Germany
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This article is about the country. For other uses, see Germany (disambiguation) and Deutschland (disambiguation).
"Federal Republic of Germany" redirects here. For 1949-1990, see West Germany.
Coordinates: 51°N 9°EFederal Republic of Germany
Bundesrepublik Deutschland[a]
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Anthem: Deutschlandlied (English: "Song of Germany") (third verse only)[b] |
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Location of Germany (dark green)
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Capital and largest city |
Berlin 52°31′N 13°23′E |
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Official languages | German[1][c] | |||||
Demonym | German | |||||
Government | Federal parliamentary republic | |||||
• | President | Joachim Gauck | ||||
• | President of the Bundestag | Norbert Lammert | ||||
• | Chancellor | Angela Merkel | ||||
• | President of the Bundesrat | Stanislaw Tillich | ||||
• | President of the Federal Constitutional Court | Andreas Voßkuhle | ||||
Legislature | ||||||
• | Upper house | Bundesrat | ||||
• | Lower house | Bundestag | ||||
Formation | ||||||
• | Holy Roman Empire | 2 February 962 | ||||
• | German Confederation | 8 June 1815 | ||||
• | German Empire | 18 January 1871 | ||||
• | Weimar Republic | 11 August 1919 | ||||
• | Federal Republic | 23 May 1949 | ||||
• | EEC Foundation[d] | 1 January 1958 | ||||
• | Reunification | 3 October 1990 | ||||
Area | ||||||
• | Total | 357,168 km2 (63rd) 137,847 sq mi |
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Population | ||||||
• | 2015 estimate | 81,459,000[2] (16th) | ||||
• | Density | 227/km2 (58th) 583/sq mi |
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GDP (PPP) | 2015 estimate | |||||
• | Total | $3.842 trillion[3] (5th) | ||||
• | Per capita | $47,033[3] (20th) | ||||
GDP (nominal) | 2015 estimate | |||||
• | Total | $3.371 trillion[3] (4th) | ||||
• | Per capita | $41,267[3] (20th) | ||||
Gini (2014) | 30.7[4] medium |
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HDI (2014) | 0.916[5] very high · 6th |
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Currency | Euro (€) (EUR) | |||||
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |||||
• | Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||||
Drives on the | right | |||||
Calling code | 49 | |||||
ISO 3166 code | DE | |||||
Internet TLD | .de and .eu |
Various Germanic tribes have occupied the northern parts of current Germany since classical antiquity. A region named Germania was documented before 100 AD. During the Migration Period the Germanic tribes expanded southward. Beginning in the 10th century, German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire.[8] During the 16th century, northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation.
The rise of Pan-Germanism inside the German Confederation resulted in the unification of many of the German states in 1871 into the Prussian-dominated German Empire. After World War I and the German Revolution of 1918–1919, the Empire was replaced by the parliamentary Weimar Republic. The establishment of the national socialist dictatorship in 1933 led to World War II and systematic genocide. After 1945, Germany split into two states, East Germany and West Germany. In 1990, the country was reunified.[9]
In the 21st century, Germany is a great power and has the world's fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP, as well as the fifth-largest by PPP. As a global leader in several industrial and technological sectors, it is both the world's third-largest exporter and importer of goods. Germany is a developed country with a very high standard of living sustained by a skilled and productive society. It upholds a social security and universal health care system, environmental protection and a tuition-free university education.[10]
Germany was a founding member of the European Union in 1993. It is part of the Schengen Area, and became a co-founder of the Eurozone in 1999. Germany is a member of the United Nations, NATO, the G8, the G20, and the OECD. The national military expenditure is the 9th highest in the world. Known for its rich cultural history, Germany has been continuously the home of influential artists, philosophers, musicians, sportsmen, entrepreneurs, scientists and inventors.
