Country - Germany
Germany Country Information
Germany is officially called the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located in Central-Western Europe and it shares borders with nine countries the Czech Republic and Poland to the east, Denmark to the north, Austria to the southeast, Switzerland to the south-southwest, France, Luxembourg and Belgium lie to the west and the Netherlands to the northwest. It also shares borders with Lake Constance, the third largest lake in Central Europe. It is also bordered by the North Sea and at the north-northwest, by the Baltic Sea. Country is the seventh largest country in Europe by area and 62nd largest country in the world. The city of Berlin is the capital of Germany. The largest metropolises are Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Leipzig, Bremen, Dresden, Hannover and Nuremberg.
After the end of the World War II, the country was divided between the democratic West and the Socialist East. On October 3rd, 1990 both countries were reunited. They celebrated Unit day on October 3rd. National Anthem is The "Deutschlandlied" is also known as "Das Lied der Deutschen". German is the official language and Danish, Sorbian, Romany, Low German, North Frisian and Saterland Frisian are native minority languages in Germany. The most used immigrant languages are Kurdish, Turkish, Russian, Polish and the Balkan languages.
Germany has different cultures and religions. Historically, it has been called Das Land der Dichter und Denker, because of the writers and philosophers who played major role in the development of Western thought. Christianity is the largest religion, Islam is the second religion and Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism are other religions in Germany. The types of agricultural products vary from region to region. Cereals, potatoes, wheat, barley, cabbages, sugar beets, fruits, pork, beef, milk and beer are the notable products.
Education system in Germany is different from other countries. Most German students attend public schools. Kindergarten is an optional education for all children between three and six years old; after that, school is compulsory for nine to ten years. Three different kinds of schools are seen in Germany: Hauptschule, Realschuleor Gymnasium and Grundschule. There are nearly 400 higher education institutes; including universities are present.
Coming to science and Technology, 107 German laureates has been awarded The Nobel Prize in the area of physics, chemistry and physiology or medicine. DLR (Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum) is the Aerospace agency of Germany. The DLR is engaged in a wide range of research and development projects in national and international partnerships.
Germany is one of the popular tourist destinations in the Europe. It has abundant forests, pleasant rivers, historic cities, small towns, castles, lovely parks, museums and mountain ranges. The top most tourist attractions are Schwerin Castle, Black Forest, Romantic Rhine valley, Oktoberfest, Holstentor, Neuschwanstein, Sanssouci Park and Palace, Lindau, The Rugen Island and Harz Mountains.