This article is about the country. For other uses of terms redirecting here see Germany (disambiguation) and Deutschland (disambiguation). Federal Republic of Germany Bundesrepublik Deutschland Flag Coat of arms Anthem:  The third stanza of Das Lied der Deutschen   The Song of the Germans Location of  Germany  (dark green)  on the European continent  (green & dark grey)  in the European Union  (green)    Legend Capital (and largest city) Berlin 5231N 1323E / 52.517N 13.383E / 52.517; 13.383 Official language(s) German1 Demonym German Government Federal parliamentary republic  -  President Christian Wulff (CDU)  -  Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU)  -  President of the Bundestag Norbert Lammert (CDU)  -  President of the Bundesrat Hannelore Kraft (SPD) Formation  -  Holy Roman Empire 2 February 962   -  Unification 18 January 1871   -  Federal Republic 23 May 1949   -  Reunification 3 October 1990  Area  -  Total 357021 km2 (63rd) 137847 sq mi   -  Water (%) 2.416 Population  -  2010 estimate 818020001 (14th)  -  Density 229/km2 (55th) 593/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2010 estimate  -  Total $2.940 trillion2   -  Per capita $360332  GDP (nominal) 2010 estimate  -  Total $3.315 trillion2   -  Per capita $406312  Gini (2006) 27dated info (low)  HDI (2010) 0.8853 (very high) (10th) Currency Euro ()2(2002 present) (EUR) Time zone CET (UTC+1)  -  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2) Drives on the right ISO 3166 code DE Internet TLD .de 3 Calling code 49 1 Danish Low German Sorbian Romany and Frisian are officially recognised by the ECRML. 2 Before 2002: Deutsche Mark (DEM). 3 Also .eu shared with European Union member states.

Germany (i /drmni/) officially the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland pronounced bndsepublik dtlant ( listen))4 is a country in Western and Central Europe. Germany is a federal parliamentary republic of sixteen states. The capital and largest city is Berlin. It covers an area of 357021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With 81.8 million inhabitants it is the most populous member state and the largest economy of the European Union. It is one of the major political powers of the European continent and a technological leader in many fields.

A region named Germania inhabited by several Germanic peoples was documented before AD 100. Beginning in the 10th century German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation which lasted until 1806. During the 16th century northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation while southern and western parts remained dominated by Roman Catholic denominations. The different German states became first unified in 1871 with the inception of the German Empire. After the German revolution and the subsequent military surrender in World War 1 the Weimar Republic was proclaimed in 1918 followed by the Third Reich in 1933. The latter period was marked by a dictatorship genocide and the initiation of World War II. After 1945 Germany was divided by allied occupation and evolved into two states East Germany and West Germany. In 1990 Germany was reunified.

Germany was a founding member of the European Community in 1957 which became the EU in 1993. It is part of the Schengen Area and since 1999 a member of the eurozone. Germany is a member of the United Nations NATO the G8 the G20 the OECD and the Council of Europe and took a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 20112012 term.

It has the world's fourth largest economy by nominal GDP and the fifth largest by purchasing power parity. It is the second largest exporter and third largest importer of goods. In absolute terms Germany spends the third biggest annual development aid budget in the world while its military expenditure ranks seventh. The country has developed a very high standard of living and a comprehensive system of social security. Germany has been the home of many influential scientists and inventors and is known for its cultural and political history. Contents 1 History 1.1 Germanic tribes and Frankish Empire 1.2 Holy Roman Empire 1.3 German Confederation and Empire 1.4 Weimar Republic and Third Reich 1.5 East and West Germany 1.6 Berlin Republic and the EU 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 2.2 Biodiversity 3 Politics 3.1 States 3.2 Foreign relations 3.3 Military 4 Economy 4.1 Infrastructure 4.2 Science and technology 5 Demographics 5.1 Religion 5.2 Languages 5.3 Education 5.4 Health 6 Culture 6.1 Arts 6.2 Literature and philosophy 6.3 Media 6.4 Cuisine 6.5 Sports 7 References 8 External links History Main article: History of Germany

The English word "Germany" derives from the Latin Germania which came into use after Julius Caesar adopted it for the peoples east of the Rhine.5 In other languages it has various names. Germanic tribes and Frankish Empire Main articles: Germania and Migration Period Expansion of the Germanic tribes 750 BC AD 1

The Germanic tribes are thought to date from the Nordic Bronze Age or the Pre-Roman Iron Age. From southern Scandinavia and north Germany they expanded south east and west from the 1st century BC coming into contact with the Celtic tribes of Gaul as well as Iranian Baltic and Slavic tribes in Eastern Europe.6 Under Augustus the Roman General Publius Quinctilius Varus began to invade Germania (an area extending roughly from the Rhine to the Ural Mountains). In AD 9 three Roman legions led by Varus were defeated by the Cheruscan leader Arminius. By AD 100 when Tacitus wrote Germania Germanic tribes had settled along the Rhine and the Danube (the Limes Germanicus) occupying most of the area of modern Germany; Austria southern Bavaria and the western Rhineland however were Roman provinces.7

In the 3rd century a number of large West Germanic tribes emerged: Alamanni Franks Chatti Saxons Frisii Sicambri and Thuringii. Around 260 the Germanic peoples broke into Roman-controlled lands.8 After the invasion of the Huns in 375 and with the decline of Rome from 395 Germanic tribes moved further south-west. Simultaneously several large tribes formed in what is now Germany and displaced the smaller Germanic tribes. Large areas (known since the Merovingian period as Austrasia) were occupied by the Franks and Northern Germany was ruled by the Saxons and Slavs.7 Holy Roman Empire Main article: Holy Roman Empire Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation.

On 25 December 800 Charlemagne founded the Carolingian Empire which was divided in 843.9 The Holy Roman Empire resulted from the eastern portion of this division. Its territory stretched from the Eider River in the north to the Mediterranean coast in the south.9 Under the reign of the Ottonian emperors (9191024) several major duchies were consolidated and the German king was crowned Holy Roman Emperor of these regions in 962. The Holy Roman Empire absorbed northern Italy and Burgundy under the reign of the Salian emperors (10241125) although the emperors lost power through the Investiture Controversy.