Contents
- 1 Etymology
- 2 History
- 2.1 Germanic tribes and Frankish Empire
- 2.2 Holy Roman Empire
- 2.3 German Confederation and Empire
- 2.4 Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany
- 2.5 East and West Germany
- 2.6 German reunification and the EU
- 3 Geography
- 3.1 Climate
- 3.2 Biodiversity
- 3.3 Urbanization
- 4 Politics
- 4.1 Law
- 4.2 Constituent states
- 4.3 Foreign relations
- 4.4 Military
- 5 Economy
- 5.1 Companies
- 5.2 Transport
- 5.3 Energy and infrastructure
- 5.4 Science and technology
- 5.5 Tourism
- 6 Demographics
- 6.1 Immigrant population
- 6.2 Religion
- 6.3 Languages
- 6.4 Education
- 6.5 Health
- 7 Culture
- 7.1 Music
- 7.2 Art
- 7.3 Architecture
- 7.4 Literature and philosophy
- 7.5 Media
- 7.6 Cinema
- 7.7 Cuisine
- 7.8 Sports
- 7.9 Fashion and design
- 8 See also
- 9 Notes
- 10 References
- 11 External links
Etymology
Further information: Names of Germany
The English word Germany derives from the Latin Germania, which came into use after Julius Caesar adopted it for the peoples east of the Rhine.[11] The German term Deutschland, originally diutisciu land ("the German lands") is derived from deutsch (cf. dutch), descended from Old High German diutisc "popular" (i.e. belonging to the diot or diota "people"), originally used to distinguish the language of the common people from Latin and its Romance descendants. This in turn descends from Proto-Germanic *þiudiskaz "popular" (see also the Latinised form Theodiscus), derived from *þeudō, descended from Proto-Indo-European *tewtéh₂- "people".[12]History
Main article: History of Germany
Germanic tribes and Frankish Empire
Main articles: Germania and Migration Period
In the 3rd century a number of large West Germanic tribes emerged: Alemanni, Franks, Chatti, Saxons, Frisii, Sicambri, and Thuringii. Around 260, the Germanic peoples broke into Roman-controlled lands.[21] After the invasion of the Huns in 375, and with the decline of Rome from 395, Germanic tribes moved further south-west. Simultaneously several large tribes formed in what is now Germany and displaced the smaller Germanic tribes. Large areas (known since the Merovingian period as Austrasia) were occupied by the Franks, and Northern Germany was ruled by the Saxons and Slavs.[20]
Holy Roman Empire
Main article: Holy Roman Empire
The Ottonian emperors (919–1024) consolidated several major duchies and the German king Otto I was crowned Holy Roman Emperor of these regions in 962. In 996 Gregory V became the first German Pope, appointed by his cousin Otto III, whom he shortly after crowned Holy Roman Emperor. The Holy Roman Empire absorbed northern Italy and Burgundy under the reign of the Salian emperors (1024–1125), although the emperors lost power through the Investiture Controversy.[24]
In the 12th century, under the Hohenstaufen emperors (1138–1254), German princes increased their influence further south and east into territories inhabited by Slavs; they encouraged German settlement in these areas, called the eastern settlement movement (Ostsiedlung). Members of the Hanseatic League, which included mostly north German cities and towns, prospered in the expansion of trade.[25] In the south, the Greater Ravensburg Trade Corporation (Große Ravensburger Handelsgesellschaft) served a similar function. The edict of the Golden Bull issued in 1356 by Emperor Charles IV provided the basic constitutional structure of the Empire and codified the election of the emperor by seven prince-electors who ruled some of the most powerful principalities and archbishoprics.[26]
Population declined in the first half of the 14th century, starting with the Great Famine in 1315, followed by the Black Death of 1348–50.[27] Despite the decline, however, German artists, engineers, and scientists developed a wide array of techniques similar to those used by the Italian artists and designers of the time who flourished in such merchant city-states as Venice, Florence and Genoa. Artistic and cultural centers throughout the German states produced such artists as the Augsburg painters Hans Holbein and his son, and Albrecht Dürer. Johannes Gutenberg introduced moveable-type printing to Europe, a development that played a key role in the Renaissance, Reformation, the Age of Enlightenment, and the Scientific revolution, and laid the material basis for the modern knowledge-based economy and the spread of learning to the masses.[28]
