Country exposure · DE
Germany (Federal Republic of Germany)
Europe · Berlin · federal parliamentary republic
What Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) means for your money — the prices you pay, the tariffs in motion, and where U.S. policy could change both.
$155.8B
U.S. imports, 2025
-2.8%
change in one year
$82.8B
U.S. exports, 2025
84M
Population
$4.7T
GDP
In your house
What you buy that Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) makes
America bought $155.8B in goods from Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) in 2025. Of every $100 of it, here's where the money went.
Pharmaceutical preparations
medicines and pharmacy items
$26.4B16.9%
Passenger cars, new and used
new and used cars
$20.7B13.3%
Industrial machines, other
$8.2B5.3%
U.s. goods returned, and reimports
$8.2B5.3%
Medicinal equipment
medical devices and equipment
$7.2B4.6%
Other parts and accessories of vehicles
car parts and accessories
$5.4B3.5%
Electric apparatus
$4.4B2.8%
Industrial engines
$3.7B2.4%
Measuring, testing, control instruments
$3.2B2.1%
Materials handling equipment
$3.2B2%
2026 so far (through April): $47.4B in imports. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade in Goods (customs basis).
The other direction
What America sells to Germany (Federal Republic of Germany)
$82.8B in 2025 — a trade rupture cuts both ways, for American producers as well as American prices.
Pharmaceutical preparations
$12.3Bmedicines and pharmacy items
Civilian aircraft, engines, equipment, and parts
$11.6BPassenger cars, new and used
$7.8Bnew and used cars
Gas-natural
$3.6BIndustrial machines, other
$3.0BCrude oil
$2.8BMedicinal equipment
$2.6Bmedical devices and equipment
Minimum value shipments
$2.4BChemicals-other
$2.4BWhere you stand
U.S. tariff posture toward Germany (Federal Republic of Germany)
Since February 24, 2026 most EU goods face the universal 10% Section 122 temporary import surcharge, which replaced the framework's 15% all-inclusive IEEPA structure when EO 14389 terminated the reciprocal tariffs. The framework's Section 232 terms persist: EU autos at 15%, and the April 2026 metals expansion expressly preserved the EU's trade-agreement-partner treatment (steel and aluminum otherwise at 50%).
The United States negotiates tariffs with the European Union as a single market — every measure here applies to Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) as an EU member.
Reciprocal tariff (assigned — terminated)
20%
The rate this country was assigned under the EO 14257 reciprocal Annex — no longer in force. The Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs and they were terminated February 24, 2026 (EO 14389), replaced by a universal ~10% Section 122 surcharge. See the timeline below for the current effective rate.
Section 232 sectors
Autos, Wood
Steel, aluminum, autos, and similar national-security tariffs that name this country.
Policy in motion
Tariff status: a moving target
U.S. tariff policy toward the European Union — and with it Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) — has changed 11 times since 2025. This page tracks it.
2026-04-06
EU treatment preserved in expanded metals tariffs
In effectThe April 2026 proclamation expanding Section 232 coverage of aluminum, steel, and copper derivatives expressly does not alter or supersede the prior U.S.–EU agreement implementation, and lists the EU among 'Trade Agreement Partners' eligible for its exclusion process.
91 FR 18201 →2026-02-24
IEEPA reciprocal tariffs terminated — replaced by 10% Section 122
In effectExecutive Order 14389 (Ending Certain Tariff Actions) terminated the IEEPA tariff duties — including those under EO 14257, the basis of the EU's 15% all-inclusive structure — effective February 24, 2026. A flat 10% Section 122 temporary import surcharge (Proclamation 11012 of February 20, 2026) replaced them. The framework's Section 232 terms (the 15% EU autos cap, metals carve-outs) rest on separate authority and were expressly unaffected.
91 FR 9437 →2025-09-25
Framework implemented: preferential treatment for certain EU goods
In effectActing under the September 8, 2025 procedures order, Commerce and USTR modified the HTSUS to implement the framework — preferential (zero) reciprocal treatment for certain EU goods and a reduction of the Section 232 automobile and parts duty to 15% for EU-origin vehicles.
