Difference between revisions of "Germany"

{{featured article}}

{{Infobox Country or territory

|native_name                = <span style="line-height:1.33em;">{{lang|de|''Bundesrepublik Deutschland''}}</span>

|conventional_long_name      = <span style="line-height:1.33em;">Federal Republic of Germany</span>

|common_name                = Germany

|national_anthem            = {{lang|de|''[[Das Lied der Deutschen]]''}} (third [[stanza]])<br/><small>also called {{lang|de|''Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit''}}</small><!--The official national anthem of Germany is ONLY the third stanza! Source: http://www.bundesregierung.de/Bundesregierung/-,8394/Nationalhymne.htm-->

|image_flag                  = Flag of Germany.svg

|image_coat                  = Coat of Arms of Germany.svg

|map_caption                = {{map_caption |region=[[Europe]] |subregion=the [[European Union]] |legend=European location legend en.png}}

|capital                     = [[Berlin]]

|latd=52 |latm=31 |latNS=N |longd=13 |longm=24 |longEW=E

|largest_city                = capital

|official_languages          = [[German language|German]]¹

|government_type            = [[Parliamentary]] [[Federal republic|Federal Republic]]

|leader_name2                = [[Angela Merkel]] ([[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|CDU]])

|sovereignty_type            = [[German Empire|Formation]]

|established_event1          = [[Eastern Francia]]

|established_event3          = [[German Confederation]]

|established_event4          = [[German Empire]]

|established_event5          = [[History of Germany|Federal Republic]]

|established_event6          = [[German reunification|Reunification]]

|established_date1          = 843

|established_date2          = 962

|established_date3          = [[8 June]] [[1815]]

|established_date4          = [[18 January]] [[1871]]

|established_date5          = [[23 May]] [[1949]]

|established_date6          = [[3 October]] [[1990]]

|area                       = 357,050

|areami²                    = 137,858 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->

|area_rank                  = 63rd

|population_estimate         = 82,310,000

|population_estimate_year    = 2006

|population_estimate_rank    = 14th

|population_census          = n/a

|population_densitymi²      = 598.5 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->

|GDP_nominal                = $3.045 [[1000000000000 (number)|trillion]]

|GDP_nominal_rank            = 3rd

|GDP_nominal_per_capita      = $36,975

|currency                   = [[Euro]] ([[Euro sign|€]])

|currency_code              = EUR

|time_zone                  = CET

|cctld                      = [[.de]] and [[.eu]]

'''Germany''', officially the '''Federal Republic of Germany''' ({{Audio-de|Bundesrepublik Deutschland|De-Bundesrepublik_Deutschland-pronunciation.ogg}}, {{IPA2|ˈbʊndəsrepubliːk ˈdɔɪtʃlant}}), is a [[country]] in [[Western Europe|West]]-[[central Europe]]. It is bordered on the north by the [[North Sea]], [[Denmark]], and the [[Baltic Sea]], on the east by [[Poland]] and the [[Czech Republic]], on the south by [[Austria]] and [[Switzerland]], and on the west by [[France]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Belgium]] and the [[Netherlands]].  

Germany is a [[parliamentary]] [[Federation|federal]] [[republic]] of [[States of Germany|sixteen states]] ({{lang|de|''Bundesländer''}}). The capital city and seat of government is [[Berlin]]. The country was first [[Unification of Germany|unified]] as a [[nation-state]] amidst the [[Franco-Prussian War]] in 1871. After [[World War II]] Germany was divided, and it became [[German reunification|reunified]] in 1990. It is a founding member of the [[European Union]], and with over 82 million people it has the largest population among the EU member states.<ref>[http://www.fdimagazine.com/news/categoryfront.php/id/242/Germany.html Germany] Foreign Direct Investment Magazine. January 5, 2005. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 7|12-07]].</ref>

The Federal Republic of Germany is a modern [[great power]], and a member state of the [[United Nations]], [[NATO]], the [[G8]] and the [[G4 nations]].<ref>Levy, Jack S. 1983. War in the Modern Great Power System, 1495–1974. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.</ref><ref>Singer, J. David, and Melvin Small. 1972. The Wages of War, 1816–1965: A Statistical Handbook. New York: John Wiley and Sons.</ref> Germany is the world's [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|third largest economy]] by nominal [[GDP]], the world's largest exporter of goods, and the world's second largest importer of goods.<ref name=natgeo2006>{{cite book| authorlink=National Geographic |title=National Geographic Collegiate Atlas of the World |publisher=RR Donnelley & Sons Company |date=[[2006]] |month=April |location=Willard, Ohio |pages=257–70 |isbn=Regular:0-7922-3662-9, 978-0-7922-3662-7. Deluxe:0-7922-7976-X, 978-0-7922-7976-1}}</ref> In 2007 it holds the rotating presidencies of both the [[European Council]] and the G8 summits.

{{main|History of Germany}}

The state now known as Germany was [[political union|unified]] as a modern nation-state only in [[1871]], when the [[German Empire]] was forged, with the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] as its largest constituent. This began the German ''[[Reich]]'', usually translated as ''empire'', but also meaning ''kingdom'', ''domain'' or ''realm''.

===Germanic tribes (100 BC &ndash; AD 300)===

The [[ethnogenesis]] of the [[Germanic peoples|Germanic tribes]] is assumed to have occurred during the [[Nordic Bronze Age]], or at the latest, during the [[Pre-Roman Iron Age]]. From southern [[Scandinavia]] and northern Germany, the tribes began expanding south, east and west in the 1st century&nbsp;BC, coming into contact with the [[Celt]]ic tribes of [[Gaul]] as well as [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]], [[Balts|Baltic]], and [[Slavic peoples|Slavic]] tribes in [[Eastern Europe]]. Little is known about early Germanic history, except through their interactions with the [[Roman Empire]] and archaeological finds.<ref name="Claster">Jill N. Claster: ''Medieval Experience: 300-1400''. NYU Press 1982, p. 35. ISBN 0814713815.</ref>

Under [[Augustus]], the Roman General [[Publius Quinctilius Varus]] began to invade Germany, and it was in this period that the German tribes became familiar with Roman tactics of warfare while maintaining their tribal identity. In AD&nbsp;9, three [[Roman legion]]s led by Varus were defeated by the [[Cheruscan]] leader [[Arminius]] (Hermann) in the [[Battle of the Teutoburg Forest]]. Germany, as far as the [[Rhine]] and the [[Danube]], thus remained outside the Roman Empire. By AD&nbsp;100, the time of [[Tacitus]]' ''[[Germania (book)|Germania]]'', Germanic tribes settled along the Rhine and the Danube (the [[Limes Germanicus]]), occupying most of the area of modern Germany. The 3rd century saw the emergence of a number of large West Germanic tribes: [[Alamanni]], [[Franks]], [[Chatti]], [[Saxons]], [[Frisians]], [[Sicambri]], and [[Thuringii]]. Around 260, the Germanic peoples broke through the Limes and the Danube frontier into Roman-controlled lands.<ref name="Cambridge ancient history">The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. 12, p. 442. ISBN 0521301998.</ref> {{see also|List of meanings of countries' names}}

[[Image: Balduineum Wahl Heinrich VII.jpg|thumb|left|185px|[[Prince-elector]]s of the [[Holy Roman Empire]], from a 1341 parchment.]]