In the 18th century, the Holy Roman Empire consisted of approximately 1,800 territories.[32] The elaborate legal system initiated by a series of Imperial Reforms (approximately 1450–1555) created the Imperial Estates and provided for considerable local autonomy among ecclesiastical, secular, and hereditary states, reflected in Imperial Diet. The House of Habsburg held the imperial crown from 1438 until the death of Charles VI in 1740. Having no male heirs, he had convinced the Electors to retain Habsburg hegemony in the office of the emperor by agreeing to the Pragmatic Sanction. This was finally settled through the War of Austrian Succession; in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, Maria Theresa's husband became Holy Roman Emperor, and she ruled the Empire as Empress Consort. From 1740, dualism between the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy and the Kingdom of Prussia dominated the German states in the 18th century. As a consequence of the French Revolutionary Wars, and the subsequent final meeting of the Imperial Diet, most of the secular Free Imperial Cities were annexed by dynastic territories; the ecclesiastical territories were secularized and annexed. In 1806 the Imperium was dissolved; German states, particularly the Rhineland states, fell under the influence of France. Until 1815, France, Russia, Prussia and the Habsburgs competed for hegemony in the German states during the Napoleonic Wars.[33]
German Confederation and Empire
Main articles: German Confederation and German Empire
Following the fall of Napoleon, the Congress of Vienna (convened in 1814) founded the German Confederation (Deutscher Bund), a loose league of 39 sovereign states. The appointment of the Emperor of Austria
as the permanent president of the Confederation reflected the
Congress's failure to accept Prussia's influence among the German
states, and acerbated the long-standing competition between the
Hohenzollern and Habsburg interests. Disagreement within restoration politics partly led to the rise of liberal movements, followed by new measures of repression by Austrian statesman Metternich. The Zollverein, a tariff union, furthered economic unity in the German states.[34] National and liberal ideals of the French Revolution gained increasing support among many, especially young, Germans. The Hambach Festival in May 1832 was a main event in support of German unity, freedom and democracy. In the light of a series of revolutionary movements in Europe, which established a republic in France, intellectuals and commoners started the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states. King Frederick William IV of Prussia
was offered the title of Emperor, but with a loss of power; he rejected
the crown and the proposed constitution, leading to a temporary setback
for the movement.[35]The assassination of Austria's crown prince on 28 June 1914 provided the pretext for the Austrian Empire to attack Serbia and trigger World War I. After four years of warfare, in which approximately two million German soldiers were killed,[38] a general armistice ended the fighting on 11 November, and German troops returned home. In the German Revolution (November 1918), Emperor Wilhelm II and all German ruling princes abdicated their positions and responsibilities. Germany's new political leadership signed the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. In this treaty, Germany, as part of the Central Powers, accepted defeat by the Allies in one of the bloodiest conflicts of all time. Germans perceived the treaty as humiliating and unjust and it was later seen by historians as influential in the rise of Adolf Hitler.[39][40][41]
Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany
Main articles: Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany
Germany was declared a republic at the beginning of the German Revolution in November 1918. On 11 August 1919 President Friedrich Ebert signed the democratic Weimar Constitution.[42] In the subsequent struggle for power, the radical-left Communists seized power in Bavaria, but conservative elements in other parts of Germany attempted to overthrow the Republic in the Kapp Putsch. It was supported by parts of the Reichswehr
(military) and other conservative, nationalistic and monarchist
factions. After a tumultuous period of bloody street fighting in the
major industrial centers, the occupation of the Ruhr by Belgian and French troops and the rise of inflation culminating in the hyperinflation of 1922–23, a debt restructuring plan and the creation of a new currency in 1924 ushered in the Golden Twenties,
an era of increasing artistic innovation, liberal cultural life.
