Germany Facts and Culture

What is Germany famous for?

• Cultural Attributes: Germans have a reputation for being industrialthriftyand methodical. They are characterized by a strong sense of regional pride,... More
• Family: The father is generally the head of the family. Both parents often workmore so in the east than in... More
• Personal Apperance: Clothing s are similar to those in the United Statesbut with a distinctively European flavor. Traditional regional costumes are... More
• Recreation: Germany is a world leader in tennistrack and fieldcyclingand Formula One auto racing. Germany has many excellent... More
• Diet: While regional dishes vary among Germanspotatoesnoodlesdumplingssaucescakesand pastries are common. Every region has its own... More
• Food and Recipes: The continental of eating is used. Hands are kept above the table with wrists resting on the edge. Potatoes... More
• Visiting: Punctuality is appreciatedif guests are invited for dinner at 8 p.m.they will arrive at 8 p.m.but it... More
• Dating: Boys and girls socialize with each other on a casual rather than a formal basis. Young people usually marry in... More

What is the capital of Germany?

Capital	Berlin
Government Type	federal parliamentary republic
Currency	Euro (EUR)
Total Area	137,846 Square Miles 357,022 Square Kilometers
Location	Central Europebordering the Baltic Sea and the North Seabetween the Netherlands and Polandsouth of Denmark
Language	German
GDP - real growth rate	1.5%
GDP - per capita (PPP)	$47,400.00 (USD)

What is the population of Germany?

Ethnic Group - note	data represent population by nationality
Ethnic Groups	German 85.4%Turkish 1.8%Ukrainian 1.4%Syrian 1.1%Romanian 1%Poland 1%other/stateless/unspecified 8.3%
Language - note	German is the official language of Germany. Howeverthe German taught in school and used in the media is often not the German spoken daily. Various dialects have a strong influence in most areas. English is widely understood and many Germans from former East Germany speak Russian.
Languages	German (official); note - DanishFrisianSorbianand Romani are official minority languages; Low GermanDanishNorth FrisianSater FrisianLower SorbianUpper Sorbianand Romani are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
Nationality Noun	noun: German(s) adjective: German
Population	84,119,100
Population Growth Rate	-0.12%
Population in Major Urban Areas	3.574 million BERLIN (capital)1.788 million Hamburg1.576 million Munich1.144 million Cologne796,000 Frankfurt
Urban Population	urban population: 77.8% of total population rate of urbanization: 0.13% annual rate of change
Population: Male/Female	male: 41,572,702 female: 42,546,398

What type of government does Germany have?

Executive Branch	chief of state: President Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (since 19 March 2017) head of government: Chancellor Friedrich MERZ (since 6 May 2025) cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) recommended by the chancellorappointed by the president election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by a Federal Convention consisting of all members of the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) and an equivalent number of delegates indirectly elected by the state parliaments; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following the most recent Federal Parliament electionthe party or coalition with the most representatives usually elects the chancellorwho is appointed by the president to serve a renewable 4-year term most recent election date: president: 13 February 2022 chancellor: 6 May 2025 election results: 2025: Friedrich MERZ (CDU) elected chancellor in second round; Federal Parliament vote - 325 to 289 2022: Frank-Walter STEINMEIER reelected president; Federal Convention vote count - Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (SPD) 1,045Max OTTE (CDU) 140Gerhard TRABERT (The Left) 96Stefanie GEBAUER (Free Voters) 58abstentions 86 expected date of next election: president: February 2027
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal; age 16 for some state and municipal elections
Citizenship	citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a German citizen or a resident alien who has lived in Germany at least 8 years dual citizenship recognized: yesbut requires prior permission from government residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
National Holiday	German Unity Day3 October (1990)
Constitution	history: previous 1919 (Weimar Constitution); latest drafted 10-23 August 1948approved 12 May 1949promulgated 23 May 1949entered into force 24 May 1949 amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage and enactment into law require two-thirds majority vote by both the Bundesrat (upper house) and the Bundestag (lower house) of Parliament; articles including those on basic human rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended many timeslast in 2020; note - in early 2021the German federal government introduced a bill to incorporate children’s rights into the constitution
Independence	18 January 1871 (establishment of the German Empire); divided into four zones of occupation (UKUSUSSRand France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed on 23 May 1949 and included the former UKUSand French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed on 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West Germany and East Germany unified on 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights on 15 March 1991; notable earlier dates: 10 August 843 (Eastern Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 2 February 962 (crowning of OTTO Irecognized as the first Holy Roman Emperor)

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What environmental issues does Germany have?

