Germany

We explain everything about Germany and its physical and cultural characteristics. In addition, how is its economy, religion and the history of this country.

Germany is a national state located in Europe whose official name It is republic Federal of Germany. It is a Federal Parliamentary Republic that is divided into 16 federated states and its capital is the city of Berlin. It is the eighth largest country in Europe and the third most populated.

It borders the North with the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Denmark, to the East with Poland and the Czech Republic, to the south with Austria and Switzerland and to the west with Luxembourg, France, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Germany is a full member of the United Nations Organization (UN), is part of the European Union, and is also a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Together with Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, the G7, a political forum made up of the world’s main powers.

Why is it called that? The name “Germany” derives from the word of Latin alamanterm used by the Romans to designate the people who lived in these lands for being the closest people to the Roman Empire. On the other hand the term Germanwith which people who live in this country are currently designated, derives from the Roman expression that referred to people who were not from the empire, but who belonged to the surrounding tribes.

See also: England

Characteristics of Germany

• Its population is 84,300,000 inhabitants.
• It has an area of ​​357,000 square kilometers, which represents a population density of 236 inhabitants per square kilometer.
• Its capital is the city of Berlin.
• Its official language is German.
• Most of the population is Catholic.
• For 41 years he was divided into two Germans: Federal Republic of Germany and German Democratic Republic. It was unified in 1990.
• Some of the most important musicians in history are Germans, such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig Van Beethoven.
• The predominant climate is the continental hemiboreal in the south and the oceanic temperate in the north.
• The Rin is its most important river.
• Its official currency is the euro, and its main economic activities are industry, services and tourism.

Extension, population and capital of Germany

Germany has an extension of 357,000 square kilometersso it is the eighth largest country in Europe. It has a population of 84,300,000 inhabitants, and a population density of 236 inhabitants per square kilometer.

A characteristic of Germany, such as that of many developed countries, is the stagnation in the growth of its population. Germany has almost the same number of inhabitants for more than 25 years, and its population is “aging”, which means that There is a lower proportion of young people and a greater proportion of older adults.

Germany is divided into 16 provincial states called “federated states.” The most populated are North-Westaflia Rhine with 18 million inhabitants, Bavaria with 13 million and Baden-Wurtemberg with 11.1 million.

The capital of Germany is the city of Berlin. It has a population of 3,800,000 inhabitants, representing 4.5 % of the country’s total and makes it the most populous city in the country.

The two Germans

For 41 years there were two Germans. After World War II, Germany was divided into two parts that became separate nations with different political and social systems.

The Federal Republic of Germany It was founded on May 23, 1949, was known as “West Germany” and had its capital in the city of Bonn. He was allied with the western capitalist powers such as the United States, the United Kingdom and France.

The German Democratic Republic It was founded on October 7, 1949, was known as “Eastern Germany” and had its capital in East Berlin. It was a socialist state and was allied with the Soviet Union.

Both Germans were separated by the Berlin wallwhich was demolished in 1989 prior to the unification of the country in 1990.

Climate, relief and hydrography of Germany

Germany presents two types of weather: In the south a hemiboreal continental climate predominates, and in the north an oceanic temperate climate. Hemiboreal continental climate has fresh cold and summers, and regular rainfall throughout the year. It is a variant of the oceanic temperate climate, which has similar characteristics but its winters are usually less cold.

Germany has three great reliefs:

• Plains. They correspond to the northern part of the country that has the limit with the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. It is a low, wavy and very fertile relief for the practice of agriculture.
• Mesetas. They are in the center of the country. They are called “highlands of Germany” and are made up of plateaus, hills and some low mountains. They are part of the oldest reliefs in Europe and the planet.
• Mountains. They are located in the southern part of Germany. Some of the most prominent mountainous chains are the Bavarian Alps and the metal mountains. In the Alpes Bavaros is the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in the country with 2962 meters high.

The hydrography of Germany presents extensive and caudalous rivers as a result of the abundant rainfall of the region and the thaw of the mountains in the summer months. Its most important river is the Rin River, which separates Germany from Switzerland and France. Two other rivers of important flow are the Danube and Elba.

Most animal species found in Germany live in forests. In the forests of Germany it is common to find roers, red foxes, common deer, wild boars, European gamos, beavers and otters. In the area of ​​mountains and mountains you can see birds such as the eagle, the pilgrim hawk, the common mouse and the common hill.

The flora is abundant in forests, which occupy 29.5 % of the total of their territory. Wood and coniferous trees predominate such as oak, pine and birch.

Germany culture

The official language of Germany is the Germanbut English and French are also spoken in some regions.

