THE Germanyis the most populous country (not counting the Russia) and rich from Europe, having great relevance in regional and world decisions at the most varied levels: politics, economy, social aspects, among others.
See below some general data taken from the digital platforms of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The latter has a channel that addresses various data from all countries around the globe.
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General data for Germany
- Official name: Federal Republic of Germany
- Gentile: german/german
- Extensionterritorial: 357,022 km²
- Location: West of the European continent, also known as Western Europe.
- capital: Berlin
- Climate: much of the territory has a temperate oceanic climate, with abundant and frequent rainfall, in addition to summers not too hot and winters not very strict.
- Government: has a parliamentary system developed by the 1949 Constitution. This system has two political leaders: the chancellor, who is elected by Parliament (a kind of the Chamber of Deputies here in Brazil), and the president of the republic, elected by an electoral college, The Bundesversammlung, for a term of five years. Although he is a head of state, the president has attributions of public office appointments and sanctions of laws, with the chancellor being a more executive figure and with greater responsibilities in foreign affairs.
- Divisionadministrative: the country is divided into 16 states. Are they:
- Baden-Württemberg
- Bavaria
- Berlin
- Brandenburg
- Bremen
- Hamburg
- Hessen
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Lower Saxony
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Rhineland-Palatinate
- Saarland, Saxony
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Schleswig-Holstein
- Thuringia
- Languageofficial: German
- religions: there is a division between:
- Catholics (29% of the population);
- Protestants (28% of the population);
- Muslims (5% of the population);
- a majority group of 32% of people who do not have a religion.
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- Population: 83,027,046 inhabitants|1|
- Densitydemographic: 238.48 inhab/km²|1|
- IndexinDevelopmentHuman (HDI): 0,939|1| — the fourth largest in the world
- Coin: Euro
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 3,949,549 x 10,000,000 dollars|1|, being the fourth largest economy on the planet.
- GDP per capita: $47,514|1|
- Gini Index: 0,31|1|
- Timezone: is located at the following coordinates — 5th N 9th E, which makes Germany's time zone GMT +1:00 hour, being 1h ahead of London, where the Greenwich Meridian is, and 4h ahead of Brasília, official time in Brazil.
- foreign relations: has several relationships with the most varied international organizations:
- world Bank
- International Monetary Fund
- United Nations Organizations
- European Union
Germany's flag
Map of Germany
Germany is located in western part of europe and borders the following countries:
- Denmark, to the north, beyond the North Sea and Baltic Sea;
- Belgium, France, Netherlands and Luxembourg, to the west;
- Austria and Switzerland, South;
- Poland and Czech republic, to the east.
geography of germany
Located in western Europe, Germany has temperate oceanic climate, with direct influence from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. This influence, known as maritime, causes the rains are abundant in the country throughout the year, especially between April and August, making summers hot and rainy further north. In the center and south of the country, sea levels decrease, which makes summers milder and winters cold, with temperatures that can reach -5 ºC.
In terms of relief, the country has flat areas to the north, and, going towards the south, altitudes begin to rise. It's in the south, in the ABavarian lpes, which we find the highest peak in Germany, with 3000 m of altitude, on the border with Austria.
At hydrography, three rivers are worth mentioning: the Rhine, Danube and Elbe, which are navigable in most of its channels, with the country having one of the largest waterways of the globe.
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Germany Demographics
The German population, like that of most European countries, has a birth rate very low, being one of the smallest in the world. According to a survey of data from all countries, by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), this rate in Germany, in 2017, was 9.5, which leaves this nation in the 170th position out of 185 consulted.
THE population growth rate in the period from 2015 to 2020 was 0.2%, which is worrying if we analyze it from the point of view of labor and social security. As a comparison, in the same period, the Brazilian population grew by 0.75%. A population that grows so little worries public entities, as the replacement of the Economically Active Population (PEA) it is low and the rate of adults and elderly people goes in the opposite direction, increasing expenses with the elderly's health and with the payment of pensions.
This low growth can be explained:
- by increasing the quality of life;
- by greater female participation in the labor market;
- by longer life expectancy;
- by the increase in urban life, among other factors.
To alleviate this low index, the German government encourages the arrival of immigrants, in addition to generous maternity and paternity leave, up to a year, for both mothers and fathers.
Germany economy
Being the richest country in Europe and the fourth largest economy in the world, behind U.S, China and Japan, Germany has a very diversified economy, being the third country in the world that exports the most, behind the China and the United States. However, the German territory is poor in some natural resources, being imported from other countries, such as the Petroleum it's the natural gas. O coal, which was the basis of its industrialization in the 19th century, supplies the country with 20% of all needs.
