Germany Overview

The City of Berlin

While there is no shortage of images that characterize Germany—Lederhosen and busty barmaids, ultra-modern skyscrapers, unconscionable heaps of meat and potatoes—perhaps the most accurate explanation of this compelling country lies not in a preconception but in a word: Gestalt . This German term, literally meaning “shape,” characterizes something that is distinctly more than the sum of its parts. Gestalt’ s evocative brand of holism speaks both to Germany’s geographical diversity, sweeping from the jagged snowy peaks of the Bavarian Alps to the sprawling sandy beaches of the north, and to its historical legacy and ever-evolving sense of national identity. A country split between Protestantism and Catholicism and forged from dozens of squabbling principalities, Germany has never been homogeneous. Yet a new influx of non-German immigrants and the challenge of collective guilt has forced an entire nation—once confident in its own ethnic heritage, if nothing else—to question what it means to be German in an ever-shrinking world and a rapidly diversifying Land . Poised at the juncture of common tradition and forward-looking cosmopolitanism, and facing tremendous uncertainty coupled with the uplifting potential of change, Germany is uniquely positioned to offer travelers culture, adventure, and the opportunity to discover the phantasmic Gestalt of contemporary Germany.

Facts And Figures

Jan. 18, 1871: The date of German unification, 95 years after the birth of the US.
27: The number of times Germany could fit inside the borders of the US.
82.5 Million: Germany’s population.
107,000: The size of Germany’s current Jewish community, the third largest in Western Europe.
80: The number of mosques in Berlin.
2.7 Million: The number of Turks living in Germany, of whom approximately one third have citizenship.
500,000: The estimated number of Berlin residents of Turkish descent, making it the third-largest Turkish city in the world.
120: The number of liters of beer consumed per German per year.
66: The percentage of German men who are overweight, making Germany the heaviest country in the EU.
Infinity: The speed limit on the Autobahn. (130km/hr. is recommended).
4.3 Million: The number of passenger vehicles Germany exports in a year.
3: Germany’s rank on a list of the world’s largest economies, after the US and Japan.
1: Germany’s rank as the world’s largest exporter, ahead of the US and China.
14.2: Percentage of Germany’s electricity made from renewable energy sources.

Essentials

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required for Stay Less Than Three Months: No
Tourism Office:www.germany-tourism.de
Phone Numbers: 112 for emergencies; 11837 for domestic directory assistance
Currency: Euro (EUR^)
Sales Tax: 16%, usually included in display price
Driving: Right-hand side of the road; International Driving Permit (IDP) required for six months with valid license from home country
Drinking Age: 18
Reinheitsgebot: “Purity requirement” law guarantees that all beer produced in Germany contains only water, hops, and barley malt

Planning Your Trip

Entrance Requirements Passport . Required for citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. Visa . May be required of citizens of other countries. Work Permit ...more

When To Go

Airfares and tourism increase with the temperature in July and August. May, June, and September have fewer vacationers and cooler, rainier days. Cold and wet weather is never a surprise in Germany: ...more

Basics

Germany enjoys a seasonal temperate climate. Throughout most of the country, summers are mild and winters are rarely snowy. Conditions in the mountainous south can be more extreme but usually just extreme ...more

Cultural Essentials

Located in the heart of Europe, Germany has played a central role in countless political, social, and cultural developments in the region and in the world. It is still Europe’s most industrialized ...more