About 61 % of Germany’s inhabitants are Christiansthat are mostly concentrated in the south and west of the country. However, there are also other religious beliefs such as Islam (5 %), Buddhism and Judaism (with only 0.25 % of adherents each). The latter religions are practiced, above all, in the northern part and east of the country. The number of agnostics is significant, since it represents 33 % of the total population.

In the field of classical music, Germany has been home to some of the most influential composers of all time, such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig Van Beethoven. The figure of Clara Schumman also stands out, considered one of the greatest concertists of the nineteenth century.

Germany host great and important artistic movements such as Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque. Albrecht Dürer, Matthias Grünewald and Hans Holbein The Younger They stood out as one of the most influential painters.

In the field of literature, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is considered one of the most important writers in history. Thomas Mann, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Friedrich Hölderlin and Annette von Droste-Houlffen are some of his main references.

As for its gastronomy, the German sausage and the Pretzel They are some of their most traditional typical dishes.

National Symbols of Germany

The national symbols of Germany are:

• The flag of Germany. It shows three horizontal stripes of equal size. The upper one is black, the lower one is yellow and that of the medium is red. It was first adopted in 1919.
• The national anthem of Germany. His lyrics was written by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1841. Music was composed of Austrian composer Joseph Hadyn in 1797.
• The German shield. It was adopted as an official shield in 1950. It is made up of a black federal eagle with red beak and red legs on a yellow background. It was designed by Tobias Schwab in 1926.

Economy of Germany

According to its Gross Internal Product (GDP), Germany is the fourth world economy after the United States, China and Japan, and the first of the European Union.

Its main economic activities are:

• Industry. The German industrial sector is the most developed in Europe and one of the most important in the world. The automotive, textile, pharmaceutical and food and beverage industry stand out, which use 30 % of the country’s population. Some of the most important industrial companies of these items are German: Audi, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, BMW and Volkswagen in the automotive industry, Bayer in the pharmacist and Adidas in the textile are some of them.
• Services. The tertiary sector is the main economic activity of the country. Financial services, educational and commerce stand out.
• Tourism. Germany is one of the most visited countries in Europe and around the world. Its main tourist attractions are the Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the beer party (Oktoberfest) In Munich, the city of Colonia and the port of Hamburg.

Its main business partners are the United States, China, France and the Netherlandsand its official currency is the euro as in the rest of the countries of the European Union.

History of Germany

In ancient times, the current territory of Germany was inhabited by Celtic and Germanic populations. The Roman Empire fought against the Germanic tribes, but they resisted and the border remained at the height of the Danube and Rin rivers. In the 5th century. C., the Germanic peoples moved to the territory of the Roman Empire.

Between the VIII and IX centuries, most of the current territory of Germany was within the borders of the Carolingian Empire. When this empire was divided into three kingdoms in 843, the regions east of the Rin formed the Kingdom of Eastern France, then called Germany.

King Otto I founded the Holy Roman Empire Germanic in 962. In the eleventh century the clashes between the princes that supported the papacy and those who supported the ruling dynasty, which continued in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries began. The result was political fragmentation. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the Habsburg dynasty, which incorporated Austria, Hungary and Bohemia.

In the 16th century, a conflict between Lutherans and Catholics that caused the thirty-year war (1618-1648) broke out. After the war, the Empire was divided into multiple autonomous states. In 1806 the Holy Empire was dissolved and the Confederation of the RIN was formed, replaced in 1815 by the Germanic Confederation and in 1866 by the Confederation of Germany of the North, dominated by Prussia.

The main architect of German unification was Otto von BismarckFirst Chancellor of the German Empire in 1871. Germany began an industrialization process and in 1888 the throne Guillermo II assumed. At the beginning of the 20th century, Germany was defeated in World War I (1914-1918) and had to pay war repairs.

Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and promoted a territorial expansion that caused World War II (1939-1945). Unconditional surrender caused the division of Germany into four occupancy zones, which during the Cold War gave rise to the Federal Republic of Germany (of Western influence) and the German Democratic Republic (under Soviet hegemony).

In 1961 the Berlin Wall was built, which divided the city until its fall in 1989. In 1990 Germany met. Since then, Christian democracy and social democracy alternated in the government.

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References

• Germany (2022) The relief of Germany. https://alemaniando.com/
• World Data (SF) Demographic growth in Germany. https://www.datosmundial.com/
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2023) Germany. Country record. Diplomatic Information Office of Spain. https://www.exteriors.gob.es/
• Portillo, S. (2021) Germany Flora and Fauna https://www.ecologiaverde.com/