Under the Hohenstaufen emperors (11381254) the German princes increased their influence further south and east into territories inhabited by Slavs preceding German settlement in these areas and further east (Ostsiedlung). Northern German towns grew prosperous as members of the Hanseatic League.10 Starting with the Great Famine in 1315 then the Black Death of 134850 the population of Germany plummeted.11 The edict of the Golden Bull in 1356 provided the basic constitution of the empire and codified the election of the emperor by seven prince-electors who ruled some of the most powerful principalities and archbishoprics.12 Martin Luther publicised his 95 Theses in 1517 challenging the Roman Catholic Church and initiating the Protestant Reformation. A separate Lutheran church became the official religion in many German states after 1530. Religious conflict led to the Thirty Years' War (16181648) which devastated German lands.13 The population of the German states was reduced by about 30 percent.14 The Peace of Westphalia (1648) ended religious warfare among the German states but the empire was de facto divided into numerous independent principalities. From 1740 onwards dualism between the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy and the Kingdom of Prussia dominated German history. In 1806 the Imperium was overrun and dissolved as a result of the Napoleonic Wars.15 German Confederation and Empire Main articles: German Confederation and German Empire Following the fall of Napoleon I of France the Congress of Vienna convened in 1814 and founded the German Confederation (Deutscher Bund) a loose league of 39 sovereign states. Disagreement with restoration politics partly led to the rise of liberal movements followed by new measures of repression by Austrian statesman Metternich. The Zollverein a tariff union furthered economic unity in the German states.16 National and liberal ideals of the French Revolution gained increasing support among many especially young Germans. In the light of a series of revolutionary movements in Europe which established a republic in France intellectuals and commoners started the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states. King Frederick William IV of Prussia was offered the title of Emperor but with a loss of power; he rejected the crown and the proposed constitution leading to a temporary setback for the movement.17 Foundation of the German Empire in Versailles 1871. Bismarck is at the centre in a white uniform. Conflict between King William I of Prussia and the increasingly liberal parliament erupted over military reforms in 1862 and the king appointed Otto von Bismarck the new Prime Minister of Prussia. Bismarck successfully waged war on Denmark in 1864. Prussian victory in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 enabled him to create the North German Federation (Norddeutscher Bund) and to exclude Austria formerly the leading German state from the federation's affairs. After the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War the German Empire was proclaimed 1871 in Versailles uniting all scattered parts of Germany except Austria (Kleindeutschland or "Lesser Germany"). With almost two thirds of its territory and population Prussia was the dominating constituent of the new state; the Hohenzollern King of Prussia ruled as its concurrent Emperor and Berlin became its capital.17 In the Grnderzeit period following the unification of Germany Emperor William I's foreign policy secured Germany's position as a great nation by forging alliances isolating France by diplomatic means and avoiding war. Under William II however Germany like other European powers took an imperialistic course leading to friction with neighbouring countries. As a result of the Berlin Conference in 1884 Germany claimed several colonies including German East Africa German South-West Africa Togo and Cameroon.18 Most alliances in which Germany had previously been involved were not renewed and new alliances excluded the country.19 The assassination of Austria's crown prince on 28 June 1914 triggered World War I. Germany as part of the Central Powers suffered defeat against the Allies in one of the bloodiest conflicts of all time. An estimated two million German soldiers died in World War I.20 The German Revolution broke out in November 1918 and Emperor William II and all German ruling princes abdicated. An armistice ended the war on 11 November and Germany was forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919. The treaty was perceived in Germany as a humiliating continuation of the war and is often cited as an influence in the rise of Nazism.21 Weimar Republic and Third Reich Main articles: Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany Adolf Hitler chancellor of the Grodeutsches Reich from 19331945 At the beginning of the German Revolution Germany was declared a republic. However the struggle for power continued with radical-left communists seizing power in Bavaria. The revolution came to an end on 11 August 1919 when the Weimar Constitution was signed by President Friedrich Ebert.22 Suffering from the Great Depression the harsh peace conditions dictated by the Treaty of Versailles and a long succession of unstable governments Germans increasingly lacked identification with the government. This was exacerbated by a widespread right-wing Dolchstolegende or stab-in-the-back myth which argued that Germany had lost World War I because of those who wanted to overthrow the government. The Weimar government was accused of betraying Germany by signing the Versailles Treaty. By 1932 the German Communist Party and the Nazi Party controlled the majority of parliament fuelled by discontent with the Weimar government. After a series of unsuccessful cabinets President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany on 30 January 1933.23 On 27 February 1933 the Reichstag building went up in flames and a consequent emergency decree abrogated basic citizens' rights. An Enabling Act passed in parliament gave Hitler unrestricted legislative power. Only the Social Democratic Party voted against it while Communist MPs had already been imprisoned.2425 Using his powers to crush any actual or potential resistance Hitler established a centralised totalitarian state within months. Industry was revitalised with a focus on military rearmament.26 In 1935 Germany reacquired control of the Saar and in 1936 military control of the Rhineland both of which had been lost in the Treaty of Versailles.27 In 1938 and 1939 Austria and Czechoslovakia were brought under German control and the invasion of Poland was prepared through the MolotovRibbentrop pact and Operation Himmler. On 1 September 1939 the German Wehrmacht launched a blitzkrieg on Poland which was swiftly occupied by Germany and by the Soviet Red Army. The UK and France declared war on Germany marking the beginning of World War II.28 As the war progressed Germany and its allies quickly gained control of much of continental Europe though plans to occupy the United Kingdom failed. On 22 June 1941 Germany broke the MolotovRibbentrop pact and invaded the Soviet Union. