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{{featured article}}
{{redirect|Deutschland}}
{{otheruses}}
{{Infobox Country or territory
|native_name = <span style="line-height:1.33em;">{{lang|de|''Bundesrepublik Deutschland''}}</span>
|conventional_long_name = <span style="line-height:1.33em;">Federal Republic of Germany</span>
|common_name = Germany
|national_motto = "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit"<br><small>"Unity and justice and freedom"</small>
|national_anthem = {{lang|de|'']''}} (third ])<br/><small>also called {{lang|de|''Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit''}} </small><!--The official national anthem of Germany is ONLY the third stanza! Source: http://www.bundesregierung.de/Bundesregierung/-,8394/Nationalhymne.htm-->
|image_flag = Flag of Germany.svg‎
|image_coat = Coat of Arms of Germany.svg
|image_map = EU location GER.png
|map_caption = {{map_caption |region=] |subregion=the ] |legend=European location legend en.png}}
|capital = ]
|latd=52 |latm=31 |latNS=N |longd=13 |longm=24 |longEW=E
|largest_city = capital
|official_languages = ]<sup>1</sup>
|government_type = ] ]
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name2 = ] (])
|sovereignty_type = ]
|established_event1 = ]
|established_date1 = 843
|established_event2 = ]
|established_date2 = 962
|established_event3 = ]
|established_date3 = ] ]
|established_event4 = ]
|established_date4 = ] ]
|established_event5 = ]
|established_date5 = ] ]
|established_event6 = ]
|established_date6 = ] ]
|accessionEUdate = ] ] ]
|area = 357,050
|areami² = 137,858 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|area_rank = 63rd
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
|percent_water = 2.416
|population_estimate = 82,401,000
|population_estimate_year = 2006
|population_estimate_rank = 14th
|population_census = n/a
|population_census_year = 2000
|population_density = 230.9
|population_densitymi² = 598.5 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|population_density_rank = 50th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2006
|GDP_PPP = $2.585 trillion
|GDP_PPP_rank = 5th
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $31,400
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 17th
|GDP_nominal = $2.89 trillion
|GDP_nominal_rank = 3rd
|GDP_nominal_year = 2006
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $35,072
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 19th
|HDI_year = 2004
|HDI = {{increase}} 0.932
|HDI_rank = 21st
|HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font>
|Gini = 28.3
|Gini_year = 2000
|Gini_category = <font color="#009900">low</font>
|currency = ] (])
|currency_code = EUR
|time_zone = CET
|utc_offset = +1
|time_zone_DST = CEST
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|cctld = ] and ]
|calling_code = 49
|ISO_3166-1_alpha2 = DE
|ISO_3166-1_alpha3 = DEU
|ISO_3166-1_numeric = ?
|alt_sport_code = GER
|vehicle_code = D
|aircraft_code = D
|footnote1 = ], ], ], ] and ] are officially recognized and protected by the ].
}}

'''Germany''', officially the '''Federal Republic of Germany''' ({{Audio-de|Bundesrepublik Deutschland|De-Bundesrepublik_Deutschland-pronunciation.ogg}}, {{IPA2|ˈbʊndəsrepubliːk ˈdɔʏʧlant}}), is a ] in ]-]. It is bordered on the north by the ], ], and the ], on the east by ] and the ], on the south by ] and ], and on the west by ], ], ] and the ].

Germany is a ] ] ] of ] ({{lang|de|''Bundesländer''}}). The capital city and seat of government is ]. As a ], the country was ] amidst the ] in 1871. After ] Germany was divided, and it became ] in 1990. Today, it is the sixth largest country in the world. It is a founding member of the ], and with over 82 million people it has the largest population among the EU member states.<ref> Foreign Direct Investment Magazine. January 5, 2005. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

The Federal Republic of Germany is a modern ], and a member state of the ], ], the ] and the ] and ranks ].<ref>Levy, Jack S. 1983. War in the Modern Great Power System, 1495–1974. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.</ref><ref>Singer, J. David, and Melvin Small. 1972. The Wages of War, 1816–1965: A Statistical Handbook. New York: John Wiley and Sons.</ref> Germany is the world's ] by nominal ], the world's ], and the world's second largest importer of goods.<ref name=natgeo2006>{{cite book| authorlink=National Geographic |title=National Geographic Collegiate Atlas of the World |publisher=RR Donnelley & Sons Company |date=] |month=April |location=Willard, Ohio |pages=257–70 |isbn=Regular:0-7922-3662-9, 978-0-7922-3662-7. Deluxe:0-7922-7976-X, 978-0-7922-7976-1}}</ref> In 2007 it holds the rotating presidencies of both the ] and the G8 summits.

==History==
{{main|History of Germany}}

===Germanic tribes (100 BCE &ndash; CE 300)===
{{main|Germanic peoples|Germania}}
The ] of the ] is assumed to have occurred during the ], or at the latest, during the ]. From southern ] and northern Germany, the tribes began expanding south, east and west in the 1st century&nbsp;BC, coming into contact with the ]ic tribes of ] as well as ], ], and ] tribes in ]. Little is known about early Germanic history, except through their interactions with the ] and archaeological finds.<ref name="Claster">Jill N. Claster: ''Medieval Experience: 300-1400''. NYU Press 1982, p. 35. ISBN 0814713815.</ref>
]

Under ], the Roman General ] began to invade Germany, and it was in this period that the German tribes became familiar with Roman tactics of warfare while maintaining their tribal identity. In AD&nbsp;9, three ]s led by Varus were defeated by the ] leader ] (Hermann) in the ]. Germany, as far as the ] and the ], thus remained outside the Roman Empire. By AD&nbsp;100, the time of ]' '']'', Germanic tribes settled along the Rhine and the Danube (the ]), occupying most of the area of modern Germany. The 3rd century saw the emergence of a number of large West Germanic tribes: ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Around 260, the Germanic peoples broke through the Limes and the Danube frontier into Roman-controlled lands.<ref name="Cambridge ancient history">The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. 12, p. 442. ISBN 0521301998.</ref> {{see also|List of meanings of countries' names}}

===Holy Roman Empire (843&ndash;1806)===
{{main|Holy Roman Empire}}
]s of the ], from a 1341 parchment.]]