The medieval empire stemmed from a division of the [[Carolingian Empire]] in 843, which was founded by Charles the Great (German: Karl der Große, French: [[Charlemagne]]) on [[25 December]] [[800]], and existed in varying forms until 1806, its territory stretching from the [[Eider River]] in the north to the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] coast in the south. Often referred to as the ''Holy Roman Empire'' (or the ''Old Empire''), it was officially called the ''Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation'' ("Sacrum Romanum Imperium Nationis Germanicæ") starting in 1448, to adjust the title to its then reduced territory.

Under the reign of the [[Ottonian]] emperors (919&ndash;1024), the [[Stem duchy|duchies]] of [[Duchy of Lorraine|Lorraine]], [[Duchy of Saxony|Saxony]], [[Franconia]], [[Swabia]], [[Thuringia]], and [[Bavaria]] were consolidated, and the German king was crowned [[Holy Roman Emperor]] of these regions in 962. Under the reign of the [[Salian]] emperors (1024&ndash;1125), the Holy Roman Empire absorbed northern [[Italy]] and [[Burgundy]], although the emperors lost power through the [[Investiture Controversy]]. Under the [[Hohenstaufen]] emperors (1138&ndash;1254), the German princes increased their influence further south and east into territories inhabited by [[Slavic peoples|Slavs]]. Northern German towns grew prosperous as members of the [[Hanseatic League]].

The edict of the [[Golden Bull of 1356|Golden Bull]] in 1356 provided the basic constitution of the empire that lasted until its dissolution. It codified the election of the emperor by seven [[prince-elector]]s who ruled some of the most powerful principalities and archbishoprics. Beginning in the 15th century, the emperors were elected nearly exclusively from the [[Habsburg]] dynasty of [[Archduchy of Austria|Austria]].

The monk [[Martin Luther]] wrote his [[The 95 Theses|95 Theses]] questioning the [[Roman Catholic Church]] in 1517, thereby sparking the [[Protestant Reformation]]. A separate [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] church was acknowledged as the newly sanctioned religion in many states of Germany after 1530. Religious conflict led to the [[Thirty Years' War]] (1618&ndash;1648), which devastated German lands. The [[Peace of Westphalia]] (1648) ended religious warfare in Germany, but the empire was ''de facto'' divided into numerous independent principalities. From 1740 onwards, the dualism between the Austrian [[Habsburg Monarchy]] and the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] dominated German history. In 1806, the ''Imperium'' was overrun and dissolved as a result of the [[Napoleonic Wars]].<ref name="concise h">Fulbrook, Mary: ''A Concise History of Germany'', Cambridge University Press 1991, p. 97. ISBN 0521540712</ref>

===Restoration and revolution (1814&ndash;71)===

Following the fall of [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon Bonaparte]], the [[Congress of Vienna]] convened in 1814 and founded the [[German Confederation]] (Deutscher Bund), a loose league of [[List of German Confederation member states|39 sovereign states]]. Disagreement with [[restoration]] politics partly led to the rise of [[Liberalism in Germany|liberal]] movements, demanding unity and freedom. These, however, were followed by new measures of repression on the part of the Austrian statesman [[Klemens Wenzel von Metternich|Metternich]]. The ''[[Zollverein]]'', a tariff union, profoundly furthered economic unity in the German states. During this era many Germans had been stirred by the ideals of the [[French Revolution]], and [[nationalism]] became a more significant force, especially among young intellectuals. For the first time, the colours of black, red and gold were chosen to represent the movement, which later became the [[Flag of Germany|national colours]].<ref>Martin, Norman. [http://www.fotw.net/flags/de1848.html German Confederation 1815-1866 (Germany)] Flags of the World. Oct. 5, 2000. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 7|12-07]].</ref>

[[Image: Nationalversammlung.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Frankfurt Parliament in 1848]]

In light of a [[Revolutions of 1848|series of revolutionary movements in Europe]], which successfully established a republic [[Revolutions of 1848 in France|in France]], intellectuals and commoners started the [[Revolutions of 1848 in the German states]]. The monarchs initially yielded to the revolutionaries' liberal demands. King [[Frederick William IV of Prussia]] was offered the title of [[Emperor]], but with a loss of power; he rejected the crown and the proposed constitution, leading to a temporary setback for the movement. Conflict between King [[William I, German Emperor|William I]] of Prussia and the increasingly liberal parliament erupted over military reforms in 1862, and the king appointed [[Otto von Bismarck]] the new [[Prime Minister of Prussia]]. Bismark successfully waged [[Second War of Schleswig|war on Denmark]] in 1864. Prussian victory in the [[Austro-Prussian War]] of 1866 enabled him to create the [[North German Confederation]] (Norddeutscher Bund) and to exclude [[Austrian Empire|Austria]], formerly the leading German state, from the affairs of the remaining German states.

===German Empire (1871&ndash;1918)===

[[Image:Reichsgruendung2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Foundation of modern Germany in Versailles-France, 1871. [[Otto von Bismarck|Bismarck]] is at the center in a white uniform.]]

{{main|German Empire}}

After the French defeat in the [[Franco-Prussian War]], the [[German Empire]] (''Deutsches Kaiserreich'') was proclaimed in [[Palace of Versailles|Versailles]] on [[18 January]] [[1871]]. The [[House of Hohenzollern|Hohenzollern]] dynasty of Prussia ruled the new empire, whose capital was [[Berlin]]. The empire was a unification of all the scattered parts of Germany except Austria ([[Kleindeutsche Lösung|''Kleindeutschland'']], or "Lesser Germany"). Beginning in 1884, Germany began establishing [[List of former German colonies|several colonies]] outside of Europe.

In the ''[[Gründerzeit]]'' period following the [[unification of Germany]], Emperor [[William I, German Emperor|William I]]'s foreign policy secured Germany's position as a great nation by forging alliances, isolating [[French Third Republic|France]] by diplomatic means, and avoiding war. Under [[William II, German Emperor|William II]], however, Germany, [[New Imperialism|like other European powers]], took an [[imperialism|imperialistic]] course leading to friction with neighbouring countries. Most alliances in which Germany had been previously involved were not renewed, and new alliances excluded the country. Specifically, France established new relationships by signing the [[Entente Cordiale]] with the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] and securing ties with the [[Russian Empire]]. Aside from its contacts with [[Austria-Hungary]], Germany became increasingly isolated.

[[Image:Map-deutsches-kaiserreich.png|left|thumb|Imperial Germany (1871-1918)]]

Germany's imperialism reached outside of its own country and joined many other powers in Europe to claim their share of [[Africa]]. The [[Berlin Conference]] divided Africa between the European powers. Germany owned several pieces of land on Africa including [[German East Africa]], [[German South-West Africa|South-West Africa]], [[Togoland|Togo]], and [[Cameroon]]. The [[Scramble for Africa]] caused tension between the [[great power]]s that may have contributed to the conditions that led to [[World War I]].

