Germany is a country in Central Europe. In the north it has a coast on the North Sea, Baltic Sea and a border with Denmark in the east to Poland and the Czech Republic in the south by Austria and Switzerland, and in the west to France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. The territory of Germany covers 137.847 square miles, it is the seventh largest country by area in Europe. Berlin is the capital and largest city. Germany comprises 16 states, called Bundesländer, which are further subdivided into 439 districts and cities.
Germany is a federal, parliamentary, democratic republic. There is a basic law committed in 1949.The Chancellor is the head of government, currently that position is taken by Angela Merkel , she is the first female Chancellor of Germany.
Germany is traditionally known for its great poets and thinkers. A number of world famous classical composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms and Richard Wagner, lived in Germany. And the collections of folk tales published by the Brothers Grimm, popularized German folklore on an international level.
Germany has some of the key researchers in various scientific fields. The Nobel Prize was given to 103 German winners awarded. For modern physics was the work of Albert Einstein and Max Planck very important. The Cologne cathedral ,start of construction in 1248, is a Gothic cathedral which was added in 1996 to the UNESCO World Heritage list. With the huge twin towers, he seems even bigger. The impressive architecture and a lot of famous artworks, paintings of colorful glass sculptures and the oldest of the West, the sarcophagus of the Magi makes it impressive.
In 2010 the Ruhr the European Capital of Culture, the official name is “RUHR.2010, Essen for the Ruhr”. An agglomeration of 53 municipalities and cities in western Germany, has the title this time, that has never happened before.
Germany is known for vibrant cities with beautiful architecture, magnificent castles, palaces, convents, shops and a lively nightlife, festivals and traditional wine villages with regional specialties. Zoologischer Garten Berlin is the oldest zoo in Germany has the most different species in the world. Germany has a lot of zoos, wildlife parks, aquariums and bird parks. The countryside is picturesque and you can have a nice walk or just relax. German cuisine is different in each region. Pork, beef and poultry meat are the main species that are eaten in Germany. Meat is often eaten in sausage form, more than 1500 different types of sausage are produced in Germany. The national alcoholic drink is beer
Visitors from the European Community do not need a visa to visit Germany for stays of up to 3 months. Tourists from other countries can obtain a visa from German Embassy or Consulate.