Underneath it all, though, lay a current of animosity and frustration
over the Treaty of Versailles, widely perceived as a stab in the back, which provided the basis of much of the anti-Semetism rife in the next two decades.[43]
The economic situation remained volatile. Historians describe the
period between 1924 and 1929 as one of "partial stabilization."[44] The world-wide Great Depression hit Germany in 1929. After the federal election of 1930, Chancellor Heinrich Brüning's government was enabled by President Paul von Hindenburg to act without parliamentary approval. Brüning's government pursued a policy of fiscal austerity and deflation which caused high unemployment of nearly 30% by 1932.[45]Using deficit spending, a government-sponsored program for economic renewal focused on public works projects. In public work projects of 1934, 1.7 million Germans immediately were put to work, which gave them an income and social benefits.[50] The most famous of the projects was the high speed roadway, the Reichsautobahn, known as the German autobahns.[51] Other capital construction projects included such hydroelectric facilities as the Rur Dam, such water supplies as Zillierbach Dam, and such transportation hubs as Zwickau Hauptbahnhof.[52] Over the next five years, unemployment plummeted and average wages both per hour and per week rose.[53]
In 1935, the regime withdrew from the Treaty of Versailles and introduced the Nuremberg Laws which targeted Jews and other minorities. Germany also reacquired control of the Saar in 1935,[54] annexed Austria in 1938, and occupied Czechoslovakia in early 1939. Hitler's government signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop pact with Stalin and, in late 1939, Germany and the Soviets invaded Poland. The United Kingdom and France then declared war on Germany, but not the Soviet Union,[55] marking the beginning of World War II.[56]
In the spring of 1940, Germany conquered Denmark and Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France forcing the French government to sign an armistice after German troops occupied most of the country. The British repelled German air attacks in the same year. In 1941, German troops invaded Yugoslavia, Greece and the Soviet Union. By 1942 Germany and other Axis powers controlled most of continental Europe and North Africa but following the Soviet Union's victory at the Battle of Stalingrad, the allies' reconquest of North Africa and invasion of Italy in 1943, German forces suffered repeated military defeats.[56] In June 1944 the Western allies invaded France and the Soviets reconquered much of Eastern Europe. By late 1944 the Western allies had entered Germany despite one final German counter offensive in the Ardennes Forest. Following Hitler's suicide during the Battle of Berlin, German armed forces surrendered on 8 May 1945, ending World War II in Europe.[57]
In what later became known as The Holocaust, the German government persecuted minorities and used a network of concentration and death camps across Europe to conduct a genocide of what they considered to be inferior races. In total, over 10 million civilians were systematically murdered, including 6 million Jews, between 220,000 and 1,500,000 Romani, 275,000 persons with disabilities, thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses, thousands of homosexuals, and hundreds of thousands of members of the political and religious opposition.[58] Nazi policies in the occupied countries resulted in the deaths of 2.7 million Poles,[59] 1.3 million Ukrainians,[60] and an estimated 2.8 million Soviet war prisoners.[60][61] At least 40 million Europeans died in the war.[62] German army war casualties were between 3.2 million and 5.3 million soldiers[63] and up to 2 million German civilians.[64] German territorial losses resulted in the expulsion of circa 12 million of ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe. Germany ceded roughly one-quarter of its pre-war territory.[9] Strategic bombing and land warfare destroyed many cities and cultural heritage sites. After World War II, former members of the regime were tried for war crimes at the Nuremberg trials.[61][65]
East and West Germany
Main article: History of Germany (1945–90)
West Germany was established as a federal parliamentary republic with a "social market economy". Starting in 1948 West Germany became a major recipient of reconstruction aid under the Marshall Plan and used this to rebuild its industry.[67] Konrad Adenauer was elected the first Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) of Germany in 1949 and remained in office until 1963. Under his and Ludwig Erhard's leadership, the country enjoyed prolonged economic growth beginning in the early 1950s, that became known as an "economic miracle" (Wirtschaftswunder).[68] West Germany joined NATO in 1955 and was a founding member of the European Economic Community in 1957.
Tensions between East and West Germany were reduced in the early 1970s by Chancellor Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik. In summer 1989, Hungary decided to dismantle the Iron Curtain and open the borders, causing the emigration of thousands of East Germans to West Germany via Hungary. This had devastating effects on the GDR, where regular mass demonstrations received increasing support. The East German authorities eased the border restrictions, allowing East German citizens to travel to the West; originally intended to help retain East Germany as a state, the opening of the border actually led to an acceleration of the Wende reform process. This culminated in the Two Plus Four Treaty a year later on 12 September 1990, under which the four occupying powers renounced their rights under the Instrument of Surrender, and Germany regained full sovereignty. This permitted German reunification on 3 October 1990, with the accession of the five re-established states of the former GDR.[35]
German reunification and the EU
Main articles: German reunification and History of Germany since 1990
The modernisation and integration of the eastern German economy is a long-term process scheduled to last until the year 2019, with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $80 billion.[75]
Based on the Berlin/Bonn Act, adopted in 1994, Berlin once again became the capital of the reunified Germany, while Bonn obtained the unique status of a Bundesstadt (federal city) retaining some federal ministries.[76] The relocation of the government was completed in 1999.[77] Following the 1998 elections, SPD politician Gerhard Schröder became the first Chancellor of a red–green coalition with the Alliance '90/The Greens party.
