The Federal Republic of Germany, whose capital is Berlin, has an area of 357,000 km2 and a population of more than 84 million inhabitants. The reunified Germany is a parliamentary federal republic and its leading figure is Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party.
The official language of Germany is German, which is spoken by 95% of the population. Other minority languages include Low German, Turkish, Polish and Russian. The majority religion in Germany is Protestantism, followed by Catholicism. The percentage of people without religion is 33%. Its currency has been the euro since its creation in 2002, replacing the German mark.
Germany has a rich and complex history dating back to the Middle Ages. The country has been unified and divided several times throughout its history. Modern Germany was founded in 1871, with the unification of the German states under the leadership of Prussia. The country became a world power during the 20th century, but was defeated in the First and Second World Wars.
After the war, Germany was divided into two countries: the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in the west and the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in the east. The FRG became a founding member of the European Union in 1957, while the GDR remained under the control of the Soviet Union. After the dissolution of the GDR in 1990, Germany was reunified.
In recent years, Germany has welcomed millions of immigrants from all over the world. Immigrants usually come from countries in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. Immigrants have contributed to Germany's cultural diversity. They have brought new traditions, languages and religions to the country and this situation is causing growing tensions.
According to the German Federal Statistical Office, 14% of German women married foreigners. This represents an increase from 11% in 2010.
The most common countries of origin for foreign spouses of German women are:
Türkiye (21%)
Poland (14%)
Italy (12%)
Spain (9%)
France (8%)
Marriages between German women and foreign men are more common in the large cities of Germany, such as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, but it is noteworthy that they do so with other citizens of the European Union in a greater proportion than with immigrants from third countries.
According to the Allensbach Demographic Institute, the main concerns of Germans are:
Inflation - Inflation, which recently hit its highest level in nearly 50 years.
The war in Ukraine, as they fear a broader conflict that encompasses Europe.
And climate change, since they are concerned about its effects on the environment and society, although a growing part of this sees preservation policies as a brake on development.
Finally, Germans are divided on immigration, with some concerned about the impact of immigration on German culture and identity and others in favor of stopping population aging. For all these reasons, Germany is undoubtedly in a time of crisis and an uncertain future.
German perceptions of friendly and enemy countries are complex and can vary depending on the person and situation. However, in general, Germans consider France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland as their friends. These countries share common values and political goals, and cooperate closely in a variety of areas, such as economy, security and culture.
The war in Ukraine has caused energy and food prices to rise, contributing to inflation. Inflation is reducing the purchasing power of consumers and businesses, and hampering economic growth. The aging population is also putting pressure on the German economy, as the proportion of people of working age is declining. But the biggest economic challenge for Germany in the coming years will be to sustain its economy in the face of a potential decoupling of relations with China, on which the country largely depends.
At the end of 2023, foreign workers represented 13.5% of the workforce in Germany, equivalent to about 6.5 million people. The main countries of origin of foreign workers in Germany are:
Poland: 1.4 million workers
Türkiye: 830,000
Italy: 380,000
France: 350,000
And Spain: 320,000
Other important countries of origin are Romania, Greece, Portugal, Serbia and Bulgaria.
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🔎 I am Gustavo Llusá, Argentine, after traveling for several years through more than 65 countries I settled in Latvia where I married Dace and learned to know another way of life, on the other side of the map.
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3 окт 2024
