2020 Edition

Background

As Europe's largest economy and second most-populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating world wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key western economic and security organizations, including the EC (now the EU) and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War allowed German reunification to occur in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Area

land

348,672 sq km

total

357,022 sq km

water

8,350 sq km

Area - comparative

three times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Montana

Climate

temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Coastline

2,389 km

Elevation

highest point

Zugspitze 2,963 m

lowest point

Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.5 m

mean elevation

263 m

Geographic coordinates

51 00 N, 9 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea; most major rivers in Germany -- the Rhine, Weser, Oder, Elbe -- flow northward; the Danube, which originates in the Black Forest, flows eastward

Irrigated land

5,065 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Austria 801 km; Belgium 133 km; Czechia 704 km; Denmark 140 km; France 418 km; Luxembourg 128 km; Netherlands 575 km; Poland 447 km; Switzerland 348 km

total

3,694 km

Land use

agricultural land

47.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 33.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 13.5% (2023 est.)

forest

32.8% (2023 est.)

other

15% (2023 est.)

Location

Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Constance (shared with Switzerland and Austria) - 540 sq km

salt water lake(s)

Stettiner Haff/Zalew Szczecinski (shared with Poland) - 900 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Donau (Danube) river source (shared with Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Elbe river mouth (shared with Czechia [s]) - 1,252 km; Rhein (Rhine) (shared with Switzerland [s], France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km  note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding

Natural resources

coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Population distribution

second most populous country in Europe; a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations, particularly in the far-western part of the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia

Terrain

lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Age structure

0-14 years

13.8% (male 5,925,800/female 5,688,603)

15-64 years

62.5% (male 26,705,657/female 25,875,865)

65 years and over

23.7% (2024 est.) (male 8,941,245/female 10,981,930)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

5.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

10.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

3.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

8.87 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.6% (2016 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.4% (2023 est.)

Death rate

11.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

38.9 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

2.6 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

61.3 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

22.4 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

10.7% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

German 85.4%, Turkish 1.8%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Syrian 1.1%, Romanian 1%, Poland 1%, other/stateless/unspecified 8.3% (2022 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.77 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

12.7% of GDP (2022)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

20.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

7.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

German (official); note - Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages

major-language sample(s)

Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.4 years

male

79.6 years

total population

81.9 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

3.574 million BERLIN (capital), 1.788 million Hamburg, 1.576 million Munich, 1.144 million Cologne, 796,000 Frankfurt (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

48.3 years

male

45.5 years

total

46.9 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.9 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

German

noun

German(s)

Net migration rate

1.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.3% (2016)

Physician density

4.53 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

42,494,983

male

41,517,301

total

84,012,284 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.13% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 24.8%, Protestant 22.6%, Muslim 3.7%, other 5.1%, none 43.8% (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2023 est.)

male

17 years (2023 est.)

total

17 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.81 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

15% (2025 est.)

male

19.4% (2025 est.)

total

17.2% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

77.8% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

16 states (Laender, singular - Land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen (Hesse), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia)

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology

the origin of the name is unclear but may be related to the Old Slavic (Polabian) word berl or birl, meaning "swamp" and referring to the original settlement site by the Spree River

geographic coordinates

52 31 N, 13 24 E

name

Berlin

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a German citizen or a resident alien who has lived in Germany at least 8 years

dual citizenship recognized

yes, but requires prior permission from government

residency requirement for naturalization

8 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by Parliament; passage and enactment into law require two-thirds majority vote by both the Bundesrat (upper house) and the Bundestag (lower house) of Parliament; articles including those on basic human rights and freedoms cannot be amended

history

previous 1919 (Weimar Constitution); latest drafted 10-23 August 1948, approved 12 May 1949, promulgated 23 May 1949, entered into force 24 May 1949

Country name

conventional long form

Federal Republic of Germany

conventional short form

Germany

etymology

the origin of the name is unclear; it may come from Celtic words meaning "neighboring people," or it may derive from Germanic words meaning either "spear man" or "head man;" the native designation "Deutsch" comes from the Old High German "diutisc" meaning "national"

former

German Reich

local long form

Bundesrepublik Deutschland

local short form

Deutschland

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alan MELTZER (since July 2024)

consulate(s) general

Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

email address and website

BerlinPCO@state.gov https://de.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin Clayallee 170, 14191 Berlin (administrative services)