The [[Assassination in Sarajevo|assassination]] of [[Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria|Austria's crown prince]] on [[28 July]] [[1914]] triggered [[World War I]]. Germany, as part of the unsuccessful [[Central Powers]], suffered defeat against the [[Allies of World War I|Allied Powers]] in [[World War I casualties|one of the bloodiest]] conflicts of all time. The [[German Revolution]] broke out in November 1918, and Emperor William II and all German ruling princes [[abdication|abdicated]]. An [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|armistice]] putting an end to the war was signed on [[11 November]] and Germany was forced to sign the [[Treaty of Versailles]] in June 1919. Its negotiation, contrary to traditional post-war diplomacy, excluded the defeated Central Powers. The treaty was perceived in Germany as a humiliating continuation of the war by other means and its harshness is often cited as having facilitated the later rise of [[Nazism]] in the country.<ref name="lee h">Stephen J. Lee: ''Europe, 1890-1945''. Routledge 2003, p. 131. ISBN 0415254558.</ref>

[[Image:Deutsches_Reich_1925_b.png|right|thumb|200px|Subdivisions of Germany in 1925. Map showing borders of Germany from 1919 until 1937.]]

After the success of the [[German Revolution]] in November 1918, a [[Weimar Republic|republic]] was proclaimed. The [[Weimar Constitution]] came into effect with its signing by [[President of Germany|President]] [[Friedrich Ebert]] on [[11 August]] [[1919]]. The [[Communist Party of Germany|German Communist Party]] was established by [[Rosa Luxemburg]] and [[Karl Liebknecht]] in 1918, and the German Workers Party, later known as the National Socialist German Workers Party or [[Nazi Party]], was founded in January 1919.

Suffering from the [[Great Depression]], the harsh peace conditions dictated by the [[Treaty of Versailles]], and a long succession of more or less unstable governments, the political masses in Germany increasingly lacked identification with their political system of [[parliamentary democracy]]. This was exacerbated by a wide-spread right-wing ([[Monarchism|monarchist]], ''[[Völkisch movement|völkisch]]'', and Nazi) ''[[Dolchstoßlegende]]'', a political myth which claimed that Germany lost World War I because of the German Revolution, not because of military defeat. On the other hand, radical left-wing [[communism|communists]], such as the [[Spartacist League]], had wanted to abolish what they perceived as "[[Capitalism|capitalist rule]]" in favour of a ''[[Council communism|Räterepublik]]''. Paramilitary troops were set up by several parties and there were thousands of politically motivated murders. The paramilitary intimidated voters and seeded violence and anger among the public, which suffered from high unemployment and poverty. After a succession of unsuccessful cabinets, President [[Paul von Hindenburg]], seeing little alternative and pushed by right-wing advisors, appointed [[Adolf Hitler]] [[Chancellor of Germany]] on [[30 January]] [[1933]].

===Third Reich (1933&ndash;45)===

[[Image:Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler.jpg|thumb|160px|right|[[Adolf Hitler]] and [[Benito Mussolini]] in [[Axis Powers of World War II|Axis]]-occupied [[Yugoslavia]]]]

On [[27 February]] [[1933]], the [[Reichstag fire|Reichstag was set on fire]]. Some basic democratic rights were quickly abrogated afterwards under an emergency decree. An [[Enabling Act of 1933|Enabling Act]] gave Hitler's government full legislative power. Only the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] voted against it; the Communists were not able to present a viable opposition, as many of their deputies had already been murdered or imprisoned.<ref name="Stackelberg">Roderick Stackelberg, ''Hitler's Germany: origins, interpretations, legacies''. Routledge 1999, p. 103. ISBN 0415201144.</ref><ref>Scheck, Raffael. [http://www.colby.edu/personal/r/rmscheck/GermanyE1.html Establishing a Dictatorship: The Stabilization of Nazi Power] Colby College. Retrieved [[2006]], [[7 December|07-12]].</ref> A centralised [[totalitarian]] state was established by a series of moves and decrees making Germany a [[single-party state]]. Industry was closely regulated with quotas and requirements in order to shift the economy towards a [[war economy|war production base]]. In 1936 German troops entered the demilitarized [[Rhineland]], and [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Neville Chamberlain]]'s [[appeasement]] policies proved inadequate. Emboldened, Hitler followed from 1938 onwards a policy of [[expansionism]] to establish [[Großdeutschland|Greater Germany]]. To avoid a two-front war, Hitler concluded the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact]] with the [[Soviet Union]], a pact which was later broken by Germany.

In 1939, the [[Causes of World War II|growing tensions from nationalism, militarism, and territorial issues]] led to the Germans [[invasion of Poland (1939)|launching]] a [[blitzkrieg]] on [[September 1]] against [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]], followed two days later by declarations of war by Britain and France, marking the beginning of World War II. Germany quickly gained direct or indirect control of [[Occupied Europe|the majority]] of [[Europe]].

[[Image:Potsdamer Platz 1945.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Berlin in ruins after [[World War II]], Potsdamer Platz 1945]]

On [[22 June]] [[1941]], Hitler broke the pact with the Soviet Union by opening the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]] and [[Operation Barbarossa|invading the Soviet Union]]. Shortly after [[Empire of Japan|Japan]] [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked the American base at Pearl Harbor]], Germany declared war on the [[United States]]. Although initially the German army rapidly advanced into the Soviet Union, the [[Battle of Stalingrad]] marked a major turning point in the war. Subsequently, the German army commenced retreating on the Eastern Front, followed by the eventual defeat of Germany. On [[8 May]] [[1945]], [[Victory in Europe Day|Germany surrendered]] after the [[Red Army]] occupied [[Berlin]].

In what later became known as [[The Holocaust]], the Third Reich regime enacted governmental policies directly subjugating many parts of society: [[Jew]]s, [[Slavic peoples|Slavs]], Communists, [[Roma people|Roma]], [[homosexuality|homosexuals]], [[Freemasonry|freemasons]], political dissidents, priests, preachers, [[Confessing Church|religious opponents]], and the [[disability|disabled]], amongst others. During the Nazi era, about eleven million people were murdered in the Holocaust, including six million Jews. World War II and the Nazi genocide were responsible for about 35 million dead in Europe.

===Division and reunification (1945-90)===

[[Image:Deutschland_Besatzungszonen_1945_1946.png|thumb|right|160px|Occupation zones in 1946 after territorial annexations in the East. The [[Saarland]] (in stripes) became a [[protectorate]] of France from 1947- 1956.]]

{{main|History of Germany since 1945}}

The war resulted in the death of nearly ten million German soldiers and civilians; [[Oder-Neisse line|large territorial losses]]; [[Expulsion of Germans after World War II|the expulsion of about 15 million Germans]] from other countries; and the destruction of multiple major cities. Germany and [[Berlin]] were partitioned by the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] into four military occupation zones. The sectors controlled by [[France]], the [[United Kingdom]], and the [[United States]] were merged on [[23 May]] [[1949]], to form the ''[[Federal Republic of Germany]]''; on [[7 October]] [[1949]], the Soviet Zone established the ''[[German Democratic Republic]]''. In English, the two states were known informally as "[[West Germany]]" and "[[East Germany]]".