90 FR 46136 →2025-08-21
U.S.–EU Framework Agreement joint statement
AgreementThe United States and the European Union issued the Joint Statement on a Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade: the U.S. committed to the 15% all-inclusive ceiling, zero reciprocal duty on certain products, and a cut of the Section 232 automobile duty to 15%; the EU committed to eliminate tariffs on U.S. industrial goods and expand agricultural access, plus $750B in U.S. energy procurement through 2028.
Source ↗2025-08-07
15% all-inclusive structure replaces the 20% rate
In effectThe July 31, 2025 order ('Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates') gave the EU a unique structure effective August 7, 2025: for goods with an MFN (Column 1) rate below 15%, the reciprocal duty tops the total up to exactly 15%; goods with an MFN rate of 15% or higher pay no additional reciprocal duty.
Federal Register · 2025-15010 →2025-07-09
Reciprocal-rate pause extended to August 1
In effectThe July 7, 2025 order extended the suspension of country-specific reciprocal rates through August 1, 2025, keeping the EU at the 10% baseline while framework talks continued.
90 FR 30823 →2025-06-04
Section 232 steel and aluminum duties doubled to 50%
In effectThe June 3, 2025 proclamation raised Section 232 duties on steel and aluminum articles and derivatives from 25% to 50% effective June 4, 2025, with no EU carve-out.
90 FR 24199 →2025-04-10
90-day pause suspends the 20% rate back to 10%
In effectThe April 9, 2025 modification order suspended country-specific reciprocal rates for 90 days for all partners except China, returning the EU to the 10% universal baseline effective April 10, 2025 while negotiations proceeded.
90 FR 15625 →2025-04-09
EU country-specific reciprocal rate of 20% takes effect
In effectAnnex I of Executive Order 14257 assigned the European Union a 20% country-specific reciprocal rate, effective April 9, 2025 — the rate still carried for the EU in the HTS Chapter 99 Subchapter III note.
Federal Register · 2025-06063 →2025-04-05
Universal 10% reciprocal baseline takes effect
In effectExecutive Order 14257 (signed April 2, 2025) imposed a 10% ad valorem reciprocal duty on imports from all trading partners, including the EU, effective April 5, 2025. The order singled out the EU's 5% average MFN rate and 10% passenger-vehicle tariff as examples of non-reciprocal treatment.
Federal Register · 2025-06063 →2025-03-12
Section 232 steel and aluminum arrangements terminated — 25% duties on EU metals
In effectProclamations of February 10, 2025 ended the EU's tariff-rate-quota arrangements for steel and aluminum and raised the aluminum duty from 10% to 25%, applying 25% Section 232 duties to EU steel and aluminum effective March 12, 2025.
90 FR 9817 →
Made for America
What Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) makes for America
Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) is a direct U.S. source of 12 essential goods Americans rely on — the items themselves, shipped finished off the line.
materials
10% of U.S.Vehicles and light trucks
$20.7B to the U.S.
health
23% of U.S.Cancer and specialty drugs
$17.8B to the U.S.
materials
5% of U.S.Auto parts and repairs
$6.2B to the U.S.
health
5% of U.S.OTC medicines
$3.6B to the U.S.
materials
7% of U.S.Steel and iron products
$2.0B to the U.S.
health
28% of U.S.Blood products
$1.6B to the U.S.
materials
6% of U.S.Plumbing pipes and fittings
$1.2B to the U.S.
health
6% of U.S.Surgical and sterile supplies
$952M to the U.S.
health
15% of U.S.Diagnostic tests and lab supplies
$876M to the U.S.
materials
5% of U.S.Lumber and wood products
$793M to the U.S.
digital
2% of U.S.Semiconductors and chips
$584M to the U.S.
logistics
8% of U.S.Port and crane equipment
$581M to the U.S.
Go deeper
The supply chain view
Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) sits upstream of 24 essential American goods through 12 tracked inputs.
chemical
66%Menthol (Natural & Synthetic L-Menthol)
chemical
64%Sodium Bicarbonate (BC Dry Chemical Grade)
chemical
60%Viral Inactivation Reagents (Solvent/Detergent)
manufactured
55%On-Load Tap Changer (OLTC) for Voltage Regulation
manufactured
55%Ready-to-Use Type I Borosilicate Glass Cartridge (Pen)
manufactured
55%Glass-Ceramic Cooktop Panels
Reference
The country itself
Europe · Geography, people, economy, and government — public-domain data from the CIA World Factbook.