FAX

[49] (30) 8305-1215

mailing address

5090 Berlin Place, Washington DC 20521-5090

telephone

[49] (30) 8305-0

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Jens HANEFELD (since 5 September 2025)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

email address and website

info@washington.diplo.de https://www.germany.info/us-en

FAX

[1] (202) 298-4261

telephone

[1] (202) 298-4000

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) recommended by the chancellor, appointed by the president

chief of state

President Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (since 19 March 2017)

election results

2025: Friedrich MERZ (CDU) elected chancellor in second round; Federal Parliament vote - 325 to 289 2022: Frank-Walter STEINMEIER reelected president; Federal Convention vote count - Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (SPD) 1,045, Max OTTE (CDU) 140, Gerhard TRABERT (The Left) 96, Stefanie GEBAUER (Free Voters) 58, abstentions 86

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by a Federal Convention consisting of all members of the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) and an equivalent number of delegates indirectly elected by the state parliaments; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following the most recent Federal Parliament election, the party or coalition with the most representatives usually elects the chancellor, who is appointed by the president to serve a renewable 4-year term

expected date of next election

president: February 2027

head of government

Chancellor Friedrich MERZ (since 6 May 2025)

most recent election date

president: 13 February 2022 chancellor: 6 May 2025

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold history: the colors can be traced back to the medieval banner of the Holy Roman Emperor -- a black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field

Government type

federal parliamentary republic

Independence

18 January 1871 (establishment of the German Empire); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and France) in 1945 after World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed on 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed on 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West Germany and East Germany unified on 3 October 1990, with all four powers formally relinquishing rights on 15 March 1991; notable earlier dates: 10 August 843 (Eastern Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 2 February 962 (crowning of OTTO I, recognized as the first Holy Roman Emperor)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Federal Court of Justice (court consists of 127 judges, including the court president, vice presidents, presiding judges, other judges; organized into 25 Senates subdivided into 12 civil panels, 5 criminal panels, and 8 special panels); Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (consists of 2 Senates each subdivided into 3 chambers, each with a chairman and 8 members)

judge selection and term of office

Federal Court of Justice judges selected by the Judges Election Committee, which consists of the Secretaries of Justice from each of the 16 federated states and 16 members appointed by the Federal Parliament; judges appointed by the president; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; half of Federal Constitutional Court judges are elected by the House of Representatives and half by the Senate; judges appointed for 12-year terms with mandatory retirement at age 68

subordinate courts

Federal Administrative Court; Federal Finance Court; Federal Labor Court; Federal Social Court; each of the 16 federated states or Land has its own constitutional court and a hierarchy of ordinary (civil, criminal, family) and specialized (administrative, finance, labor, social) courts; two English-speaking commercial courts opened in 2020 in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg -- the Stuttgart Commercial Court and the Mannheim Commercial Court

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

German Bundestag (Deutscher Bundestag)

electoral system

mixed system

expected date of next election

February 2029

most recent election date

2/23/2025

number of seats

630 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Christian Democratic Union (CDU) (164); Alternative for Germany (AfD) (152); Social Democratic Party (SPD) (120); Green Party (85); Left Party (Die Linke) (64); Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU) (44); Other (1)

percentage of women in chamber

32.4%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Federal Council (Bundesrat)

number of seats

69 (all appointed)

parties elected and seats per party

SPD 23; CDU 17; Green Party 15; Left Party 4; CSU 3; FW 3; FDP 2; other 2

percentage of women in chamber

34.8%

National anthem(s)

history

first adopted 1922; the anthem, also known as "Deutschlandlied" (Song of Germany), was originally adopted for its connection to the March 1848 liberal revolution; the Nazis later appropriated the first verse -- specifically the phrase "Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles" (Germany, Germany above all) -- to promote nationalism, and the anthem was banned after 1945; in 1952, West Germany adopted the third verse as its national anthem; in 1990, it became the national anthem for the reunited Germany

lyrics/music

August Heinrich HOFFMANN VON FALLERSLEBEN/Franz Joseph HAYDN

title

“Lied der Deutschen”(Song of the Germans)