The medieval empire stemmed from a division of the ] in 843, which was founded by ] on ] ], and existed in varying forms until 1806, its territory stretching from the ] in the north to the ] coast in the south. Often referred to as the ] (or the Old Empire), it was officially called the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation ("Sacrum Romanum Imperium Nationis Germanicæ") starting in 1448, to adjust the title to its then reduced territory.

Under the reign of the ] emperors (919&ndash;1024), the ] of ], ], ], ], ], and ] were consolidated, and the German king was crowned ] of these regions in 962. Under the reign of the ] emperors (1024&ndash;1125), the Holy Roman Empire absorbed northern ] and ], although the emperors lost power through the ]. Under the ] emperors (1138&ndash;1254), the German princes increased their influence further south and east into territories inhabited by ]. Northern German towns grew prosperous as members of the ].
], 1529]]
The edict of the ] in 1356 provided the basic constitution of the empire that lasted until its dissolution. It codified the election of the emperor by seven ]s who ruled some of the most powerful principalities and archbishoprics. Beginning in the 15th century, the emperors were elected nearly exclusively from the ] dynasty of ].

The monk ] wrote his ] questioning the ] in 1517, thereby sparking the ]. A separate ] church was acknowledged as the newly sanctioned religion in many states of Germany after 1530. Religious conflict led to the ] (1618&ndash;1648), which devastated German lands. The ] (1648) ended religious warfare in Germany, but the empire was ''de facto'' divided into numerous independent principalities. From 1740 onwards, the dualism between the Austrian ] and the ] dominated German history. In 1806, the ''Imperium'' was overrun and dissolved as a result of the ].<ref name="concise h">Fulbrook, Mary: ''A Concise History of Germany'', Cambridge University Press 1991, p. 97. ISBN 0521540712</ref>

===Restoration and revolution (1814&ndash;71)===
{{main|German Confederation}}



Following the fall of ], the ] convened in 1814 and founded the ] (Deutscher Bund), a loose league of ]. Disagreement with ] politics partly led to the rise of ] movements, demanding unity and freedom. These, however, were followed by new measures of repression on the part of the Austrian statesman ]. The '']'', a tariff union, profoundly furthered economic unity in the German states. During this era many Germans had been stirred by the ideals of the ], and ] became a more significant force, especially among young intellectuals. For the first time, the colours of black, red and gold were chosen to represent the movement, which later became the ].<ref>Martin, Norman. Flags of the World. Oct. 5, 2000. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

]

In light of a ], which successfully established a republic ], intellectuals and commoners started the ]. The monarchs initially yielded to the revolutionaries' liberal demands. King ] was offered the title of ], but with a loss of power; he rejected the crown and the proposed constitution, leading to a temporary setback for the movement. Conflict between King ] of Prussia and the increasingly liberal parliament erupted over military reforms in 1862, and the king appointed ] the new ]. Bismark successfully waged ] in 1864. Prussian victory in the ] of 1866 enabled him to create the ] (Norddeutscher Bund) and to exclude ], formerly the leading German state, from the affairs of the remaining German states.
{{-}}

===German Empire (1871&ndash;1918)===
] is at the center in a white uniform.]]
{{main|German Empire}}
The state known as ''Germany'' ("''Deutschland''" in German language; the Romans referred to the region as "Germania"<ref name="Fulbrook">{{cite book
| title = A Concise History of Germany
| edition = 2nd Edition
| last = Fulbrook
| first = Mary
| coauthors =
| year = 2004
| publisher = University College London
| id = ISBN 9780521833202
| pages = }}</ref>) was ] as a modern nation-state in ], when the ] was forged, with the ] as its largest constituent.
After the French defeat in the ], the ] (''Deutsches Kaiserreich'') was proclaimed in ] on ] ]. The ] dynasty of Prussia ruled the new empire, whose capital was ]. The empire was a unification of all the scattered parts of Germany except Austria (], or "Lesser Germany"). Beginning in 1884, Germany began establishing ] outside of Europe.

In the '']'' period following the ], Emperor ]'s foreign policy secured Germany's position as a great nation by forging alliances, isolating ] by diplomatic means, and avoiding war. Under ], however, Germany, ], took an ] course leading to friction with neighbouring countries. Most alliances in which Germany had been previously involved were not renewed, and new alliances excluded the country. Specifically, France established new relationships by signing the ] with the ] and securing ties with the ]. Aside from its contacts with ], Germany became increasingly isolated.

]

Germany's imperialism reached outside of its own country and joined many other powers in Europe to claim their share of ]. The ] divided Africa between the European powers. Germany owned several pieces of land on Africa including ], ], ], and ]. The ] caused tension between the ]s that may have contributed to the conditions that led to ].