West Germany, established as a liberal parliamentary republic with a "[[social market economy]]", was allied with the United States, the UK and France. The country eventually came to enjoy prolonged economic growth beginning in the early 1950s (''[[Wirtschaftswunder]]''). West Germany joined [[NATO]] in 1955 and was a founding member of the [[European Economic Community]] in 1958. Across the border, East Germany was at first occupied by, and later (May 1955) allied with, the USSR. An authoritarian country with a Soviet-style [[command economy]], East Germany soon became the richest, most advanced country in the [[Warsaw Pact]], but many of its citizens looked to the West for political freedoms and economic prosperity.<ref>Colchester, Nico. [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/504285c4-68b6-11da-bd30-0000779e2340,dwp_uuid=6f876a3c-e19f-11da-bf4c-0000779e2340.html D-mark day dawns] [[Financial Times]]. January 1, 2001. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 7|12-07]]</ref> The [[Berlin Wall]], built in 1961 to stop East Germans from escaping to West Germany, became a symbol of the [[Cold War]]. However, tensions between East and West Germany were somewhat reduced in the early 1970s by Chancellor [[Willy Brandt]]'s ''[[Ostpolitik]]'', which included the ''de facto'' acceptance of Germany's territorial losses in World War II.

[[Image:Berlin-wall-dancing.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[Berlin Wall]] that had partitioned [[Berlin]] in front of the [[Brandenburg Gate]] shortly after the opening of the wall]]

In the face of a growing migration of East Germans to West Germany via [[Hungary]] and mass demonstrations during the summer of 1989, East German authorities unexpectedly eased the border restrictions in November, allowing East German citizens to travel to the West. This led to the acceleration of the process of reforms in East Germany that concluded with [[German reunification]] on [[3 October]] [[1990]]. Under the terms of the treaty between West and East Germany, Berlin again became the capital of the reunited Germany.  

Since reunification, Germany has taken a leading role in the [[European Union]] and NATO. Germany sent a peacekeeping force to secure stability in the [[1999 NATO bombing in Yugoslavia|Balkans]] and sent a force of [[Bundeswehr|German troops]]  to [[Afghanistan]] as part of a NATO effort to provide [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|security in that country]] after the ousting of the [[Taliban]].<ref name="ARM">Dempsey, Judy. [http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/31/news/germany.php Germany is planning a Bosnia withdrawal] International Herald Tribune. Oct. 31, 2006. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]]</ref>

==Government==

[[Image:Reichstag2006.JPG|thumb|210px|The [[Reichstag (building)|Reichstag]] is the old and new site of the German parliament.]]

{{main|Politics of Germany}}

Germany is a [[Federal republic|federal]], [[parliamentary democratic|parliamentary]], [[Representative democracy|representative]] [[Democracy|democratic]] [[republic]]. The German political system operates under a framework laid out in the 1949 [[Constitution|constitutional document]] known as the [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany|Grundgesetz]] ("[[Basic Law]]"). Amendments to the Grundgesetz require a two-thirds majority of both chambers of [[parliament]]; the articles guaranteeing fundamental rights, a democratic state, and the right to resist attempts to overthrow the constitution are valid in perpetuity and cannot be amended.<ref>[http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/gg/art_79.html Article 79 of the ''Grundgesetz'']</ref> The Grundgesetz remained in effect, with minor amendments, after [[German reunification]] in 1990, despite the intention of the Grundgesetz to be replaced by a proper constitution after the reunion. (Which was called Grundgesetz for precisely this reason.)

The [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]] is the [[head of government]] and exercises [[Executive (government)|executive power]], similar to the role of a [[Prime Minister]]. Federal [[legislative power]] is vested in the parliament consisting of the ''[[Bundestag]]'' ("[[Diet (assembly)|Federal Diet]]") and ''[[Bundesrat of Germany|Bundesrat]]'' ("[[Federal Council]]"), which together form a unique type of legislative body. The ''Bundestag'' is elected through [[direct election]]s; the members of the ''Bundesrat'' represent the governments of the [[States of Germany|sixteen federal states]] and are members of the state cabinets, which appoint them and can remove them at any time.

[[Image:Kanzler21a.jpg|170px|thumb|left|The ''[[German Chancellery|Bundeskanzleramt]]'' has been the seat of the German Chancellor since 2001.]]

Since 1949, the party system has been dominated by the [[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|Christian Democratic Union]] and the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]]<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/germany/159.htm Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union] U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 7|12-07]].</ref> although smaller parties, such as the liberal [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (which has had members in the Bundestag since 1949) and the [[Alliance '90/The Greens]] (which has controlled seats in parliament since 1983) have also played important roles.

The German [[head of state]] is the [[President of Germany]], elected by the ''[[Bundesversammlung (Germany)|Bundesversammlung]]'' ("federal convention"), an institution consisting of the members of the ''Bundestag'' and an equal number of state delegates. The second highest official in the [[German order of precedence]] is the [[President of the Bundestag|President of the ''Bundestag'']], who is elected by the ''Bundestag'' itself. He or she is responsible for overseeing the daily sessions of the body. The third-highest official and the [[head of government]] is the Chancellor. He or she is nominated by the President of Germany and elected by the ''Bundestag''. If necessary, he or she can be removed by a constructive [[motion of no confidence]] by the ''Bundestag'', where "constructive" implies that the ''Bundestag'' needs to elect a successor.

===Foreign relations===

[[Image:ChiracMerkelPutin.jpg|thumb|200px|Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] meeting French President [[Jacques Chirac]] and Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]]]]

{{main|Foreign relations of Germany}}

Germany has played a leading role in the [[European Union]] since its inception and has maintained a [[Franco-German cooperation|strong alliance with France]] since the end of World War II. The alliance was especially close in the late 1980s and early 1990s under the leadership of [[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|Christian Democrat]] [[Helmut Kohl]] and [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist]] [[François Mitterrand]]. Germany is at the forefront of European states seeking to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European political, defence and security apparatus.<ref> [http://www.elysee.fr/elysee/anglais/speeches_and_documents/2004/declaration_by_the_franco-german_defence_and_security_council.1096.html Declaration by the Franco-German Defence and Security Council] Elysee.fr May 13, 3004. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 3|12-03]].</ref>

