Germany
About Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a sovereign country located in Europe, specifically within the Western Europe subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Berlin, and the country is home to approximately 83.5 million people. In its native language, the country is known as “Deutschland”. German serves as the primary official language, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Germany. The official currency in circulation is the euro (€), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Germany is widely recognised for its beer culture, precision engineering and fairy-tale castles. People from Germany are referred to as German.
Geography & climate
Germany covers approximately 357,114 km² of territory, making it a mid-sized country by land area. It shares land borders with 9 neighbouring countries — a position that has historically influenced migration patterns, regional politics, and cross-border commerce. Geographically, Germany sits in the Northern and Eastern Hemisphere, at roughly 51.0° N, 9.0° E. Standard civil time follows UTC+01:00 year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of Germany can be summarised as: central european lowlands & uplands with temperate continental. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.
People, language & society
With roughly 83.5 million inhabitants, Germany is one of the more populous nations on Earth. The principal spoken language is German, which dominates public life, schooling, signage, and the workplace. Locals refer to their homeland as “Deutschland”, a name with linguistic and historical roots that long predate modern borders. Citizens are formally known in English as German, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the euro (€) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.
Quick facts at a glance
- 🏙️ CapitalBerlin
- 📛 Official nameFederal Republic of Germany
- 🗣️ Native nameDeutschland
- 🧑 DemonymGerman
- 📍 RegionWestern Europe
- 🌐 SubregionWestern Europe
- 📐 Area357,114 km²
- 👥 Population83.5 million
- 🌡️ ClimateCentral European lowlands & uplands · Temperate continental
- 🗺️ Land borders9
- 💬 LanguageGerman
- 💰 Currencyeuro (€)
- 📞 Calling code+49
- 🌐 Internet TLD.de
- 🚗 Drives onright side
- 🕐 Time zoneUTC+01:00
- 🇺🇳 UN memberYes
Practical travel & daily-life info
Visitors planning a trip to Germany should familiarise themselves with the capital, Berlin, the local time zone (UTC+01:00), the local currency (euro). The international dialling prefix is +49, which is required when phoning a Germany number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the right side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .de, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Monday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.
Government & global standing
Germany is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Germany is generally classified within the Europe region and more specifically the Western Europe subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties.
Bordering countries
Germany shares land borders with 9 countries. Click any neighbour to read about it:
Did you know?
Over 3,200 officially registered bread varieties bake here — more than any other nation — a diversity documented in a formal registry.
Germany in the GlobeIQ atlas
Inside the GlobeIQ game, Germany appears as an easier opening puzzle for new players. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Germany carries the personality tags “🍺 Beer Capital” and “🔧 Engineering Nation”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Germany to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.