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Germany Facts
Facts & figures about Germany
We have collected some facts and links about the country. You can find interesting and funny figures and numbers and you can find information about the size of the country and size of the biggest cities, and off course much much more interesting facts. You can read and write comments, and you can ask questions in the disqus field below.
| Germany at a glance Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland). Germany is a federal parliamentary republic of sixteen states. The capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. Germany is the most populous member state and the largest economy of the European Union and it is one of the major political powers. |
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| Country name (local) | Deutschland |
| Country name | Germany |
| Capital (local) | Berlin |
| Capital | Berlin |
| Government | Republic |
| Area | 357,022 km2 |
| Coastline | 2,389 km |
| Biggest Cities (local names) | Berlin, Hamburg, München, Köln, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen, Bremen |
| Germany borders | Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands |
| Highest point in Germany | Zugspitze 2,962 metres |
| Lowest point in Germany | Wilstermarsch 3,54 metres below sea level |
| Longest river in Germany | Rhine 865 km in Germany |
| Population in Germany | 80,594,017 |
| Official Language | German |
| Minority languages | Danish, Low German, Sorbian, Romany, Frisian |
| The 16 States of Germany (Bundesländer) | Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thüringen |
| Religions | Protestantism (32.5%), Roman Catholicism (31.5%), Agnosticism/Atheism (29.5%), Islam (4%) |
| Some famous Germans are: | Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Thomas Mann, Alexander von Humboldt, Claudia Schiffer, Heidi Klum, Karl Marx, Johann Sebastian Bach, Martin Luther, Albert Einstein, Karl Otto Lagerfeld, Adolf Hitler, Marlene Dietricht |
| Currency | Euro |
| Local time | GMT/UTC +1 |
| Daylight Saving Time | From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October |
| International dialling code | +49 |
| Car sign | D |
| Internet domain | .de |
| ISO 3166 code | DE |
| Electricity | 230V AC, 50Hz |
| Weights & measures | Meter & Kilo |
| Sources: Wikipedia, CIA Factbook, Official government websites | |
Good to know
About the country
The Federal republic of Germany is the most influential country of Europe. It has witnessed the most controversial facts of history like Nazism, Holy Roman Empire and the building and demolition of the Berlin wall. With many magnificent castles it has wealth of art and culture. German is the widely spoken language in German, but outsiders can find many English speaking locals especially in the common tourist destinations.
Weather
The weather here is very unpredictable as there is a possibility of rain almost all months, so carry clothes accordingly. April and May are the months of spring which brings in full bloom of fruits and flowers. Months from May to September have very fine weather with sunny skies and offers the best time for traveling and site-seeing. People who have a passion for sports like swimming, hiking, and cycling can have the best time here during these months. Winter sports can be enjoyed at the resorts in the months from November to early March. The temperatures are below freezing and the days are too short (comprise of only six to eight months) in winter.
Local Customs
Locals greet each other by handshaking and saying Guten Tag. To say goodbye, people use Auf Wiedersehen. Guests are expected to bring uncovered and odd number of flowers, especially roses, when visiting someone’s home. The guests are welcomed with either food or refreshments. At the table, hosts say ‘Guten Appetit’ to which the guests should reply with ‘Ebenfalls’. Smoking should be better avoided in public areas. Locals dress informally but certain occasions like opera, theatre, certain restaurants and social functions call for formal wear.
Electricity
220 V, 50 Hz
Moving Around
The best way to get around is to buy the Welcome cards or the city passes which allows the customer to access unlimited bus facility in many cities of Germany. It also gives special offer on certain tourist attractions. For flexibility one can rent-a-car or go for chauffer driven cars. Along with the rent, VAT of 16% is payable. Car insurance should be available before hand in case of any accident. The speed limit within the cities is mostly 50kph and 100kph on the highways.
Nine stars
The nine stars of Southwest Germany comprise of Baden-Baden, Freiburg, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Heilbronn, Mannheim, Pforzheim Stuttgart, and Ulm. They are considered to be some of the beautiful cities of Europe. Each of the cities play a vital role in the culture of Germany. Baden-Baden has few of the finest resorts and also has Europe’s second largest opera and concert hall. Freiburg is known as the historic city center and is famous for cobblestone mosiacs, open streams and ancient alleys. Heidelberg has world famous castles and Germany’s oldest university. Karlsruhe has the famous museum Center for Art and Media. Look out for various amusements along the Nectar river of Heilbronn. Pforzheim is the capital for watches and jewelry. Stuttgart is famous for theatres and opera. Ulm is the birth place of Albert Einstein and is also house to the world’s tallest hurch spire.
Travel
The national airline that serves Germany is Lufthansa. Bwelin-Tegel airport is situated at 8 km away from the city and it takes about 20 minutes to reach there. There is a provision of duty free shops, banks, post office, eateries, conference hall, and car hire and tourism information for the passengers.
Another busy airport is the Frankfurt airport which is located at 13km away from the city. Buses take about 20 minutes to get there. Taxis are available at any time. The Intercity railway network at the airport also provides international services to Hungary, Switzerland and Austria. The facilities provided here are duty free shops, left luggage, restaurants, banks, conference halls, post office, car hire and tourism information. No departure tax is levied on the passengers.
Those wishing to travel by sea can avail the ferry connections to Finland, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Latvia, and Norway.
Eurostar provides railway service to and from Belgium, France and the UK. Booking can be made by telephone. The Inter-Rail offers unlimited second class train travel within 29 European countries. The Eurailpass offers unlimited first class train travel within 17 European countries.
EuroCity and InterCity trains have a restaurant on board, providing food and drinks. InterCity Express target the business class and provides services such as fully equipped office, conference compartments, etc. Tourist over 17 years of age can carry alcohol and tobacco with them within permissible limits.