Since its establishment on [[23 May]] [[1949]], the Federal Republic of Germany kept a notably low profile in international relations, because of both its recent history and its occupation by foreign powers.<ref>Glaab, Manuela.&nbsp;[http://en.internationalepolitik.de/archiv/2003/spring2003/german-foreign-policy.html German Foreign Policy: Book Review] Internationale Politik. Spring 2003. Retrieved [[2007]], [[January 3|01-03]].</ref> During the Cold War, Germany's partition by the [[Iron Curtain]] made it a symbol of East-West tensions and a political battleground in Europe. However, Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik was a key factor in the ''[[détente]]'' of the 1970s.<ref>Harrison, Hope. {{pdflink|[http://www.ghi-dc.org/bulletinS04_supp/34s.5.pdf ''The Berlin Wall, Ostpolitik and Détente]}} GERMAN HISTORICAL INSTITUTE, WASHINGTON, DC, BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT 1, 2004, "AMERICAN DÉTENTE AND GERMAN OSTPOLITIK, 1969–1972".</ref> In 1999 Chancellor [[Gerhard Schröder]]'s government defined a new basis for German foreign policy by taking a full part in the decisions surrounding the [[Kosovo War|NATO war against Yugoslavia]] and by sending German troops into combat for the first time since World War II.<ref>[http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1741310,00.html Germany's New Face Abroad] [[Deutsche Welle]]. Oct. 14, 2005. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 3|12-03]].</ref>

[[Image:Koehler08032007.jpg|thumb|left|160px|President [[Horst Köhler]]]]

Germany and the [[United States]] have been close allies since the end of World War II.<ref>[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3997.htm  Background Note: Germany] U.S. Department of State. July 6, 2006. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 3|12-03]].</ref> The [[Marshall Plan]], the continued U.S. support during the rebuilding process after World War II, and strong cultural ties have crafted a strong bond between the two countries, although Schröder's very vocal opposition to the [[Iraq War]] suggested the end of [[Atlanticism]] and a relative cooling of German-American relations.<ref>[http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7141311 ''Ready for a Bush hug?''], [[The Economist]], July 6 2006. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 31|12-31]].</ref> The two countries are also economically interdependent; 8.8% of German exports are U.S.-bound and 6.6% of German imports originate from the U.S.<ref name="econ_factsheet_may2006">{{pdflink|[http://berlin.usembassy.gov/germany/img/assets/9336/econ_factsheet_may2006.pdf U.S.&ndash;German Economic Relations Factsheet]}} U.S. Embassy in Berlin. May 2006. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 3|12-03]].</ref> The other way around, 8.8 % of U.S. exports ship to Germany and 9.8 % of U.S. imports come from Germany.<ref name="econ_factsheet_may2006"/> Other signs of the close ties include the continuing position of German-Americans as the largest ethnic group in the U.S.<ref>[http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/census_2000/001870.html German Still Most Frequently Reported Ancestry] [[U.S. Census Bureau]] June 30, 2004. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 3|12-03]]</ref> and the status of [[Ramstein Air Base]] (near [[Kaiserslautern]]) as the largest U.S. military community outside the U.S.<ref>[http://benefits.military.com/misc/installations/Base_Content.jsp?id=1675 Kaiserslautern, Germany Overview] U.S. Military. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 3|12-03]].</ref>

[[Image:Fregatte Mecklenburg-Vorpommern F218.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The F218 ''Mecklenburg-Vorpommern'' is participating in a [[United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon|UNIFIL II]] operation off the coast of Lebanon]]

Germany's military, the ''[[Bundeswehr]]'', is a defence force with ''[[German Army|Heer]]'' (Army), ''[[German Navy|Marine]]'' (Navy), ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' (Air Force), [[Central Medical Services|''Zentraler Sanitätsdienst'']] (Central Medical Services) and ''[[Streitkräftebasis]]'' (Joint Service Support Command) branches. Military Service is compulsory for men at the age of 18, and conscripts serve nine-month tours of duty (conscientious objectors may instead opt for an equal length of ''[[Zivildienst]]'' (roughly translated as civilian service), or a longer commitment to (voluntary) emergency services like a [[Volunteer fire department|fire department]], the [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|Red Cross]] or the [[Technisches Hilfswerk|THW]]). In 2003, military spending constituted 1.5% of the country's [[Gross Domestic Product|GDP]].<ref name="CIA"/> In peacetime, the Bundeswehr is commanded by the Minister of Defence, currently [[Franz Josef Jung]]. If Germany went to war, which according to the constitution is allowed only for defensive purposes, the Chancellor would become commander in chief of the ''Bundeswehr''.<ref>[http://www.bundestag.de/parlament/funktion/gesetze/grundgesetz/gg_10a.html Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland] Bundestag.de Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref>

As of October 2006, the German military had almost 9,000 troops stationed in foreign countries as part of various international peacekeeping forces, including 1,180 troops stationed in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia-Herzegovina]]; 2,844 Bundeswehr soldiers in [[Kosovo]]; 750 soldiers stationed as a part of [[EUFOR]] in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]; and 2,800 German troops in the NATO-led [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]] force in [[Afghanistan]]. As of February 2007, Germany had about 3000 ISAF troops in Afghanistan, the third largest contingent after the United States (14000) and the United Kingdom (5200).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.hq.nato.int/ISAF/media/pdf/placemat_isaf.pdf |title=NATO International Security Assistance Force Placemat|accessdate=2007-02-12 |date=Current as of 2007-02-07 |format=pdf}}</ref>'''

[[Image:Karlsruhe bundesverfassungsgericht.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The [[Federal Constitutional Court of Germany]] in [[Karlsruhe]].]]

{{main|Judiciary of Germany}}

===Federal level===

The [[Judiciary of Germany]] is independent of the executive and the legislative branches. Germany has a [[civil law (legal system)|civil or statute law system]] that is based on [[Roman law]] with some references to [[Germanic law]]. The ''[[Federal Constitutional Court of Germany|Bundesverfassungsgericht]]'' (Federal Constitutional Court), located in Karlsruhe, is the German Supreme Court responsible for constitutional matters, with power of [[judicial review]].<ref>[http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/en/index.html  Federal Constitutional Court], Bundesverfassungsgericht.de, Accessed April 13, 2007</ref> It acts as the highest legal authority and ensures that legislative and judicial practice conforms to the [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany|German Constitutional Law]]  (Grundgesetz). It acts independently of the other state bodies, but cannot act on its own behalf.

Germany's supreme court system, called ''Oberste Gerichtshöfe des Bundes'', is specialized. For civil and criminal cases, the highest court of appeal is the [[Federal Court of Justice of Germany|Federal Court of Justice]], located in [[Karlsruhe]] and [[Leipzig]]. The courtroom style is [[Inquisitorial system|inquisitorial]]. Other Federal Courts are the [[Federal Labor Court of Germany|Federal Labor Court]] in [[Erfurt]], the [[Bundessozialgericht|Federal Social Court]] in [[Kassel]], the [[Federal Finance Court of Germany|Federal Finance Court]] in [[Munich]] and the [[Federal Administrative Court of Germany|Federal Administrative Court]] in Leipzig.

[[Criminal law]] and [[private law]] are codified on the national level in the ''[[Strafgesetzbuch]]'' and the ''[[Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch]]'' respectively. The German penal system is aimed towards rehabilitation of the criminal; its secondary goal is the protection of the general public.<ref>[http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stvollzg/__2.html § 2, StVllzg], gesetze-im-internet.de, Accessed April 13, 2007</ref> In order to achieve the latter, a convicted criminal can be put in preventive detention (''Sicherheitsverwahrung'') in addition to the regular sentence if he is considered to be a threat to the general public. The [[Völkerstrafgesetzbuch]] regulates the consequences of [[crimes against humanity]], [[genocide]] and [[war crimes]]. It gives German courts [[universal jurisdiction]] if prosecution by a court of the country where the crime was committed, or by an international court, is not possible.

