Total area - 357,022 sq km
Land area - 348,672 sq km
Water area - 8,350 sq km
Size comparative to U.S. territory - around 3 times as large as Pennsylvania
List all countries which share a border (if island include body(ies) of water bordered) - Austria 801 km, Belgium 133 km, Czech Republic 704 km, Denmark 140 km, France 418 km, Luxembourg 128 km, Netherlands 575 km, Poland 467 km, Switzerland 348 km
Total distance of all land boundaries - 3,714 km
Total distance of coastline - 2,389 km
Description of climate - "temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind"
Description of Terrain - "lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south"
Point of lowest elevation - Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m
Point of highest elevation - Zugspitze 2,963 m
All information from cia.gov.
Land area - 348,672 sq km
Water area - 8,350 sq km
Size comparative to U.S. territory - around 3 times as large as Pennsylvania
List all countries which share a border (if island include body(ies) of water bordered) - Austria 801 km, Belgium 133 km, Czech Republic 704 km, Denmark 140 km, France 418 km, Luxembourg 128 km, Netherlands 575 km, Poland 467 km, Switzerland 348 km
Total distance of all land boundaries - 3,714 km
Total distance of coastline - 2,389 km
Description of climate - "temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind"
Description of Terrain - "lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south"
Point of lowest elevation - Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m
Point of highest elevation - Zugspitze 2,963 m
All information from cia.gov.
Population
Population (Mid-2012)
80,722,792 (July 2016 est.)
Density (people per sq. km)
226.1 people / sq. km
Net Migration Rate (# per 1000 people)
1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 popul
Birth Rate (# per 1000 people)
8.5 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
Death Rate (# per 1000 people)
11.6 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
Rate of Natural Increase
-3.1/-0.31%
Population Growth Rate
-0.16% (2016 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate (# of deaths per 1000 live births)
3.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Total Fertility Rate (average # of children per woman)
1.44 children born/woman (2016 est.)
Population Age <15 %
12.83% (male 5,317,183/female 5,040,664)
Population Ages 65+ %
21.76% (male 7,709,799/female 9,855,184) (2016 est.)
Dependency Rate (add together Population Age <15 % and Ages 65+ %)
34.59%
Life Expectancy at Birth (total)
80.7 years
Life Expectancy at Birth Females
83.1 years (2016 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth Males
78.4 years
Primary School Completion Rate Females
104%
Primary School Completion Rate Males
103%
Secondary School Enrollment Net Females
99%
Secondary School Enrollment Net Males
100%
GNI PPP per capita in US$
33,470
Economically Active Females 15+
53%
Economically Active Males 15+
67%
Mobile Phone Subscribers (# per 100)
120
Motor Vehicles (# per 1000)
591
Undernourished Population
<2.5%
Underweight Children Under Age 5
1.1%
HIV/AIDS Among People Ages 15-49
0.1%
Population Pyramids
1995
2010
2025
2050
Germany is likely in Stage 5 of the DTM. As can be seen in the above picture, countries in Stage 5 have a low CBR, low CDR, and negative NIR. This is all true of Germany. Germany faces a population problem because its population is aging and steadily declining. In addition, Germany is highly developed. For these reasons, Germany is likely in Stage 5 of the DTM.
www.bit.ly/2d5N0Y1
In this graph, life expectancy is on the y-axis, and income per person appears on the x-axis. I chose these two topics because Germany is a well-developed country. Therefore, it’s citizens will have a high average income. I used average income as an indicator of how developed Germany was at the time. Since developed countries tend to have high life expectancies, I inferred that measuring the average income per person could help to predict a country’s life expectancy.
Sources: cia.gov, data.worldbank.org, prb.org
Culture
Ethnic Groups
Languages:
German (official)
Danish (official minority language)
Frisian (official minority language)
Sorbian (official minority language)
Romany (official minority language)
Low German (regional language)
North Frisian (regional language)
Sater Frisian (regional language)
Lower Sorbian (regional language)
Upper Sorbian (regional language)
Romany (regional language)
German (official)
Danish (official minority language)
Frisian (official minority language)
Sorbian (official minority language)
Romany (official minority language)
Low German (regional language)
North Frisian (regional language)
Sater Frisian (regional language)
Lower Sorbian (regional language)
Upper Sorbian (regional language)
Romany (regional language)
Religion
Culture Photos
The Amazing Race
This challenge will begin at the foot of Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany, in the nearby city of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and will take place on the mountain.
- Challengers will buy supplies in town.
- They will set off for the mountain.
- They will climb the mountain.
- At the western summit of the mountain, the teams will reach the “check-in.”
