The Federal Republic of Germany

Germany lies in the centre of Europe on the North and Baltic Seas; its area is about 357 thousand km², population about 84 million, and capital Berlin. It borders 9 states, the Kiel Canal linking the North and Baltic Seas crosses it, the Rhine, Danube and Elbe are joined by canals, and major roads and railways tie it to the whole continent – a very favourable economic-geographical position. The form of government is a parliamentary republic: the head of state is the president, while the head of the executive is the federal chancellor; the state is federal, with 16 federal states (Länder). Relief rises from north to south: the North German Lowland, low and middle mountains in the centre, the Alps in the south. The climate is temperate maritime; there are coal, brown coal, potassium and rock salt. Natural change has been negative since 1972 and the population is sustained by immigration: many came from Türkiye, Poland, Syria, Ukraine and others. Most people live in cities (Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt); density is highest in the Rhine valley and the Ruhr. By religion, Protestants predominate in the north and centre, Catholics in the south. Germany has the largest economy in the EU and is a G7 member. Leading branches are engineering (cars, machine tools, electrical), chemicals and pharmaceuticals; in farming, dairy-beef cattle and pigs, wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beet and, in the south, grapes. Frankfurt is a major financial centre and air hub. In energy, Germany shut its nuclear plants in 2023 and is expanding solar and wind. Even after the 1990 reunification the eastern states still lag in development.