German Assignment

Made by-: Shubham Gupta

Nishant Sanjay Prashad

Rohit Jain

Pawan Sharma

Rana Ramanjeet Singh

 Deutschland
Deutschland ist ein föderalistischer Staat in Mitteleuropa. Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland ist gemäß

ihrer Verfassung eine Republik, als solche ein freiheitlich demokratischer und sozialer Rechtsstaat und wird aus den

16 deutschen Ländern gebildet. Als Bundesstaat stellt sie die jüngste Ausprägung des

deutschen Nationalstaates dar. Bundeshauptstadt ist Berlin.

Deutschland ist Gründungsmitglied der Europäischen Union und mit knapp 82 Millionen Einwohnern deren
bevölkerungsreichstes Land. Ferner ist es unter anderem Mitglied der Vereinten Nationen, der OECD, der NATO,

der OSZE und der Gruppe der Acht (G8). Gemessen amBruttoinlandsprodukt ist Deutschland die

viertgrößte Volkswirtschaft der Welt nach den Vereinigten Staaten, Japan und der Volksrepublik China.

History

The English word "Germany" derives from the Latin word Germania. The name "Germania" came into use after Julius

Caesar adopted it from a Gallic term for the peoples east of the Rhine that probably meant "neighbour

Geography

Topographic map
The territory of Germany covers 357,021 km2 (137,847 sq mi), consisting of 349,223 km2 (134,836 sq mi) of land and

7,798 km2 (3,011 sq mi) of water. It is the seventh largest country by area in Europe and the 63rd largest in the world.

Elevation ranges from the mountains of the Alps (highest point: the Zugspitze at 2,962 metres / 9,718 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.

Between lie the forested uplands of central Germany and the low-lying lands of northern Germany (lowest

point: Wilstermarsch at 3.54 metres / 11.6 feet below sea level), traversed by some of Europe's major rivers such as

the Rhine, Danube and Elbe.[1]

Germany shares borders with more European countries than any other country on the continent. Its neighbours

are 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.

Climate

Alpine scenery in Bavaria.

Most of Germany has a temperate seasonal climate in which humid westerly winds predominate. The climate is

moderated by the North Atlantic Drift, which is the northern extension of the Gulf Stream. This warmer water affects

the areas bordering the North Sea including the area along the Rhine, which flows into the North Sea. Consequently

in the north-west and the north, the climate is oceanic; rainfall occurs year round with a maximum during summer.

Winters are mild and summers tend to be cool, though temperatures can exceed 30 °C (86 °F) for prolonged periods.

In the east, the climate is morecontinental; winters can be very cold, summers can be very warm, and long dry

periods are often recorded. Central and southern Germany are transition regions which vary from moderately oceanic

to continental.

Biodiversity
Deer is a widespread species to be found in the wild.

Phytogeographically, Germany is shared between the Atlantic European and Central European provinces of

the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. The territory of Germany can be subdivided into two ecoregions:
European-Mediterranean montane mixed forests and Northeast-Atlantic shelf marine.[34] The majority of Germany is

covered by either arable land (33%) or forestry and woodland (31%). Only 15% is covered by permanent pastures.

Around one third of the country's area is covered with forests. (Thuringian Forest)

The national parks in Germany include the Wadden Sea National Parks, the Jasmund National Park, theVorpommern
Lagoon Area National Park, the Müritz National Park, the Lower Oder Valley National Park, the Harz National Park,
the Saxon Switzerland National Park and the Bavarian Forest National Park.

Germany is known for its many zoological gardens, wildlife parks, aquaria, and bird parks.[35] More than 400

registered zoos and animal parks operate in Germany, which is believed to be the largest number in any single

country of the world.[36] The Zoologischer Garten Berlin is the oldest zoo in Germany and presents the most

comprehensive collection of species in the world.[37]

Environment
The largest wind farm and solar powercapacity in the world is installed in Germany.[38]

Germany is known for its environmental consciousness.[39] Most Germans consider anthropogenic causes to be a

significant factor in global warming.[40] The state 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.[41]

The eagle is a protected bird of prey and the national heraldic animal.