As Europe's largest economy and second most-populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating world wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key western economic and security organizations, including the EC (now the EU) and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War allowed German reunification to occur in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.
Geography
- Location
- Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark
- Area
- 357,022 sq km
- Climate
- temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind
- Terrain
- lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
- Natural resources
- coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land
- Coastline
- 2,389 km
- Natural hazards
- flooding
People & society
- Population
- 84,012,284 (2025 est.)
- Nationality
- German(s)
- Ethnic groups
- German 85.4%, Turkish 1.8%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Syrian 1.1%, Romanian 1%, Poland 1%, other/stateless/unspecified 8.3% (2022 est.)
- Languages
- German (official); note - Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 24.8%, Protestant 22.6%, Muslim 3.7%, other 5.1%, none 43.8% (2022 est.)
- Median age
- 46.9 years (2025 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth
- 81.9 years (2024 est.)
Economy
- Economic overview
- leading export-driven, core EU and eurozone economy; key automotive, chemical, engineering, finance, and green energy industries; growth stalled by energy crisis and declining exports; tight labor market with falling working-age population; fiscal rebalancing with phaseout of energy price supports
- Industries
- iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, automobiles, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles
- Agricultural products
- milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, barley, maize, rapeseed, pork, rye, triticale (2023)
- Exports - partners
- USA 10%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, China 7%, Italy 6% (2023)
- Imports - partners
- China 12%, Netherlands 7%, USA 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2023)
Government
- Government type
- federal parliamentary republic
- Capital
- Berlin
- Independence
- 18 January 1871 (establishment of the German Empire); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and France) in 1945 after World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed on 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed on 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West Germany and East Germany unified on 3 October 1990, with all four powers formally relinquishing rights on 15 March 1991; notable earlier dates: 10 August 843 (Eastern Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 2 February 962 (crowning of OTTO I, recognized as the first Holy Roman Emperor)
- Constitution
- previous 1919 (Weimar Constitution); latest drafted 10-23 August 1948, approved 12 May 1949, promulgated 23 May 1949, entered into force 24 May 1949
- Executive branch
- President Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (since 19 March 2017)
- Legislative branch
- bicameral
Full reference data
Every field, by section — CIA World Factbook. Open a topic to expand it.
Introduction
Background
As Europe's largest economy and second most-populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating world wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key western economic and security organizations, including the EC (now the EU) and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War allowed German reunification to occur in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.
Travel Facts
US State Dept Travel Advisory
The US State Department currently recommends US citizens exercise increased caution in Germany due to terrorism. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements
For the latest passport and visa requirements for this country, please consult the U.S. State Department’s “Learn About Your Destination” search tool, available through the link below. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html
US Embassy/Consulate
[49] (30) 8305-0; US Embassy in Berlin, Clayallee 170, 14191 Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany; https://de.usembassy.gov/; BerlinPCO@state.gov
LGBTQIA+ Travelers
Telephone Code
49
Local Emergency Phone
Ambulance and Fire: 112; Police: 110
Vaccinations
The CDC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for Germany: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, tickborne encephalitis, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19. http://www.who.int/
Climate
Temperate, and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasionally warm mountain (foehn) wind
Currency (Code)
Euros (EUR)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, F
Major Languages
German
Major Religions
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, other, none
Time Difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October
Potable Water
Yes
International Driving Permit
Suggested
Road Driving Side
Right
Tourist Destinations
Brandenburg Gate; Cologne Cathedral; Black Forest; Neuschwanstein Castle; Miniatur Wunderland & Historic Port of Hamburg; Heidelberg; Dresden; Nuremberg; Munich; Saxon Switzerland State Park; Rhine Valley; Berlin's Museum Island; Rothenburg and the Romantic Road
Major Sports
Soccer, handball, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball
Cultural Practices
Punctuality is considered a virtue in Germany. Being on time is not just a social nicety: it’s considered a matter of respect.
Tipping Guidelines
Round up the bill in a restaurant. If the service is particularly good, you may add a few euros and/or leave a 5-10% tip. Tip taxi drivers 5-10% of the total fare. Tip porters 1-2 euros per bag. Leave 1-2 euros for housekeeping per night.
