About Germany

Geography

Germany is a country in west-central Europe, that stretches from the Alps, across the North European Plain to the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Germany has the second largest population in Europe (after the European part of Russia) and is seventh largest in area.

Elevation ranges from the mountains of the Alps in the south to the shores of the North Sea (Nordsee) in the northwest and the Baltic Sea (Ostsee) in the northeast. Between lie the forested uplands of central Germany and the low-lying lands of northern Germany traversed by some of Europe’s major rivers such as the Rhine, Danube and Elbe.

Germany shares borders with nine European countries: Denmark in the north, Poland and the Czech Republic in the east, Switzerland and Austria in the south, France in the southwest and Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in the east.

Climate

Germany’s climate is moderate and has generally no longer periods of cold or hot weather. Northwestern and coastal Germany have a maritime influenced climate which is characterized by warm summers and mild cloudy winters. Most areas on the country’s North Sea coast have midwinter temperatures about 1.5°C or even higher.

Farther inland, the climate is continental, marked by greater seasonal variations in temperature, with warmer summers and colder winters. Temperature extremes between night and day and summer and winter are considerably less in the north than in the south

Demography

According to the first census since reunification, Germany’s population was 82,790,700 (31 September 2017), making it the sixteenth-most populous country in the world and the most populous in the European Union. The total fertility rate was rated at 1.59 in 2016[6] (the highest value since 1972) and in 2011, was even estimated at 1.6 after accounting for the fact that older women contribute more to the number of births than in previous statistic models, and total fertility rates increased in younger generations In 2008, fertility was related to educational achievement (women with lower levels of education were having more children than women who had completed higher education). In 2011, this was no longer true for Eastern Germany where higher educated women now had a somewhat higher fertility rate compared to the rest of the population.

Food and Drink

There is no better way for you to explore Germany and its regions than eating German food and drinking German beers and wines. Something special is available for every occasion and palate – from authentic locally sourced fresh food to high-end Michelin-star cuisine. Traditional German cooking varies in menus and style from one city and region to the next and is great value for money. Its diversity is a result of Germany’s history and colorful landscapes, each region having its own traditional food restaurants and delicious homegrown recipes.

Background numbers open windows of gastronomic taste, opportunity and excitement for you – 13 wine regions, 1,350 breweries and 6,000 beers, 1,500 varieties of sausage, 500 types of bread, 500 great tasting mineral waters and over 290 Michelin-starred restaurants. Add to this an amazing range of eateries, restaurants and beer gardens together with thousands of regional wine, food and beer festivals where you can converse and engage with the locals. You will be spoilt for choice and you will never wish to leave!