Germany

Germany is a large country in central Europe. From 1949 to 1990, it was divided into the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).

On Oct. 3, 1990, East and West Germany were unified into a single nation, also called the Federal Republic of Germany.

A Short Background

As Western Europe's richest and most populous nation, Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations.

European power struggles immersed the country in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945.

With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR).

The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact.

The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards.

In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries formed a common European currency, the euro.

Population:

83,029,536 (July 2001 est.)

Religions:

Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 1.7%, unaffiliated or other 26.3%

Languages:

German

Currency:

Euro (EUR)

Currency code:

EUR; DEM

Exchange rates:

1 EURO to US Dollar : 1,1962 (April 2004)

More Informations:

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