German is known as the birthplace of medieval Christian European culture and tradition, but at the same time, as one of the most criminal and bloody regimes that left its mark on the whole world. Nowadays, it is a rich and diverse country, known for distinctive architecture, great beer, and remarkable cultural heritage.
1
Over 83 million people are living in Germany.
It places Germany 16th in the world in terms of the world’s population. The density of the population is about 232 people per square kilometer.
2
The capital of Germany is Berlin.
It is populated by 3,7 million people, covers 892 square kilometers, and is divided into 12 administrative districts. It is visited by over 13 million tourists a year.
3
German is the official language in five countries.
It is spoken in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, and Lichtenstein. Over 100 million people speak the German language around the world.
4
The most numerous group of immigrants in Germany are Turks.
The second place belongs to the Poles.
5
The name Germany derives from the same Slavic root as “mute”, “stranger”.
It depicts the language barrier that existed between Germanic and Slavic tribes.
6
Germany is bordered by nine countries: Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, France, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
7
Germany has the largest number of zoos. There are more than 400 of them.
Berlin Zoologischer Garten is the world’s largest zoo in terms of the number of species – 1,500 – and the number of animals – 14,000.
8
Germany produces more than 1,500 types of sausage and 300 types of bread.
9
In Bavaria, beer is considered food, not alcohol.
10
Germans produce more than 5,000 kinds of beer in more than 1,300 breweries.
The oldest brewery in Germany is Weihenstephan, founded in 1040 by Benedictine monks.
11
The traditional German breakfast is a white sausage dish.
Despite producing a vast selection of sausages, white sausage is considered a favorite by Germans.
12
The statistical German consumes over 140 liters of beer a year.
It makes Germans second only to Czechs.
13
Neglecting the Holocaust is considered a crime in Germany.
14
The most popular sport in Germany is soccer.
The country has 26,000 soccer clubs, and over one million Germans are registered in fan clubs.
15
There are over 150 castles in Germany.
The most famous is Neuschwanstein Castle. Its construction began in 1869 but was never fully completed. It is visited by over 1,3 million tourists a year.
16
There is no tuition at Universities in Germany.
It applies to both national and international students.
17
The total length of highways in Germany is over 13 thousand kilometers.
The speed limit does not apply to most sections (65%).
18
The world’s highest cathedral is located in Ulm.
The construction of Ulmer Münster was completed in 1890. The church tower is 161,53 meters high.
19
One-third of Germany is covered in forests.
20
Germany was the first country to implement daylight saving time (DST, summertime).
It started on April 30, 1916, to conserve electricity.
21
The last week of September in Munich is the world’s most famous beer festival – Oktoberfest.
The tradition dates back to October 12, 1810, when Prince Ludwig threw a party to celebrate his wedding.
22
Escaping from prison in Germany is not considered a crime.
The Germans consider a will to be free as a fundamental human right. However, committing crimes while on the run will end in punishment.
23
The earliest published magazine was German “Erbauliche Monaths Unterredungen”.
It was a philosophy periodical, published in 1663.