Souvenirs
Carved wooden cuckoo clocks, music boxes, nutcracker figurines, and Christmas ornaments; crystal, porcelain, and glassware; traditional clothing, beer steins and glasses, Steiff teddy bears, Hummel figurines, antiques
Traditional Cuisine
Sauerbraten — beef braised in a marinade typically consisting of red wine vinegar, cloves, nutmeg, peppercorns, cinnamon, ginger, and juniper berries and simmered in a pot for several hours; typically served with potato dumplings and red cabbage
CIA source last updated
Tuesday, June 04, 2024
Travel resources
Please visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.
World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.
US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.
To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs: American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)
How to get help in an emergency? Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers: from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444
Page last updated: Tuesday, June 04, 2024
Geography
Location
Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark
Geographic coordinates
51 00 N, 9 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area - total
357,022 sq km
Area - land
348,672 sq km
Area - water
8,350 sq km
Area - comparative
three times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries - total
3,694 km
Land boundaries - border countries
Austria 801 km; Belgium 133 km; Czechia 704 km; Denmark 140 km; France 418 km; Luxembourg 128 km; Netherlands 575 km; Poland 447 km; Switzerland 348 km
Coastline
2,389 km
Maritime claims - territorial sea
12 nm
Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Maritime claims - continental shelf
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind
Terrain
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south
Elevation - highest point
Zugspitze 2,963 m
Elevation - lowest point
Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.5 m
Elevation - mean elevation
263 m
Natural resources
coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land
Land use - agricultural land
47.5% (2023 est.)
Land use - agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 33.4% (2023 est.)
Land use - agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
Land use - agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 13.5% (2023 est.)
Land use - forest
32.8% (2023 est.)
Land use - other
15% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land
5,065 sq km (2020)
Major lakes (area sq km) - fresh water lake(s)
Lake Constance (shared with Switzerland and Austria) - 540 sq km
Major lakes (area sq km) - salt water lake(s)
Stettiner Haff/Zalew Szczecinski (shared with Poland) - 900 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Donau (Danube) river source (shared with Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Elbe river mouth (shared with Czechia [s]) - 1,252 km; Rhein (Rhine) (shared with Switzerland [s], France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km) - Atlantic Ocean drainage
Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Population distribution
second most populous country in Europe; a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations, particularly in the far-western part of the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia
Natural hazards
flooding
Geography - note
strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea; most major rivers in Germany -- the Rhine, Weser, Oder, Elbe -- flow northward; the Danube, which originates in the Black Forest, flows eastward
People and Society
Population - total
84,012,284 (2025 est.)
Population - male
41,517,301
Population - female
42,494,983
Nationality - noun
German(s)
Nationality - adjective
German
Ethnic groups
German 85.4%, Turkish 1.8%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Syrian 1.1%, Romanian 1%, Poland 1%, other/stateless/unspecified 8.3% (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups - note
note: data represent population by nationality
Languages - Languages
German (official); note - Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages
Languages - major-language sample(s)
Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 24.8%, Protestant 22.6%, Muslim 3.7%, other 5.1%, none 43.8% (2022 est.)
Age structure - 0-14 years
13.8% (male 5,925,800/female 5,688,603)
Age structure - 15-64 years
62.5% (male 26,705,657/female 25,875,865)
Age structure - 65 years and over
23.7% (2024 est.) (male 8,941,245/female 10,981,930)
Dependency ratios - total dependency ratio
61.3 (2025 est.)
Dependency ratios - youth dependency ratio
22.4 (2025 est.)
Dependency ratios - elderly dependency ratio
38.9 (2025 est.)
Dependency ratios - potential support ratio
2.6 (2025 est.)
Median age - total
46.9 years (2025 est.)
Median age - male
45.5 years
Median age - female
48.3 years
Population growth rate
-0.13% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
8.87 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
11.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
1.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
second most populous country in Europe; a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations, particularly in the far-western part of the industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia
Urbanization - urban population
77.8% of total population (2023)
Urbanization - rate of urbanization
0.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
3.574 million BERLIN (capital), 1.788 million Hamburg, 1.576 million Munich, 1.144 million Cologne, 796,000 Frankfurt (2023)
Sex ratio - at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
Sex ratio - 0-14 years
1.04 male(s)/female
Sex ratio - 15-64 years
1.03 male(s)/female
Sex ratio - 65 years and over
0.81 male(s)/female
Sex ratio - total population
0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
29.9 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate - total
3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate - male
3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Infant mortality rate - female
2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth - total population
81.9 years (2024 est.)