The “check-in” point is at western summit of Zugspitze.
Cultural Journal Report
Religion in Germany by Daiki Saito and Cristina Fernandez.
Date Accessed: 11/22/2016
Click here to read this article
The article describes the religious distribution of people in Germany. Most of the people in Germany are Christian; they are split very evenly between Catholics and Protestants. Due to historical developments, there are more Protestants in the North and East, and there are more Catholics in the South and the West. Significant religious minorities include Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism. Judaism has been in Germany for centuries, but the religion has had to make a comeback due to the anti-Semitic Nazi regime. Islam is a much more modern addition to German society, and adherents in Germany have formed organizations to represent themselves politically.
The religious diversity in Germany offers a fascinating insight into the history of the country. For example, the large number of Lutherans results from Martin Luther living in Germany. In addition, the sectional split between Catholics and Protestants is a result of the 30 Years’ War. Furthermore, the relatively few number of Jews shows the impact of the horrendous atrocities committed by the Nazis. Finally, the growth in the Muslim population since the end of WWII shows how the population in Germany is changing in modern times. For these reasons, the religious distribution in Germany is invaluable in showing the history of the country.
The religion in Germany represents a crucial aspect of German culture. First, religions have had an enormous impact on the cultural landscape. For example, due to the historical dominance of Christianity in Germany, there are many churches across the country. Second, religion creates sectional differences in Germany between the Protestant North and East and the Catholic South and West. Third, religion helps to show how Germany is changing in modern times. The rise in Islam demonstrates an increase in immigrant workers. In these ways, religion helps to explain a multitude of different parts of German culture.
Date Accessed: 11/22/2016
Click here to read this article
The article describes the religious distribution of people in Germany. Most of the people in Germany are Christian; they are split very evenly between Catholics and Protestants. Due to historical developments, there are more Protestants in the North and East, and there are more Catholics in the South and the West. Significant religious minorities include Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism. Judaism has been in Germany for centuries, but the religion has had to make a comeback due to the anti-Semitic Nazi regime. Islam is a much more modern addition to German society, and adherents in Germany have formed organizations to represent themselves politically.
The religious diversity in Germany offers a fascinating insight into the history of the country. For example, the large number of Lutherans results from Martin Luther living in Germany. In addition, the sectional split between Catholics and Protestants is a result of the 30 Years’ War. Furthermore, the relatively few number of Jews shows the impact of the horrendous atrocities committed by the Nazis. Finally, the growth in the Muslim population since the end of WWII shows how the population in Germany is changing in modern times. For these reasons, the religious distribution in Germany is invaluable in showing the history of the country.
The religion in Germany represents a crucial aspect of German culture. First, religions have had an enormous impact on the cultural landscape. For example, due to the historical dominance of Christianity in Germany, there are many churches across the country. Second, religion creates sectional differences in Germany between the Protestant North and East and the Catholic South and West. Third, religion helps to show how Germany is changing in modern times. The rise in Islam demonstrates an increase in immigrant workers. In these ways, religion helps to explain a multitude of different parts of German culture.
Politics
Conventional Long Form Name of country
Federal Republic of Germany
Capital City(ies)
Berlin
Type of Government - federal parliamentary republic
Date of Independence
- 18 January 1871 (establishment of the German Empire)
- divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed on 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed on 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone
- West Germany and East Germany unified on 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights on 15 March 1991
National Holiday(s): include date & event/ celebration
Unity Day, 3 October (1990)
Chief of State (official public face of government)
President Joachim Gauck (since 23 March 2012)
Picture of Chief of State
Head of Government (actual leader of government)
Chancellor Angela Merkel (since 22 November 2005)
Picture of Head of Government
Chancellor Angela Merkel (since 22 November 2005)
Picture of Head of Government
Description of Executive Branch/Powers
cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) recommended by the chancellor, appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) by a Federal Convention consisting of the 630-member Federal Parliament (Bundestag) and 630 delegates indirectly elected by the state parliaments; election last held on 19 February 2012 (next to be held 12 February 2017); chancellor indirectly elected by absolute majority by the Federal Parliament for a 4-year term; Federal Parliament vote for chancellor last held on 17 December 2013 (next to be held following the general election, no later than autumn 2017)
Description of Legislative Branch/Powers
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 seats; members appointed by each of the 16 state governments or landtags) and the Federal Diet or Bundestag (631 seats - total seats can vary each electoral term; 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 serve 4-year terms)
Description of Judicial Branch/Powers
highest court(s): Federal Court of Justice (court consists of 127 judges including the court president, vice-presidents, presiding judges, and other judges, and organized into 25 Senates subdivided into 12 civil panels, 5 criminal panels, and 8 special panels; Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (consists of 2 Senates each subdivided into 3 chambers, each with a chairman and 8 members)
judge selection and term of office: Federal Court of Justice judges selected by the Judges Election Committee, which consists of the Secretaries of Justice from each of the 16 federated States and 16 members appointed by the Federal Parliament; judges appointed by the president of Germany; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; Federal Constitutional Court judges - one-half elected by the House of Representatives and one-half by the Senate; judges appointed for 12-year terms with mandatory retirement at age 68
subordinate courts: Federal Administrative Court; Federal Finance Court; Federal Labor Court; Federal Social Court; each of the 16 German states or Land has its own constitutional court and a hierarchy of ordinary (civil, criminal, family) and specialized (administrative, finance, labor, social) courts
Suffrage (who is allowed to vote)
18 years of age; universal
Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S.