Overview	Unified Germany comprises 16 states (Länder in the plural; singular: Land)of which three (BerlinBremenand Hamburg) are city-states. Berlinwith a population approaching four millionis surrounded by the State of Brandenburgwith the Brandenburg Land capital at Potsdama city that adjoins Berlin on the southwest. Bavaria is Germany’s largest land. Germany’s population exceeds 82 million andwith a total land area of only 137,800 square miles (slightly smaller than the State of Montana)the nation is one of the most densely populated and urbanized in Europe. Germany has five distinct geographical areas and widely varying landscapes. From north to souththese are the flat north German lowlandsthe hills and the low mountains of the Mittelgebirgethe west and south German plateaus and mountains (including the Black Forestthe Schwarzwald)the south German Alpine foothills and lake countryand the Bavarian Alps with the Zugspitze (Germany's highest mountain9,717 ft.) near Garmisch. The most important rivers are the Rhinethe Weserthe Elbethe Mainthe Oderand the Danube. The first three flow northwardemptying into the North Sea. The Main is a tributary of the Rhine. The Danubestarting as a spring in the beautifulhistoric town of Donaueschingen in southwest Germanyflows east 1,725 miles to meet the Black Sea in Romania. Lake Constance (Bodensee)Germany’s largest lakelies at the border separating GermanySwitzerlandand Austria.
Climate	Germany is in the Temperate Zone and enjoys frequent weather changessometimes daily. The country has four distinct seasons with rainfall frequent in most monthsespecially in the autumn. Winter temperatures and snowfall tend to be more extreme in the southern part of the country where the average elevation is higherbut even low-lying Berlin has snowfalls and winter temperatures that occasionally dip below 10°F.
Border Countries	Austria 784 kmBelgium 167 kmCzech Republic 815 kmDenmark 68 kmFrance 451 kmLuxembourg 138 kmNetherlands 577 kmPoland 456 kmSwitzerland 334 km
Environment - Current Issues	Emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution; acid rainresulting from sulfur dioxide emissionsis damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal; the government established a mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet European Union commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the European Union's FloraFaunaand Habitat directive
Environment - International Agreements	Party To: Air PollutionAir Pollution-Nitrogen OxidesAir Pollution-Persistent Organic PollutantsAir Pollution-Sulfur 85Air Pollution-Sulfur 94Air Pollution-Volatile Organic CompoundsAntarctic-Environmental ProtocolAntarctic-Marine Living ResourcesAntarctic SealsAntarctic TreatyBiodiversityClimate ChangeClimate Change-Kyoto ProtocolDesertificationEndangered SpeciesEnvironmental ModificationHazardous WastesLaw of the SeaMarine DumpingOzone Layer ProtectionShip PollutionTropical Timber 83Tropical Timber 94WetlandsWhaling Signedbut not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Terrain	Lowlands in the northuplands in the centerBavarian Alps in the south

How big is the Germany economy?

Economic Overview	The German economy - the fifth largest economy in the world in PPP terms and Europe's largest - is a leading exporter of machineryvehicleschemicalsand household equipment. Germany benefits from a highly skilled labor forcebutlike its Western European neighborsfaces significant demographic challenges to sustained long-term growth. Low fertility rates and a large increase in net immigration are increasing pressure on the country's social welfare system and necessitating structural reforms. Reforms launched by the government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (1998-2005)deemed necessary to address chronically high unemployment and low average growthcontributed to strong economic growth and falling unemployment. These advancesas well as a government-subsidizedreduced working hour schemehelp explain the relatively modest increase in unemployment during the 2008-09 recession - the deepest since World War II. The German Government introduced a minimum wage in 2015 that increased to $9.79 (8.84 euros) in January 2017. Stimulus and stabilization efforts initiated in 2008 and 2009 and tax cuts introduced in Chancellor Angela MERKEL's second term increased Germany's total budget deficit - including federalstateand municipal - to 4.1% in 2010but slower spending and higher tax revenues reduced the deficit to 0.8% in 2011 and in 2017 Germany reached a budget surplus of 0.7%. A constitutional amendment approved in 2009 limits the federal government to structural deficits of no more than 0.35% of GDP per annum as of 2016though the target was already reached in 2012. Following the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disasterChancellor Angela MERKEL announced in May 2011 that eight of the country's 17 nuclear reactors would be shut down immediately and the remaining plants would close by 2022. Germany plans to replace nuclear power largely with renewable energywhich accounted for 29.5% of gross electricity consumption in 2016up from 9% in 2000. Before the shutdown of the eight reactorsGermany relied on nuclear power for 23% of its electricity generating capacity and 46% of its base-load electricity production. The German economy suffers from low levels of investmentand a government plan to invest 15 billion euros during 2016-18largely in infrastructureis intended to spur needed private investment. Domestic consumptioninvestmentand exports are likely to drive German GDP growth in 2018and the country’s budget and trade surpluses are likely to remain high.
Industries	Among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of ironsteelcoalcementchemicalsmachineryvehiclesmachine toolselectronicsfood and beveragesshipbuildingtextiles
Currency Name and Code	Euro (EUR)

What current events are happening in Germany?
Source: Google News

What makes Germany a unique country to travel to?

Country Description

Germany is a modern and stable democracy. Tourist facilities are highly developed. In larger townsmany people can communicate in English.