Legislative power is divided between the federation and the state level. The German Constitutional Law (Grundgesetz) of Germany presumes that all legislative power remains at the state level unless otherwise designated by the Basic Law itself. In some areas, federal and state level have concurrent legislative power. In such cases, the federate level has power to legislation "if and to the extent that the establishment of equal living conditions throughout the federal territory or the maintenance of legal or economic unity renders federal regulation necessary in the national interest" (Art. 72 German Constitutional Law).  

[[Image:Grundgesetz cover.jpg|left|thumb|170px|[[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany|German Constitutional Law]] - Grundgesetz, 1949]]

Any federal law overrides state law if the legislative power lies at the federal level. A famous example is the Hessian permission of the death penalty that goes against the ban of capital punishment by the Basic Law. The [[Federal Council of Germany|Bundesrat]] is the federal organ through which the states participate in national legislation. State participation in federal legislation is necessary if the law falls within the area of concurrent legislative power, requires states to administer federal regulations, or if designated so by the Basic Law. Every state with the exception of [[Schleswig-Holstein]] (whose constitutional jurisdiction is exercised by the Bundesverfassungsgericht in [[procuration]]) has its own constitutional courts. The [[Amtsgericht]]e, ''Landesgerichte'' and ''Oberlandesgerichte'' are state courts of [[general jurisdiction]]. They are competent whether the action is based on federal or state law.

Many of the fundamental matters in [[administrative law]] remain in the jurisdiction of the states, though most states base their own laws in that area on the 1976 ''Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz'' (Administrative Proceedings Act) in important points of administrative law. The ''Oberverwaltungsgerichte'' are the highest levels in administrative jurisdiction concerning the state administrations, unless the question of law concerns federal law or state law identical to federal law. In such cases, final appeal to the Federal Administrative Court is possible.

==Administrative divisions==

{{main|List of administrative divisions of Germany|States of Germany}}

!width="140px"| [[States of Germany|State]] !!width="80px"| [[Capital]] !!width="80px"| [[Area]]  !!width="80px"| [[Population]] </tr>

 

 

 

[[Image:Hintersee.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Alps|Alpine]] scenery in southern [[Bavaria]].]]

Most of Germany has a cool, temperate climate in which humid westerly winds predominate. The climate is moderated by the [[North Atlantic Current|North Atlantic Drift]], which is the northern extension of the [[Gulf Stream]]. This warmer water affects the areas bordering the North Sea including the peninsula of [[Jutland]] and the area along the Rhine, which flows into the North Sea. Consequently in the north-west and the north, the climate is [[Oceanic climate|oceanic]]; [[Precipitation (meteorology)|rainfall]] occurs year round with a maximum during summer. [[Winter]]s there are mild and [[summer]]s tend to be cool, though temperatures can exceed 30&nbsp;°[[Celsius|C]] (86&nbsp;°[[Fahrenheit|F]]) for prolonged periods. In the east, the climate is more [[continental climate|continental]]; winters can be very cold, summers can be very warm, and long dry periods are often recorded. Central and southern Germany are transition regions which vary from moderately oceanic to continental. Again, the maximum temperature can exceed 30&nbsp;°C (86&nbsp;°F) in summer.<ref>[http://www.handbuch-deutschland.de/book/en/002_001_001.html German Climate] Handbuch Deutschland. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref><ref>[http://www.wordtravels.com/Travelguide/Countries/Germany/Climate/ German Climate and Weather] World Travels. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref>

[[Image:Frankfurtnight.JPG|thumb|right|200px|[[Frankfurt am Main]] is Germany's financial centre.]]

{{main|Economy of Germany}}

Germany has the largest economy in [[Europe]] and the third largest economy in the world, behind the [[United States]] and [[Japan]].<ref>Tran, Mark. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/recession/story/0,,956580,00.html German slump points to sluggish eurozone] The Guardian. May 15, 2003. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 31|12-31]].</ref> It is ranked fifth in the world in terms of [[purchasing power parity]].<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html Rank Order - GDP (purchasing power parity)] CIA Factbook 2005. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 31|12-31]].</ref> The export of goods is an essential part of the German [[Economic system|economy]] and one of the main factors of its wealth. According to the [[World Trade Organization]], Germany is the world's top exporter with $912 billion exported in 2005 (Germany's exports to other [[Eurozone]] countries are included in this total).<ref name="cnn"/> It has a large [[trade surplus]] (160.6 billion euros in 2005).<ref name="cnn"/><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4692638.stm German trade surplus hits record] BBC. Feb. 8, 2006. Retrieved [[2007]], [[January 3|01-03]].</ref> In the [[Tertiary sector of industry|service sector]], Germany ranks second behind the United States.<ref name="cnn"/> Most of the country's exports are in engineering, especially in automobiles, machinery, and chemical goods.<ref name="CIA"/> In terms of total capacity to generate electricity from wind power, Germany is first in the world and it is also the main exporter of wind turbines.<ref>[http://www.german-renewable-energy.com/Renewables/Navigation/Englisch/wind-power.html Wind Power] Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Germany) Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref>

[[Image:S-KlasseW221.jpg|thumb|left|180|A [[Mercedes-Benz S-Class]]. Germany is the world's leading exporter of goods in 2003- 2006.]]

Although problems created by [[German reunification|reunification]] in 1990 have begun to diminish,<ref name="FR">Berg, S., Winter, S., Wassermann, A. [http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,373639,00.html The Price of a Failed Reunification] Spiegel Online International. Sep. 5, 2005. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 28|11-28]].</ref> the [[standard of living]] remains higher in the western half of the country. Germans continue to be concerned about a relatively high level of unemployment, especially in the former East German states where unemployment tops 18%.<ref name="FR"/> In spite of its extremely good performance in international trade, domestic demand has stalled for many years because of stagnating wages and consumer insecurity. Germany's government runs a restrictive [[fiscal policy]] and has cut numerous regular jobs in the [[public sector]].<ref>[http://www.uni-kiel.de/ifw/forschung/prognose/2006/3_06_deu_e.htm The German Economy is at the Cyclical Peak] Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 28|11-28]].</ref> But while regular employment in the public sector shrank, "irregular" government employment such as "one euro" jobs (temporary low-wage positions), government supported self-employment, and job training increased.<ref>Weber, Tim. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4248034.stm German unemployment weighs on voters] BBC. Sep. 16, 2005. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 28|11-28]].</ref> The national economy has nonetheless shown signs of improvement in recent years, the economics magazine ''Handelsblatt'' declaring it one of the most competitive in the Eurozone. Economists for the [[German Institute for Economic Research|Institute for Economic Research]] in Berlin expect Germany's economic growth to increase consistently over the next two years.<ref name="Deutsche Welle, German economic upswing in 2007">{{cite web |url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2299566,00.html |title=Deutsche Welle, German economic upswing in 2007 |accessdate=2007-03-14}}</ref>

In 2002 Germany was the world’s fifth largest consumer of energy, and two-thirds of its primary energy was imported. In the same year, Germany was Europe’s largest consumer of electricity; electricity consumption that year totaled 512.9 billion kilowatt-hours.