Ambassador Hans Peter WITTIG (since 21 May 2014)
Location of THEIR embassy in the U.S.
4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
Location(s) of THEIR consulate(s) in the U.S.
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM
Ambassador John B. EMERSON (since 26 August 2013)
Location of U.S. embassy THERE
Pariser Platz 2, Berlin, Germany
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) THERE
(just the name/s of city/ies is fine)
Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich
Name of THEIR representative to UN
Harald Braun
Picture of their flag
Description of the Symbolism of flag
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold; these colors have played an important role in German history and can be traced back to the medieval banner of the Holy Roman Emperor - a black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field
Video or audio of their national anthem being played
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhQwLeMcbRY
National Symbol(s)
golden eagle; national colors: black, red, yellow
Descriptions
of International Disputes
none
Quantity of refugees inside country AND
country(ies) of origin of refugees
115,604 (Syria); 51,396 (Iraq); 30,026 (Afghanistan); 20,281 (Turkey); 19,763 (Iran); 10,980 (Eritrea); 9,157 (Serbia and Kosovo) (2015)
Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons
N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons
12,569 (2015)
Description of current human trafficking issues related to this country
N/A
Description of Illicit Drug trafficking/use
source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs; major financial center
Political Journal Report
German government approves new plans in case of emergency
Author: Cynthia Kroet
Written on: 8/24/2016
Click here to read this article
After enduring several high-profile terror attacks in 2016, the German government has advised its citizens to always have at least 10 days’ worth of food and enough water to last 5 days in case of an emergency. Germany had been the victim of 4 terrorism attacks in July, two of which were linked to Islamic terrorism. This is the first time the German government has done something like this since the Cold War. The German interior minister also proposed plans that would make it easier to deport foreign criminals. These efforts represent a campaign by the country to limit and prepare for terrorism.
This article provides insight into the current state of affairs of Germany. The German government’s handling and seriousness regarding the matter is impressive because it should help to protect its citizens. However, this is also somewhat alarming. The idea that Germany may be taking steps to make it easier to deport foreign criminals highlights the dangerous and fearful world of today.
The article demonstrates how the German government impacts daily life in the country. The country has taken specific steps to counterattack what it perceives as threats in the hopes of protecting its citizens as best as possible. It also shows some of the cabinet’s responsibility. In addition, the article shows that terrorism has become an important issue in the country because the government has been forced to take action. In this way, the article shows both the political situation in Germany as well as the government’s influence in citizens’ daily lives.
Agriculture
Total Area
357,022 sq km
Land Area
348,672 sq km
Water Area
8,350 sq km
Climate description
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind
Terrain description
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
Arable Land Use
34.1%
Permanent Crop Land Use
0.6%
Irrigated Land
6,500 sq km (2012)
Total Renewable Water Resources
154 cu km (2011)
Total Freshwater Withdrawal
32.3 cu km/yr
Per Person Freshwater Withdrawal
391.4 cu m/yr (2007)
Natural Hazards description
flooding
Environmental Current Issues
emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power by 2022; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive
Total Labor Force
45.3 million (2016 est.)
% of Labor Force in Agriculture
1.6%
Agricultural Products description
potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; milk products; cattle, pigs, poultry
Sources: cia.gov and indexmundi.com
Cows graze in a pasture in Germany.
Source
Source
The farm depicted is neatly divided into sections. In addition, a piece of agricultural economy can be seen.
Source
Source
Farmers in Germany harvesting their crop. Relatively few farmers are needed in Germany to feed the population.
Source
Source
This farmer is using horses to help him plow his fields
Source
Source
In this picture, a combine is being used to harvest the crops.