The German government has initiated wide-ranging emission reduction activities and the country´s overall emissions

are falling.[42] For example, since 1964, air pollution in Germany has been regulated by strict "TA Luft" legislation.

Nevertheless Germany's carbon dioxide emissions per capita are among the highest in the EU, although they are

significantly lower than those of Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution. Acid rain, resulting from sulphur dioxide

emissions, continues to damage German forests. Pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents

from rivers in former East Germany have been reduced. The government under Chancellor Schröder announced the

intention to end the use of nuclear power for producing electricity. Germany is working to meet EU commitments to

identify nature preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive. Germany's last glaciers in

the Alpine region are experiencing deglaciation. Natural hazards are river flooding in spring and stormy winds

occurring in all regions.

Government
Main article: Politics of Germany
The Reichstag in Berlin is the site of the German parliament.

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). By calling the

document Grundgesetz, rather than Verfassung (constitution), the authors expressed the intention that it would be

replaced by a proper constitution once Germany was reunited as one state. Amendments to

theGrundgesetz generally require a two-thirds majority of both chambers of the 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.[43] Despite the initial intention, the Grundgesetz remained

in effect after the German reunification in 1990, with only minor amendments.

President Horst Köhler.

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 a unique type of

legislative body. The Bundestag is elected through direct elections, by proportional representation (mixed-member).

The members of the Bundesrat represent the governments of the sixteen federal states and are members of the state

cabinets. The respective state governments have the right to appoint and remove their envoys at any time.

The President—currently Horst Köhler—is the head of state, 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 Bundestagspräsident (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 nominated by the Bundespräsident after being elected by the Bundestag. The Chancellor can be

removed by a constructive motion of no confidence by the Bundestag, where constructive implies that

the Bundestag simultaneously elects a successor.

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,[44] as they are regularly the smaller

partner of a coalition government.

Development aid
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.[56]

Germany's official development aid and humanitarian aid for 2007 amounted to 8.96 billion euros (12.26 billion

dollars), an increase of 5.9 per cent from 2006. It has become the world's second biggest aid donor after the United

States.[57] Germany spent 0.37 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on development, which is below the

government's target of increasing aid to 0.51 per cent of GDP by 2010. The international target of 0.7% of GNP would

have not been reached either.

Military
Main article: Bundeswehr

The Mecklenburg-Vorpommernparticipated in a UNIFIL II operation off the coast of Lebanon.

Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, is a military force with Heer (Army), Marine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air

Force), Zentraler Sanitätsdienst (Central Medical Services) and Streitkräftebasis (Joint Support Service) branches.

Military service is compulsory for men at the age of 18, and conscripts serve nine-month tours of duty. Conscientious

objectors may instead opt for an equal length of Zivildienst (roughly translated as civilian service), or a six year

commitment to (voluntary) emergency services like a fire department, the Red Cross or the THW. In 2003, military

spending constituted 1.5% of the country's GDP.[1] In peacetime, the Bundeswehr is commanded by the Minister of

Defence, currently Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. 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.[58]

A Eurofighter flight demonstration

The Bundeswehr employs 200,500 professional soldiers, 55,000 18–25 year-old conscripts who serve for at least

nine months under current rules, and 2,500 active reservists at any given time. Roughly 300,000 reservists are

available to the Armed Forces and participate in defense exercises as well as deployments abroad. Since 2001

women can serve in all functions of service without restriction, but they are not subject to conscription. There are

presently around 14,500 women on active duty and a number of female reservists who take part in all duties including

peacekeeping missions and other operations. Two female medical officers have been promoted to a General rank so

far.

As of November 2009, the German military had about 8,300 troops stationed in foreign countries as part of various

international peacekeeping forces, including 2,470 Bundeswehr soldiers in Kosovo, 4,520 German troops in the
NATO-led ISAF force in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, and 450 troops with UNIFIL inLebanon.[59]

In 2009, Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg stated that conditions in Afghanistan were "like a war", while it

previously had been referred to as "stabilisation and civilian reconstruction", avoiding the word "war".[60][61]

Languages
Main article: Languages of Germany
Knowledge of German in EU countries (plus Croatia, Switzerland, and Turkey).

