Germany not only has a long history but is also a developed country and the cultural and artistic center of Europe. Germany has the largest economy in the region. This is also a favorite destination for international students and workers around the world. Let's learn about Germany through the article below!
Some general information about Germany:
Name: FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
Capital: Berlin
Area: 357,021 km2 (137,847 sq mi)
Main language: German
Germany is a country located in Western and Central Europe, bordered by Denmark in the North, Poland, and the Czech Republic in the East. Germany is bordered to the southwest by France and Luxembourg, to the northwest by Belgium and the Netherlands, and the south by Austria and Switzerland. With a geographical location bordering 9 countries, when coming to Germany, you can easily visit and travel to many other European countries conveniently.
Germany has a temperate climate, with many characteristics of a marine climate. Winter is cold and snowy. In spring, the climate is warmer, the trees are budding. In summer, the temperature is high and in autumn, the weather is cool and clear.
In terms of administrative division, Germany consists of 16 states, also known as Länder. Each state has its constitution and is autonomous in terms of internal organization. Germany is the most populous country in Europe, second only to Russia with a population of more than 83 million. The composition of the population in Germany is quite diverse, mainly German, about 2.4% of the population is Turkish, and 6.1% is of Greek, Russian, Italian, Polish, Croatian, and Spanish origin. Dental.
Germany has a favorable geographical position.
I. Economy
1. Industry
The main industries in Germany are Automobile manufacturing, machinery and equipment manufacturing, chemical industry, and electrical and electronic engineering industry. Germany has long been famous for its industrial products, especially cars and engineering machinery. It is home to many world-class multinational corporations such as BASF, Robert Bosch GmbH, E.On, Deutsche Telekom, Siemens AG, Deutsche Bank, etc.
Germany is famous for its leading car manufacturing industry in the world.
2. Agriculture
Although most of Germany's area is devoted to agriculture, the proportion of workers in this industry is not high, accounting for only 2-3% of the population. The North bordering the sea is the dairy and horse breeding area. The foothills of the Alps are home to poultry, pigs, cows, and sheep. The fertile strip of land along the southern slopes of the lowland are fields of wheat, barley, cereals, sugar beets, fruit trees, potatoes, and grapes. Germany is the largest producer of milk, dairy products, and meat in the world.
3. Service
Services are a thriving industry group in Germany and a major contributor to the German GDP. Frankfurt is Germany's largest financial center and one of the world's leading financial centers. With a dense traffic network (second only to the US), it has created favorable conditions for the service industry to develop. It is the leading air hub in the world. Besides roads, Germany's water transport system is also very developed. Hamburg is the largest seaport in Germany and also one of the three largest ports in the world.
4. Trade
Exports play an important role in the German economy. The country mainly exports manufactured and technological goods including machinery, electronic goods, automobiles, chemical products, foodstuffs, textiles, and optical and electrical instruments. Outside the EU area, in recent years, German exports have tended to increase rapidly in markets such as China and India.
II. Culture
When it comes to Germany, people often think of the famous reading culture here. According to the results from research by Allensbach Media Market, 44.6% of the German population reads a book at least once a week and about 58.3% of Germans buy at least one book a year. It is also a leading country in book publishing.
Every year about 94,000 books are published in Germany. The Frankfurt International Book Fair is the most important book event in the world.
Germany is also considered a paradise of painting and sculpture, especially famous for its Gothic style. Over the generations, German artists have shown talent in designing in the Baroque and Rococo styles, as well as in neoclassicism. Romanticism was also a very important part of German art.
German art and architecture are a combination and interweaving between classical and luxurious European style and modern beauty. Germany is a country that keeps and preserves a lot of monuments, art museums, and wars. Sports in Germany are also very developed, especially football. Drinking beer is a characteristic of German culture. It also has a famous culinary background with many famous dishes.
III. Education
The German education system adopts a free public education model. The country also has a lot of high schools for academic and vocational education. The Federal Ministry of Education in Berlin plays the role of funding, financing as well as administering vocational education and the basic requirements of the profession. The rest most the other aspects of education will be administered by the individual cantons known as “Bundesländer”.
Education in Germany is compulsory education, children have to go to school, and parents are not allowed to teach their children at home. Students must go to school from the age of 6 and complete the 9th grade. The education policy of each state is slightly different. Overall, however, the quality of education is at a uniformly high level across Germany.
Some famous German universities include LMU Munich which is ranked 29th in the world; Heidelberg University ranked 37th and Humboldt University of Berlin ranked 49th. Besides, Germany also has many universities in the top 100 best universities in the world. Bachelor courses in Germany usually last from 6-8 semesters (equivalent to 3-4 years), while master courses usually last from 2-4 semesters (equivalent to 1-2 years). . The Ph.D. program in Germany is the same as in other countries, usually lasting from 3 to 10 years.
Germany has a high-quality education.
IV. Language
The official language used here is German (Deutsch). This is the mother tongue of more than 83 million people here, spoken in all 16 states. German is also widely spoken in Europe. and is a widely spoken language in Europe. In some states in Germany, people can also speak French. Most young people and intellectuals in Germany can use English well.
A special thing is that German is also an official language in Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein...
V. Politics and religion
Germany is a federal republic, parliamentary, and representative democracy. The German legislature consists of the Federal Parliament, the Federal Council, the Federal President, the Federal Government, and the Federal Constitutional Court. The German civil legal system is based on Roman law and references ancient Germanic law.
The predominant religion in Germany is Christianity. A small part of the German population is Muslim.
VII. Culinary
Food is one of the unique features of German culture. The cuisine of this country is very diverse and rich because of its location in the center of Europe. It can be said that German cuisine is a cross between many cultures. The dishes here are not only bold in traditional flavors but also blend with the dishes of residents from many parts of the world.
