Germany is a beautiful country that has terrain ranging from the mountains of the Alps in the south to the shores of the North Sea in the north-west and the Baltic Sea in the north-east. Between lie the forested uplands of central Germany and the low-lying lands of northern Germany which are traversed by some of Europe\\\'s major rivers such as the Rhine, Danube and Elbe. Germany is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Germany is a country in central Europe officially known as the Federal Republic of Germany. Germany was originally several individual states but became unified as a nation-state in 1871 during the Franco-Prussian War. It now consists of 16 states and is governed by a democratic parliamentary. Germany is a member of the United Nations and NATO and is a founding member of the European Union. Along with being a prominent member of the EU, Germany has the third largest economy in the world; with the largest exporter of goods and second largest importer.
Germany is the most populated European country with 82 million people. It is often called the \"land of poets and thinkers\" and has had a great influence on European writers, musicians and thinkers. Three of the most famous composers have been of German descent; Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart. One of the most notable researchers and thinkers of time, Albert Einstein, was also from Germany. The Berlin Wall Museum, the actual remains of the Berlin Wall, and the Jewish Museum, are very notable historical sites that hold great significance to the history of Germany. Another popular stop for tourists is in Munich. The Staatliches Hofbrauhaus is a famous beer hall that was founded in the 16th century and provides tourists with a great look at traditional German culture and beer. Beer is very common throughout all parts of Germany, with many local and regional breweries producing a wide variety of beers. Germany also hosts Oktoberfest which is known as the Largest People\'s Fair in the World. It is a huge celebration including mass amounts of beer and food in September through October.
Quick Facts
Population: 81,305,856
Capital: Berlin
Per-capita GDP: $ 38400
Size: 357,022 km2
Time Zone: (GMT + 01:00 hour) Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris
Country information is adapted from public domain resources including the CIA World Fact Book and www.Wikipedia.org.
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