Since reunification, Germany has taken a more active role in the European Union. Together with its European partners Germany signed the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, established the Eurozone in 1999, and signed the Lisbon Treaty in 2007.[78]
In the 2005 elections, Angela Merkel became the first female Chancellor of Germany as the leader of a grand coalition.[35] In 2009 the German government approved a €50 billion economic stimulus plan to protect several sectors from a downturn.[81]
In 2009, a liberal-conservative coalition under Merkel assumed leadership of the country. In 2013, a grand coalition was established in a Third Merkel cabinet. Among the major German political projects of the early 21st century are the advancement of European integration, the energy transition (Energiewende) for a sustainable energy supply, the "Debt Brake" for balanced budgets, measures to increase the fertility rate significantly (pronatalism), and high-tech strategies for the future transition of the German economy, summarized as Industry 4.0.[82]
Germany was affected by the European migrant crisis in 2015 as it became the final destination of choice for most migrants entering the EU. The country took in over a million refugees and developed a quota system which redistributed migrants around its federal states based on their tax income and existing population density.[83]
Geography
Main article: Geography of Germany
Elevation ranges from the mountains of the Alps (highest point: the Zugspitze at 2,962 metres or 9,718 feet) in the south to the shores of the North Sea (Nordsee) in the northwest and the Baltic Sea (Ostsee) in the northeast. The forested uplands of central Germany and the lowlands of northern Germany (lowest point: Wilstermarsch at 3.54 metres or 11.6 feet below sea level) are traversed by such major rivers as the Rhine, Danube and Elbe. Germany's alpine glaciers are experiencing deglaciation. Significant natural resources include iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel, arable land and water.[85]
Climate
Most of Germany has a temperate seasonal climate dominated by humid westerly winds. The country is situated in between the oceanic Western European and the continental Eastern European climate. The climate is moderated by the North Atlantic Drift, the northern extension of the Gulf Stream. This warmer water affects the areas bordering the North Sea; consequently in the northwest and the north the climate is oceanic. Germany gets an average of 789 mm (31 in) precipitation per year. Rainfall occurs year-round, with no consistent dry season. Winters are mild and summers tend to be warm: temperatures can exceed 30 °C (86 °F).[86]The east has a more continental climate: winters can be very cold and summers very warm, and longer dry periods can occur. Central and southern Germany are transition regions which vary from moderately oceanic to continental. In addition to the maritime and continental climates that predominate over most of the country, the Alpine regions in the extreme south and, to a lesser degree, some areas of the Central German Uplands have a mountain climate, with lower temperatures and greater precipitation.[86]
Biodiversity
The territory of Germany can be subdivided into two ecoregions: European-Mediterranean montane mixed forests and Northeast-Atlantic shelf marine.[87] As of 2008 the majority of Germany is covered by either arable land (34%) or forest and woodland (30.1%); only 13.4% of the area consists of permanent pastures, 11.8% is covered by settlements and streets.[88]The 14 national parks in Germany include the Jasmund National Park, the Vorpommern Lagoon Area National Park, the Müritz National Park, the Wadden Sea National Parks, the Harz National Park, the Hainich National Park, the Black Forest National Park, the Saxon Switzerland National Park, the Bavarian Forest National Park and the Berchtesgaden National Park. In addition, there are 14 Biosphere Reserves, as well as 98 nature parks. More than 400 registered zoos and animal parks operate in Germany, which is believed to be the largest number in any country.[91] The Berlin Zoo, opened in 1844, is the oldest zoo in Germany, and presents the most comprehensive collection of species in the world.[92]