German is the official and predominant spoken language in Germany.[81] It is one of 23 official languages in the

European Union, and one of the three working languages of the European Commission, along with English and

French. Recognised native minority languages in Germany are Danish, Sorbian, Romany, andFrisian. They are

officially protected by the ECRML. The most used immigrant languages are Turkish, Polish, the Balkan languages,

and Russian.

Economy
Main article: Economy of Germany

Germany was the world's leadingexporter of goods in 2007.

Germany has the largest national economy in Europe, the fourth largest by nominal GDP in the world, and

ranked fifth by GDP (PPP) in 2008.[84] Since the age of industrialisation, the country has been a driver, innovator, and

beneficiary of an ever more globalised economy. Germany was the world's top exporterwith $1.133 trillion exported in

2006 (was passed by China in February 2010) (Eurozone countries are included) and generates a trade surplus of

€165 billion.[85] The service sector contributes around 70% of the total GDP, industry 29.1%, and agriculture 0.9%.

Most of the country's products are in engineering, especially in automobiles, machinery, metals, and chemical goods.
[1]
 Germany is the leading producer of wind turbines and solar power technology in the world. The largest annual

international trade fairs and congresses are held in several German cities such as Hanover, Frankfurt, and Berlin.[86]
Frankfurt is a major financial centre, seat of the European Central Bank, and a global aviation hub.

Of the world's 500 largest stock market listed companies measured by revenue, the Fortune Global 500, 37 are

headquartered in Germany.

Infrastructure
Main articles: Energy in Germany, Transport in Germany, and  Rail transport in Germany

Hamburg harbour is the second-largest port in Europe.

With its central position in Europe, Germany is an important transportation hub. This is reflected in its dense and

modern transportation networks. The extensive motorway (Autobahn) network that ranks worldwide third largest in its

total length and features a lack of blanket speed limits on the majority of routes.[97]

Germany has established a polycentric network of high-speed trains.

The ICE 3 trainset
Germany is the world's fifth largest consumer of energy, and two-thirds of its primary energy was imported in 2002. In

the same year, Germany was Europe's largest consumer of electricity, totaling 512.9 terawatt-hours. Government

policy promotes energy conservation and the development of renewable energy sources, such as

solar, wind,biomass, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy. As a result of energy-saving measures, energy

efficiency has been improving since the beginning of the 1970s. The government has set the goal of meeting half the

country's energy demands from renewable sources by 2050.

Science
Main article: Science and technology in Germany

Max Planck presents Albert Einstein with the Max-Planck medal in 1929.

Germany has been the home of some of the most prominent researchers in various scientific fields.[100] The Nobel

Prize has been awarded to 103 German laureates.[101][not in citation given] The work of Albert Einstein and Max Planck was

crucial to the foundation of modern physics, which Werner Heisenberg and Max Borndeveloped further.[102] They were

preceded by physicists such as Hermann von Helmholtz, Joseph von Fraunhofer, and Gabriel Daniel

Fahrenheit. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays, which are called Röntgenstrahlen (Röntgen-rays) in

German and many other languages. This accomplishment made him the first winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in

1901.[103]

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.[104] Through his construction of the first laboratory at the University of Leipzig in

1879, Wilhelm Wundt is credited with the establishment of psychology as an independent empirical science.
[105]
 Alexander von Humboldt's work as a natural scientist and explorer was foundational to biogeography.[106]
Education

Kindergarten in Hesse

Responsibility for educational oversight in Germany lies primarily with the federal states individually, whilst the federal

government only has a minor role. 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.[111] In contrast, secondary education includes three traditional

types of schools based on a pupil's ability as determined by teacher recommendations: the Gymnasium enrolls the

most gifted children and prepares students for university studies, and attendance lasts eight or nine years depending

on the state.

