- Capital city: Berlin
- Total area: 356 854 km²
- Population: 82.5 million
- Currency: euro
Germany is in the heart of the European Union with nine neighbouring countries. East and west Germany were united in 1990. It is very densely populated with 225 people per km2. There are about seven million foreigners living in Germany mainly Turks, people from former Yugoslavia, Italians, Greeks, Poles and Austrians.
Engineering, chemical and pharmaceutical industries and iron and steel industry. Germany is made up of 16 Lander (States). Each of those Lander has a government and legislature with the right to enact laws except on matters that are the exclusive right of the federal government. The country has a parliamentary regime based on a bicameral legislature.
Germany's principal legislative authority is the Bundestag (Lower House), but on legislation of shared competence with the Lander, consent of the Bundesrat (UpperHouse) is required. The federal government is led by the Chancellor who is elected by an absolute majority of the Bundestag. He then appoints the Ministers. Germany's President is elected by the Bundesversammlung composed of members of the Bundestag and an equal number of members elected by the Lander Parliaments. The President is the constitutional Head of State but has in fact very limited influence on Government.
Germany