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor led Germany to declare war on the United States. The Battle of Stalingrad forced the German army to retreat on the Eastern front.28 In September 1943 Germany's ally Italy surrendered and German troops were forced to defend an additional front in Italy. D-Day opened a Western front as Allied forces advanced towards German territory. On 8 May 1945 the German armed forces surrendered after the Red Army occupied Berlin.29 Berlin in ruins after World War II In what later became known as The Holocaust the Third Reich regime had enacted policies directly subjugating many dissidents and minorities. About seventeen million people were murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust including six million Jews and a sizeable number of Gypsies Jehovah's Witnesses Poles and other Slavs including Soviet POWs people with mental and/or physical disabilities homosexuals and members of the political opposition.30 World War II and the Nazi genocide were responsible for more than 40 million dead in Europe.31 The Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals were held after World War II.32 The war casualties for Germany are estimated at five and a half million German soldiers and anywhere from a million to three million German civilians most of whom were murdered by the Third Reich; and losing the war resulted in large territorial losses; the expulsion of about 15 million Germans from the eastern areas of Germany and other countries; mass rape of German women;33 and the destruction of multiple major cities. East and West Germany Main article: History of Germany (19451990) Occupation zones in Germany 1947. The territories east of the Oder-Neisse line under Polish and Soviet de jure administration and de facto annexation are shown as white as is the detached Saar protectorate. After the surrender of Germany the remaining German territory and Berlin were partitioned by the Allies into four military occupation zones. The western sectors controlled by France the United Kingdom and the United States were merged on 23 May 1949 to form the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland); on 7 October 1949 the Soviet Zone became the German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische Republik or DDR). They were informally known as "West Germany" and "East Germany". East Germany selected East Berlin as its capital while West Germany chose Bonn as a provisional capital to emphasise its stance that the two-state solution was an artificial and temporary status quo.34 West Germany established as a federal parliamentary republic with a "social market economy" was allied with the United States the UK and France. The country enjoyed prolonged economic growth beginning in the early 1950s (Wirtschaftswunder). West Germany joined NATO in 1955 and was a founding member of the European Economic Community in 1957. East Germany was an Eastern bloc state under political and military control by the USSR via the latter's occupation forces and the Warsaw Pact. Though East Germany claimed to be a democracy political power was exercised solely by leading members (Politburo) of the communist-controlled Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) supported by the Stasi an immense secret service and a variety of sub-organisations controlling every aspect of society. A Soviet-style command economy was set up; the GDR later became a Comecon state. While East German propaganda was based on the benefits of the GDR's social programmes and the alleged constant threat of a West German invasion many of her citizens looked to the West for freedom and prosperity.35 The Berlin Wall built in 1961 to stop East Germans from escaping to West Germany became a symbol of the Cold War.17 The Berlin Wall in front of the Brandenburg Gate shortly before its fall in 1989 Tensions between East and West Germany were reduced in the early 1970s by Chancellor Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik. In summer 1989 Hungary decided to dismantle the Iron Curtain and open the borders causing the emigration of thousands of East Germans to West Germany via Hungary. This had devastating effects on the GDR where regular mass demonstrations received increasing support. The East German authorities unexpectedly eased the border restrictions allowing East German citizens to travel to the West; originally intended to help retain East Germany as a state the opening of the border actually led to an acceleration of the Wende reform process. This culminated in the Two Plus Four Treaty a year later on 12 September 1990 under which the four occupying powers renounced their rights under the Instrument of Surrender and Germany regained full sovereignty. This permitted German reunification on 3 October 1990 with the accession of the five re-established states of the former GDR (new states or "neue Lnder").17 Berlin Republic and the EU Main article: History of Germany since 1990 Based on the Berlin/Bonn Act adopted on 10 March 1994 Berlin once again became the capital of the reunified Germany while Bonn obtained the unique status of a Bundesstadt (federal city) retaining some federal ministries.36 The relocation of the government was completed in 1999.37 Since reunification Germany has taken a more active role in the European Union and NATO. Germany sent a peacekeeping force to secure stability in the Balkans and sent a force of German troops to Afghanistan as part of a NATO effort to provide security in that country after the ousting of the Taliban.38 These deployments were controversial since after the war Germany was bound by domestic law only to deploy troops for defence roles.39 In 2005 Angela Merkel became the first female Chancellor of Germany as the leader of a grand coalition.17 Geography Main article: Geography of Germany Topographic map Germany is in Western and Central Europe bordering 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. It lies mostly between latitudes 47 and 55 N (the tip of Sylt is just north of 55) and longitudes 5 and 16 E. The territory covers 357021 km2 (137847 sq mi) consisting of 349223 km2 (134836 sq mi) of land and 7798 km2 (3011 sq mi) of water. It is the seventh largest country by area in Europe and the 62nd largest in the world.40 Elevation ranges from the mountains of the Alps (highest point: the Zugspitze at 2962 metres / 9718 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. The forested uplands of central Germany and the lowlands of northern Germany (lowest point: Wilstermarsch at 3.54 metres / 11.6 feet below sea level) are traversed by such major rivers as the Rhine Danube and Elbe. Glaciers are found in the Alpine region but are experiencing deglaciation. Significant natural resources are iron ore coal potash timber lignite uranium copper natural gas salt nickel arable land and water.40 Climate Most of Germany has a temperate seasonal climate in which humid westerly winds predominate. The climate is moderated by the North Atlantic Drift the northern extension of the Gulf Stream. This warmer water affects the areas bordering the North Sea; consequently in the north-west and the north the climate is oceanic. Rainfall occurs year-round especially in the summer. Winters are mild and summers tend to be cool though temperatures can exceed 30 C (86 F).41 The east has a more continental climate; winters can be very cold and summers very warm and long dry periods are frequent. Central and southern Germany are transition regions which vary from moderately oceanic to continental. In addition to the maritime and continental climates that predominate over most of the country the Alpine regions in the extreme south and to a lesser degree some areas of the Central German Uplands have a mountain climate characterised by lower temperatures and greater precipitation.41 Biodiversity The eagle is a protected bird of prey and the national heraldic animal. The territory of Germany can be subdivided into two ecoregions: European-Mediterranean montane mixed forests and Northeast-Atlantic shelf marine.42 As of 2008 the majority of Germany is covered by either arable land (34 percent) or forest and woodland (30.1 