Crime

Violent crime is rare in Germany but can occurespecially in larger cities or high-risk areas such as on large metropolitan subway systems and in train stationsprimarily during late night or early morning hours. There have been several reports of aggravated assault against U.S. citizens in higher-risk urban areas. Howevermost incidents of street crime involve the theft of unattended items and pickpocketing. Take the same precautions that you would in any large city.

Don't buy counterfeit and pirated goodseven if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United Statesbut by purchasing them you could also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While traveling in Germanyyou are subject to its lawseven if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. While you are overseasU.S. laws do not applyand if you do something illegal in your host countryyour U.S. passport won't help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It is very important to know what is legal and what is notas criminal penalties vary from country to country. There are also some things that may be legal where you are travelingbut illegal in the United States; for exampleif you engage in sexual conduct with children or use or disseminate child pornography in a foreign countryyou can be prosecuted in the United States.

The Embassy has learned of some incidents of German lawyersworking on behalf of media companiesaggressively identifying individuals who are illegally downloading copyrighted content and then billing those people 1000 Euros or more per incident. If these cases are brought to courtGerman courts will likely rule in favor of the companies. You are strongly advised not to download media content except from reputable legal sites.

Arrest Notifications in Germany: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country that is not the case in Germany. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstancesrequest that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained.

Languages

German (official); note - DanishFrisianSorbianand Romani are official minority languages; Low GermanDanishNorth FrisianSater FrisianLower SorbianUpper Sorbianand Romani are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Germany has good medical care and facilities. If you are not a resident of Germanydoctors and hospitals may expect immediate payment in cash. Most doctorshospitalsand pharmacies do not accept credit cards.

Due to Germany's strict customs regulationsgenerallyyou are not allowed to receive prescription medication by mail without special permission. During your tripyou should only carry the amount you plan to use.

Safety and Security

German authorities are vigilant in combating terrorism and other threats to security. Authorities have uncovered and disrupted several extremist plots including some targeting U.S. interests. The most recent deadly attack occurred in March 2011when two U.S. Airmen were killed and two others wounded when a lone Islamic extremist opened fire on them at the Frankfurt International Airport. Like other countries in the Schengen areaGermany's open borders with its European neighbors limit its ability to track suspicious individuals entering and exiting the country with anonymity.

Germany's robust democracy is often expressed in largepublic demonstrations on a variety of political and economic issues. Such demonstrations are common on politically significant holidayssuch as German Labor Day on May 1and during international summits hosted in Germany. In order to stage a demonstrationgroups must obtain prior police approvaland police routinely oversee participants and passersby. Nonethelessthese demonstrations can attract counter-demonstrations and have the potential to turn violent. Avoid areas around protests and demonstrations and check local media for updates on the situation and traffic advisories.

U.S. citizens should exercise caution when congregating in areas known as expatriate hangouts such as restaurantsbarsand discos frequented by high numbers of resident U.S. citizens and/or U.S. citizen tourists. In additionhooligansmost often drunken "skinheads," have been known to harass or even attack people whom they believe to be foreigners or members of rival groups. On occasionGerman police reported assaults that appeared to have been motivated by racial reasonsand U.S. citizens have reported that they were assaulted for racial reasons or because they appeared "foreign."

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

In Germanyroad conditions can be significantly different from those in the United States. If you hold a valid U.S. driver's licenseyou can drive in Germany for up to six months without acquiring a German driver's license. Drivers should be aware that traffic signs in Germany differ from those in the United Statesand it is important to be familiar with road signage prior to driving. Basic information about road signs in Germany is available here.

German road conditions in general are excellentalthough you should exercise caution while traveling on older roads in eastern Germany. Contrary to popular beliefthere are posted speed limits on large stretches of the highwayor Autobahnmostly when traveling through urban areas or when the road has many curves. The high speed permitted on the Autobahnadverse weather conditionsand unfamiliar road markings can pose significant hazards. Driver error is a leading cause of accidents involving U.S. citizen motorists in Germany.

Bicycles are another cause of mishaps. Many German streets and sidewalks have dedicated bike lanes. Whether you are driving or walkingbe aware that bicycles have priority use of these lanes. If you are walkingwatch for bicyclists before crossing or stepping into bike lanes. Bicyclists also have priority over cars when turning onto side streets. If you are drivingcheck whether a bicyclist is approaching from either direction before attempting to enter side streetseven when the light is in your favor. If you are turning into a side street and hit a bicyclist using a marked bike laneyou will be held responsible for any injury or damage caused.

Driver right-of-way rules are different from the United States. Unless you are traveling on a priority roadvehicles coming from the right have the right-of-way. It is generally illegal in Germany to pass vehicles on the right.

The threshold for determining whether a person has been driving under the influence of alcohol is lower than in the United States. Under German lawit is illegal to operate a vehicle if the blood level is 0.5 per mill or higher. The law imposes a penalty and the withdrawal of the driver's license for specified periods of time depending upon the gravity of each violation.

It is illegal to use your cell phone while driving in Germany.