Germany's natural environments
With its highest point, the Zugspitze on the Austrian border, at 2,962 m, and its lowest point at 3.5 m below sea level in the north, Germany offers a particularly diverse range of landscapes. These can be divided into three main regions: the Alps in the south, the Mittelgebirge, the medium-sized mountains in the center of the country, and the North German Plain.
Germany has numerous rivers and lakes, which together account for over 2% of its surface area. The longest of these is the Danube, 2,850 km long. Rising in the Black Forest, it flows to the Danube delta between Romania and Ukraine, forming the second longest river in Europe after the Russian Volga. The Rhine, Germany's second longest river, holds a special place in German geography and society, and its valley forms one of the most densely populated regions in Western Europe. As well as forming the border between France and Germany, the Rhine basin, both inside and outside Germany, is the most economically dynamic region in Europe. Other major German rivers include the Elbe, which rises in the Czech Republic before ending its course in a spectacular estuary in which Hamburg nestles. The Main, which flows through the Länder of Bavaria, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg, is also an important river, feeding the city of Frankfurt am Main. These rivers flow mainly into the two seas that border Germany: the North Sea, to the northwest, and the Baltic Sea, to the northeast. Germany's 2,389 km-long coastline boasts some 20 islands, including the Friesian Islands, an archipelago located in Friesland, a historic region on the North Sea coast between Germany and the Netherlands.
In addition to rivers, Germany has no shortage of lakes. The largest of them all is Lake Constance, located on the German side of the Länder of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, but also on Swiss and Austrian territory. Fed by the Rhine, it is not only Europe's third largest lake, but also an important tourist and cultural region in Germany. Bavaria, meanwhile, boasts much smaller lakes that are just as attractive to visitors, such as Königsee, considered by some to be Germany's most beautiful lake thanks to its location in the heart of the mountains.
This rich hydrography allows for dense vegetation, so much so that a third of the country is covered in forest. These 11 million hectares of woodland are mainly made up of beech, oak and coniferous forests: spruces and pines together account for almost half of Germany's tree species. Five of Germany's beech forests are listed as Unesco World Heritage sites, alongside those of 17 other European countries, forming a group of outstanding ecological interest known as the "primary and ancient beech forests of the Carpathians and other parts of Europe". With 2.6 million hectares of woodland, Bavaria is the German state with the largest forest area, but this is mainly due to the fact that it is the largest state. In terms of relative forest area, Rhineland-Palatinate in the west has the greatest forest cover, with 42% of its area forested. Of Germany's 16 national parks, 13 are mainly characterized by forests. The Black Forest(Schwarzwald) in Baden-Württemberg is one of the most famous. Before being a delicious cake known throughout Europe, it represents a 6,000 km2 woodland forming one of the country's most popular tourist regions. The Bavarian Forest(Bayerischer Wald) extends over the same area. In 1970, it gave rise to Germany's very first national park: the Bavarian Forest National Park.
Germany's administrative organization
Germany has fifteen cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants. France, by comparison, has just four. This proliferation of large cities is largely due to the prosperity the country enjoyed in the 19th century, when it established itself as a European industrial power. The various industrial basins gave rise to what are today's major metropolises: in order of most populated, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt am Main. Germany is thus a highly urbanized country, with over 77% of the population living in cities.
Although Germany is the most densely populated country in Europe, its population is very well distributed throughout the country. There's no French-style centralism here: polycentrism is the cornerstone of German society. There are no megacities: Berlin's urban area has a population of around 4.5 million, while Paris has a population of 10.7 million and London over 14 million. Moreover, the very functioning of the capital still reflects this homogeneous distribution, since a large number of political institutions are located outside its borders, and almost half the ministries are located in Bonn, which was the capital of West Germany between 1949 and 1990. Similarly, while Berlin is the administrative capital, Frankfurt am Main is the economic capital, home to the European Central Bank (ECB), the Bundesbank, the stock exchange and numerous international companies. Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is also a major economic and cultural hub. In fact, its economy is much stronger than Berlin's, a further illustration of German polycentrism.
The country's long federal tradition has greatly contributed to this homogeneous demographic distribution. Nevertheless, there is a greater concentration of population in the west of the country. Of Germany's 80 " Großstädte", i.e. large cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, more than a third are located in North Rhine-Westphalia, the country's most populous federal state.
