Most Germans can speak more than one language.

Education

Main article: Education in Germany

Children in Germany go to kindergarten for a few years before starting school, which they must attend for at least nine years. After primary school, students can choose between different types of secondary schools, depending on whether they want to focus on academic learning or vocational training. Germany has many famous universities, some of which were established hundreds of years ago.

Health

Main article: Health in Germany

Further information: Healthcare in Germany

Germany has a long history of taking care of people’s health, with a strong system that has been in place since the 1880s. Most people in Germany are covered by health insurance, and the country spends a large part of its money on healthcare. Germany has good healthcare, though there are challenges like making sure there are enough mental health services for everyone who needs them.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Germany

Culture in Germany has been shaped by important ideas and traditions from across Europe. German scientists, writers, and thinkers have had a big impact on the world. Germany is known for lively festivals like the Oktoberfest and special Christmas traditions such as Advent wreaths, Christmas trees, and Stollen cakes. Many important places in Germany are protected as world treasures.

Music

Main article: Music of Germany

See also: Opera in German

Germany has a rich musical history. Famous composers include Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Richard Wagner. Today, Germany is a big player in many music styles, from classical to electronic music and pop rock.

Art, design and architecture

Main articles: German art, Architecture of Germany, and German fashion

German artists such as Albrecht Dürer and Caspar David Friedrich have influenced art around the world. Germany is also known for its modern design and architecture, including the famous Bauhaus style.

Literature and philosophy

Main articles: German literature and German philosophy

German writers like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller are read all over the world. German thinkers such as Immanuel Kant and Karl Marx have shaped ideas about knowledge, society, and politics.

Media

Main article: Media of Germany

Further information: Cinema of Germany

Germany has a big and active media scene, with many television and radio stations, popular newspapers, and an important film industry. Events like the Berlin International Film Festival attract filmmakers from around the globe.

Cuisine

Main article: German cuisine

Bread, cheese, and sausages are important parts of German meals. Beer is the most popular drink, and Germany is famous for its many types of bread and delicious pastries.

Sports

Main article: Sport in Germany

Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Germany. The German team has won the World Cup many times. Germany is also known for its success in racing and other sports, with famous drivers and athletes.