Country information – Germany

Germany is located in central Europe, bordering many countries like Denmark in the north, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary in the east, Austria and Switzerland in the south, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands in the west. So, being in Germany means also driving only a few hours and you are in another country. You can have almost everything within one country: there is the North and the Baltic Sea, lovely towns and vibrant cities, such as the capital Berlin, forests in the middle part, and mountains like the Alps in the south. So, Germany is a diverse country, offering many options accessible in quite short distances.

To talk about a few facts of Germany: with a population of 82 million people, Germany is the largest populated country compared to other European states. It is a federal parliamentary republic with 16 provinces and it is the fourth largest economy (nominal GDP) and is a key power in European and global affairs, which is reflected in Frankfurt’s business district with its skyline. A high standard of living has been developed and social security can be found in Germany. Many of the fortune 500 companies are German companies such is the value of ‘Made in Germany’ tag. So, especially higher education is mostly well organized and profound and intense studying is offered to maintain and constantly improve this status of the country.

Germany is quite flat in the north and gets more mountainous towards the south. Most parts of Germany experience a temperate seasonal climate with humid westerly winds.

Of course, thinking of Germany reminds of its history with shades which shouldn’t be forgotten. There are a lot of memorials in many cities where you can still see some traces of WWII and the former eastern and western part before the fall of the Wall in 1989. So, near cities like Dresden and Weimar, which are beautiful, partly reconstructed cities full of German history and now centres of literature.

Among the highlights which you should see are Cologne with its enormous Cathedral, the castle Neuschwanstein for those romantics of you who plan a proposal- , Heidelberg with its impressive castle, Berlin, Dresden, Munich with attractions speaking for themselves, Saxony with its beautiful rocks, recreational islands in the north like Sylt (North Sea) or Rügen (Baltic Sea), the Black Forest and the Bavarian Alps in the south. A river cruise might be an option to see a lot of sights, for example, along the river Rhine.

As you probably know, Germany is also famous for its beer culture, culminating in the October Fest in Munich in September (!). In summer, you can hang around the hundreds of beer gardens in almost every city, spend time in a beach bar if the real beach is too far, enjoy some German food like sausages and Schnitzel –but you will soon find out “German food” also means Italian, Turkish, Lebanese etc. food as it is a mixed country with inhabitants of many different ethnic backgrounds and influences. Germany has also a great night life scene with the best clubs in the metro cities such as Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Cologne. Check out the homepage of the Deutsche Bahn for some train specials to take a good look around the country. There is so much to see in probably too short time, so after having read this article, you can start to prepare your trip and look forward to some great semesters in Deutschland!