Source
Source
Development and Industry
Population
81,132,000
GNI PPP Per Capita (US$)
$46,840
Women as % of Nonfarm Wage
Earners
48%
Women as % of Parliament
37%
CO2 Emissions Per Capita (metric tons)
2.4616674062
Death Due to Non-Communicable Diseases
92%
Births Attended by Skill Health Personnel (%)
100%
Democracy: CPIA Gender Equality Rating
No data
Economy: Big Mac Index
No data
Economy: Cash Surplus/Deficit (% of GDP)
0.1% of GDP
Economy: Human Development Index
0.93
Economy: Technology Index
5.08
Education: Average Years of School for Adults
10.2
Education: Education Spending (as % of GDP)
4.6%
Education: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (elementary)
11.82
Education: Teachers as % of Labor Force
3.9%
Health: Expenditure Per Capita
3,521.4$
Health: Hospital Beds Per 1000
8.9 per 1,000 people
Health: Physicians Per 1000
3.4 per 1,000 people
Media: Televisions (total number)
51.4 million
Media: Per Capita Televisions (you compute this)
0.63353547305
% of GDP as Industry
30.3%
Total Labor Force
45.3 million
% of Labor Force in Industry
24.6%
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Public Debt % of GDP
69% of GDP
Inflation Rate
0.4%
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
Value of Exports
$1.283 trillion
Export Commodities
motor vehicles, machinery, chemicals, computer and electronic products, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, metals, transport equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, rubber and plastic products
Export Partners and %
US 9.6%, France 8.6%, UK 7.5%, Netherlands 6.6%, China 6%, Italy 4.9%, Austria 4.8%, Poland 4.4%, Switzerland 4.2%
Value of Imports
$987.6 billion
Import Commodities
machinery, data processing equipment, vehicles, chemicals, oil and gas, metals, electric equipment, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, agricultural products
Import Partners and %
Netherlands 13.7%, France 7.6%, China 7.3%, Belgium 6%, Italy 5.2%, Poland 5%, US 4.7%, Czech Republic 4.5%, UK 4.2%, Austria 4.2%, Switzerland 4.2%
Currency Exchange Rate to $1.00
0.9214
Electricity Production
591 billion kWh
Electricity Consumption
533 billion kWh
Electricity from Fossil Fuels
45.7% of total installed capacity
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels
6.8% of total installed capacity
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants
2.5% of total installed capacity
Electricity from Renewable Sources
41.2% of total installed capacity
Refined Oil Production
2.175 million bbl/day
Refined Oil Consumption
2.372 million bbl/day
Natural Gas Production
9.469 billion cu m
Natural Gas Consumption
79.21 billion cu m
# of Land/Main Line Telephones
45.352 million
# of Cellular/Mobile Telephones
96.36 million
# of Internet Hosts
20.043 million
# of Internet Users
70.82 million
# of Airports (total)
539
# of Airports with Paved Runways
318
# of km of Roadways (total)
645,000 km
# of km of Roadways Paved
645,000 km
# km of Waterways
7,467 km
Location of Main Ports & Terminals
Baltic Sea - Rostock; North Sea - Wilhelmshaven
Sources: prb.org, nationmaster.com, cia.gov, and indexmundi.com
Urban Geography
Identify the five largest cities within each country
- Berlin
- Hamburg
- München
- Köln
- Frankfurt am Main
Identify the population of the largest city
3,520,031
Use the “rank size rule” to identify the estimated size of each of the next four largest cities (city #2 is 1⁄2 the size of city #1, city #3 is 1/3 the size of city #1, city #4 is 1⁄4 the size of #1, city #5 is 1/5 the size of #1)
Hamburg - 1760016
München - 1173344
Köln - 880008
Frankfurt am Main - 704006
Identify the actual populations of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th largest cities
Hamburg - 1,787,408
München - 1,450,381
Köln - 1,060,582
Frankfurt am Main - 732,688
Compose a well-developed paragraph defending to what extent the “rank size rule” is proven valid or invalid based upon the populations of this country’s five largest cities
Germany follows the “rank size rule” relatively well. The rank size rule very accurately predicted the size of Hamburg and Frankfurt am Main. In addition, the rank size rule somewhat accurately predicted the sizes of München and Köln. For these reasons, Germany serves as an example of a country in which the rank size rule can be correctly applied
Population
81,132,000
Population Density
234 people per sq. km of land area
% Urban Population
75%
% Urban Population Living in Slums
N/A
Average % Change in Urban Population
1.1%
% with Improved Urban Sanitation
99%
% with Improved Urban Water Supply
100%
Sources: prb.org, citypopulation.de, worldbank.org