percent); only 13.4 percent of the area consists of permanent pastures 11.8 percent is covered by settlements and streets.43 Plants and animals are those generally common to middle Europe. Beeches oaks and other deciduous trees constitute one third of the forests; conifers are increasing as a result of reforestation. Spruce and fir trees predominate in the upper mountains while pine and larch are found in sandy soil. There are many species of ferns flowers fungi and mosses. Wild animals include deer wild boar mouflon fox badger hare and small numbers of beavers.44 The national parks in Germany include the Wadden Sea National Parks the Jasmund National Park the Vorpommern Lagoon Area National Park the Mritz National Park the Lower Oder Valley National Park the Harz National Park the Saxon Switzerland National Park and the Bavarian Forest National Park. More than 400 registered zoos and animal parks operate in Germany which is believed to be the largest number in any country.45 The Zoologische Garten Berlin is the oldest zoo in Germany and presents the most comprehensive collection of species in the world.46 Politics Main article: Politics of Germany See also: Judiciary of Germany and Law enforcement in Germany Germany is a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic. The German political system operates under a framework laid out in the 1949 constitutional document known as the Grundgesetz (Basic Law). Amendments generally require a two-thirds majority of both chambers of parliament; the fundamental principles of the constitution as expressed in the articles guaranteeing human dignity the separation of powers the federal structure and the rule of law are valid in perpetuity.47 The Reichstag in Berlin is the site of the German parliament (Bundestag). The president currently Christian Wulff is the head of state and invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. He is elected by the Bundesversammlung (federal convention) an institution consisting of the members of the Bundestag and an equal number of state delegates. The second-highest official in the German order of precedence is the Bundestagsprsident (President of the Bundestag) who is elected by the Bundestag and responsible for overseeing the daily sessions of the body. The third-highest official and the head of government is the Chancellor who is appointed by the Bundesprsident after being elected by the Bundestag.17 The chancellor currently Angela Merkel is the head of government and exercises executive power similar to the role of a Prime Minister in other parliamentary democracies. Federal legislative power is vested in the parliament consisting of the Bundestag (Federal Diet) and Bundesrat (Federal Council) which together form the legislative body. The Bundestag is elected through direct elections by proportional representation (mixed-member).40 The members of the Bundesrat represent the governments of the sixteen federated states and are members of the state cabinets.17 Since 1949 the party system has been dominated by the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party of Germany with all chancellors hitherto being member of either party. However the smaller liberal Free Democratic Party (which has had members in the Bundestag since 1949) and the Alliance '90/The Greens (which has controlled seats in parliament since 1983) have also played important roles.48 Germany has a civil law system based on Roman law with some references to Germanic law. The Bundesverfassungsgericht (Federal Constitutional Court) is the German Supreme Court responsible for constitutional matters with power of judicial review.1749 Germany's supreme court system called Oberste Gerichtshfe des Bundes is specialised: for civil and criminal cases the highest court of appeal is the inquisitorial Federal Court of Justice and for other affairs the courts are the Federal Labour Court the Federal Social Court the Federal Finance Court and the Federal Administrative Court. The Vlkerstrafgesetzbuch regulates the consequences of crimes against humanity genocide and war crimes and gives German courts universal jurisdiction in some circumstances.50 Criminal and private laws are codified on the national level in the Strafgesetzbuch and the Brgerliches Gesetzbuch respectively. The German penal system is aimed towards rehabilitation of the criminal and the protection of the general public.51 States Germany comprises 16 states (Bundeslnder) which are further subdivided into 439 districts (Kreise) and cities (kreisfreie Stdte).40 Lower Saxony Bremen Hamburg Mecklenburg- Vorpommern Saxony- Anhalt Saxony Brandenburg Berlin Thuringia Hesse North Rhine- Westphalia Rhineland- Palatinate Bavaria Baden- Wrttemberg Saarland Schleswig- Holstein State Capital Area (km) Population Baden-Wrttemberg Stuttgart 35752 10717000 Bavaria Munich 70549 12444000 Berlin Berlin 892 3400000 Brandenburg Potsdam 29477 2568000 Bremen Bremen 404 663000 Hamburg Hamburg 755 1735000 Hesse Wiesbaden 21115 6098000 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Schwerin 23174 1720000 Lower Saxony Hanover 47618 8001000 North Rhine-Westphalia Dsseldorf 34043 18075000 Rhineland-Palatinate Mainz 19847 4061000 Saarland Saarbrcken 2569 1056000 Saxony Dresden 18416 4296000 Saxony-Anhalt Magdeburg 20445 2494000 Schleswig-Holstein Kiel 15763 2829000 Thuringia Erfurt 16172 2355000 Foreign relations Main article: Foreign relations of Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel hosting the G8 summit in Heiligendamm Germany has a network of 229 diplomatic missions abroad and maintains relations with more than 190 countries.52 As of 2011 it is the largest contributor to the budget of the European Union (providing 20 percent)53 and the third largest contributor to the UN (providing 8 percent).54 Germany is a member of NATO the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) the G8 the G20 the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It has played a leading role in the European Union since its inception and has maintained a strong alliance with France since the end of World War II. Germany seeks to advance the creation of a more unified European political defence and security apparatus.5556 The development policy of the Federal Republic of Germany is an independent area of German foreign policy. It is formulated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and carried out by the implementing organisations. The German government sees development policy as a joint responsibility of the international community.57 It is the world's third biggest aid donor after the United States and France.5859 During the Cold War Germany's partition by the Iron Curtain made it a symbol of East-West tensions and a political battleground in Europe. However Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik was a key factor in the dtente of the 1970s.60 In 1999 Chancellor Gerhard Schrder's government defined a new basis for German foreign policy by taking part in the NATO decisions surrounding the Kosovo War and by sending German troops into combat for the first time since World War II.61 The governments of Germany and the United States are close political allies.17 The 1948 Marshall Plan and strong cultural ties have crafted a strong bond between the two countries although Schrder's vocal opposition to the Iraq War suggested the end of Atlanticism and a relative cooling of German-American relations.62 The two countries are also economically interdependent: 8.8 percent of German exports are U.S.