The Federal Republic of Germany is a federal parliamentary republic in central Western Europe. It comprises of 16 constituent states with Berlin as its capital.

Germany became a nation state in 1871 when most of the German states unified into the Prussian-dominated German Empire. Known as the German Reich, it was once a cluster of smaller kingdoms, duchies and principalities before its unification.

The country’s capital has been shifted seven times throughout history. These cities were; Aachen, Regensburg, Frankfurt-am-Main, Nuremberg, Weimar, Bonn and Berlin.

According to the CIA World Factbook (2015 Est), German economy relies on services (69.1%), industry (30.4%) and agriculture (0.6%).

The German economy is the fifth largest in the world and Europe’s largest with a highly skilled workforce. It is the leading exporter of vehicles, machinery, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.

German industry sector is among the largest in the world and most technologically advanced. The country produces iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, electronics, ships, textiles and vehicles.

It is the world’s largest car producers with several well-known brands including Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes and BMW.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) comprise more than 50% of the country’s entire economic output while 37 of the world’s 500 largest stock-market-listed companies have headquarters established there.

German services sector is often connected to the industry sector comprising of finances, business activities, transportation and tourism. 

According to Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, Germany is rated as one of the safest travel destinations in the world.

Germany possess rich culture, pristine nature and extensive history. It boasts more cultural activities than any other country with 6,200 museums, 820 theatres, 130 professional orchestras as well as 8,800 libraries in 2013.

Berlin’s Zoologischer Garten (Berlin Zoo) is the largest zoo in the world housing a vast compilation of wildlife including endangered species. 

Tuition fees for college education in the country was abolished in 2014. German politicians agreed that paying for higher education was ‘socially unjust’ even for international students. Public universities are funded by the federal states whereby students only pay for public transportation and administrative fees.

Germany is also known as the land of poets and thinkers. The country’s education system produces top performers and is home to several well-known thinkers throughout history. These include Bach, Beethoven, Goethe, Wagner, Kant and Nietzsche.

Find us on Facebook or Twitter.