German cuisine is characterized by the fact that most dishes are made from high-quality ingredients. Some famous German dishes can be mentioned:
1. Sausage
Sausage is not only famous in Germany but also a favorite dish all over the world. Germany is a hot dog paradise with about 200 different varieties. Sausages are usually made from meats such as veal, pork, etc.
Sausages can be prepared in many different ways such as grilled, smoked, or lightly fried depending on the requirements of the diners. The sausage is then cut into slices and often served with sauce or chutney. Sausages combined with potatoes are also popular among Germans.
Sausage is a typical dish of German cuisine.
2. Maultaschen
Maultaschen is a traditional German dish. This dish originates from Swabia. Maultaschen consists of a wheat flour shell, and inside is minced meat, bread crumbs, onions, and spinach. This dish is sold everywhere, from street stalls to frozen stalls in supermarkets.
3. Sauerbraten
Sauerbraten is also a typical German dish and is always on the menus of restaurants here. This dish is very well prepared. Therefore, this dish is often eaten on weekends or holidays.
Sauerbraten is made from a variety of meats. To bring out the signature flavor of the dish, it is necessary to marinate the ingredients for a few days before cooking with a mixture of vinegar, red wine, herbs, and spices. After that, it needs to be stewed for about 4 hours. The dish is served with red cabbage, mashed potatoes, or boiled potatoes.
4. Rouladen
Rouladen is the main dish of dinner in German families. The main ingredient of this dish is bacon mixed with onions, mustard, and pickles wrapped in a thin slice of beef or veal.
This dish is usually served with baked or mashed potatoes and pickled cabbage. A little red wine when eating rouladen is the perfect combination.
This meat dish is often served at family dinners and on special occasions.
5. Spargel (Asparagus)
Germany is the country with the highest consumption of asparagus in the world. The people of this country love asparagus, especially white asparagus. Dishes with the appearance of asparagus are available on most German restaurant menus. The average German eats asparagus at least once a day. In total, more than 70,000 tons of asparagus are consumed each year in Germany.
In restaurants and eateries, asparagus is usually boiled or steamed and served with hollandaise sauce, butter, or olive oil. There are many delicious dishes made from asparagus such as asparagus soup, fried asparagus, pancakes with herbs and asparagus, asparagus with eggs… Germans consume 70,000 tons of asparagus every year.
VIII. German travel
Every year, Germany attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to this place to visit. The poetic nature, space imbued with European culture, and attractive cuisine are the attractive factors of German tourism. Here are a few tourist attractions that you should not miss when coming to Germany.
1. The capital city of Berlin
Berlin is not only the capital of Germany but also a city with ancient beauty and beautiful architecture. This land has experienced many ups and downs in world history. To this day, there are still relics such as the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburger Tor gate, the Holocaust memorial, etc.
Berlin has a museum system that stores objects of historical value to the island with an impressive collection of relic houses, recreating the world's ancient civilizations, Berlin Museum,... City The highlight is the poetic Spree river. Visitors also enjoy visiting zoos, parks, botanical gardens, Charlottenburg castle, etc.
2. Munich
Munich is known as the most livable city in Germany. This is also the expected stop of tourists on the journey to discover Europe. The city of Munich is impressed by the long-standing historical sites of Our Lady of Marienplatz Square, Munich Palace, Nymphenburg Castle, the Old Quarter, the Deutsche Museum, etc. Besides classical architecture, mixed with it. are modern skyscrapers.
3. Neuschwanstein
A leading European landmark, Neuschwanstein Castle was built in 1800 at the foot of the great Alps. This work is one of the symbols of Germany and Europe. Neuschwanstein is considered a masterpiece of art and architecture. From the outside, Neuschwanstein looks like a fairy tale castle. However, when going inside, visitors will be overwhelmed by the magnificent architecture, as beautiful as paradise.
Neuschwanstein is considered a masterpiece of art and architecture.
4. Lake Bodensee
Bodensee is the largest lake in Germany. This lake is truly a masterpiece of nature with captivating beauty. The lake borders the Swiss-Austrian border. In addition to the wonderful beauty, Lake Bodensee is also likened to the "lungs of Europe". The scenery around the lake is very peaceful and warm.
5. Germany's the Black Forest
Germany's the Black Forest is known as the quintessential and purest place of German nature. Despite the rustic name "Black Forest", this place hides many mysteries. This place is also a place many tourists want to explore when traveling to Europe. Coming to the Black Forest, you will feel relaxed by the fresh and pleasant atmosphere that is hard to find in any other tourist destination.
6. Cologne
Cologne is also known as a 2,000-year-old city. Although it still has ancient architecture, if Berlin brings a sense of peace and nostalgia, Cologne is an extremely vibrant city. This place is considered a cultural center with many art activities, fairs, and art galleries.
With a history of more than 2000 years, Cologne now has many museums such as a cultural museum, documentary museum, chocolate museum, etc. One of the most famous places in Cologne in particular and Germany is generally the cathedral of Cologne.
7. Hamburg
Hamburg is known as the city of pigeons. It is the second largest city in Germany. The city has a seaport of the same name. It is also one of the largest seaports in the world. Hamburg is considered the leading service and freight center in Europe. The port city on the Baltic Sea is an ideal stopover for visitors to Germany.
8. Lubeck
Lubeck, founded in the mid-12th century, is still the largest seaport in Germany. Lubeck seaport still has traces of medieval architecture. Therefore, this seaport always attracts tourists to visit here every year.
Coming to Lubeck, you will be walking around on the narrow old streets. Admire the scenery tinged with history. The buildings and monuments were built in the 12th century. Especially, this city is famous for its confectionery and wine production industry. So, if you have the opportunity to come here, don't forget to enjoy these dishes to have an unforgettable experience in your European travel journey!