The territory of Germany covers 357,021 km² (137,847 sq mi), consisting of 349,223 km² (134,836 sq mi) of land and 7,798 km² (3,011 sq mi) of water. It is the seventh largest country by area in Europe and the 63rd largest in the world. Elevation ranges from the mountains of the Alps (highest point: the Zugspitze at 2,962 metres / 9,718 feet) in the south to the shores of the North Sea (Nordsee) in the north-west and the Baltic Sea (Ostsee) in the north-east. Between lie the forested uplands of central Germany and the low-lying lands of northern Germany (lowest point: Wilstermarsch at 3.54 metres / 11.6 feet below sea level), traversed by some of Europe's major rivers such as the Rhine, Danube and Elbe.

Germany shares borders with more European countries than any other country on the continent. Its neighbours are Denmark in the north, Poland and the Czech Republic in the east, Austria and Switzerland in the south, France and Luxembourg in the south-west and Belgium and the Netherlands in the north-west.

Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland,), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The territory of Germany covers 357,021 square kilometers (137,847 sq mi) and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 81.8 million inhabitants in 2010, it has the largest population among member states of the European Union, and it is home to the third-largest number of international migrants worldwide.

A region named Germania, inhabited by several Germanic peoples, has been known and documented before AD 100. Beginning in the 10th century, German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire, which lasted until 1806. During the 16th century, northern Germany became the centre of the Protestant Reformation. As a modern nation-state, the country was first unified amidst the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. After World War II, Germany was divided in 1949 into two separate states—East Germany and West Germany—along the lines of Allied occupation. Germany was reunified in 1990 upon the entry of the German Democratic Republic into the Federal Republic. West Germany was a founding member of the European Community (EC) in 1957, which became the European Union in 1993. It is part of the Schengen Area and adopted the European currency, the euro, in 1999.

Germany is a federal parliamentary republic of sixteen states (Bundesländer). The capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany is a member of the United Nations, NATO, G8, G20, and the OECD. It is a major power with the world's fourth largest economy by nominal GDP and the fifth largest in purchasing power parity. It is the second largest exporter and third largest importer of goods. In absolute terms, Germany allocates the second biggest annual budget of development aid in the world, while its military expenditure ranked seventh. The country has developed a high standard of living and established a comprehensive system of social security. It holds a key position in European affairs and maintains a multitude of close partnerships on a global level. Germany is recognised as a scientific and technological leader in several fields.

Federal Republic of Germany Bundesrepublik Deutschland (German)[note 1]
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Germany (dark green) – on the European continent (light green & dark grey) – in the European Union (light green) — [Legend]
Capital (and largest city)		Berlin 52°31′N 13°23′E / 52.517°N 13.383°E / 52.517; 13.383
Official language(s)		German
Ethnic groups		91.5% German, 8.5% other[1]
Demonym		German
Government		Federal parliamentary republic
-	President	Christian Wulff (CDU)
-	Chancellor	Angela Merkel (CDU)
-	President of the Bundestag	Norbert Lammert (CDU)
Formation
-	Holy Roman Empire	2 February 962
-	Unification	18 January 1871
-	Federal Republic	23 May 1949
-	Reunification	3 October 1990
EU accession		25 March 1957
Area
-	Total	357,021 km2 (63rd) 137,847 sq mi
-	Water (%)	2.416
Population
-	Jan. 1, 2010 estimate	81,757,600 (14th)
-	Density	229/km2 (55th) 593/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2009 estimate
-	Total	$2.806 trillion[3]
-	Per capita	$34,212[3]
GDP (nominal)		2009 estimate
-	Total	$3.352 trillion
-	Per capita	$40,874
Gini (2006)		27 (low)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.947 (very high) (22nd)
Currency		Euro (€) (EUR)
Time zone		CET (UTC+1)
-	Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.de
Calling code		49

The German Tourism Association (Deutscher Tourismusverband) irregularly publishes statistics on the most visited landmarks in Germany. With an average of over 5.8 million visitors entering the cathedral per year, Cologne Cathedral is Germany's most visited landmark. Second and third places go to the Reichstag building in Berlin and the Hofbräuhaus in Munich. Other much visited architectural landmarks include the Drosselgasse in Rüdesheim (3.0m), the medieval old towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber (2.5m), Monschau (2.0m) and Bad Münstereifel (2m), the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and the Holsten Gate in Lübeck.