Life expectancy at birth - male
79.6 years
Life expectancy at birth - female
84.4 years
Total fertility rate
1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.77 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source - improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Drinking water source - improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Drinking water source - improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Drinking water source - unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Drinking water source - unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Drinking water source - unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure - Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
12.7% of GDP (2022)
Health expenditure - Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
20.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
4.53 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
7.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access - improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Sanitation facility access - improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Sanitation facility access - improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Sanitation facility access - unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Sanitation facility access - unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Sanitation facility access - unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
22.3% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita - total
10.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita - beer
5.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita - wine
3.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita - spirits
1.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita - other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use - total
17.2% (2025 est.)
Tobacco use - male
19.4% (2025 est.)
Tobacco use - female
15% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
0.6% (2016 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
54.4% (2023 est.)
Education expenditure - Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure - Education expenditure (% national budget)
10.7% national budget (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) - total
17 years (2023 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) - male
17 years (2023 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) - female
17 years (2023 est.)
Government
Country name - conventional long form
Federal Republic of Germany
Country name - conventional short form
Germany
Country name - local long form
Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Country name - local short form
Deutschland
Country name - former
German Reich
Country name - etymology
the origin of the name is unclear; it may come from Celtic words meaning "neighboring people," or it may derive from Germanic words meaning either "spear man" or "head man;" the native designation "Deutsch" comes from the Old High German "diutisc" meaning "national"
Government type
federal parliamentary republic
Capital - name
Berlin
Capital - geographic coordinates
52 31 N, 13 24 E
Capital - time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Capital - daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Capital - etymology
the origin of the name is unclear but may be related to the Old Slavic (Polabian) word berl or birl , meaning "swamp" and referring to the original settlement site by the Spree River
Administrative divisions
16 states ( Laender , singular - Land ); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen (Hesse), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia), Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia)
Administrative divisions - note
note: Bayern, Sachsen, and Thueringen refer to themselves as free states ( Freistaaten , singular - Freistaat ), while Bremen calls itself a Free Hanseatic City ( Freie Hansestadt ) and Hamburg considers itself a Free and Hanseatic City ( Freie und Hansestadt )
Legal system
civil law system
Constitution - history
previous 1919 (Weimar Constitution); latest drafted 10-23 August 1948, approved 12 May 1949, promulgated 23 May 1949, entered into force 24 May 1949
Constitution - amendment process
proposed by Parliament; passage and enactment into law require two-thirds majority vote by both the Bundesrat (upper house) and the Bundestag (lower house) of Parliament; articles including those on basic human rights and freedoms cannot be amended
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship - citizenship by birth
no
Citizenship - citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a German citizen or a resident alien who has lived in Germany at least 8 years
Citizenship - dual citizenship recognized
yes, but requires prior permission from government
Citizenship - residency requirement for naturalization
8 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal; age 16 for some state and municipal elections
Executive branch - chief of state
President Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (since 19 March 2017)
Executive branch - head of government
Chancellor Friedrich MERZ (since 6 May 2025)
Executive branch - cabinet
Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) recommended by the chancellor, appointed by the president
Executive branch - election/appointment process
president indirectly elected by a Federal Convention consisting of all members of the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) and an equivalent number of delegates indirectly elected by the state parliaments; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following the most recent Federal Parliament election, the party or coalition with the most representatives usually elects the chancellor, who is appointed by the president to serve a renewable 4-year term
Executive branch - most recent election date
president: 13 February 2022 chancellor: 6 May 2025
Executive branch - election results