The ] of ] on ] ] triggered ]. Germany, as part of the unsuccessful ], suffered defeat against the ] in ] conflicts of all time. The ] broke out in November 1918, and Emperor William II and all German ruling princes ]. An ] putting an end to the war was signed on ] and Germany was forced to sign the ] in June 1919. Its negotiation, contrary to traditional post-war diplomacy, excluded the defeated Central Powers. The treaty was perceived in Germany as a humiliating continuation of the war by other means and its harshness is often cited as having facilitated the later rise of ] in the country.<ref name="lee h">Stephen J. Lee: ''Europe, 1890-1945''. Routledge 2003, p. 131. ISBN 0415254558.</ref>

===Weimar Republic (1919&ndash;33)===
]
{{main|Weimar Republic}}

After the success of the ] in November 1918, a ] was proclaimed. The ] came into effect with its signing by ] ] on ] ]. The ] was established by ] and ] in 1918, and the German Workers Party, later known as the National Socialist German Workers Party or ], was founded in January 1919.

Suffering from the ], the harsh peace conditions dictated by the ], and a long succession of more or less unstable governments, the political masses in Germany increasingly lacked identification with their political system of ]. This was exacerbated by a wide-spread right-wing (], '']'', and Nazi) '']'', a political myth which claimed that Germany lost World War I because of the German Revolution, not because of military defeat. On the other hand, radical left-wing ], such as the ], had wanted to abolish what they perceived as "]" in favour of a '']''. Paramilitary troops were set up by several parties and there were thousands of politically motivated murders. The paramilitary intimidated voters and seeded violence and anger among the public, which suffered from high unemployment and poverty. After a succession of unsuccessful cabinets, President ], seeing little alternative and pushed by right-wing advisors, appointed ] ] on ] ].

===Third Reich (1933&ndash;45)===
] and ] in ]-occupied ]]]
{{main|Nazi Germany|World War II}}

On ] ], the ]. Some basic democratic rights were quickly abrogated afterwards under an emergency decree. An ] gave Hitler's government full legislative power. Only the ] voted against it; the Communists were not able to present a viable opposition, as many of their deputies had already been murdered or imprisoned.<ref name="Stackelberg">Roderick Stackelberg, ''Hitler's Germany: origins, interpretations, legacies''. Routledge 1999, p. 103. ISBN 0415201144.</ref><ref>Scheck, Raffael. Colby College. Retrieved ], ].</ref> A centralised ] state was established by a series of moves and decrees making Germany a ]. Industry was closely regulated with quotas and requirements, to shift the economy towards a ]. In 1936 German troops entered the demilitarized ], and ] ]'s ] policies proved inadequate. Emboldened, Hitler followed from 1938 onwards a policy of ] to establish ]. To avoid a two-front war, Hitler concluded the ] with the ], a pact which was later broken by Germany.

In 1939, the ] led to the Germans ] a ] on ] against ], followed two days later by declarations of war by Britain and France, marking the beginning of World War II. Germany quickly gained direct or indirect control of ] of ].

], Potsdamer Platz 1945]]

On ] ], Hitler broke the pact with the Soviet Union by opening the ] and ]. Shortly after ] ], Germany declared war on the ]. Although initially the German army rapidly advanced into the Soviet Union, the ] marked a major turning point in the war. Subsequently, the German army commenced retreating on the Eastern Front, followed by the eventual defeat of Germany. On ] ], ] after the ] occupied ].

In what later became known as ], the Third Reich regime enacted governmental policies directly subjugating many parts of society: ]s, ], ], ], ], ], political dissidents, priests, preachers, ], and the ], amongst others. During the Nazi era, about eleven million people were murdered in the Holocaust, including six million Jews and three million ]. World War II and the Nazi genocide were responsible for about 35 million dead in Europe.
{{-}}

===Division and reunification (1945-90)===
] (in stripes) became a ] of France from 1947- 1956.]]
{{main|History of Germany since 1945}}

The war resulted in the death of nearly ten million German soldiers and civilians; ]; ] from its former eastern territories and other countries; and the destruction of multiple major cities. Germany and ] were partitioned by the ] into four military occupation zones. The sectors controlled by ], the ], and the ] were merged on ] ], to form the '']''; on ] ], the Soviet Zone established the '']''. In English, the two states were known informally as "]" and "]".

West Germany, established as a liberal parliamentary republic with a "]", was allied with the United States, the UK and France. The country eventually came to enjoy prolonged economic growth beginning in the early 1950s ('']''). West Germany joined ] in 1955 and was a founding member of the ] in 1958. Across the border, East Germany was at first occupied by, and later (May 1955) allied with, the USSR. An authoritarian country with a Soviet-style ], East Germany soon became the richest, most advanced country in the ], but many of its citizens looked to the West for political freedoms and economic prosperity.<ref>Colchester, Nico. ]. January 1, 2001. Retrieved ], ]</ref> The ], built in 1961 to stop East Germans from escaping to West Germany, became a symbol of the ]. However, tensions between East and West Germany were somewhat reduced in the early 1970s by Chancellor ]'s '']'', which included the ''de facto'' acceptance of Germany's territorial losses in World War II.

] that had partitioned ] in front of the ] shortly after the opening of the wall]]

In the face of a growing migration of East Germans to West Germany via ] and mass demonstrations during the summer of 1989, East German authorities unexpectedly eased the border restrictions in November, allowing East German citizens to travel to the West. This led to the acceleration of the process of reforms in East Germany that concluded with ] on ] ]. Under the terms of the treaty between West and East Germany, Berlin again became the capital of the reunited Germany.

