Germany's Country Profile

Germany’s Country Profile Assignment 2-1
Lisa Hommey
ECON220-F4WW-S13
07/11/2013

Germany’s Country Profile Germany is the biggest country of Europe, and its Capitol is Berlin. The Euro is their form of currency. There are many intriguing facts about the Germany, and Infoplease.com (2012) details this information. The first inhabitants of Germany were Celts. Located in Central Europe its official name is Bundesrepublik Deutschland (short: Brd) or Federal Republic of Germany, and the main population is of German descent. The religious preference can be divided largely between Roman Catholic and Protestant. Germany celebrates the National Holiday- Unity Day October 3rd. The climate is moderate consisting of warm summers and cold winters. One-third of the country contains various varieties of trees. Wildlife is plentiful including many varieties of animals and migrating birds and the oceans are abundant with herring, flounder, cod, and ocean perch. The historical birth of Germany dates back to 1740 according to Infoplease.com (2012), and they list many significant dates. Frederick the Great (1740-1786) was in the Prussian army and successful in his takeover of Silesia. Austria and Prussia struggled for power until 1866. The Northern German Confederation created in 1887. The new Prussian prime minister was Otto Von Bismarck, who unified all of Germany in 1864, 1866, and 1870-1871, in a series of three wars. Then in 1871, a new German Emperor (King Wilhelml) reigns. Germany’s defeat in World War 1, ended with the collapse of the second German Empire in 1918. Then the Weimer Republic (Social Democrats) took over which later led to economic distress. The next chapter in German history was Adolph Hitler and the Holocaust (World War 2). To be Jewish in Germany at this time was a death sentence. Hitler’s reign was from 1932-1945 when Germany surrendered, and the Allied Control Council took over as de facto government of the country. The post war (1945) divided Germany into four national occupational zones. The East and West could not agree on issues leading Russia to back down in 1948. The blockade was lifted in 1949 by the USSR, and the Federal Republic of Germany rose, May 23, 1949. East Germany established its constitution on October 7, 1949, but its Western allies refused to recognize it. The 1955 agreement between Germany and Italy precipitated The Western European Union (1958). Then the Berlin Wall (1961), further divided East and West Germany. West Germany signed a Treaty with Poland in 1970, and East and West Germany entered the United Nations in 1973. The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989. In 1990, Western Germany agrees to provide financial help to the East in exchange for Gorbachevs ' agreement for re-unification; Germany once again becomes a United Nation. Gerard Shroder elected chancellor in 1998. Germany then joins NATO allies in Kosovo, and the Christian Democratic Party admits to taking illegal money in the 80’s and 90’s almost leading to destruction of the party (1999). In 2000 tax reform passed to lower taxes and eliminate capital gains. The economy’s unemployment rate reaches 12% and recession sets in until Schroder’s reform (2003). Schroder upset by Angela Merkel, until she 's replaced by President Kohler (2009), who resigns in 2010. Christian Wulff presided from 2010-2012 until defeated by Joachim Gauck who is still in power today. Germany is located in Central Europe between France, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, Netherlands, and Belgium. The population est. (2012) was $81,305,856. The racial makeup is 91.5% German followed by Turkish 2.4%, Italian 0.7%, Greek 0.4%, Polish 0.4%, and other 4.6%.
Germany’s role in the Global Marketplace was especially difficult during the financial crisis of 2008-2009 according to Infoplease.com (2012). To prevent the economy from tumbling, 68 billion dollars were pumped into the economy. That following year in February, to save the country from recession, the government creates a 63 million dollar stimulus package. Being the largest country in Europe, it was especially beneficial for them to manage their financial crisis. Infoplease.com (2011) released these facts about the economy:
Economic summary GDP/PPP (2011est.): $3.085 trillion; per capita $37,900. Real growth rate: 2.7%. Inflation: 2.2%. Unemployment: 6%. Arable Land: 34%. Agriculture: potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry. Labor force: 43.62 million; industry 24.6%, agriculture 1.6%, services 73.8%. (Facts & Figures para)
Germany is one of the largest producers of many products, and among them are iron, steel, and coal. They also have an abundance of natural resources, exports, and imports. The United States is one of Germany’s principal trading partners.

References
Infoplease. (2012) Germany. Retrieved July 11, 2013, from http://www.infoplease.com/country/germany.html1?pageno=1

References: Infoplease. (2012) Germany. Retrieved July 11, 2013, from http://www.infoplease.com/country/germany.html1?pageno=1