Introduction to Germany

I am very excited to talk about Germany since I have been there twice. It is a beautiful country, full of breath-taking nature, amazing food, fantastic architecture, so many beautiful places to visit. I studied German for a while; but, it is a difficult language to learn. I have met some people who say that Germans are rude and cold; but, that was not what I experienced - the Germans I met were very nice to me. I guess by the time you get to know them things change.
I have a good friend from Germany, Sabine, she is a beautiful person; I just wish we lived closer  to each other.

So, if you ever have a chance to go to Germany, do not hesitate, you won't regret it!

Germany is one of Europe's largest nations, with one of the largest populations. Although it has played a major part in European and World history, it has been a single, unified nation for less than 130 years. The area that now makes up Germany originally was a cluster of partially independent cities and states. In 1871 the Prussian chancellor Otto Von Bismarck created a unified Germany. In the twentieth century, Germany was the aggressor in two world wars (World War I, 1914–1918, and World War II, 1939–1945), and lost both.

Germany has an area a little smaller that  Montana at 137,810 square miles. Germany slope up from the North to the Alps in the South. It's primary area are:

• The Northern Plains bordered by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea
• The German hill region and the uplands border on the East by Poland and the Czech Republic and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands
• The Bavarian Alps in the South, bordered by Austria and Switzerland

Major rivers include the Rhine in the west and the Danube, which flows from west to east. The capital city, Berlin, is located in the northeastern part of the country and like the country, the city was divided during the cold war. Today, Germany has been unified again with East and West Germany coming under one government.

The German economy is an export economy which drives its full employment policies. It also has the lowest birth rate in Europe, leading to population growth from immigration. In the 90's the population was over 82 million. Economic strife in Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Italy has lessened the demand for German made cars and appliances and taken its toll on worker solidarity. It's primary output is:

• Industry: Iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics
• Agriculture: Potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets; cattle
• Exports: Machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles

German is the nation's official language, but many other dialects are spoken throughout the country.

Germans take great pride in their homes; most spend about 10 percent of their income on home furnishings and decoration. Families live in small houses or apartments with a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room, and one or two bedrooms. Young children often share a bedroom. Most Germans have small families.