Since reunification, Germany has taken a leading role in the ] and NATO. Germany sent a peacekeeping force to secure stability in the ] and sent a force of ] to ] as part of a NATO effort to provide ] after the ousting of the ].<ref name="ARM">Dempsey, Judy. International Herald Tribune. Oct. 31, 2006. Retrieved ], ]</ref>
{{-}}

==Government==
] is the old and new site of the German parliament.]]
{{main|Politics of Germany}}

Germany is a ], ], ] ] ]. The German political system operates under a framework laid out in the 1949 ] known as the ] (]). Amendments to the Grundgesetz require a two-thirds majority of both chambers of ]; the articles guaranteeing fundamental rights, a democratic state, and the right to resist attempts to overthrow the constitution are valid in perpetuity and cannot be amended.<ref></ref> The Grundgesetz remained in effect, with minor amendments, after ] in 1990, despite the intention of the Grundgesetz to be replaced by a proper constitution after the reunion. (Which was called Grundgesetz for precisely this reason.)

The ] is the ] and exercises ], similar to the role of a ]. Federal ] is vested in the parliament consisting of the '']'' (]) and '']'' (]), which together form a unique type of legislative body. The ''Bundestag'' is elected through ]s; the members of the ''Bundesrat'' represent the governments of the ] and are members of the state cabinets, which appoint them and can remove them at any time.

]'' has been the seat of the German Chancellor since 2001.]]

Since 1949, the party system has been dominated by the ] and the ]<ref> U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved ], ].</ref> although smaller parties, such as the liberal ] (which has had members in the Bundestag since 1949) and the ] (which has controlled seats in parliament since 1983) have also played important roles.

The German ] is the ], elected by the '']'' (federal convention), an institution consisting of the members of the ''Bundestag'' and an equal number of state delegates. The second highest official in the ] is the ], who is elected by the ''Bundestag'' itself. He or she is responsible for overseeing the daily sessions of the body. The third-highest official and the ] is the Chancellor. He or she is nominated by the President of Germany and elected by the ''Bundestag''. If necessary, he or she can be removed by a constructive ] by the ''Bundestag'', where "constructive" implies that the ''Bundestag'' needs to elect a successor.

===Foreign relations===
] meeting French President ] and Russian President ]]]
{{main|Foreign relations of Germany}}

Germany has played a leading role in the ] since its inception and has maintained a ] since the end of World War II. The alliance was especially close in the late 1980s and early 1990s under the leadership of ] ] and ] ]. Germany is at the forefront of European states seeking to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European political, defence and security apparatus.<ref> Elysee.fr May 13, 3004. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

Since its establishment on ] ], the Federal Republic of Germany kept a notably low profile in international relations, because of both its recent history and its occupation by foreign powers.<ref>Glaab, Manuela.&nbsp; Internationale Politik. Spring 2003. Retrieved ], ].</ref> During the Cold War, Germany's partition by the ] made it a symbol of East-West tensions and a political battleground in Europe. However, Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik was a key factor in the '']'' of the 1970s.<ref>Harrison, Hope. {{PDFlink||91.1&nbsp;]<!-- application/pdf, 93313 bytes -->}} GERMAN HISTORICAL INSTITUTE, WASHINGTON, DC, BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT 1, 2004, "AMERICAN DÉTENTE AND GERMAN OSTPOLITIK, 1969–1972".</ref> In 1999 Chancellor ]'s government defined a new basis for German foreign policy by taking a full part in the decisions surrounding the ] and by sending German troops into combat for the first time since World War II.<ref> ]. Oct. 14, 2005. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

]]]

Germany and the ] have been close allies since the end of World War II.<ref> U.S. Department of State. July 6, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> The ], the continued U.S. support during the rebuilding process after World War II, and strong cultural ties have crafted a strong bond between the two countries, although Schröder's very vocal opposition to the ] suggested the end of ] and a relative cooling of German-American relations.<ref>, ], July 6 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> The two countries are also economically interdependent; 8.8% of German exports are U.S.-bound and 6.6% of German imports originate from the U.S.<ref name="econ_factsheet_may2006">{{PDFlink||32.8&nbsp;]<!-- application/pdf, 33615 bytes -->}} U.S. Embassy in Berlin. May 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> The other way around, 8.8 % of U.S. exports ship to Germany and 9.8 % of U.S. imports come from Germany.<ref name="econ_factsheet_may2006"/> Other signs of the close ties include the continuing position of German-Americans as the largest ethnic group in the U.S.<ref> ] June 30, 2004. Retrieved ], ]</ref> and the status of ] (near ]) as the largest U.S. military community outside the U.S.<ref> U.S. Military. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

===Military===
] operation off the coast of Lebanon]]
{{main|Bundeswehr}}

Germany's military, the '']'', is a defence force with '']'' (Army), '']'' (Navy), '']'' (Air Force), ] (Central Medical Services) and '']'' (Joint Service Support Command) branches. Military Service is compulsory for men at the age of 18, and conscripts serve nine-month tours of duty (conscientious objectors may instead opt for an equal length of '']'' (roughly translated as civilian service), or a longer commitment to (voluntary) emergency services like a ], the ] or the ]). In 2003, military spending constituted 1.5% of the country's ].<ref name="CIA"/> In peacetime, the Bundeswehr is commanded by the Minister of Defence, currently ]. If Germany went to war, which according to the constitution is allowed only for defensive purposes, the Chancellor would become commander in chief of the ''Bundeswehr''.<ref> Bundestag.de Retrieved ], ].</ref>