The main industrial areas in the country are located in the Ruhr Valley, which is crossed by the River Rhine, in addition to the cities of Berlin, Munich, Leipzig, Stuttgart and Hannover. This valley is the most industrialized region in Europe and is part of a transport flow that is connected to the port of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, the main port on the continent. The industrial highlights are on account of the industries:
- automaker
- chemistry
- steel mill
- electronics
THE western part of germany is the most developed in economic terms. This is explained by historical issues, due to the division of the country during the period of Cold War. Such division made the western part to develop more than the eastern part, as there were strong investments of capitalist industries in the region.
The cities Munich and Stuttgart are known for home to the main German high-tech industries, such as DaimlerChrysler, which produces luxury cars, being one of the largest transnationals of the world.
Tourism in Germany
Traveling through Germany is always a full plate in several aspects, especially in gastronomy (with beers and sausages) and in historic landscapes. It is necessary to know the climatic conditions of the country to be able to successfully enjoy the beauty and flavors offered there. It is said that the best time to visit it is between April and October, during the spring and summer, but the other months of the year can also be chosen by tourists.
Brazilians need a visa to enter the country and stay with this visa for up to 90 days, as long as the reservation and quantity are confirmed. of enough money for the stipulated period, in addition to the presentation of proof of return to the country of origin, that is, the passage of return.
The most visited cities are: Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Nuremberg and Frankfurt. Nevertheless, the country is full of amazing places to see, like Rothenburg and Heidelberg, cities famous for their medieval and elegant looks.
Berlin is the most visited city in the country. Because it is the capital and is home to remnants of the Berlin Wall, historical icon of the Cold War, this city still has the memorial to the jews, important construction to remember a sad part of world history. In addition to Berlin, another city full of historical knowledge is Munich, which houses the Museum District, with works by great artists, among them van gogh and Leonardo da Vinci. This city hosts the biggest and most famous beer party in the world, the Oktoberfest.
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culture of germany
German culture is appreciated in much of the world. Several German habits were incorporated by other parts of the globe, mainly the gastronomic, such as beer and the black forest cake, a significant culinary milestone in Germany. Oktoberfest, a traditional beer party, brings together drink lovers from all over the world, with versions of it in several countries, such as Brazil, in the city of Blumenau, in Santa Catarina.
At this party, typical German costumes are essential items, such as dresses with large volume, hats, shorts with suspenders and the love of beer, of course. This love is hereditary, being passed from generation to generation, something admirable in German culture.
Another commendable cultural habit of Germans is sincerity. For some foreigners, this habit may sound like rudeness, or rudeness, but it is a characteristic trait of these inhabitants, and, little by little, outsiders get used to it.
the germans love pig meat, this being incorporated in several dishes, such as esbein, schlachtplatte and bratkartoffeln.
Germany Infrastructure
Much of the country adopts the rail system (trains and subways) as a form of transport, whether for people or goods. This option makes transportation costs cheaper, as the maintenance of a railway, compared to a highway, is more advantageous and cheaper in the medium and long term.
However, one of the means of transport most used by the German population is the bicycle. Bike lanes and cycle lanes exist throughout the national territory, and the vast majority of cities in the country have a specific transit system for these two-wheeled vehicles. In addition, traffic violations committed by cyclists, such as running a red light, are punishable with a fine and points on the driver's license.
On German roads, there is no speed limit, except on signposts. In the sutobahn, the country's federal highways, the recommended speed is 130 km/hour.
The country has a considerable amount of bridges, which results in massive investments by the government for conservation of these constructions. Its maintenance is one of the biggest problems for Germans when it comes to infrastructure.
Facts about Germany
See some fun facts about the richest country in Europe:
- The first medical school in Europe is located in Germany, in the city of Heidelberg.
- The country is home to the tallest cathedral in the world, which is 160 meters high.
- Germany is the second largest beer consumer on the planet. The Czech Republic occupies the first position.
- 16 years is the minimum age for drinking beer.
- Discrimination against homosexuals is a crime in the country. Same-sex couples can adopt children, something allowed by law.
- The most important literary event in the world takes place in Frankfurt.
- Germany has the largest zoo in the world in terms of number of animals, the Berlin Zoo, with almost 14,000 animals.
- Big names in music, philosophy and history are German: Beethoven, Bach, Emmanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur Schopenhauer, Karl Marx, between others.
- Germany was the first country in the world to adopt the DST.
- It is the European country that consumes the most plastic, but it is also the world leader in waste recycling.
- In some German cities, dogs pay taxes, which vary according to their breed and behavior.
Note
|1| 2018 data.
By Attila Matthias
Geography teacher