Government policy emphasizes conservation and the development of [[renewable energy]] sources, such as solar, wind, [[biomass]], hydro, and [[geothermal]]. As a result of energy-saving measures, [[energy efficiency]] (the amount of energy required to produce a unit of gross domestic product) has been improving since the beginning of the 1970s. The government has set the goal of meeting half the country’s energy demands from renewable sources by 2050. In 2000 the government and the [[Nuclear power in Germany|German nuclear power industry]] agreed to phase out all [[nuclear power plant]]s by 2021.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4295389.stm  Germany split over green energy], BBC, Accessed April 13, 2007</ref> However, renewables currently play a more modest role in energy consumption. In 2002 energy consumption was met by the following sources: oil (40%), coal (23%), natural gas (22%), nuclear (11%), hydro (2%), and other oscar is a mamado (2%).

[[Image:Berlin.JPG|thumb|right|200px|[[Berlin]] is Germany's capital and largest city.]]

{{main|Demographics of Germany|Social issues in Germany}}

With over 82 million inhabitants, Germany is the most populous country in the European Union. However, its [[Total fertility rate|fertility rate]] of 1.39 children per mother is one of the lowest in the world,<ref name="CIA"/> and the federal statistics office estimates the population will shrink to approximately 75 million by 2050.<ref name="p2300022"/> [[Chemnitz]] is thought to be the city with the lowest birth rate in the world.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4793997.stm German births decline to new low] BBC. Aug. 15, 2006. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 7|12-07]].</ref> Germany has a number of larger cities, the most populous being [[Berlin]], [[Hamburg]], [[Munich]], [[Cologne]], [[Frankfurt]] and [[Stuttgart]]. By far the largest [[conurbation]] is the [[Rhine-Ruhr]] region, including [[Düsseldorf]] (the capital of [[NRW]]) and the cities of [[Cologne]], [[Essen]], [[Dortmund]], [[Duisburg]] and [[Bochum]].

[[Image:Germany demography.png|thumb|left|200px|Population from 1961-2003. In years before 1990, the figures of the [[Federal Republic of Germany|FRG]] and the [[German Democratic Republic|GDR]] are combined.]]

As of December 2004, about seven million foreign citizens were registered in Germany and 19% of the country's residents were of foreign or partially foreign descent. The largest group (2.3 million)<ref>Bernstein, Richard. [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/29/international/europe/29letter1.html?ex=1301288400&en=f374094bb24aa621&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss A Quiz for Would-Be Citizens Tests Germans' Attitudes] New York Times. March 29, 2006. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref> is from [[Turkey]], and a majority of the rest are from European states such as [[Italy]], [[Serbia]], [[Greece]], [[Poland]], and [[Croatia]].<ref>[http://www.destatis.de/basis/e/bevoe/bevoetab10.htm Foreign population on 31 December 2004 by country of origin] Federal Statistical Office Germany January 24, 2006. Retrieved [[2007]], [[January 1|01-01]].</ref> In its ''State of World Population 2006'' report, the [[United Nations Population Fund]] lists Germany as hosting the third-highest percentage of international migrants worldwide, about 5% or 10 million of all 191 million migrants.<ref>[http://www.unfpa.org/publications/detail.cfm?ID=294&filterListType= State of World Population 2006] United Nations Population Fund. 2006. Retrieved [[2007]], [[January 1|01-01]].</ref> As a consequence of [[Immigration to Germany|restrictions]] of Germany's formerly rather unrestricted laws on [[right of asylum|asylum]] and immigration, the number of immigrants seeking asylum or claiming German ethnicity (mostly from the former Soviet Union) has been declining steadily since 2000.<ref>{{de icon}} [http://www.destatis.de/presse/deutsch/pm2006/p2690025.htm ''Erstmals seit 1990 weniger als 600 000 Ausländer zugezogen''], German Federal Statistics Bureau (Statistiches Bundesamt Deutschland), July 6 2006. Retrieved on [[2007]], [[January 1|01-01]].</ref> Immigrants to Germany often face integration issues among other difficulties.<ref>[http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1972211,00.html Integration Debate Rages in Wake of Honor Killing Conviction] Deutsche Welle. Apr. 17, 2004. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 31|12-31]].</ref> There has also been a recent surge in right-wing nationalist crimes. According to former Interior Minister [[Otto Schily]], this trend does not necessarily indicate a rise in membership in [[Neo-Nazism|right-wing]] groups.<ref>[http://www.euro-islam.info/pages/news_germany_may17-05.html 31,800 Islamist radicals in Germany: Schily] Euro-Islam.info. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref>

[[Image:Colognecathedral.JPG|thumb|right|200px|The [[Cologne Cathedral]] at the [[Rhine]] river is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.]]

 

[[Protestantism|Protestants]] (concentrated in the north and east) and [[Roman Catholicism in Germany|Roman Catholics]] (concentrated in the south and west) [[Religion in Germany|each comprise]] about 31% of the population. The current [[Pope]], [[Benedict XVI]], was born in [[Bavaria]]. In total, more than 55 million people officially belong to a [[Christianity|Christian]] denomination. Non-religious people, including [[Atheism|atheists]] and [[Agnosticism|agnostics]] amount to 28.5% of the population, and are especially numerous in the former [[German Democratic Republic|East Germany]].<ref>{{de icon}} [http://www.remid.de/remid_info_zahlen.htm Religionen in Deutschland: Mitgliederzahlen] Religiosenwissenschaftlicher Medien- und Informationsdienst. November 4, 2006. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref> About three million [[Muslim]]s<ref>[http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/aug212005/foreign1834142005820.asp Pope Benedict to meet Muslims in Germany.] ''Deccan Herald'' from [[Reuters]] [[2005]], [[August 21|08-21]]. Retrieved [[2007]], [[January 1|01-01]].</ref> live in Germany. Most are [[Sunni Islam|Sunnis]] and [[Alevites]] from [[Turkey]], but there are a small number of [[Shia Islam|Shiites]].<ref>[http://www.euro-islam.info/pages/germany.html Germany] Euro-Islam.info. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref> Germany has Western Europe's third-largest [[History of the Jews in Germany|Jewish population]].<ref>Blake, Mariah. [http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1110/p25s02-woeu.html In Nazi cradle, Germany marks Jewish renaissance] [[Christian Science Monitor]]. November 10,2006. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref> In 2004, twice as many Jews from former [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] republics settled in Germany as in [[Israel]], bringing the total Jewish population to more than 200,000, compared to 30,000 prior to [[German reunification]]. Large cities with significant Jewish populations include [[Berlin]], [[Frankfurt]] and [[Munich]].<ref>[http://www.eurojewcong.org/ejc/news.php?id_article=81 The Jewish Community of Germany] European Jewish Congress. Retrieved [[2006]], [[November 30|11-30]].</ref> According to the Deutsche Buddhistische Union (German Buddhist Union), an umbrella organisation of the Buddhist groups in Germany, there are about 250,000 active Buddhists in Germany, 50% of them are immigrated Asians.<ref>[[Die Zeit]] 12/07, page 13</ref>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Germany's [[German philosophy|influence on philosophy]] is historically significant and many notable German philosophers have helped shape [[western philosophy]] since the Middle Ages. [[Gottfried Leibniz]]'s contributions to [[rationalism]], [[Immanuel Kant]]'s, [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]]'s, [[Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling]]'s and [[Johann Gottlieb Fichte]]'s establishment of the classical [[German idealism]], [[Karl Marx]]'s and [[Friedrich Engels]]' formulation of [[Communist theory]], [[Arthur Schopenhauer]]'s composition of metaphysical pessimism, [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]'s development of [[Perspectivism]], [[Martin Heidegger]]'s works on Being, and the social theories of [[Jürgen Habermas]] were especially influential.