Conversely, if we omit the smallest Länder, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the north-east is the least populous. In terms of surface area, Bavaria ranks first, followed by Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg. Most of the Länder cover a vast area, with the exception of the three city-states of Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen. Each of these federal states, in addition to having a strong regional identity, has its own government, its own capital, its own constitution, and thus a relative political and administrative independence from the federal government. The 16 German Länder, from most to least populous, are as follows:
North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany's most industrial state and one of the wealthiest. Its economic development was based on coal mining in the 19th century, and it is now moving towards a service economy. It is home to some of Germany's most important cities. While Düsseldorf is the capital, Cologne is the state's most populous city, while Bonn plays an important national political role as the second seat of government.
Bavaria cultivates a strong attachment to its traditions, such as the wearing of the dirndl, Bavarian dress, the Lederhose, leather breeches, and the famous Oktoberfest. Its capital, Munich, has always played a key role as a cultural, historical, scientific and economic hub, and continued to do so in the 20th century, hosting the headquarters of many major companies such as BMW, Siemens and Allianz.
Baden-Württemberg is appreciated for its tourist attractions, such as the Black Forest, medieval towns like Heidelberg and Schiltach, and larger cities like its capital, Stuttgart. Tourists also appreciate the fact that this is the Land with the most hours of sunshine!
Lower Saxony is the only state with both sea and mountain access, via the Harz mountains. The economy is dominated by agriculture and the automotive industry, thanks in particular to Volkswagen, which has its headquarters here. Its capital, Hanover, is one of Germany's leading research centers.
Hesse is one of the few German Länder to have no borders with neighboring countries. Although its capital is Wiesbaden, Frankfurt am Main is its most important city in both economic and demographic terms. Frankfurt airport is Germany's largest.
Rhineland-Palatinate is Germany's most important wine-growing region, supplying two-thirds of the country's wine, including a large production of Riesling. This is thanks in part to its favorable climate, with the lowest rainfall in Germany. While its capital, Mainz, is home to 200,000 inhabitants, Rhineland-Palatinate is also home to three-quarters of Germany's smallest municipalities.
Saxony is famous for its crafts, particularly lace and porcelain. Although its capital is Dresden, Leipzig is its most populous city.
Berlin, a city-state, is marked by a fascinating history, of which there is no shortage of evidence throughout the city, such as the ruins of the Berlin Wall. Today, a dynamic cosmopolitan city, it has become one of Europe's cultural hubs. It is Europe's eighth most populous conurbation.
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost state in Germany. It forms part of the border between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. While its capital Kiel is one of Germany's 30 most populous cities, the state is also home to the country's smallest and least populous municipality: Arnis.
Brandenburg, whose capital is Potsdam, completely encircles Berlin. This situation means that the state is marked by numerous universities and research institutes.
Saxony-Anhalt is particularly renowned for its rich historical heritage. It is the German state with the most UNESCO World Heritage sites. Its capital, Magdeburg, is one of the major cities in the Elbe Valley.
Thuringia is nicknamed "Germany's green heart" because of its forests. It is home to the Rennsteig, the country's most famous hiking trail, and has produced some of Germany's greatest athletes and numerous Olympic medals. It is also the birthplace of some of Germany's greatest figures: Goethe, Bach and Schiller. Its capital is Erfurt.
Hamburg, at the mouth of the Elbe River, is Germany's largest port, and Europe's third-largest. It is the country's second most populous city. The Hanseatic city's spectacular architecture has made it a mecca for German tourists.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is one of Germany's poorest Länder, although it has made significant progress since reunification. It is also the German state with the lowest population density and the least industrialization, so it is home to important natural areas. Its capital is Schwerin.
The Saarland changed nationality 8 times between 1792 and 1955, juggling between France and Germany. It is therefore particularly influenced by France, with which it maintains important trade relations. Its capital, Saarbrücken, is home to the country's most important Franco-German institution: the Franco-German University.
Bremen, Germany's smallest state, is also unique in being the only one to be split in two. The two sections of this city-state are entirely surrounded by Lower Saxony. It is the German state with the highest unemployment rate.
