National Tourist Information Germany

Traveladvisor in Germany: Are you going on a vacation you can get lots of free and professional help, traveladvice and information from the National Tourism Organisation.

Discover the country and the cities getting the most out of your vacation with the professional help from the people who knows their country and their culture the best.

Germany Tourism Authority

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Germany or the Federal Republic of Germany is a rather big country located in Central and Western Europe.

Germany is bordered by Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Switzerland and Austria to the south, France, Belgium and the Netherlands to the west, while the North Sea, Denmark and the Baltic Sea form its northern border. Germany is one of the largest countries in Europe, both by size and population, with almost 82 million people. The landscape of Germany is varied, with the mountainous south formed by the Alps, to the forested hilly uplands in the centre and the lowlands in the north, towards the Baltic and North Sea. The territory of the country is also shaped by the Rhine, the Danube and the Elbe rivers. Germany is one of the most industrially and economically developed countries in the world. Marked by the destruction of the two World Wars and the tragedies of the past, Germany continues to have a rich and interesting natural and cultural heritage.

Germany has one of the finest and richest cultural heritages in the world, with select destinations and charming landmarks, from small charming towns with a romantic atmosphere to big modern cities with an old heritage, from small churches to grand cathedrals, from exquisite museums to beautiful monuments. This fact is attested by the great number of UNESCO world heritage site, counting no less than 37 of them. The most important and impressive are: Cathedral of Aachen, Old Town of Bamberg, Museum Island in Berlin, Town Hall of Bremen, Cathedral of Cologne, Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Landscape, Cathedral and Church in Hildesheim, Historical Centre of Lubeck, Monastery Complex of Maulbronn, Prussian Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin, Old Town of Regensburg, Roman Limes, The Wadden Sea, Upper Middle Rhine Valley, Classical Weimar and many others.

These are not the only cultural landmarks of the country, with countless treasures hidden in small town and villages. But Germany is also a country of great natural diversity, with beautiful landscapes, going from the mountains to the sea. There are many protected areas in the country, the most interesting ones being the national parks, protecting places of great richness and charm. Germany has no less than thirteen national parks, each one with its own special look and feel: Bavarian Forest National Park, Berchtesgaden National Park, Eifel National Park, Hainich National Park, Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park, Harz National Park, Jasmund National Park, Kellerwald-Edersee National Park, Lower Saxony Wadder Sea National Park, Muritz National Park, Lower Oder Valley National Park, Saxon Switzerland National Park, Schelswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, Western Pomeranian Boddenlandschaft National Park.

Germany is also one of the best places to have an active holiday, with countless opportunities for tourist activities, from hiking and cycling, to more adventurous ones. Another part of the heritage of the country is linked to its richness in mineral and thermal waters, being a great destination of spa and wellness tourism. If you need another reason to visit Germany, it also has one of the most delicious gastronomies in the world, with various specialties and who could forget about the famous German beer.

More information and facts about Germany

Germany has experienced a tumultuous history: starting a World War, being divided into two countries and much more. If you are planning a trip, here is some background information you should know.

The official name of the country is the Federal Republic of Germany. Germany covers a landmass of over 135,000 square miles and is about the size of the State of Montana. The capital is Berlin with over 3.5 million residents living within the city borders. Other cities of note include, but are not limited to, Hamburg with 1.7 million residents, Munich with over 1.2 million people, Cologne with just under one million residents, Frankfurt with 640,000 residents, Dortmund with 592,000 people, Stuttgart with 580,000 residents, Dusseldorf with about the same number, Bremen with 540,000 people and Hanover with a population just exceeding 500,000 residents. Put another way, Germany crams a lot of people into a relatively small area.

From a terrain perspective, Germany has a bit of everything. The north consists mostly of plains and shoreline, while the center of the country is a fertile basin. The south of the country is primarily mountainous, sharing formations with Switzerland. With this divergent terrain, the climate varies from area to area, but is generally cool with significant periods of rain.

Citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany are known as Germans. The most recent population study found the total population exceeded 82 million. The ethnic break down is primarily German, but Danish minorities exist in the north while Slavic minorities can be found in the south. Despite the policies promulgated by Hitler, the country has a strong influx of immigrants with over 7.3 million people qualifying as such.

From a religious perspective, Germans are split in two major camps. There are approximately 26 million Protestants and 26 million Roman Catholics. Approximately 3.3 million people consider themselves to be Muslim.

The official language of the country is German, although English is spoken in many areas as is Russian and French. Education is compulsory for 10 years and the literacy rate is more than 99 percent. Live expectancy for a German man is 74 years while women live an additional 6 years on average.

As this overview reveals, Germany is the home to a lot of good and bad history. As a travel destination, it is remarkable.