 

Germany claims some of the world's most renowned [[classical music]] composers, including [[Ludwig van Beethoven]], [[Johann Sebastian Bach]], and [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]]. As of 2006, Germany is the fifth largest music market in the world<ref>[http://p2pnet.net/story/1167 Music market worth $US32 billion] P2pnet.net Apr. 7, 2004. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 7|12-07]].</ref> and has influenced [[Pop music|pop]] and [[rock music]] through artists such as [[Kraftwerk]], [[Einstürzende Neubauten]] or [[Rammstein]].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Federal Republic of Germany is a modern [[great power]], and a member state of the [[United Nations]], [[NATO]], the [[G8]] and the [[G4 nations]].<ref>Levy, Jack S. 1983. War in the Modern Great Power System, 1495–1974. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.</ref><ref>Singer, J. David, and Melvin Small. 1972. The Wages of War, 1816–1965: A Statistical Handbook. New York: John Wiley and Sons.</ref> Germany is the world's [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|third largest economy]] by nominal [[GDP]], the world's largest exporter of goods, and the world's second largest importer of goods.<ref name=natgeo2006>{{cite book| authorlink=National Geographic |title=National Geographic Collegiate Atlas of the World |publisher=RR Donnelley & Sons Company |date=[[2006]] |month=April |location=Willard, Ohio |pages=257–70 |isbn=Regular:0-7922-3662-9, 978-0-7922-3662-7. Deluxe:0-7922-7976-X, 978-0-7922-7976-1}}</ref> In 2007 it holds the rotating presidencies of both the [[European Council]] and the G8 summits.

{{main|History of Germany}}

The state now known as Germany was [[political union|unified]] as a modern nation-state only in [[1871]], when the [[German Empire]] was forged, with the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] as its largest constituent. This began the German ''[[Reich]]'', usually translated as ''empire'', but also meaning ''kingdom'', ''domain'' or ''realm''.

The [[ethnogenesis]] of the [[Germanic peoples|Germanic tribes]] is assumed to have occurred during the [[Nordic Bronze Age]], or at the latest, during the [[Pre-Roman Iron Age]]. From southern [[Scandinavia]] and northern Germany, the tribes began expanding south, east and west in the 1st century&nbsp;BC, coming into contact with the [[Celt]]ic tribes of [[Gaul]] as well as [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]], [[Balts|Baltic]], and [[Slavic peoples|Slavic]] tribes in [[Eastern Europe]]. Little is known about early Germanic history, except through their interactions with the [[Roman Empire]] and archaeological finds.<ref name="Claster">Jill N. Claster: ''Medieval Experience: 300-1400''. NYU Press 1982, p. 35. ISBN 0814713815.</ref>

Under [[Augustus]], the Roman General [[Publius Quinctilius Varus]] began to invade Germany, and it was in this period that the German tribes became familiar with Roman tactics of warfare while maintaining their tribal identity. In AD&nbsp;9, three [[Roman legion]]s led by Varus were defeated by the [[Cheruscan]] leader [[Arminius]] (Hermann) in the [[Battle of the Teutoburg Forest]]. Germany, as far as the [[Rhine]] and the [[Danube]], thus remained outside the Roman Empire. By AD&nbsp;100, the time of [[Tacitus]]' ''[[Germania (book)|Germania]]'', Germanic tribes settled along the Rhine and the Danube (the [[Limes Germanicus]]), occupying most of the area of modern Germany. The 3rd century saw the emergence of a number of large West Germanic tribes: [[Alamanni]], [[Franks]], [[Chatti]], [[Saxons]], [[Frisians]], [[Sicambri]], and [[Thuringii]]. Around 260, the Germanic peoples broke through the Limes and the Danube frontier into Roman-controlled lands.<ref name="Cambridge ancient history">The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. 12, p. 442. ISBN 0521301998.</ref> {{see also|List of meanings of countries' names}}

===Holy Roman Empire (843&ndash;1806)===

[[Image: Balduineum Wahl Heinrich VII.jpg|thumb|left|185px|[[Prince-elector]]s of the [[Holy Roman Empire]], from a 1341 parchment.]]

 

 

The monk [[Martin Luther]] wrote his [[The 95 Theses|95 Theses]] questioning the [[Roman Catholic Church]] in 1517, thereby sparking the [[Protestant Reformation]]. A separate [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] church was acknowledged as the newly sanctioned religion in many states of Germany after 1530. Religious conflict led to the [[Thirty Years' War]] (1618&ndash;1648), which devastated German lands. The [[Peace of Westphalia]] (1648) ended religious warfare in Germany, but the empire was ''de facto'' divided into numerous independent principalities. From 1740 onwards, the dualism between the Austrian [[Habsburg Monarchy]] and the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] dominated German history. In 1806, the ''Imperium'' was overrun and dissolved as a result of the [[Napoleonic Wars]].<ref name="concise h">Fulbrook, Mary: ''A Concise History of Germany'', Cambridge University Press 1991, p. 97. ISBN 0521540712</ref>

 

===Restoration and revolution (1814&ndash;71)===

 

Following the fall of [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon Bonaparte]], the [[Congress of Vienna]] convened in 1814 and founded the [[German Confederation]] (Deutscher Bund), a loose league of [[List of German Confederation member states|39 sovereign states]]. Disagreement with [[restoration]] politics partly led to the rise of [[Liberalism in Germany|liberal]] movements, demanding unity and freedom. These, however, were followed by new measures of repression on the part of the Austrian statesman [[Klemens Wenzel von Metternich|Metternich]]. The ''[[Zollverein]]'', a tariff union, profoundly furthered economic unity in the German states. During this era many Germans had been stirred by the ideals of the [[French Revolution]], and [[nationalism]] became a more significant force, especially among young intellectuals. For the first time, the colours of black, red and gold were chosen to represent the movement, which later became the [[Flag of Germany|national colours]].<ref>Martin, Norman. [http://www.fotw.net/flags/de1848.html German Confederation 1815-1866 (Germany)] Flags of the World. Oct. 5, 2000. Retrieved [[2006]], [[December 7|12-07]].</ref>

 

 

 

===German Empire (1871&ndash;1918)===

{{main|German Empire}}