Country Summary
Introduction
Background
As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. Divided after World War II, the decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German reunification in 1990.
Geography
Area
total: 357,022 sq km
land: 348,672 sq km
water: 8,350 sq km
Climate
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind
Natural resources
coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land
People and Society
Population
84,316,622 (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
German 86.3%, Turkish 1.8%, Polish 1%, Syrian 1%, Romanian 1%, other/stateless/unspecified 8.9% (2020 est.)
Languages
German (official); note - Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
Religions
Roman Catholic 26.7%, Protestant 24.3%, Muslim 3.5%, other 4.8%, none 40.7% (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.11% (2022 est.)
Government
Government type
federal parliamentary republic
Capital
name: Berlin
Executive branch
chief of state: President Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (since 19 March 2017)
head of government: Chancellor Olaf SCHOLZ (since 8 December 2021)
Legislative branch
description: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of:
Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 seats statutory, 71 current; members appointed by each of the 16 state governments)
Federal Diet or Bundestag (736 seats statutory, 736 for the 2021-25 term - total seats can vary each electoral term; currently includes 4 seats for independent members; approximately one-half of members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and approximately one-half directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members' terms depend upon the states they represent)
Economy
Economic overview
leading EU services-based export-driven economy; COVID-19 disrupted its modern manufacturing sector; highly skilled and educated labor force; positive current account balances; increasing public debt; low defense spending; second Russian gas pipeline
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$4.239 trillion (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$50,900 (2020 est.)
Agricultural products
milk, sugar beets, wheat, barley, potatoes, pork, maize, rye, rapeseed, triticale
Industries
among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, automobiles, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles
Exports
$1.672 trillion (2020 est.)
Exports - partners
United States 9%, France 8%, China 7%, Netherlands 6%, United Kingdom 6%, Italy 5%, Poland 5%, Austria 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, aircraft, medical cultures/vaccines, industrial machinery (2019)
Imports
$1,452,300,000,000 (2020 est.)
Imports - partners
Netherlands 9%, China 8%, France 7%, Belgium 6%, Poland 6%, Italy 6%, Czechia 5%, United States 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines (2019)
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Page last updated: Thursday, December 22, 2022
