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Germany
Country Name
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
conventional short form: Germany
local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland
local short form: Deutschland
former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich
conventional short form: Germany
local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland
local short form: Deutschland
former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich
Location
Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark.
Area
total: 357,021 sq km
land: 349,223 sq km
water: 7,798 sq km
land: 349,223 sq km
water: 7,798 sq km
Land boundaries
total: 3,621 km
border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km
border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km
Capital
Berlin
Other major cities
Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Essen
Time Zone
Germany is in the Central European Time Zone. Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).
Like most countries in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Germany, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).
After the Summer months the time in Germany is shifted back by 1 hour to Central European Time (CET) or (GMT+1).
Like most countries in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Germany, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).
After the Summer months the time in Germany is shifted back by 1 hour to Central European Time (CET) or (GMT+1).
Typical Flying Time from UK
Approximate flight times from Bremen to London is 1 hour 15 minutes; from Hamburg to London is 1 hour 40 minutes; Hannover to London is 1 hour 20 minutes; from Cologne/ Bonn to London is 1 hour 25 minutes; from Frankfurt/M to London is 1 hour 40 minutes; from Nuremberg to London is 1 hours 35 minutes; and from Munich to London is 2 hours 35 minutes (with one stop)
Government type
federal republic
Administrative divisions
16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia); note - Bayern, Sachsen, and Thueringen refer to themselves as free states (Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat)
UK Embassy
Wilhelmstrasse 70
10117 Berlin
Tel: +49 (30) 20457-0
10117 Berlin
Tel: +49 (30) 20457-0
Chamber of Commerce
British Chamber of Commerce in Germany
Französische Str. 48
D-10117 Berlin
Tel: +49 (0) 30 20 67 08-0
Fax: +49 (0) 30 20 67 08-29
Web: www.bccg.de
Französische Str. 48
D-10117 Berlin
Tel: +49 (0) 30 20 67 08-0
Fax: +49 (0) 30 20 67 08-29
Web: www.bccg.de
Population
82,400,996 (July 2007 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.033% (2007 est.)
Ethnic groups
German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)
Religions
Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%
Languages
German
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
Typical working hours
0900-1700 Mon-Fri (many offices close earlier on Fri)
National Holidays
| 2007 | 2008 | |
| 1 Jan New Year’s Day. 6 Jan* Epiphany. 6 Apr Good Friday. 9 Apr Easter Monday. 1 May Labour Day. 17 May Ascension. 28 May Whit Monday. 7 Jun* Corpus Christi. 15 Aug* Assumption. 3 Oct Day of German Unity. 31 Oct* Day of Reformation. 1 Nov* All Saints' Day. 21 Nov* Repentance Day. 25-26 Dec Christmas. |
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 6 Jan* Epiphany. 21 Mar Good Friday. 24 Mar Easter Monday. 1 May Labour Day. 1 May Ascension. 12 May Whit Monday. 22 May* Corpus Christi. 15 Aug* Assumption. 3 Oct Day of German Unity. 31 Oct* Day of Reformation. 1 Nov* All Saints’ Day. 19 Nov* Repentance Day. 25-26 Dec Christmas. |
Note: *Epiphany, Corpus Christi, Assumption, Day of Reformation, All Saints’ Day and Repentance Day are not observed in all areas. Consult the German National Tourist Office for details.
Currency
euro (EUR)
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.585 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.89 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
2.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$31,400 (2006 est.)
Exports
$1.133 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - partners
France 10.2%, US 8.8%, UK 7.9%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 6.1%, Belgium 5.6%, Austria 5.4%, Spain 5.1% (2005)
Imports
$916.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - partners
France 8.7%, Netherlands 8.5%, US 6.6%, China 6.4%, UK 6.3%, Italy 5.7%, Belgium 5%, Austria 4% (2005)
International Country Code
DE
Internet country code
.de
International Dialling Code
49
Telephones - main lines in use
55.046 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
79.2 million (2005)
Weights and Measures
Metric system
Electricity Supply
220V AC 50Hz
Import Formalities
For Bill of Lading, Consular Invoices, Certificates of Origin, Commercial Invoices, Special Certificates and other forms visit Exporter's Guide to Import Formalities
Duty & Tariffs
Visit the Applied Tariffs Database
UK regulations & controls
All goods must be declared to Customs on leaving the EC (generally arranged by the freight forwarder/carrier). The export declaration for shipments leaving the EC from a UK port or airport is via the electronic system known as NES. All goods subject to Export Controls (ie covered by an export licence — SIEL, OGEL or OIEL), coming under CAP regulations or otherwise controlled under Customs regulations (eg under IPR/OPR, etc) must be exported with a full declaration unless the shipper is authorised to use one of the simplified NES procedures. All shipments must be given a Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) made up of the shipper’s VAT No., TURN and export reference, eg invoice number.
Export Controls: Some classes of goods are controlled under national and EU regulations, eg military goods and dual-use technology. For UK supplies, these are listed at The Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
Other goods not listed in the statutory instruments may be controlled if their end-use involves chemical, biological or nuclear weapons or the means of delivering them. Controlled dual-use goods (goods capable of being used for civil or military purposes but not specially designed for military purposes) can mostly be moved freely within the EU and to certain non-EU countries under the Community General Export Authorisation (CGEA).
Ports
Bremen, Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Mainz, Rostock, Wilhemshaven
Air Lines
Lufthansa
Airports
554 (2006)
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