16 states (Länder, singular - Land): Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thüringen.
Population:
82,400,996 (July 2007 est.)
Languages:
German
Geographic coordinates:
51° 00' N, 9° 00' E
Area total:
357,021 sq. km
Land area:
349,223 sq. km
Water area:
7,798 sq. km
Total land boundaries:
3,621 km
Borders with neighbor countries:
Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km
Coastline:
2,389 km
Elevation extremes:
Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m - Zugspitze 2,963 m
Internet country code:
.de
Currency:
euro (EUR)
Name - conventional long form:
Federal Republic of Germany
Name - conventional short form:
Germany
Name - local long form:
Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Name - local short form:
Deutschland
Former name:
German Empire, German Republic, German Reich
Independence:
18 January 1871 (German Empire unification), divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones, German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone, unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990, all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991
Constitution:
23 May 1949, known as Basic Law, became constitution of the united German people 3 October 1990