As of October 2006, the German military had almost 9,000 troops stationed in foreign countries as part of various international peacekeeping forces, including 1,180 troops stationed in ]; 2,844 Bundeswehr soldiers in ]; 750 soldiers stationed as a part of ] in the ]; and 2,800 German troops in the NATO-led ] force in ]. As of February 2007, Germany had about 3000 ISAF troops in Afghanistan, the third largest contingent after the United States (14000) and the United Kingdom (5200).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.hq.nato.int/ISAF/media/pdf/placemat_isaf.pdf |title=NATO International Security Assistance Force Placemat|accessdate=2007-02-12 |date=Current as of 2007-02-07 |format=pdf}}</ref>'''

==Law==
] in ].]]
{{main|Judiciary of Germany}}

===Federal level===
The ] is independent of the executive and the legislative branches. Germany has a ] that is based on ] with some references to ]. The '']'' (Federal Constitutional Court), located in Karlsruhe, is the German Supreme Court responsible for constitutional matters, with power of ].<ref>, Bundesverfassungsgericht.de, Accessed April 13, 2007</ref> It acts as the highest legal authority and ensures that legislative and judicial practice conforms to the ] (Basic Law). It acts independently of the other state bodies, but cannot act on its own behalf.

Germany's supreme court system, called ''Oberste Gerichtshöfe des Bundes'', is specialized. For civil and criminal cases, the highest court of appeal is the ], located in ] and ]. The courtroom style is ]. Other Federal Courts are the ] in ], the ] in ], the ] in ] and the ] in Leipzig.

] and ] are codified on the national level in the '']'' and the '']'' respectively. The German penal system is aimed towards rehabilitation of the criminal; its secondary goal is the protection of the general public.<ref>, gesetze-im-internet.de, Accessed April 13, 2007</ref> To achieve the latter, a convicted criminal can be put in preventive detention (''Sicherheitsverwahrung'') in addition to the regular sentence if he is considered to be a threat to the general public. The ] regulates the consequences of ], ] and ]. It gives German courts ] if prosecution by a court of the country where the crime was committed, or by an international court, is not possible.

=== State level ===
Legislative power is divided between the federation and the state level. The Basic Law presumes that all legislative power remains at the state level unless otherwise designated by the Basic Law itself. In some areas, federal and state level have concurrent legislative power. In such cases, the federate level has power to legislation "if and to the extent that the establishment of equal living conditions throughout the federal territory or the maintenance of legal or economic unity renders federal regulation necessary in the national interest" (Art. 72 Basic Law).

] - Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1949]]

Any federal law overrides state law if the legislative power lies at the federal level. A famous example is the Hessian permission of the death penalty that goes against the ban of capital punishment by the Basic Law. The ] is the federal organ through which the states participate in national legislation. State participation in federal legislation is necessary if the law falls within the area of concurrent legislative power, requires states to administer federal regulations, or if designated so by the Basic Law. Every state with the exception of ] (whose constitutional jurisdiction is exercised by the Bundesverfassungsgericht in ]) has its own constitutional courts. The ]e, ''Landesgerichte'' and ''Oberlandesgerichte'' are state courts of ]. They are competent whether the action is based on federal or state law.

Many of the fundamental matters in ] remain in the jurisdiction of the states, though most states base their own laws in that area on the 1976 ''Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz'' (Administrative Proceedings Act) in important points of administrative law. The ''Oberverwaltungsgerichte'' are the highest levels in administrative jurisdiction concerning the state administrations, unless the question of law concerns federal law or state law identical to federal law. In such cases, final appeal to the Federal Administrative Court is possible.

==Administrative divisions==
{{main|List of administrative divisions of Germany|States of Germany}}

Germany is divided into ] (''Länder'', singular ''Land''; commonly ''Bundesländer'', singular ''Bundesland''). It is further subdivided into 439 districts ('']'') and cities (''kreisfreie Städte'') (2004).

{| style="background:transparent;" cellspacing="2px"
|
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:90%"
|- style="font-size:100%; text-align:left"
!width="140px"| ] !!width="80px"| ] !!width="80px"| ] !!width="80px"| ] </tr>
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|35,752 km²|| style="text-align:right"|10,717,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|70,549 km²|| style="text-align:right"|12,444,000
|-
| ] || ] ||style="text-align:right"|892 km²|| style="text-align:right"|3,400,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|29,477 km²|| style="text-align:right"|2,568,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|404 km²|| style="text-align:right"|663,000
|-
| ] || ] ||style="text-align:right"|755 km²|| style="text-align:right"|1,735,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|21,115 km²|| style="text-align:right"|6,098,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|23,174 km²|| style="text-align:right"|1,720,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|47,618 km²|| style="text-align:right"|8,001,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|34,043 km²|| style="text-align:right"|18,075,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|19,847 km²|| style="text-align:right"|4,061,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|2,569 km²|| style="text-align:right"|1,056,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|18,416 km²|| style="text-align:right"|4,296,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|20,445 km²|| style="text-align:right"|2,494,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|15,763 km²|| style="text-align:right"|2,829,000
|-
| ] || ] || style="text-align:right"|16,172 km²|| style="text-align:right"|2,355,000
|}
|
]
|}