Urbanization
Germany has a number of large cities. There are 11 officially recognised metropolitan regions in Germany. 34 cities have been identified as regiopolis. The largest conurbation is the Rhine-Ruhr region (11.7 million in 2008), including Düsseldorf (the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia), Cologne, Bonn, Dortmund, Essen, Duisburg, and Bochum.[93]
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Rank | Name | State | Pop. | Rank | Name | State | Pop. | ||
Berlin Hamburg |
1 | Berlin | Berlin | 3,562,166 | 11 | Leipzig | Saxony | 531,582 | Munich Cologne |
2 | Hamburg | Hamburg | 1,760,433 | 12 | Dresden | Saxony | 530,754 | ||
3 | Munich | Bavaria | 1,407,836 | 13 | Hannover | Lower Saxony | 518,386 | ||
4 | Cologne | North Rhine-Westphalia | 1,034,175 | 14 | Nuremberg | Bavaria | 498,876 | ||
5 | Frankfurt | Hesse | 701,350 | 15 | Duisburg | North Rhine-Westphalia | 486,855 | ||
6 | Stuttgart | Baden-Württemberg | 604,297 | 16 | Bochum | North Rhine-Westphalia | 361,734 | ||
7 | Düsseldorf | North Rhine-Westphalia | 598,686 | 17 | Wuppertal | North Rhine-Westphalia | 343,488 | ||
8 | Dortmund | North Rhine-Westphalia | 575,944 | 18 | Bielefeld | North Rhine-Westphalia | 328,864 | ||
9 | Essen | North Rhine-Westphalia | 569,884 | 19 | Bonn | North Rhine-Westphalia | 311,287 | ||
10 | Bremen | Bremen (state) | 548,547 | 20 | Mannheim | Baden-Württemberg | 296,690 |
Politics
Joachim Gauck President since 2012 |
Angela Merkel Chancellor since 2005 |
The president, Joachim Gauck (18 March 2012–present), is the head of state and invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. He is elected by the Bundesversammlung (federal convention), an institution consisting of the members of the Bundestag and an equal number of state delegates. The second-highest official in the German order of precedence is the Bundestagspräsident (President of the Bundestag), who is elected by the Bundestag and responsible for overseeing the daily sessions of the body. The third-highest official and the head of government is the Chancellor, who is appointed by the Bundespräsident after being elected by the Bundestag.[35]
Since 1949, the party system has been dominated by the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party of Germany. So far every chancellor has been a member of one of these parties. However, the smaller liberal Free Democratic Party (in parliament from 1949 to 2013) and the Alliance '90/The Greens (in parliament since 1983) have also played important roles.[95]
The debt-to-GDP ratio of Germany had its peak in 2010 when it stood at 80.3% and decreased since then.[96] According to Eurostat, the government gross debt of Germany amounts to €2,152.0 billion or 71.9% of its GDP in 2015.[97] The federal government achieved a budget surplus of €12.1 billion ($13.1 billion) in 2015.[98] Germany's credit rating by credit rating agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch Ratings stands at the highest possible rating AAA with a stable outlook in 2016.[99]
Law
Criminal and private laws are codified on the national level in the Strafgesetzbuch and the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch respectively. The German penal system seeks the rehabilitation of the criminal and the protection of the public.[101] Except for petty crimes, which are tried before a single professional judge, and serious political crimes, all charges are tried before mixed tribunals on which lay judges (Schöffen) sit side by side with professional judges.[102][103] Many of the fundamental matters of administrative law remain in the jurisdiction of the states.
Constituent states
Main article: States of Germany
Germany comprises sixteen federal states which are collectively referred to as Bundesländer.[104] Each state has its own state constitution[105] and is largely autonomous in regard to its internal organisation. Because of differences in size and population the subdivisions of these states vary, especially as between city states (Stadtstaaten) and states with larger territories (Flächenländer).