landmark	location	subject
Cologne Cathedral	Cologne	Gothic Cathedral
Reichstag building	Berlin	Bundestag
Hofbräuhaus	Munich	Brewery
Heidelberg Castle	Heidelberg	Renaissance architecture
Neuschwanstein Castle	Schwangau	Castle of King Ludwig II of Bavaria
Zwinger and Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister	Dresden	Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Fernsehturm	Berlin	Television and observation tower
Aachen Cathedral	Aachen	Imperial Cathedral

Theme parks

The table below shows some of the most visited theme parks or related facilities in Germany.

park	location	subject
Europa-Park	Rust	Theme park	Amusement park
VW Autostadt	Wolfsburg		Automobile park
Nürburgring	Nürburg		Formula One park
Therme Erding	Erding		Water park
Movie Park Germany	Bottrop		Movie park
Legoland Deutschland	Günzburg		Miniature park
Berlin Zoological Garden	Berlin	Zoo
Deutsches Museum	Munich	Museum
Hamburg Planetarium	Hamburg	Planetarium

The table below shows the most visited protected areas in Germany.

protected area	location	type
Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern	National park
Saxon Switzerland National Park	Saxony	National park
Bavarian Forest National Park	Bavaria	National park
Jasmund National Park	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern	National park
Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park 1	Lower Saxony	National park
Berchtesgaden National Park	Bavaria	National park
Harz National Park	Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt	National park
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park	Schleswig-Holstein	National park
Mainau Island	Baden-Württemberg

Germany is home to several of the world's largest trade fairgrounds, and many of the international exhibitions are considered trend-setters or industry leaders. Thousands of national and international trade fairs, conventions and congresses are held in Germany annually, with (in 2008) 10.3 million visitors to the 150 largest trade fairs alone. More than half of these visitors come from abroad, more than one third from countries outside Europe. The table below shows some of the most visited trade fairs.

trade fair ground	city	trade fair	industry
Frankfurt Trade Fair	Frankfurt am Main	Internationale Automobilausstellung (IAA)	motor show
		Frankfurt Book Fair	books
		ISH	heating, ventilation and air conditioning
Messegelände	Hanover	CeBIT	computer expo
		Agritechnica	agricultural machinery
Messe München International	Munich	BAUMA	construction machinery
		BAU	architecture, materials, systems engineering
Messe Berlin	Berlin	International Green Week (IGW)	sustainable agriculture
		Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA)	consumer electronics
Messe Düsseldorf	Düsseldorf	Drupa	print media
		Boot Düsseldorf	boats
		Kunststoffmesse (K)	plastics
Cologne Trade Fair	Cologne	gamescom	video games

The history of tourism in Germany goes back to cities and landscapes being visited for education and recreation. From the late 18th century onwards, cities like Dresden, Munich, Weimar and Berlin were major stops on a European Grand tour. Spas and resorts on the North and Baltic Seas and along the Rhine valley particularly developed during the 19th and early 20th century and since the end of World War II tourism has expanded greatly, as many tourists visit Germany to experience a sense of European history. The countryside has a pastoral aura, while the cities exhibit both a modern and classical feel.

According to Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Reports, Germany is rated as one of the safest travel destinations worldwide. Germany is also the third most visited country in Europe, with a total of 369.6 million overnights. This number includes 56.5 million nights by foreign visitors, the majority of foreign tourists in 2009 coming from the Netherlands, the United States and Switzerland.

The official body for tourism in Germany is the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), represented worldwide by National Tourist Offices in 29 countries. Surveys by the GNTB include perceptions and reasons for holidaying in Germany, which are as follows: culture (75%), outdoors/countryside (59%), cities (59%), cleanliness (47%), security (41%), modernity (36%), good hotels (35%), good gastronomy/cuisine (34%), good accessibility (30%), cosmopolitanism/hospitality (27%), good shopping opportunities (21%), exciting nightlife (17%) and good price/performance ratio (10%) (multiple answers were possible).

More than 30% of Germans spend their holiday in their own country. With more than 133 million foreign visitors Germany is ranked as the 7th most visited travel destination worldwide. A total of 27.2 billion Euros is spent on travel and tourism: this is equivalent to 3.2% of Germany's GNP.