Germany stands at the crossroads of maritime Western and continental Eastern Europe, and the cooler North and warm South. It has the Bavarian Alps to the South, the highly wooded Mittelgebirge Mountains in the middle and low lying areas in the North along the coast of the Baltic and North Seas. Moving clockwise from north, Germany shares borders with the following nine countries: Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, The Netherlands.
The capital city of Germany is Berlin, and Frankfurt is the most important commercial and financial hub. Other important cities include Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Dusseldorf, and Stuttgart. The country houses over 400 parks and zoos along with the oldest zoo in the world, The Berlin Zoo. The German language stands in third place as the most commonly learned language in the world.
Germany offers it visitors an almost unlimited number of activities. There is a large variety of castles, cathedrals, and museums to enjoy, including Neuschwanstein, a model of Cinderella’s Castle. More than thirty of the country’s sites are on the World Heritage list.
The mountainous regions of the country, with numerous trails, are ideal for outdoor activities like cycling, hiking and mountain climbing. Wander (hiking/walking) is the country’s national past time. Skiing and snowboarding in the Bavarian Alps is a common activity in the winter months.
Germany celebrates many festivals during the course of the year, including the world known Oktoberfest. A more localized festival, Fasching is similar to a carnival and involves participants dressing up to party all night long. Other festivals include Bruchsal Asparagus and Dresden Music Festivals.
Government: Federal Republic
Total Area: 357,021 sq. km.
Climate: Temperate & marine; cool, wet and overcast winters with occasionally warm and windy summers.
Ethnic groups: German, Turkish and some Italian, Greek, Polish, Spanish Russian, and Serbo-Croatians.
Religions: Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Muslim.
Dialling Code: +49