For regional administrative purposes five states, namely
Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony,
consist of a total of 22 Government Districts (Regierungsbezirke). As of 2013 Germany is divided into 402 districts (Kreise) at a municipal level; these consist of 295 rural districts and 107 urban districts.[106]
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Foreign relations
Main article: Foreign relations of Germany
The development policy of Germany is an independent area of foreign policy. It is formulated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and carried out by the implementing organisations. The German government sees development policy as a joint responsibility of the international community.[114] It is the world's third biggest aid donor in 2009 after the United States and France.[115][116]
In 1999, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's government defined a new basis for German foreign policy by taking part in the NATO decisions surrounding the Kosovo War and by sending German troops into combat for the first time since 1945.[117] The governments of Germany and the United States are close political allies.[35] Cultural ties and economic interests have crafted a bond between the two countries resulting in Atlanticism.[118]
Military
Main article: Bundeswehr
Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, is organised into Heer (Army and special forces KSK), Marine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air Force), Bundeswehr Joint Medical Service and Streitkräftebasis (Joint Support Service) branches. In absolute terms, German military expenditure is the 9th highest in the world.[119] In 2015, military spending was at €32.9 billion, about 1.2% of the country's GDP, well below the NATO target of 2%.[120]As of December 2015 the Bundeswehr employed roughly 178,000 soldiers, including 9,500 volunteers.[121] Reservists are available to the Armed Forces and participate in defence exercises and deployments abroad.[122] Since 2001 women may serve in all functions of service without restriction.[123] About 19,000 female soldiers are on active duty. According to SIPRI, Germany was the fourth largest exporter of major arms in the world in 2014.[124]
The role of the Bundeswehr is described in the Constitution of Germany as defensive only. But after a ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court in 1994 the term "defense" has been defined to not only include protection of the borders of Germany, but also crisis reaction and conflict prevention, or more broadly as guarding the security of Germany anywhere in the world. As of January 2015, the German military has about 2,370 troops stationed in foreign countries as part of international peacekeeping forces, including about 850 Bundeswehr troops in the NATO-led ISAF force in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, 670 German soldiers in Kosovo, and 120 troops with UNIFIL in Lebanon.[126]
Until 2011, military service was compulsory for men at age 18, and conscripts served six-month tours of duty; conscientious objectors could instead opt for an equal length of Zivildienst (civilian service), or a six-year commitment to (voluntary) emergency services like a fire department or the Red Cross. In 2011 conscription was officially suspended and replaced with a voluntary service.[127][128]
Economy
Main article: Economy of Germany
The service sector contributes approximately 71% of the total GDP (including information technology), industry 28%, and agriculture 1%.[85] The unemployment rate published by Eurostat amounts to 4.7% in January 2015, which is the lowest rate of all 28 EU member states.[134] With 7.1% Germany also has the lowest youth unemployment rate of all EU member states.[134] According to the OECD Germany has one of the highest labour productivity levels in the world.[135]
Being home to the modern car, the automotive industry in Germany is regarded as one of the most competitive and innovative in the world,[138] and is the fourth largest by production.[139] The top 10 exports of Germany are vehicles, machineries, chemical goods, electronic products, electrical equipments, pharmaceuticals, transport equipments, basic metals, food products, and rubber and plastics.[140]
Companies
Of the world's 500 largest stock-market-listed companies measured by revenue in 2014, the Fortune Global 500, 28 are headquartered in Germany. 30 Germany-based companies are included in the DAX, the German stock market index. Well-known international brands include Mercedes-Benz, BMW, SAP, Volkswagen, Audi, Siemens, Allianz, Adidas, Porsche, and DHL.[141]Germany is recognised for its large portion of specialised small and medium enterprises, known as the Mittelstand model. Around 1,000 of these companies are global market leaders in their segment and are labelled hidden champions.[142] Berlin developed a thriving, cosmopolitan hub for startup companies and became a leading location for venture capital funded firms in the European Union.[143]