-bound and 6.6 percent of German imports originate from the U.S.63 Military Main article: Bundeswehr The Eurofighter is part of the German Luftwaffe. Germany's military the Bundeswehr is organized in Heer (Army) Marine (Navy) Luftwaffe (Air Force) Zentraler Sanittsdienst (Central Medical Services) and Streitkrftebasis (Joint Support Service) branches. As of 2005 military spending was an estimated 1.5 percent of the country's GDP that is position 99 in a ranking of all countries;40 absolutely German military expenditure is the eighth-highest in the world.64 In peacetime the Bundeswehr is commanded by the Minister of Defence. If Germany went to war which according to the constitution is allowed only for defensive purposes the Chancellor would become commander in chief of the Bundeswehr.65 As of May 2011update the Bundeswehr employs 188000 professional soldiers 31000 1825 year-old conscripts who serve for at least six months.66 The German government plans to reduce the number of soldiers to 170000 professionals and up to 15000 short-time volunteers (voluntary military service).67 Reservists are available to the Armed Forces and participate in defence exercises and deployments abroad a new reserve concept of their future strength and functions was announced 2011.67 As of April 2011update the German military had about 6900 troops stationed in foreign countries as part of international peacekeeping forces including about 4900 Bundeswehr troops in the NATO-led ISAF force in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan 1150 German soldiers in Kosovo and 300 troops with UNIFIL in Lebanon.68 Until 2011 military service was compulsory for men at age 18 and conscripts served six-month tours of duty; conscientious objectors could instead opt for an equal length of Zivildienst (civilian service) or a six-year commitment to (voluntary) emergency services like a fire department or the Red Cross. Conscription has been officially suspended as of 1 July 2011.6970 Since 2001 women may serve in all functions of service without restriction but they are not subject to conscription. There are presently some 17500 women on active duty and a number of female reservists.71 Economy Main article: Economy of Germany A Mercedes-Benz car. Germany was the world's leading exporter of goods from 2003 to 2008.72 Germany has a social market economy with a highly qualified labour force a large capital stock a low level of corruption73 and a high level of innovation.74 It has the largest national economy in Europe the fourth largest by nominal GDP in the world75 and the fifth largest by PPP75 in 2009. The service sector contributes around 71 percent of the total GDP industry 28 percent and agriculture 0.9 percent.40 The average national unemployment rate in 2010 was about 7.5 percent.40 First estimates indicate a 3.6 percent increase in the price-adjusted GDP for 2010 following a 4.7 percent drop in 2009.76 Germany is a founding member of the EU the G8 and the G20 and was the world's largest exporter from 2003 to 2008. In 2009 it remains the second largest exporter and third largest importer of goods. Most of the country's exports are in engineering especially machinery automobiles chemical goods and metals.40 Germany is a leading producer of wind turbines and solar-power technology. Major annual international trade fairs and congresses are held in Hanover Frankfurt and Berlin.77 Germany is an advocate of closer European economic and political integration. Its commercial policies are increasingly determined by agreements among European Union (EU) members and by EU legislation. Germany introduced the common European currency the euro on 1 January 2002.7879 Its monetary policy is set by the European Central Bank. Two decades after German reunification standards of living and per capita incomes remain significantly higher in the states of the former West Germany than in the former East.80 The modernisation and integration of the eastern German economy is a long-term process scheduled to last until the year 2019 with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $80 billion.81 In January 2009 the German government approved a 50 billion economic stimulus plan to protect several sectors from a downturn and a subsequent rise in unemployment rates.82 Of the world's 500 largest stock-market-listed companies measured by revenue in 2010 the Fortune Global 500 37 are headquartered in Germany. 30 Germany-based companies are included in the DAX the German stock market index. Well-known global brands are Mercedes-Benz BMW Siemens Volkswagen Adidas Audi Allianz Porsche Lufthansa and Nivea.83 Germany is recognised for its specialised small and medium enterprises. Around 1000 of these companies are global market leaders in their segment and are labelled hidden champions.84 The list includes the largest companies by turnover in 2009. Unranked are the largest bank and the largest insurance company in 2007: Rank85 Name Headquarters Revenue (Mil. ) Profit (Mil. ) Employees (World) 1 Volkswagen AG Wolfsburg 108897 4120 329305 2 Daimler AG Stuttgart 99399 3985 272382 3 Siemens AG Munich/Berlin 72488 3806 398200 4 E.ON AG Dsseldorf 68731 7204 87815 5 Metro AG Dsseldorf 64337 825 242378 6 Deutsche Post AG Bonn 63512 1389 475100 7 Deutsche Telekom AG Bonn 62516 569 241426 8 BASF SE Ludwigshafen 57951 4065 95175 9 BMW AG Munich 56018 3126 107539 10 ThyssenKrupp AG Essen/Duisburg 51723 2102 191350 Infrastructure Main articles: Transport in Germany and Energy in Germany The ICE 3 train With its central position in Europe Germany is a transportation hub. This is reflected in its dense and modern transport networks. The motorway (Autobahn) network ranks third largest worldwide in length.86 Germany has established a polycentric network of high-speed trains. The InterCityExpress or ICE network of the Deutsche Bahn serves major German cities as well as destinations in neighbouring countries.87 The largest German airports are Frankfurt International Airport and Munich International Airport both global hubs of Lufthansa. Other major airports are Berlin Tegel Berlin Schnefeld Dsseldorf Hamburg Cologne-Bonn and Leipzig/Halle.88 As of 2008update Germany was the world's sixth largest consumer of energy89 and 60 percent of its primary energy was imported.90 Government policy promotes energy conservation and renewable energy. Energy efficiency has been improving since the early 1970s; the government aims to meet the country's electricity demands using only renewable sources by 2050.91 In 2010 energy sources were: oil (33.7 percent); coal including lignite (22.9 percent); natural gas (21.8 percent); nuclear (10.8 percent); hydro-electric and wind power (1.5 percent); and other renewable sources (7.9 percent).92 In 2000 the government and the nuclear power industry agreed to phase out all nuclear power plants by 2021.93 Germany is committed to the Kyoto protocol and several other treaties promoting biodiversity low emission standards recycling and the use of renewable energy and supports sustainable development at a global level.94 The German government has initiated wide-ranging emission reduction activities and the country's overall emissions are falling.95 Nevertheless the country's greenhouse gas emissions were the highest in the EU as of 2007.96 Science and technology Main articles: Science and technology in Germany and German inventors and discoverers Albert Einstein Germany's achievements in sciences have been significant and research and development efforts form an integral part of the economy.97 The Nobel Prize has been awarded to 103 German laureates.98 For most of the 20th century German laureates had more awards than those of any other nation especially in the sciences (physics chemistry and physiology or medicine).99100 The work of Albert Einstein and Max