Deutschland karte

Germany Political Map

Germany is a country in Central Europe, bordering Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France and Luxembourg to the southwest, and Belgium and the Netherlands to the northwest .

Germany has a population of 82 million. As an important economic power in Europe, Germany is one of the largest economies in Europe and the fourth largest economy in the world. Thirty-seven of the global Fortune 500 companies are based in Germany, including leading automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen.

Germany consists of sixteen states, also known as Länder, which are governed at state level and divided into administrative districts. Each state in Germany has its own seat of government in the respective capital. Berlin is the capital of germany. Bavaria is the largest state in Germany, covering a quarter of the south-east of the country. The most populous state in Germany is North Rhine-Westphalia, with the seat of government in Düsseldorf.

Larger cities in Germany

Berlin is the capital of Germany and its most populous city with approximately 3.5 million inhabitants. It is located in the federal state of the same name and in eastern Germany. Berlin is known for its museums, architecture, world-class universities and research institutes.

Other larger cities in Germany are Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt and Stuttgart.

Gain an insight into the Federal Republic of Germany using the Germany maps. The maps of Germany, the maps of the German federal states and the city plans of German cities in this part are valuable sources to get to know Germany better.

• Outline map of Germany
• Map of the German federal states and their capitals
• Map of German capitals and cities
• City maps of German cities
• Maps of the German federal states

Germany, a federal, parliamentary republic in central-western Europe, is the fourth largest economy by nominal GDP and fifth largest by purchasing power parity. The official name is Federal Republic of Germany and the population is 81.8 million.

story

The Germanic people go back to the Nordic Bronze Age or the pre-Roman Iron Age in the far north of present-day Germany and Scandinavia. In 843, Germany emerged as an independent entity from the Frankish Empire. The German territories became the central part of the Holy Roman Empire in 962 and King Otto I of Germany became Roman Emperor.

In 1250 Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen died and the empire began to collapse, splitting into independent territories without a central government. Later, in 1438, the Habsburg dynasty was formed. The Thirty Years’ War was a war against Protestant princes that began in 1618 and lasted until 1648.

In 1806 the Holy Roman Empire was abolished by Francis II, who then became Emperor of Austria. Germany was reunited under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck in 1871. The government consisted of an elected national parliament, the Reichstag, and an emperor, who was very powerful. In 1888, when Wilhelm II became Kaiser, Germany began its colonial expansion and military build-up.

From 1914 to 1918 Germany played an important role in the First World War. After their defeat in 1918, an armistice was signed and Kaiser Wilhelm II was exiled. The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 forced Germany to give up its colonies and pay war reparations. In the same year, the Weimar Republic was founded with a new constitution and the country struggled economically in the first few years.

In 1923, Germany witnessed the rise of Adolf Hitler, who headed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party. After years of unemployment and depression in Germany in the late 1920s and early 1930s, Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 and soon thereafter proclaimed the Third Reich in 1934. During this period the persecution of the Jews, who were sometimes stripped of their citizenship, began. From 1939 to 1945, Germany played a central role in World War II. The genocide of millions of people (especially Jews, Sinti and Roma, Slavs, homosexuals and disabled people) from 1942 to 1945 is known today as the Holocaust. Germany was defeated in 1945 and then divided and occupied by the allied nations. The USA, France and Britain each divided West Germany into thirds along with West Berlin. The western half of Germany became the Federal Republic of Germany, while the Soviets controlled the east, which became the communist East Germany. In 1961 the Berlin Wall was built, physically separating the two halves of the city.

The Berlin Wall was finally torn down in 1989 and Germany began to reunite for the second time in 1990 with Berlin as the capital. Allied and Russian forces remain in Germany until 1994.

In 2002, Germany adopted the euro as its currency, replacing the Deutsche Mark (DM). Like many other parts of the world, Germany faced an economic recession from around 2008 to 2010.

geography

Germany is located in Western and Central Europe and borders a total of nine neighboring countries: Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. The North Sea and the Baltic Sea border Germany in the north. With a total area of ​​357,021 square kilometers, Germany is the seventh largest country in Europe.

Important geographic features of Germany are the Alps, where glaciers are found, the forested low mountain ranges in areas such as central Germany, the Bavarian Forest and the Black Forest in southern Germany, and the lowlands of northern Germany. The major rivers in Germany are the Rhine, the Danube and the Elbe.

community

Germany is a federal parliamentary republic, with the President as head of state at the highest level of government. The second highest official is the President of the Bundestag or Parliament, who is elected by the Bundestag. The next tier is the Chancellor, whose role is similar to that of a Prime Minister.

Germany is divided into sixteen states, or federal states, each with its own constitution. These federal states are relatively autonomous and are subdivided in different ways due to their different sizes. Berlin and Hamburg are city-states that are further divided into districts, while Bremen is a city-state that is divided into two districts.

The states are subdivided into administrative districts, rural districts, urban districts, offices and municipalities. There are a total of 403 districts at municipal level in Germany, of which 301 are rural districts and 102 are urban districts.

Trip

For tourists, there are many places to visit throughout Germany and options for every type of traveler. From the big cities like Berlin and Hamburg, which have both modern and historical sights to visit, to the many castles, the Black Forest, which is the setting for most of the fairy tales known today, Germany offers a variety of travel options. With such a long, eventful history, there are many historical monuments and destinations in Germany, such as the Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Munich offers excellent cultural experiences, beautiful architecture, natural beauty and the world famous Oktoberfest in autumn. Located on the Elbe, Dresden offers great landscapes and cathedrals and other historic buildings.

Apart from the numerous famous sights and monuments located in Germany, vibrant, unique cultures with their own culinary and musical specialties can be found in every region. Known for its liberal drinking laws and love of beer, Germany has a strong nightlife scene in several of its major cities such as Berlin and Hamburg.

training

Education in Germany is regulated at state level, so each state has its own system. The school system begins with kindergarten, which is optional and is intended for children aged three to six years. This is followed by primary school from six to either ten or twelve years.

Germany has a few types of secondary schools, which vary by state. Gymnasium is a preparatory school for college or university, ending after grade twelve or thirteen. The Realschule is for middle school students and ends after the tenth grade. The Hauptschule prepares the students for vocational training and concludes after the ninth or tenth grade. It is possible to transfer from the Hauptschule to the Realschule. Another type of school is the comprehensive school, which uses a combination of approaches. A reform movement in the 1960s attempted to unify secondary education to make all schools comprehensive.

Those who have completed high school are eligible for entry to colleges. Universities in Germany are usually public schools with little or no tuition fees. The university system is well respected, also internationally. Pupils on other educational paths can start an apprenticeship or continue their education at vocational schools. Dual training programs are available that provide general education in addition to vocational training.

useful information

Beer is Germany’s national alcoholic drink – German beer consumption was around 121.4 liters per person in 2009.

There are around 1,300 breweries in Germany.

• Germany is the most populous member state in the EU.
• Germany is the largest economy in the EU and the fourth largest in the world.
• In 1957, Germany was a founding member of the European Economic Community, the forerunner of the EU.
• The most common surname in Germany is Müller.
• Oktoberfest actually starts in September.
• The first printed book was in German.