Germany

Germany. One of the best known countries in the world is also one of the most interesting, Germany has it all. A long history of glory and decadence as well as some tragic and obscure periods that transformed the course of history and shaped the world's geography as we know it today. Germans, as everybody knows, are efficient and hard-working people, but also they love to have fun, enjoy traveling, and enjoy beer like no other people in this planet. Discover this culture and make life-long friends with its people.

Area: 357.021 Km²
Population: 83.030.000 (2001 est.)
Density: 233 pop/Km²

System of government: Federal republic
Capital: Berlin (3.315.000 pop.)
Major cities: Hamburg 1.600.000 pop. (2.200.000 urban aggl.), Munich 1.200.000 pop. (2.000.000 urban aggl.), Cologne 927.000 pop. (2.985.000 urban aggl.), Essen 623.000 pop. (6.480.000 urban aggl.), Frankfurt am Main 618.000 pop. (3.605.000 urban aggl.), Dortmund 583.000 pop., Stuttgart 564.000 pop., Düsseldorf 552.000 pop. (3.030.000 urban aggl.), Leipzig 545.000 pop., Dresden 518.000 pop.
Ethnic majority: German 91%, Turkish 2,5%, Serb-Croatian 1%, Italian 1%, others 4,5%
Border countries: Denmark NORTH, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France WEST, Switzerland and Austria SOUTH, Czech Republic and Poland EAST

Principal mountains: Zugspitze 2962 m, Hochwanner 2746 m
Principal rivers: Rhein 865 Km (german tract, total 1320 Km), Elbe 700 Km (german tract, total 1165 Km), Danube 647 Km (german tract, total 2858 Km), Main 524 Km
Principal lakes: Bodensee 305 Km² (german part, total 538 Km²), Müritz 110 Km², Chiemsee 80 Km²
Principal islands: Rügen 930 Km², Usedom 373 Km² (german part, total 445 Km²), Fehmarn 185 Km², Friesische Islands (Sylt 99 Km², Föhr 83 Km²)
Climate: Atlantic

Language: German (official), Danish, Sorab
Religion: Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%
Currency: Euro (€)

Fixed public holidays: 1/1, 6/1, 1/5, 15/8, 3/10, 31/10, 1/11, 24/12, 25/12, 26/12, 31/12
Dialling code: 0049
GMT: +1

World Heritage List:

• Aachen Cathedral (1978)
• Speyer Cathedral (1981)
• Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square (1981)
• Pilgrimage Church of Wies (1983)
• Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl (1984)
• St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim (1985)
• Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier (1986)
• Frontiers of the Roman Empire (1987, 2005) *
• Hanseatic City of Lübeck (1987)
• Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (1990, 1992, 1999)
• Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch (1991)
• Mines of Rammelsberg and Historic Town of Goslar (1992)
• Maulbronn Monastery Complex (1993)
• Town of Bamberg (1993)
• Collegiate Church, Castle, and Old Town of Quedlinburg (1994)
• Völklingen Ironworks (1994)
• Messel Pit Fossil Site (1995)
• Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau (1996)
• Cologne Cathedral (1996)
• Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg (1996)
• Classical Weimar (1998)
• Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin (1999)
• Wartburg Castle (1999)
• Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz (2000)
• Monastic Island of Reichenau (2000)
• Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen (2001)
• Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar (2002)
• Upper Middle Rhine Valley (2002)
• Dresden Elbe Valley (2004)
• Muskauer Park / Park Muzakowski (2004) *
• Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen (2004)