Germany

As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation, Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Languages & Population

Approximate Population: 82,400,996 (July 2007 est.)

Nationality (Noun): German(s)

Nationality (Adjective): German

Official Language(s): German

Major Languages Spoken: German, Yiddish, Luxemburgian

Country Facts

Country Name (long form): Federal Republic of Germany

Country Name (short form): Germany

Country Name (local long form): Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Country Name (local short form): Deutschland

Name of Capital: Berlin

UTC Time Difference (from capital): UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Countries Near by, and Bordering Germany: Switzerland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France

Land Area: 349223 sq km

Water Area: 7798 sq km

Comparative Area: slightly smaller than Montana

Total Land Boundry: 3,621 km

Coastline: 2,389 km

National Holiday: Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

International Phone Code: 49

Currency Code: euro (EUR)

Internet Country Code: .de

US Embassy Location: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new embassy will be built near the Brandenb

US Embassy Mailing Address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265

Services In, and Related to Germany

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