Planck was crucial to the foundation of modern physics which Werner Heisenberg and Max Born developed further.101 They were preceded by physicists such as Hermann von Helmholtz and Joseph von Fraunhofer. Wilhelm Conrad Rntgen discovered X-rays and was the first winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901.102 Numerous mathematicians were born in Germany including Carl Friedrich Gauss David Hilbert Bernhard Riemann Gottfried Leibniz Karl Weierstrass Hermann Weyl and Felix Klein. Research institutions in Germany include the Max Planck Society the Helmholtz Association and the Fraunhofer Society. The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize is granted to ten scientists and academics every year. With a maximum of 2.5 million per award it is one of highest endowed research prizes in the world.103 Germany has been the home of many famous inventors and engineers such as Johannes Gutenberg credited with the invention of movable type printing in Europe; Hans Geiger the creator of the Geiger counter; and Konrad Zuse who built the first fully automatic digital computer.104 German inventors engineers and industrialists such as Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin Otto Lilienthal Gottlieb Daimler Rudolf Diesel Hugo Junkers and Karl Benz helped shape modern automotive and air transportation technology.105 Aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun developed the first space rocket and later on was a prominent member of NASA and developed the Saturn V Moon rocket which paved the way for the success of the US Apollo program. Heinrich Rudolf Hertz's work in the domain of electromagnetic radiation was pivotal to the development of modern telecommunication.106 Germany is also one of the leading countries in developing and using green technologies. Companies which spezializing in green technology have an estimated turnover of 200 billion. Especially the expertise in engineering science and research of Germany is eminently respectable. The lead markets of Germany's green technology industry are power generation sustainable mobility material efficiency energy effiency waste management and recycling sustainable water management.107 Demographics Main articles: Demographics of Germany Germans and Social issues in Germany Population density in German states (left) and communities (right) With its estimated population of 81.8 million in January 20101 Germany is the most populous country in the European Union and ranks as the 14th most populous country in the world.1 Its population density stands at 229.4 inhabitants per square kilometre. The overall life expectancy in Germany at birth is 79.9 years. The fertility rate of 1.4 children per mother or 7.9 births per 1000 inhabitants in 2009 is one of the lowest in the world.108 Since the 1990s Germany's death rate has continuously exceeded its birth rate.109 The Federal Statistical Office of Germany forecast that the population will shrink to between 65 and 70 million by 2060 (depending on the level of net migration).110 Germany's population pyramid in 2005 German nationals make up 91 percent of the population of Germany. As of 2009 about seven million foreign citizens were registered in Germany and 19 percent of the country's residents were of foreign or partially foreign descent (including persons descending or partially descending from ethnic German repatriates) 96 percent of whom lived in Western Germany or Berlin.111 The United Nations Population Fund lists Germany as host to the third-highest number of international migrants worldwide about 5 percent or 10 million of all 191 million migrants.112 As a consequence of restrictions to Germany's formerly rather unrestricted laws on asylum and immigration the number of immigrants seeking asylum or claiming German ethnicity (mostly from the former Soviet Union) has been declining steadily since 2000.113 In 2009 20 percent of the population had immigrant roots the highest since 1945.114 As of 2008update the largest national group was from Turkey (2.5 million) followed by Italy (776000) and Poland (687000).115 About 3 million "Aussiedler"ethnic Germans mainly from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Unionhave resettled in Germany since 1987.116 Germany has a number of large cities. The largest conurbation is the Rhine-Ruhr region (11.5 million as of 2006) including Dsseldorf (the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia) Cologne Essen Dortmund Duisburg and Bochum.117 view talk view talk Largest cities of Germany "Mitglieder des Deutschen Stdtetages" (in German). Deutschen Stdtetag. 31 December 2009. http://www.staedtetag.de/10/staedte/nacheinwohner/index.html.  Berlin Hamburg Rank City Name State Pop. Rank City Name State Pop. Munich Cologne 1 Berlin Berlin 3442675 11 Hannover Lower Saxony 520966 2 Hamburg Hamburg 1774224 12 Leipzig Saxony 518862 3 Munich Bavaria 1330440 13 Dresden Saxony 517052 4 Cologne North Rhine-Westphalia 998105 14 Nuremberg Bavaria 503673 5 Frankfurt Hesse 671927 15 Duisburg North Rhine-Westphalia 491931 6 Stuttgart Baden-Wrttemberg 601646 16 Bochum North Rhine-Westphalia 376319 7 Dsseldorf North Rhine-Westphalia 586217 17 Wuppertal North Rhine-Westphalia 351050 8 Dortmund North Rhine-Westphalia 581308 18 Bielefeld North Rhine-Westphalia 323084 9 Essen North Rhine-Westphalia 576259 19 Bonn North Rhine-Westphalia 319841 10 Bremen Bremen (state) 547685 20 Mannheim Baden-Wrttemberg 311969 Religion Main article: Religion in Germany The Cologne Cathedral at the Rhine river is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Christianity is the largest religion in Germany with around 51.5 million adherents (62.8 percent) in 2008118 of which 30.0 percent are Catholics and 29.9 percent are Protestants belonging to the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD); the remainder consists of small denominations (each less than 0.5 percent of the German population).119 Protestantism is concentrated in the north and east and Roman Catholicism is concentrated in the south and west. 1.6 percent of the country's overall population declare themselves Orthodox Christians.118 The second largest religion is Islam with an estimated 3.8 to 4.3 million adherents (4.6 to 5.2 percent)120 followed by Buddhism with 250000 and Judaism with around 200000 adherents (0.3 percent); Hinduism has some 90000 adherents (0.1 percent). All other religious communities in Germany have fewer than 50000 adherents.121 Of the roughly 4 million Muslims most are Sunnis and Alevites from Turkey but there are a small number of Shi'ites and other denominations.120 Germany has Europe's third largest Jewish population (after France and the United Kingdom).122 Around 50 percent of the Buddhists in Germany are Asian immigrants.123 Germans with no stated religious adherence make up 34.1 percent of the population especially in the former East Germany and major metropolitan areas.119 Languages Main article: Languages of Germany German is the official and predominant spoken language in Germany.124 It is one of 23 official languages in the European Union and one of the three working languages of the European Commission. Recognised native minority languages in Germany are Danish Low German Sorbian Romany and Frisian; they are officially protected by the ECRML. The most used immigrant languages are Turkish Kurdish Polish the Balkan languages and Russian. 