The list includes the largest German companies by revenue in 2011:[144]
Rank | Name | Headquarters | Revenue (mil. €) |
Profit (mil. €) |
Employees (world) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Volkswagen | Wolfsburg | 159,000 | 15,800 | 502,000 |
2. | E.ON | Düsseldorf | 113,000 | −1,900 | 79,000 |
3. | Daimler | Stuttgart | 107,000 | 6,000 | 271,000 |
4. | Siemens | Berlin, München | 74,000 | 6,300 | 360,000 |
5. | BASF | Ludwigshafen | 73,000 | 6,600 | 111,000 |
6. | BMW | München | 69,000 | 4,900 | 100,000 |
7. | Metro | Düsseldorf | 67,000 | 740 | 288,000 |
8. | Schwarz Gruppe | Neckarsulm | 63,000 | N/A | 315,000 |
9. | Deutsche Telekom | Bonn | 59,000 | 670 | 235,000 |
10. | Deutsche Post | Bonn | 53,000 | 1,300 | 471,000 |
— | Allianz | München | 104,000 | 2,800 | 141,000 |
— | Deutsche Bank | Frankfurt | 21,600 | 4,300 | 101,000 |
Transport
Main articles: Transport in Germany and Rail transport in Germany
Germany has established a polycentric network of high-speed trains. The InterCityExpress or ICE network of the Deutsche Bahn serves major German cities as well as destinations in neighbouring countries with speeds up to 300 km/h (186 mph).[148] The German railways are subsidised by the government, receiving €17.0 billion in 2014.[149]
The largest German airports are Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport, both hubs of Lufthansa, while Air Berlin has hubs at Berlin Tegel and Düsseldorf. Other major airports include Berlin Schönefeld, Hamburg, Cologne/Bonn and Leipzig/Halle.[150] The Port of Hamburg is one of the top twenty largest container ports in the world.[151]
Energy and infrastructure
Main articles: Energy in Germany, Telecommunications in Germany and Water supply and sanitation in Germany
In 2008, Germany was the world's sixth-largest consumer of energy,[152] and 60% of its primary energy was imported.[153]
In 2014, energy sources were: oil (35.0%); coal, including lignite
(24.6%); natural gas (20.5%); nuclear (8.1%); hydro-electric and
renewable sources (11.1%).[154] The government and the nuclear power industry agreed to phase out all nuclear power plants by 2021.[155] It also enforces energy conservation, green technologies, emission reduction activities,[156] and aims to meet the country's electricity demands using 40% renewable sources by 2020. Germany is committed to the Kyoto protocol and several other treaties promoting biodiversity, low emission standards, water management, and the renewable energy commercialisation.[157] The country's household recycling rate is among the highest in the world - at around 65%.[158][158] Nevertheless, the country's greenhouse gas emissions were the highest in the EU in 2010.[159] The German energy transition (Energiewende) is the recognised move to a sustainable economy by means of energy efficiency.[160]Science and technology
Main article: Science and technology in Germany
Notable German physicists before the 20th century include Hermann von Helmholtz, Joseph von Fraunhofer and Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit, among others. Albert Einstein introduced the relativity theories for light and gravity in 1905 and 1915 respectively. Along with Max Planck, he was instrumental in the introduction of quantum mechanics, in which Werner Heisenberg and Max Born later made major contributions.[165] Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays.[166] Otto Hahn was a pioneer in the fields of radiochemistry and discovered nuclear fission, while Ferdinand Cohn and Robert Koch were founders of microbiology. Numerous mathematicians were born in Germany, including Carl Friedrich Gauss, David Hilbert, Bernhard Riemann, Gottfried Leibniz, Karl Weierstrass, Hermann Weyl and Felix Klein.
Research institutions in Germany include the Max Planck Society, the Helmholtz Association and the Fraunhofer Society. The Wendelstein 7-X in Greifswald hosts a facility in the research of fusion power for instance.[170] The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize is granted to ten scientists and academics every year. With a maximum of €2.5 million per award it is one of highest endowed research prizes in the world.[171]
Tourism
Main article: Tourism in Germany
Germany is well known for its diverse tourist routes, such as the Romantic Road, the Wine Route, the Castle Road, and the Avenue Road. The German Timber-Frame Road (Deutsche Fachwerkstraße) connects towns with examples of these structures.[177][178] There are 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany, including the old town cores of Regensburg, Bamberg, Lübeck, Quedlinburg, Weimar, Stralsund and Wismar. Germany's most-visited landmarks include i. e. Neuschwanstein Castle, Cologne Cathedral, Berlin Bundestag, Hofbräuhaus Munich, Heidelberg Castle, Dresden Zwinger, Fernsehturm Berlin and Aachen Cathedral. The Europa-Park near Freiburg is Europe's second most popular theme park resort.[179]