National coat of arms

Germany’s coat of arms is the world’s oldest, said to date back to 1200, and uses the country’s national colors; it features the oldest European national symbol, an eagle known as the Bundesadler (Federal Eagle); the coat of arms has varied over time for military or political reasons, but the eagle has always been part of the design; the Federal Republic of Germany adopted this version in 1950

National color(s)

black, red, yellow

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin (c); Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (c); Speyer Cathedral (c); Aachen Cathedral (c); Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau, and Bernau (c); Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura (c); Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter, and Church of Our Lady in Trier (c); Hanseatic City of Lübeck (c); Old Town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof (c); Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square (c); Pilgrimage Church of Wies (c); Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl (c); St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim (c); Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch (c); Maulbronn Monastery Complex (c); Collegiate Church, Castle and Old Town of Quedlinburg (c); Cologne Cathedral (c); Castle Church in Wittenberg (c); Classical Weimar (c); Wartburg Castle (c); Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz (c); Monastic Island of Reichenau (c); Berlin Modernism Housing Estates (c); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Moravian Church Settlements (c); Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus (c); The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (c); Archaeological Border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke (c); Naumburg Cathedral (c); Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt (c); ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz (c); The Great Spa Towns of Europe (c); Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt (c); Schwerin Residence Ensemble (c); The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee (c); The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee (c)

total World Heritage Sites

56 (54 cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

German Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

National symbol(s)

eagle

Political parties

Alliance '90/Greens  Alternative for Germany or AfD  Christian Democratic Union or CDU  Christian Social Union or CSU  Free Democratic Party or FDP  Free Voters or FW The Left or Die Linke  Social Democratic Party or SPD

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; age 16 for some state and municipal elections

Agricultural products

milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, barley, maize, rapeseed, pork, rye, triticale (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

11.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$1.369 trillion (2023 est.)

revenues

$1.279 trillion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

$161.759 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$251.479 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$267.056 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

leading export-driven, core EU and eurozone economy; key automotive, chemical, engineering, finance, and green energy industries; growth stalled by energy crisis and declining exports; tight labor market with falling working-age population; fiscal rebalancing with phaseout of energy price supports

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$1.917 trillion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$1.958 trillion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$1.949 trillion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

cars, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, plastic products, vaccines (2023)

Exports - partners

USA 10%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, China 7%, Italy 6% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

43.4% (2023 est.)

government consumption

21.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

49.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-39.4% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

21.5% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.2% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.8% (2024 est.)

industry

25.8% (2024 est.)

services

63.9% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.66 trillion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

32.4 (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25% (2020 est.)

lowest 10%

2.9% (2020 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$1.808 trillion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.781 trillion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$1.774 trillion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars, vehicle parts/accessories, garments, natural gas, vaccines (2023)

Imports - partners

China 12%, Netherlands 7%, USA 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-3% (2024 est.)

Industries

iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, automobiles, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.9% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.9% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.3% (2024 est.)

Labor force

43.772 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

14.8% (2021 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

63.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$5.274 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$5.26 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$5.247 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

1.4% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-0.3% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

-0.2% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$62,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$62,700 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$62,800 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$293.914 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$322.7 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$377.936 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3.2% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.5% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

5.9% (2024 est.)

male

7.4% (2024 est.)

total

6.7% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

140.994 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

1.68 million metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

32.933 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

109.741 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

35.4 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

519.691 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

60.316 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

69.353 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

275.658 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

25.774 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

49% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

11.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

25.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

120.457 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

82.371 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

74.989 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

4.337 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

23.39 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

33 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

1.4% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

115.2 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

2.062 million bbl/day (2024 est.)

total petroleum production

131,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

45 (2023 est.)

total

38.4 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

a mix of publicly operated and privately owned TV and radio stations; 70 national and regional public broadcasters compete with nearly 400 privately owned national and regional TV stations; more than 90% of households have cable or satellite TV; hundreds of radio stations, including national and regional networks and a large number of local stations

Internet country code

.de

Internet users

percent of population

94% (2024 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

45 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

38.4 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

129 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

109 million (2024 est.)