67 percent of German citizens claim to be able to communicate in at least one foreign language and 27 percent in at least two languages other than their own.124 Standard German is a West Germanic language and is closely related to and classified alongside English Dutch and the Frisian languages. To a lesser extent it is also related to the East (extinct) and North Germanic languages. Most German vocabulary is derived from the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family.125 Significant minorities of words are derived from Latin and Greek with a smaller amount from French and most recently English (known as Denglisch). German is written using the Latin alphabet. German dialects traditional local varieties traced back to the Germanic tribes are distinguished from varieties of standard German by their lexicon phonology and syntax.126 Education Main article: Education in Germany The University of Heidelberg was established in 1386. Over 99 percent of Germans age 15 and above are estimated to be able to read and write.40 However a growing number of inhabitants are functionally illiterate.127 Responsibility for educational oversight in Germany lies primarily with the individual federated states. Since the 1960s a reform movement attempted to unify secondary education in a Gesamtschule (comprehensive school); several West German states later simplified their school system to two or three tiers. A system of apprenticeship called Duale Ausbildung ("dual education") allows pupils in vocational training to learn in a company as well as in a state-run vocational school.128 Optional kindergarten education is provided for all children between three and six years old after which school attendance is compulsory for at least nine years. Primary education usually lasts for four years and public schools are not stratified at this stage.128 In contrast secondary education includes three traditional types of schools focused on different levels of academic ability: the Gymnasium enrols the most gifted children and prepares students for university studies; the Realschule for intermediate students lasts six years; the Hauptschule prepares pupils for vocational education.129 The general entrance requirement for university is Abitur a qualification normally based on continuous assessment during the last few years at school and final examinations; however there are a number of exceptions and precise requirements vary depending on the state the university and the subject. Germany's universities are recognised internationally; in the ARWU ranking for 2008 six of the top 100 universities in the world are in Germany and 18 of the top 200.130 Nearly all German universities are public institutions charging tuition fees of 50500 per semester for each student.131 Health Main article: Health in Germany Germany has the world's oldest universal health care system dating back to Otto von Bismarck's Social legislation in 1883.132 Currently the population is covered by a basic health insurance plan provided by statute. According to the World Health Organization Germany's health care system was 77 percent government-funded and 23 percent privately funded as of 2005.133 In 2005 Germany spent 11 percent of its GDP on health care. Germany ranked 20th in the world in life expectancy with 77 years for men and 82 years for women and it had a very low infant mortality rate (4 per 1000 live births).133 As of 2009update the principal cause of death was cardiovascular disease at 42 percent followed by malignant tumours at 25 percent.134 As of 2008update about 82000 Germans had been infected with HIV/AIDS and 26000 had died from the disease (cumulatively since 1982).135 According to a 2005 survey 27 percent of German adults are smokers.135 A 2007 study shows Germany has the highest number of overweight people in Europe.136137 Culture Main article: Culture of Germany Ludwig van Beethoven (17701827) composer From its roots culture in Germany has been shaped by major intellectual and popular currents in Europe both religious and secular. Historically Germany has been called Das Land der Dichter und Denker (the land of poets and thinkers).138 The federated states are in charge of the cultural institutions. There are 240 subsidised theatres hundreds of symphonic orchestras thousands of museums and over 25000 libraries spread in Germany. These cultural opportunities are enjoyed by many: there are over 91 million German museum visits every year; annually 20 million go to theatres and operas; 3.6 million per year listen to the symphonic orchestras.139 The UNESCO inscribed 33 properties in Germany on the World Heritage List.140 Germany has established a high level of gender equality141 promotes disability rights and is legally and socially tolerant towards homosexuals. Gays and lesbians can legally adopt their partner's biological children and civil unions have been permitted since 2001.142 Germany has also changed its attitude towards immigrants; since the mid-1990s the government and the majority of Germans have begun to acknowledge that controlled immigration should be allowed based on qualification standards.143 Germany has been named the world's second most valued nation among 50 countries in 2010.144 A global opinion poll for the BBC revealed that Germany is recognised for having the most positive influence in the world in 2011.145 Arts Main article: Music of Germany Numerous German painters have enjoyed international prestige through their work in diverse artistic styles. Hans Holbein the Younger Matthias Grnewald and Albrecht Drer were important artists of the Renaissance Caspar David Friedrich of Romanticism and Max Ernst of Surrealism. Architectural contributions from Germany include the Carolingian and Ottonian styles which were precursors of Romanesque. The region later became the site of Gothic Renaissance and Baroque art. Germany was particularly important in the early modern movement especially through the Bauhaus movement founded by Walter Gropius. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe became one of the world's most renowned architects in the second half of the 20th century. He conceived of the glass faade skyscraper.146 German music includes works by some of the world's most well-known classical music composers including Ludwig van Beethoven Johann Sebastian Bach Johannes Brahms and Richard Wagner. As of 2008 Germany is the fourth largest music market in the world and has influenced popular music through artists such as Kraftwerk Boney M. Nico Nina Hagen Scorpions Toten Hosen Tokio Hotel Rammstein and Paul van Dyk.147 J.S.Bach Toccata und Fuge L.v. Beethoven Symphonie 5 c-moll R. Wagner Die Walkre Literature and philosophy Main articles: German literature and German philosophy The Brothers Grimm German literature can be traced back to the Middle Ages and the works of writers such as Walther von der Vogelweide and Wolfram von Eschenbach. Well-known German authors include Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller. The collections of folk tales published by the Brothers Grimm popularised German folklore on an international level. Influential authors of the 20th century include Thomas Mann Bertolt Brecht Hermann Hesse Heinrich Bll and Gnter Grass.148 German-speaking book publishers produce some 700 million books every year with about 80000 titles nearly 60000 of them new. Germany comes third in quantity of books published after the English-speaking book market and the People's Republic of China.149 The Frankfurt Book Fair is the most important in the world for international deals and trading with a tradition spanning over 500 years.150 German philosophy is historically significant. Gottfried Leibniz's contributions to rationalism; the establishment of classical German idealism by Immanuel Kant Johann Gottlieb Fichte Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling; Arthur Schopenhauer's composition of metaphysical