Diaries of TravelHistory · Journeys · Discovery

🇩🇪 Germany

Federal Republic of Germany · Western Europe

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Key facts

CapitalBerlin
Population82.9 million
Area357,114 km² (137,882 mi²)
Official language(s)German
CurrencyEuro (€)
RegionEurope
SubregionWestern Europe
ContinentEurope
DemonymGerman
Calling code+49
Time zoneEurope/Berlin

Government

Government typeFederal parliamentary republic
Major political partiesCDU/CSU, SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens, AfD, FDP, The Left
National mottoEinigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Major religionsChristianity (Catholic & Protestant), Unaffiliated (large), Islam
Important citiesBerlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt

History of Germany

Independence / founding: Unified 1871; reunified 3 October 1990

A patchwork of states within the Holy Roman Empire, Germany unified under Prussia in 1871. Defeat in WWI gave way to the Weimar Republic and then the Nazi dictatorship and the Holocaust. Divided during the Cold War, East and West reunified in 1990, and Germany is now the EU's largest economy.

Culture

National animal / birdFederal eagle (Bundesadler)
National dishBratwurst, sauerbraten, pretzels
MusicClassical (Bach, Beethoven); Krautrock & techno
National sportFootball

Neighbouring countries