==Geography and climate==
]
{{main|Geography of Germany}}

Germany has the second largest population in Europe (after European Russia) and is seventh largest in area. The territory of Germany covers ]&nbsp;]s (137,850&nbsp;]), consisting of 349,223&nbsp;square kilometres (134,835&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi) of land and 7,798&nbsp;square kilometres (3,010&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi) of water. Elevation ranges from the mountains of the ] (highest point: the ] at 2,962&nbsp;metres (9,718&nbsp;])) in the south to the shores of the ] (Nordsee) in the north-west and the ] (Ostsee) in the north-east. Between lie the forested uplands of central Germany and the low-lying lands of northern Germany (lowest point: ] at 3.54 metres (11.6&nbsp;ft) below sea level), traversed by some of Europe's major ]s such as the ], ] and ].<ref name="CIA"> CIA Factbook. November 14, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> Because of its central location, Germany shares borders with more European countries than any other country on the continent. Its neighbours are ] in the north, ] and the ] in the east, ] and ] in the south, ] and ] in the south-west and ] and the ] in the north-west.

] scenery in southern ].]]

Most of Germany has a cool, temperate climate in which humid westerly winds predominate. The climate is moderated by the ], which is the northern extension of the ]. This warmer water affects the areas bordering the North Sea including the peninsula of ] and the area along the Rhine, which flows into the North Sea. Consequently in the north-west and the north, the climate is ]; ] occurs year round with a maximum during summer. ]s there are mild and ]s tend to be cool, though temperatures can exceed 30&nbsp;°] (86&nbsp;°]) for prolonged periods. In the east, the climate is more ]; winters can be very cold, summers can be very warm, and long dry periods are often recorded. Central and southern Germany are transition regions which vary from moderately oceanic to continental. Again, the maximum temperature can exceed 30&nbsp;°C (86&nbsp;°F) in summer.<ref> Handbuch Deutschland. Retrieved ], ].</ref><ref> World Travels. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

==Economy==
] is Germany's financial centre.]]
{{main|Economy of Germany}}

Germany has the largest economy in ] and the third largest economy in the world, behind the ] and ].<ref>Tran, Mark. The Guardian. May 15, 2003. Retrieved ], ].</ref> It is ranked fifth in the world in terms of ].<ref> CIA Factbook 2005. Retrieved ], ].</ref> The export of goods is an essential part of the German ] and one of the main factors of its wealth. According to the ], Germany is the world's top exporter with $912 billion exported in 2005 (Germany's exports to other ] countries are included in this total).<ref name="cnn"/> It has a large ] (160.6 billion euros in 2005).<ref name="cnn"/><ref> BBC. Feb. 8, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> In the ], Germany ranks second behind the United States.<ref name="cnn"/> Most of the country's exports are in engineering, especially in automobiles, machinery, and chemical goods.<ref name="CIA"/> In terms of total capacity to generate electricity from wind power, Germany is first in the world and it is also the main exporter of wind turbines.<ref> Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Germany) Retrieved ], ].</ref>

]. Germany is the world's leading exporter of goods in 2003- 2006.]]

Although problems created by ] in 1990 have begun to diminish,<ref name="FR">Berg, S., Winter, S., Wassermann, A. Spiegel Online International. Sep. 5, 2005. Retrieved ], ].</ref> the ] remains higher in the western half of the country. Germans continue to be concerned about a relatively high level of unemployment, especially in the former East German states where unemployment tops 18%.<ref name="FR"/> In spite of its extremely good performance in international trade, domestic demand has stalled for many years because of stagnating wages and consumer insecurity. Germany's government runs a restrictive ] and has cut numerous regular jobs in the ].<ref> Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Retrieved ], ].</ref> But while regular employment in the public sector shrank, "irregular" government employment such as ] (temporary low-wage positions), government supported self-employment, and job training increased.<ref>Weber, Tim. BBC. Sep. 16, 2005. Retrieved ], ].</ref> The national economy has nonetheless shown signs of improvement in recent years, the economics magazine ''Handelsblatt'' declaring it one of the most competitive in the Eurozone. Economists for the ] in Berlin expect Germany's economic growth to increase consistently over the next two years.<ref name="Deutsche Welle, German economic upswing in 2007">{{cite web |url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2299566,00.html |title=Deutsche Welle, German economic upswing in 2007 |accessdate=2007-03-14}}</ref>

=== Infrastructure ===

In 2002 Germany was the world’s fifth largest consumer of energy, and two-thirds of its primary energy was imported. In the same year, Germany was Europe’s largest consumer of electricity; electricity consumption that year totaled 512.9 billion kilowatt-hours.
Government policy emphasizes conservation and the development of ] sources, such as solar, wind, ], hydro, and ]. As a result of energy-saving measures, ] (the amount of energy required to produce a unit of gross domestic product) has been improving since the beginning of the 1970s. The government has set the goal of meeting half the country’s energy demands from renewable sources by 2050. In 2000 the government and the ] agreed to phase out all ]s by 2021.<ref>, BBC, Accessed April 13, 2007</ref> However, renewables currently play a more modest role in energy consumption. In 2002 energy consumption was met by the following sources: oil (40%), coal (23%), natural gas (22%), nuclear (11%), hydro (2%), and other (2%).

==Demography==
] is Germany's capital and largest city.]]
{{main|Demography of Germany|Social issues in Germany}}

With over 82 million inhabitants, Germany is the most populous country in the European Union. However, its ] of 1.39 children per mother is one of the lowest in the world,<ref name="CIA"/> and the federal statistics office estimates the population will shrink to approximately 75 million by 2050.<ref name="p2300022"/> ] is thought to be the city with the lowest birth rate in the world.<ref> BBC. Aug. 15, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> Germany has a number of larger cities, the most populous being ], ], ], ], ] and ]. By far the largest ] is the ] region, including ] (the capital of ]) and the cities of ], ], ], ] and ].