pessimism; the formulation of communist theory by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels; Friedrich Nietzsche's development of perspectivism; Gottlob Frege's contributions to the dawn of analytic philosophy; Martin Heidegger's works on Being; and the development of the Frankfurt school by Max Horkheimer Theodor Adorno Herbert Marcuse and Jrgen Habermas have been particularly influential. In the 21st century Germany has contributed to the development of contemporary analytic philosophy in continental Europe along with France Austria Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries.151 Media German cinema dates back to the earliest years of the medium with the work of Max Skladanowsky which was particularly influential with German expressionists such as Robert Wiene and Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau. Director Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) is referred to as the first modern science-fiction film. In 1930 the Austrian-American Josef von Sternberg directed The Blue Angel the first major German sound film.152 During the 1970s and 1980s New German Cinema directors such as Volker Schlndorff Werner Herzog Wim Wenders and Rainer Werner Fassbinder put West German cinema on the international stage.153 The annual European Film Awards ceremony is held every other year in Berlin home of the European Film Academy (EFA); the Berlin Film Festival held annually since 1951 is one of the world's foremost film festivals.154 More recently films such as Good Bye Lenin! (2003) Gegen die Wand (Head-on) (2004) Der Untergang (Downfall) (2004) and Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (2008) have had international success. The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film went to the German production Die Blechtrommel (The Tin Drum) in 1979 to Nowhere in Africa in 2002 and to Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) in 2007.155 Germany's television market is the largest in Europe with some 34 million TV households. Around 90 percent of German households have cable or satellite TV with a variety of free-to-view public and commercial channels.156 Cuisine Main article: German cuisine A Schwarzwlder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cake) German cuisine varies from region to region. The southern regions of Bavaria and Swabia for instance share a culinary culture with Switzerland and Austria. In all regions meat is often eaten in sausage form.157 Organic food has gained a market share of around 2 percent and is expected to increase further.158 Although wine is becoming more popular in many parts of Germany the national alcoholic drink is beer. German beer consumption per person is declining but at 116 litres annually it is still among the highest in the world.159 The Michelin guide has awarded nine restaurants in Germany three stars the highest designation while 15 more received two stars.160 German restaurants have become the world's second-most decorated after France.161 Sports Main article: Sport in Germany Twenty-seven million Germans are members of a sports club and an additional twelve million pursue sports individually.162 Association football is the most popular sport. With more than 6.3 million official members the German Football Association (Deutscher Fuball-Bund) is the largest sports organisation of its kind worldwide.162 The Bundesliga attracts the second highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world. The German national football team won the FIFA World Cup in 1954 1974 and 1990 and the UEFA European Football Championship in 1972 1980 and 1996. Germany hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1974 and 2006 and the UEFA European Football Championship in 1988. Among the most well-known footballers are Franz Beckenbauer Gerd Mller Jrgen Klinsmann Lothar Matthus and Oliver Kahn. Other popular spectator sports include handball volleyball basketball ice hockey and tennis.162 Germany is one of the leading motor sports countries in the world. Constructors like BMW and Mercedes are prominent manufacturers in motor sport. Additionally Porsche has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans an annual endurance race held in France 16 times and Audi has won it 9 times. Formula One driver Michael Schumacher has set many motor sport records during his career having won more Formula One World Drivers' Championships and more Formula One races than any other driver; he is one of the highest paid sportsmen in history.163 Historically German sportsmen have been successful contenders in the Olympic Games ranking third in an all-time Olympic Games medal count combining East and West German medals. In the 2008 Summer Olympics Germany finished fifth in the medal count164 while in the 2006 Winter Olympics they finished first.165 Germany has hosted the Summer Olympic Games twice in Berlin in 1936 and in Munich in 1972. The Winter Olympic Games took place in Germany once in 1936 in the twin towns of Garmisch and Partenkirchen. References a b c "First demographic estimates for 2009". Eurostat. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITYOFFPUB/KS-QA-09-047/EN/KS-QA-09-047-EN.PDF. Retrieved 18 March 2011.  a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database". 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ISBN 9780521368360.  External links Listen to this article (2 parts)  (info) Part 1  Part 2 This audio file was created from a revision of Germany dated 2008-06-24 and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. 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Special administrative region of the People's Republic of China. Designated name for the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) v d eCouncil of Europe Institutions Secretary General  Committee of Ministers  Parliamentary Assembly  Congress  Court of Human Rights  Commissioner for Human Rights  Commission for the Efficiency of Justice  Commission against Racism and Intolerance Members Full Albania  Andorra  Armenia  Austria  Azerbaijan  Belgium  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Bulgaria  Croatia  Cyprus  Czech Republic  Denmark  Estonia  Finland  France  Georgia  Germany  Greece  Hungary  Iceland  Ireland  Italy  Latvia  Liechtenstein  Lithuania  Luxembourg  Macedonia1  Malta  Moldova  Monaco  Montenegro  Netherlands  Norway  Poland  Portugal  Romania  Russia  San Marino  Serbia  Slovakia  Slovenia  Spain  Sweden  Switzerland  Turkey  Ukraine  United Kingdom Observer Canada  Israel  Japan  Mexico  United States  Vatican City Former Czechoslovakia (19911992)  Saar (assoc. 19501956) 1 Provisionally referred to by the Council of Europe as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"; see Macedonia naming dispute. v d eOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Members Albania  Andorra  Armenia  Austria  Azerbaijan  Belarus  Belgium  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Bulgaria  Canada  Croatia  Cyprus  Czech Republic  Denmark  Estonia  Finland  France  Georgia  Germany  Greece  Holy See  Hungary  Iceland  Ireland  Italy  Kazakhstan  Kyrgyzstan  Latvia  Liechtenstein  Lithuania  Luxembourg  Macedonia  Malta  Moldova  Monaco  Montenegro  Netherlands  Norway  Poland  Portugal  Romania  Russia  San Marino  Serbia  Slovakia  Slovenia  Spain  Sweden  Switzerland  Tajikistan  Turkey  Turkmenistan  Ukraine  United Kingdom  United States  Uzbekistan Partners for Cooperation Afghanistan  Algeria  Egypt  Israel  Japan  Jordan  Mongolia  Morocco  South Korea  Thailand Bodies and posts Parliamentary Assembly  ODIHR  Commissioner on National Minorities  Representative on Freedom of the Media