AMD 5 - Ryen

This week I decided to learn more about German culture, government, and history. So I read the wikipedia article about Germany. The more I learn about this country, the happier I feel about my choice to learn the German language. Besides certain 20th-century events, Germany has a wonderful track record and has been home to some of the brightest minds in the world.

Government

Today, the government of Germany is constructed upon the guidelines of a 1949 constitutional document called the "Grundgesetz." According to wikipedia, Germany is a "federal, parliamentary, representative democratic republic." The highest government position is "president" or "head of state." The current head of state is Christian Wulff. The second-highest official is the "Bundestagspräsident" and the third-highest is the Chancellor (currently Angela Merkel). Germany has quite a good relationship with the United States, if the article is to be believed.

I knew that the capital of Germany was Berlin, but I did not know that Germany is divided into sixteen states, each with their own governments and capitals. Among others cities and states, Munich is the capital of Bavaria, Hanover is the capital of Lower Saxony, and Hamburg is the capital of Hamburg.

Economy

Germany has the fourth largest economy in the world by GDP, and the largest economy in Europe. They are one of the founders of the European Union. Germany has a "social market economy", which according to Wikipedia is a sort of mixed economy in which there is essentially a free market, but with lots of government intervention for the welfare of citizens and regulation of corporations. This is not to be confused with true socialism, in which producing institutions are collectively owned.

Notable People

The Nobel Prize has been awarded to 103 Germans. Notable people include Einstein, Riemann, Weierstrauss, Leibniz, Hilbert, Planck, Heisenberg, and thousands of others in all fields of human achievement.

Demographics

Population: 81.8 million (15th most populous country)

Density: 229.4 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Fertility rate: 1.4 children per mother, 7.9 births per thousand people. (Their death rate in fact exceeds their birth rate, so Germany is losing people.)

Religion: About 51.5 million Christians, 4.3 million Muslims, 27.9 million with no religious affiliation, and a small number of other religions.

Fact that I found interesting:

Until 2011, Germany had mandatory military service for all men at least 18. (Those who objected could opt for some sort of civilian service instead). Now their military is voluntary.