] and the ] are combined.]]

As of December 2004, about seven million foreign citizens were registered in Germany and 19% of the country's residents were of foreign or partially foreign descent. The largest group (2.3 million)<ref>Bernstein, Richard. New York Times. March 29, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> is from ], and a majority of the rest are from European states such as ], ], ], ], and ].<ref> Federal Statistical Office Germany January 24, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> In its ''State of World Population 2006'' report, the ] lists Germany as hosting the third-highest percentage of international migrants worldwide, about 5% or 10 million of all 191 million migrants.<ref> United Nations Population Fund. 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> As a consequence of ] of Germany's formerly rather unrestricted laws on ] and immigration, the number of immigrants seeking asylum or claiming German ethnicity (mostly from the former Soviet Union) has been declining steadily since 2000.<ref>{{de icon}} , German Federal Statistics Bureau (Statistiches Bundesamt Deutschland), July 6 2006. Retrieved on ], ].</ref> Immigrants to Germany often face integration issues among other difficulties.<ref> Deutsche Welle. Apr. 17, 2004. Retrieved ], ].</ref> There has also been a recent surge in right-wing nationalist crimes. According to former Interior Minister ], this trend does not necessarily indicate a rise in membership in ] groups.<ref> Euro-Islam.info. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

===Religion===
{{main|Religion in Germany}}
] at the ] river is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.]]

] (concentrated in the north and east) and ] (concentrated in the south and west) ] about 31% of the population. The current ], ], was born in ]. In total, more than 55 million people officially belong to a ] denomination. Non-religious people, including ] and ] amount to 28.5% of the population, and are especially numerous in the former ].<ref>{{de icon}} Religiosenwissenschaftlicher Medien- und Informationsdienst. November 4, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> About three million ]s<ref> ''Deccan Herald'' from ] ], ]. Retrieved ], ].</ref> live in Germany. Most are ] and ] from ], but there are a small number of ].<ref> Euro-Islam.info. Retrieved ], ].</ref> Germany has Western Europe's third-largest ].<ref>Blake, Mariah. ]. November 10,2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> In 2004, twice as many Jews from former ] republics settled in Germany as in ], bringing the total Jewish population to more than 200,000, compared to 30,000 prior to ]. Large cities with significant Jewish populations include ], ] and ].<ref> European Jewish Congress. Retrieved ], ].</ref> According to the Deutsche Buddhistische Union (German Buddhist Union), an umbrella organisation of the Buddhist groups in Germany, there are about 250,000 active Buddhists in Germany, 50% of them are immigrated Asians.<ref>] 12/07, page 13</ref>

==Education==
]]]

Responsibility for educational oversight in Germany lies primarily with the ] individually whilst the government only has a minor role.<!--Kulturhoheit--> Optional ] education is provided for all children between three and six years old, after which school attendance is ] for at least ten years. ] usually lasts for four years and public schools are not stratified at this stage.<ref name="ED">{{PDFlink||177&nbsp;]<!-- application/pdf, 181927 bytes -->}} U.S. Library of Congress. Dec. 2005. Retrieved ], ].</ref> In contrast, ] includes four types of schools based on a pupil's ability as determined by teacher recommendations: the ] includes the most gifted children and prepares students for university studies and attendance lasts eight or nine years depending on the state; the ] has a broader range of emphasis for intermediary students and lasts six years; the ] prepares pupils for vocational education, and the ] or comprehensive school combines the three approaches.<ref name="ED"/>

] in Shanghai is developed jointly by ] and ].]]

To enter a university, high school students are required to take the ] examination, similar to ]s; however, students possessing a diploma from a ] may also apply to enter. A special system of apprenticeship called ''Duale Ausbildung'' allows pupils in vocational training to learn in a company as well as in a state-run school.<ref name="ED"/> Although Germany has had a history of a strong educational system, recent ] demonstrated a weakness in certain subjects. In the PISA Study, a test of thirty-one countries, in 2000 Germany ranked twenty-first in reading and twentieth in both ] and the ], prompting calls for reform.<ref> Deutsche Welle. Apr. 12, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

Most German universities are state-owned and charge for tuition fees ranging from €50-500 per semester from each student.<ref> German Academic Exchange Service. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

Important research institutions in Germany are the ], the ] and the ]. They are independently or externally connected to
the university system and contribute to a considerable extent to the scientific output. The prestigious award ] 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.<ref>, DFG, Accessed March 12, 2007</ref>


==Culture ==
]]]
{{main|Culture of Germany}}

Germany is often called ''Das Land der Dichter und Denker'' (the land of poets and thinkers).<ref>Wasser, Jeremy. Spiegel Online International. Apr. 6, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> German culture began long before the rise of Germany as a ] and spanned the entire German-speaking world. From its roots, culture in Germany has been shaped by major intellectual and popular currents in Europe, both religious and ]. As a result, it is difficult to identify a specific German tradition separated from the larger context of European ].<ref> Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> German literature can be traced back to the Middle Ages and the works of writers such as ] and ]. Various German authors and poets have won great renown, including ] and ]. The collections of folk tales published by the ] popularized ] on the international level.
Influential authors of the 20th century include ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="nobel">{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/articles/espmark/index.html|title=The Nobel Prize in Literature|publisher=Nobelprize.org|date=1999-12-03|author=Kjell Espmark|accessdate=2006-08-14}}</ref>

]]]

Germany's ] is historically significant and many notable German philosophers have helped shape ] since the Middle Ages. ]'s contributions to ], ]'s, ]'s, ]'s and ]'s establishment of the classical ], ]'s and ]' formulation of ], ]'s composition of metaphysical pessimism, ]'s development of ], ]'s works on Being, and the social theories of ] were especially influential.

