Germany Culture, Map, Flag, Tourist Places

Germany is located in Central Europe and shares borders with Denmark in the North, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France in the West, Austria and Switzerland in the South and Poland and the Czech Republic in the East. The North Sea and the Baltic Sea represent additional National Borders in the North.

Germany is divided into sixteen states (in German called Länder, singular Land; commonly Bundesländer, singular Bundesland). It is further subdivided into 439 districts (Kreise) and cities

Situated at the crossroads of Europe, the country consists of 16 states (Bundesländer), which are divided for the purposes of this section as follows: Berlin, Baden-Württemburg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Northwest Germany (the states of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and Bremen), Rhineland (North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland Palatinate and Sa arland), Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia. Northwest Germany includes the North Sea coast and the East Friesian Islands, Schleswig-Holstein and the city-states of Hamburg and Bremen, along with the Weser Valley, Lüneburg Heath and part of the Harz Mountains.

Germany's population is predominantly Caucasian, with a significant Turkish minority. Germany has absorbed a significant number of refugees from the former Yugoslavia. German is the main language although local dialects can be strong.

Germany is a rather secular country. Even though the vast majority is Christian with 38% of the population being protestant and almost 34% being catholic. There are a certain number of Muslims and Jews forming religious minorities.

Germany's climate is almost as varied as its country but mostly temperate or marine. Extreme temperature lows and hights are rare. Winter temperatures vary from west to east, with about freezing temperatures in the west and well below freezing in eastern Germany. Summer temperatures are typically between 20 and 30°C, with more rainfall during the summer.

Cologne Cathedral, Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle, Brandenburg Gate, Mainau and Reichenau Island on Lake Constance, Zollverein coal mine, The palaces and gardens of Potsdam, Hamburg's port, Chalk cliffs Church of Our Lady etc. are the place of interest.