Germany

c. 500 BCE – Germanic tribes inhabit present-day Germany

9 CE (Monday, September 9) – Battle of the Teutoburg Forest: The Germanic tribes defeat the Roman legions, halting Roman expansion into Germany

800 CE (Saturday, December 25) – Charlemagne crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, unifying much of Western Europe under his rule.

1871 (Friday, January 18) – German Empire founded after unification under Prussia

1914–1918 (Monday, July 28) – World War I: Germany plays a central role, resulting in defeat and the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II

1933 (Friday, January 30) – Adolf Hitler appointed Chancellor, beginning Nazi rule

1939–1945 (Thursday, September 1) – World War II: Germany invades Poland, sparking the war, resulting in devastation and the eventual defeat in 1945

1945 (Monday, May 7) – End of World War II in Europe: Germany surrenders to the Allied forces

1949 (Monday, May 23) – Formation of West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) and East Germany (German Democratic Republic) after the division of the country

1961 (Sunday, August 13) – Berlin Wall erected by East Germany to stop the mass emigration to West Germany

1989 (Tuesday, November 9) – Fall of the Berlin Wall: A pivotal event leading to the reunification of Germany

1990 (Monday, October 3) – German reunification: East and West Germany are officially unified

2002 (Sunday, January 1) – Euro becomes the official currency of Germany

2011 (Monday, March 11) – Fukushima nuclear disaster: Germany announces plans to phase out nuclear power

2015 (Monday, September 4) – Refugee crisis: Germany opens its borders to over a million refugees, primarily from Syria

2019 (Monday, October 7) – Flooding in southern Germany: Severe flooding hits Bavaria, causing widespread damage

2021 (Tuesday, July 13) – Severe floods in western Germany, particularly in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, resulting in over 180 deaths

2023 (Friday, August 25) – Hailstorm in Berlin: A rare, destructive hailstorm strikes the capital, causing damage to buildings and vehicles

2024 (Thursday, April 25) – Severe heatwave: Temperatures reach record highs, affecting public health and agriculture across the country

Continent: Europe (Central Europe)
Location: Located in central Europe, bordered by Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands to the west.
Capital: Berlin
Language: German (official)
Currency: Euro (€)
Population: ~83 million (last updated: April 2025)
Time Zone: Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) / Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2)

Borders: Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands
Landscape: Central European lowlands, forested hills, mountainous regions in the south, rivers and valleys
Major Rivers: Rhine, Elbe, Danube, Oder, Main
Major Mountains: The Alps (Bavarian Alps), Harz Mountains, Black Forest (Schwarzwald), Thuringian Forest, Eifel Mountains
Deserts: None
Lakes: Lake Constance (Bodensee), Lake Müritz, Lake Starnberg
Volcanoes: Eifel Volcano (inactive)
Highest Point: Zugspitze – 2,962 m (9,718 ft)
Lowest Point: The North Sea coast – 0 m (sea level)
Climate: Temperate seasonal climate, with moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the year. Winters can be cold and snowy in the south and alpine areas, while the northern regions are milder.
Geological Features: Geologically active regions in the southwest due to the interaction of the Eurasian plate with the Alpine orogeny, many active fault lines in the region.

Ethnic Groups: Predominantly German (~87%), with minorities of Turkish, Polish, Russian, Italian, and other ethnic groups
Religion: Christianity (Protestantism ~30%, Catholicism ~29%), Islam (~5%), other religions and unaffiliated (~36%)
Urban Population: ~75% (last updated: 2023)
Population Notes: Germany is a highly urbanized country with major cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, and Cologne. It has a long history of immigration, particularly from Turkey, Eastern Europe, and more recently from the Middle East.

Famous For: Engineering, automotive industry, classical music, philosophy, beer, football, and Oktoberfest
Cuisine: Bratwurst, Pretzels, Sauerkraut, Sauerbraten, Wiener Schnitzel, Beer, Black Forest Cake
Arts: Classical music (Beethoven, Bach, Brahms), philosophers (Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche), literature (Goethe, Schiller), Bauhaus architecture, visual arts
Sports: Football (soccer), handball, basketball, tennis, motorsports (Formula 1), winter sports

Economy Type: Highly developed and social market economy
GDP: Approx. $5.4 trillion USD (last updated: 2024)
Major Industries: Automotive (Volkswagen, BMW, Daimler), engineering, chemicals, electronics, pharmaceuticals, machinery, steel
Key Exports: Vehicles, machinery, electrical machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Unemployment Rate: ~3.4% (last updated: 2024)
Economic Regions: Strong manufacturing sector in southern and western Germany (especially Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg), financial services in Frankfurt, high-tech industries in eastern regions.

Government Type: Federal republic, parliamentary democracy
Head of State: President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (as of April 2025)
Head of Government: Chancellor Olaf Scholz (as of April 2025)
Legislature: Bundestag (Federal Parliament), Bundesrat (Federal Council)
Constitution: Basic Law (Grundgesetz), enacted on May 23, 1949

Berlin: Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag building, Berlin Wall, Museum Island, Holocaust Memorial
Munich: Marienplatz, Nymphenburg Palace, Oktoberfest, English Garden
Neuschwanstein Castle: Iconic fairy-tale castle near Füssen
Cologne: Cologne Cathedral, Rhine River cruises
Hamburg: Miniatur Wunderland, Elbphilharmonie, historic harbor
Black Forest: Hiking, scenic drives, spa towns
Rhine Valley: Vineyards, castles, romantic landscapes