Germany claims some of the world's most renowned ] composers, including ], ], ] and ]. As of 2006, Germany is the fifth largest music market in the world<ref> P2pnet.net Apr. 7, 2004. Retrieved ], ].</ref> and has influenced ] and ] through artists such as ], ], and ].

] in February]]

Numerous German painters have enjoyed international prestige through their work in diverse artistic currents. ] and ] were important artists of the ], ] of ], and ] of ]. ] contributions from Germany include the ] and ], which were important precursors of ]. The region later became the site for significant works in styles such as ], ] and ]. Germany was particularly important in the early ], especially through the ] movement founded by ].<ref> A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (Paperback), Second (in English), Oxford University Press, 880. ISBN 0198606788</ref>

German cinema dates back to the very early years of the medium with the work of ]. It was particularly influential during the years of the Weimar Republic with ] such as ] and ]. The Nazi era produced mostly propaganda films although the work of ] still introduced new aesthetics in film.<ref>, FILMBUG, Accessed April 13, 2007</ref> From the 1960s, ] directors such as ], ], ], ] placed West-German cinema back onto the international stage with their often provocative films.<ref>, Fassbinder Foundation, Accessed April 13, 2007</ref> More recently, films such as '']'' (1981), '']'' (1998), '']'' (2001), '']'' (2003), '']'' (2004) and '']'' (2004) have enjoyed international success. The ] went to the German production '']'' in 1979, to '']'' in 2002, and to '']'' in 2007.<ref>, IMDb, Accessed April 13, 2007</ref> The ], held yearly since 1951, is one of the world's foremost film festivals.<ref>'', International Federation of Film Producers Associations, retrieved on December 11, 2006.''</ref>

===Science===
{{main|Science and technology in Germany}}
] presenting ] with the Max-Planck medal in 1929]]

Germany has been the home of some of the most prominent researchers in various scientific fields.<ref> German Academic Exchange Service (], ]). Retrieved ], ].</ref> The work of ] and ] was crucial to the foundation of modern ], which ] and ] developed further.<ref>Roberts, J. M. ''The New Penguin History of the World'', Penguin History, 2002. Pg. 1014. ISBN 0141007230.</ref> They were preceded by physicists such as ], ], and ]. ] discovered ]s, an accomplishment that made him the first winner of the ] in 1901.<ref> History Channel from ''The World Almanac and Book of Facts'' 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> ]'s work in the domain of ] was pivotal to the development of modern ].<ref> International Telecommunication Union. January 14, 2004. Retrieved ], ].</ref> Through his construction of the first laboratory at the ] in 1879, ] is credited with the establishment of ] as an independent empirical science.<ref>Kim, Alan. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Jun. 16, 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> ]'s work as a natural scientist and explorer was foundational to ].<ref>, Humboldt Field Research Institute and Eagle Hill Foundation. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

Numerous significant ]s were born in Germany, including ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Germany has been the home of many famous ]s and ]s, such as ], who is credited with the invention of ] ] in Europe; ], the creator of the ]; and ], who built the first fully automatic digital computer.<ref>Horst, Zuse. Everyday Practical Electronics (EPE) Online. Retrieved ], ].</ref> German inventors, engineers and industrialists such as ], ], ], ], ] and ] helped shape modern automotive and air transportation technology.<ref> Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref><ref> U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

===Sports===
] in ] is a major ] stadium and was the venue for the ] opening ceremony.]]
{{main|Sport in Germany}}

Sport forms an integral part of German life, as demonstrated by the fact that twenty-seven million Germans are members of a sports club and an additional twelve million pursue such an activity individually.<ref name="sports"> Germany Embassy in Washington, D.C. Retrieved ], ].</ref> ] is by far the most popular sport; the ] (''Deutscher Fussballbund''), with more than 6.3 million members, is the largest sports organisation of this kind worldwide.<ref name="sports"/> It also attracts the greatest audience, with hundreds of thousands of spectators attending '']'' matches and millions more watching on television. Germany's national ] and ] organisations boast more than a million members each. Other popular sports include ], ], ], and ].<ref name="sports"/> Historically, Germany has been one of the strongest contenders in the ]. In the ], Germany finished sixth in the medal count,<ref> International Olympic Committee. Retrieved ], ].</ref> while in the ] they finished first.<ref> International Olympic Committee. Retrieved ], ].</ref>

==See also==
{{Topics in Germany}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{portal|Germany|Flag of Germany.svg}}
{{sisterlinks|Germany}}
{{cookbook}}
<!--

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'''General'''
* &mdash; Official German portal
*
* &mdash; Germany's international broadcaster
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* {{PDFlink||1.28&nbsp;]<!-- application/pdf, 1349475 bytes -->}}
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'''Facts and figures'''
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* &mdash; by the German Federal Foreign Office
* &mdash; Representative for Migration, Refugees and Integration
* {{en icon}} &mdash; Federal Statistical Office Germany

'''Travel'''
*{{wikitravel|Germany}}
* &mdash; by the German National Tourist Office

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Revision as of 10:07, 9 May 2007