Airports

840 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

D

Heliports

449 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 1, container ship 69, general cargo 82, oil tanker 32, other 411

total

595 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Emden, Hamburg, Kiel, Lubeck, Rostock

large

5

medium

4

ports with oil terminals

12

small

11

total ports

35 (2024)

very small

15

Railways

total

39,379 km (2020) 20,942 km electrified

Military - note

the Bundeswehr’s core mission is the defense of Germany and its NATO partners; it has a wide range of peacetime duties, including crisis management, cyber security, deterrence, homeland security, humanitarian and disaster relief, and international peacekeeping and stability operations; as a key member of NATO and the EU, the Bundeswehr typically operates in a coalition environment, and its capabilities are largely based on NATO and EU planning goals and needs; it has participated in a range of NATO and EU missions in Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as global maritime operations; the Bundeswehr has close bilateral defense ties with a number of EU countries, including the Czechia, France, the Netherlands, and Romania, as well as the UK and the US; it also contributes forces to UN peacekeeping missions the Bundeswehr was established in 1955; at the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, it had nearly 600,000 personnel, over 7,000 tanks, and 1,000 combat aircraft; in addition, over 400,000 soldiers from other NATO countries—including about 200,000 US military personnel—were stationed in West Germany; in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the Bundeswehr shrank by more than 60% in size (over 90% in tanks and about 80% in aircraft), while funding fell from nearly 3% of GDP and over 4% of government spending in the mid-1980s to 1.2% and 1.6% respectively; by the 2010s, the Bundeswehr’s ability to fulfill its regional security commitments had deteriorated; the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and full-scale assault on Ukraine in 2022 led to renewed emphasis on Germany’s leadership role in European defense and NATO and efforts to boost funding for the Bundeswehr to improve readiness, modernize, and expand (2025)

Military and security forces

Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): German Army (Deutsche Heer), German Navy (Deutsche Marine, includes naval air arm), German Air Force (Deutsche Luftwaffe, includes air defense), Cyber and Information Space (Cyber und Informationsraum) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 185,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

Military deployments

up to 500 Iraq (NATO); 300 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR), Lebanon 170 (UNIFIL); up to 1,700 Lithuania (NATO) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of Federal Armed Forces is comprised of weapons systems produced domestically or jointly with other European countries and Western imports, particularly from the US; Germany's defense industry is capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems; it also participates in joint defense production projects with European partners and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2021

1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2025

2.4% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17-23 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (must have completed compulsory full-time education and have German citizenship); service obligation 7-23 months or 12 years (2025)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

100 (2023 est.)

refugees

3,098,169 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

28,813 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

1969 - first German scientific satellite (Azur) launched by US 1973 - participated with other European states, particularly France and the UK, in development of Ariane satellite launch vehicle 1978 - first German in space on Soviet Salyut space station 1980s-1990s - participated in US Space Shuttle program, including providing astronauts 1999 - launched a space-based X-ray telescope (ABRAXIS) on Russian rocket 2005 - began development of reusable space plane/shuttle/transporter 2019 - launched first space-based X-ray telescope (eROSITA) capable of imaging the entire sky (joint project with Russia) 2023 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for the exploration of space and the Moon; adopted a new national space strategy

Space agency/agencies

German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR; established 1997) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

a commercial offshore launch platform that will operate from the North Sea is under development with both government and private funding (2025)

Space program overview

has one of Europe’s largest space programs and is a top contributor to the ESA; builds and operates satellites, satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs), probes, and unmanned orbiters; researches and develops a range of capabilities and technologies, including reusable space planes, satellite payloads, rockets, propulsion-assisted landing technologies, and aeronautics; participates in EU and ESA programs, including the Cassini-Huygens research mission to Saturn, Mars and Venus exploration missions, and the Galileo global navigation satellite system; participates in ESA’s astronaut training program and human space flight operations; hosts the European Astronaut Center; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station (ISS) and the James Webb Space Telescope; hosts mission control centers for the ISS, the ESA, and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT); has ties to foreign space programs, including those of China, Japan, Russia, and the US; has a robust commercial space sector (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa'ida

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

163.407 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

159.097 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

277.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

600.192 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

air pollution and acid rain from coal-burning utilities and industries; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial effluents; hazardous waste disposal

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Bergstraße-Odenwald ; Harz, Braunschweiger Land; Swabian Alb; TERRA.vita; Vulkaneifel; Thuringia Inselsberg -Drei Gleichen; Muskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa (includes Poland); Ries (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

8

International environmental agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

agriculture

1,197.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

476.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

110 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

459 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

10.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

154 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.075 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

14.005 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

10.713 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

50.628 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

49.8% (2022 est.)