Culture
Germany is historically called Das Land der Dichter und Denker (the land of poets and thinkers).[115] German culture

began long before the rise of Germany as anation-state and spanned the entire German-speaking world. From its

roots, culture in Germany has been shaped by major intellectual and popular currents in Europe, both religious

and secular. As a result, it is difficult to identify a specific German tradition separated from the larger framework of

European high culture.[116] Another consequence of these circumstances is the fact that some historical figures, such

as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Kafka and Paul Celan, though not citizens of Germany in the modern sense,

must be considered in the context of the German cultural sphere in order to understand their historical situation, work

and social relations.

Philosophy

Germany's influence on philosophy is historically significant and many notable German philosophers have helped

shape western philosophy since the Middle Ages.Gottfried Leibniz's contributions to rationalism; the establishment of

classical German idealism by Immanuel Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph

Schelling and Johann Gottlieb Fichte; Karl Marx's and Friedrich Engels' formulation of Communist theory; Arthur

Schopenhauer's composition of metaphysical pessimism; Friedrich Nietzsche's development of Perspectivism; Martin

Heidegger's works on Being; and the social theories of Jürgen Habermas were especially influential.
Media

The German book market produces annually around 18% of all books published worldwide (Frankfurt Book Fair in 2008).

Germany's television market is the largest in Europe, with some 34 million TV households.. Around 90% of German

households have cable or satellite TV, and viewers can choose from a variety of free-to-view public and commercial

channels. Pay-TV services have not become popular or successful while public TV broadcasters ZDF and ARD offer

a range of digital-only channels.[121]

The German book market produces around 60,000 new publications every year. It represents 18% of all the books

published worldwide and puts Germany in third place among the world’s book producers.

Cinema

German cinema dates back to the very early years of the medium with the work of Max Skladanowsky. It was

particularly influential during the years of the Weimar Republic with German expressionists such as Robert

Wiene and Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau. Austrian-based director Fritz Lang, who became a German citizen in 1926 and

whose career flourished in the pre-war German film industry, is said to have been a major influence on Hollywood

cinema. His silent movie Metropolis (1927) is referred to as the birth of modern Science Fiction movies.

Sports
Sport forms an integral part of German life. Twenty-seven million Germans are members of a sports club and an

additional twelve million pursue such an activity individually.[129] Association football is the most popular sport. With

more than 6.3 million official members, the German Football Association (Deutscher Fußball-Bund) is the largest

sports organisation of its kind worldwide.[129] 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 European Football Championship in 1972, 1980 and 1996. Germany has hosted the FIFA World

Cup in 1974 and 2006 and the UEFA European Football Championship in 1988

The Allianz Arena is host to the football club Bayern Munich and was a venue for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Germany is one of the leading motorsports countries in the worldThe most successful Formula One driver in

history, Michael Schumacher, has set the most significant motorsport records during his career and won

more Formula One championships and races than any other driver since Formula One's debut season in 1946.

Cuisine
A Schwarzwälder 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. Pork, beef, and poultry are the main varieties of meat consumed in

Germany, with pork being the most popular.[133] Throughout all regions, meat is often eaten in sausage form. More

than 1500 different types of sausage are produced in Germany. The most popular vegetables are potatoes, cabbage,

carrots, turnips, spinach, and beans.[134] Organic food has gained a market share of around 3.0%, and is predicted to

increase further.[135]

A popular German saying has the meaning: "Breakfast like an emperor, lunch like a king, and dine like a beggar."

Society
Germany has established apositive reputation around the globe. (Claudia Schiffer, model)

Since the 2006 World Cup celebrations the internal and external perception of Germany's national image has

changed.[142] In annually conducted global surveys known as Nation Brands Index, Germany became significantly and

repeatedly higher ranked after the tournament. People in 20 different states were asked to assess the country's

reputation in terms of culture, politics, exports, its people and its attractiveness to tourists, immigrants and

investments. Germany has been named theworld's most valued nation among 50 countries in 2008.[143] Another

global opinion poll based on 13,575 responses in 21 countries for the BBC revealed that Germany is recognised for

the most positive influence in the world in 2009, leading 16 investigated countries. A majority of 61% have a positive

view of the country, while 15% have a negative view