Germany wears its riches well: elegant big-city charm, picture-postcard small towns, pagan-inspired harvest festivals, a wealth of art and culture and the perennial pleasures of huge tracts of forest, delightful castles and fine wine and beer are all there for the enjoying. Germany's reunification in 1990 was the beginning of yet another chapter in Germany's complex history. No visitor will remain untouched by this country's past and the way it affects the nation today.

Full country name: Federal Republic of Germany
Area: 357,030 sq km
Population: 82 million
Capital city: Berlin (pop: 3.45 million)
People: Predominantly Caucasian, with significant Turkish minority. Germany has absorbed most of the refugees from the former Yugoslavia.
Language: German
Religion: 90% Christian, about 1.7 million Muslims
Government: Federal republic
Chancellor: Gerhard Schröder

GDP: US$2,040 billion
GDP per head: US$24,900
Annual growth: 2.7%
Inflation: 1%
Major industries: motor vehicles, engineering, chemicals, iron, steel, coal, electronics, environmental technology, food, clothing
Major trading partners: European Union (esp. France, Netherlands, Italy, UK, Belgium/Luxembourg, ), USA, Japan
Member of EU: yes
Euro zone participant: yes