2025: Friedrich MERZ (CDU) elected chancellor in second round; Federal Parliament vote - 325 to 289 2022: Frank-Walter STEINMEIER reelected president; Federal Convention vote count - Frank-Walter STEINMEIER (SPD) 1,045, Max OTTE (CDU) 140, Gerhard TRABERT (The Left) 96, Stefanie GEBAUER (Free Voters) 58, abstentions 86
Executive branch - expected date of next election
president: February 2027
Legislative branch - legislative structure
bicameral
Legislative branch - note
note: due to Germany's recognition of the concepts of "overhang" (when a party's share of the nationwide votes would entitle it to fewer seats than the number of individual constituency seats won in an election under Germany's mixed member proportional system) and "leveling" (whereby additional seats are elected to supplement the members directly elected by each constituency in order to ensure that each party's share of the total seats is roughly proportional to the party's overall shares of votes at the national level), the 20th Bundestag is the largest to date
Legislative branch - lower chamber - chamber name
German Bundestag (Deutscher Bundestag)
Legislative branch - lower chamber - number of seats
630 (all directly elected)
Legislative branch - lower chamber - electoral system
mixed system
Legislative branch - lower chamber - scope of elections
full renewal
Legislative branch - lower chamber - term in office
4 years
Legislative branch - lower chamber - most recent election date
2/23/2025
Legislative branch - lower chamber - parties elected and seats per party
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) (164); Alternative for Germany (AfD) (152); Social Democratic Party (SPD) (120); Green Party (85); Left Party (Die Linke) (64); Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU) (44); Other (1)
Legislative branch - lower chamber - percentage of women in chamber
32.4%
Legislative branch - lower chamber - expected date of next election
February 2029
Legislative branch - lower chamber - note
note 1: total seats can vary each electoral term; currently includes 4 seats for independent members; approximately one-half of members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and approximately one-half directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members' terms vary depending on the states they represent note 2: the 20th Bundestag is the largest to date, due to Germany's recognition of "overhang" (when a party's share of the nationwide votes would entitle it to fewer seats than the number of individual constituency seats won in an election) and "leveling" (when additional seats are elected to supplement the members directly elected in order to ensure that each party's share of the total seats is roughly proportional to its overall share of votes at the national level)
Legislative branch - upper chamber - chamber name
Federal Council (Bundesrat)
Legislative branch - upper chamber - number of seats
69 (all appointed)
Legislative branch - upper chamber - parties elected and seats per party
SPD 23; CDU 17; Green Party 15; Left Party 4; CSU 3; FW 3; FDP 2; other 2
Legislative branch - upper chamber - percentage of women in chamber
34.8%
Judicial branch - highest court(s)
Federal Court of Justice (court consists of 127 judges, including the court president, vice presidents, presiding judges, other judges; organized into 25 Senates subdivided into 12 civil panels, 5 criminal panels, and 8 special panels); Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (consists of 2 Senates each subdivided into 3 chambers, each with a chairman and 8 members)
Judicial branch - judge selection and term of office
Federal Court of Justice judges selected by the Judges Election Committee, which consists of the Secretaries of Justice from each of the 16 federated states and 16 members appointed by the Federal Parliament; judges appointed by the president; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; half of Federal Constitutional Court judges are elected by the House of Representatives and half by the Senate; judges appointed for 12-year terms with mandatory retirement at age 68
Judicial branch - subordinate courts
Federal Administrative Court; Federal Finance Court; Federal Labor Court; Federal Social Court; each of the 16 federated states or Land has its own constitutional court and a hierarchy of ordinary (civil, criminal, family) and specialized (administrative, finance, labor, social) courts; two English-speaking commercial courts opened in 2020 in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg -- the Stuttgart Commercial Court and the Mannheim Commercial Court
Political parties
Alliance '90/Greens Alternative for Germany or AfD Christian Democratic Union or CDU Christian Social Union or CSU Free Democratic Party or FDP Free Voters or FW The Left or Die Linke Social Democratic Party or SPD
Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission
Ambassador Jens HANEFELD (since 5 September 2025)
Diplomatic representation in the US - chancery
4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
Diplomatic representation in the US - telephone
[1] (202) 298-4000
Diplomatic representation in the US - FAX
[1] (202) 298-4261
Diplomatic representation in the US - email address and website
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) general
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alan MELTZER (since July 2024)
Diplomatic representation from the US - embassy
Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin Clayallee 170, 14191 Berlin (administrative services)
Diplomatic representation from the US - mailing address
5090 Berlin Place, Washington DC 20521-5090
Diplomatic representation from the US - telephone
[49] (30) 8305-0
Diplomatic representation from the US - FAX
[49] (30) 8305-1215
Diplomatic representation from the US - email address and website
Diplomatic representation from the US - consulate(s) general
Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Independence
18 January 1871 (establishment of the German Empire); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and France) in 1945 after World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed on 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed on 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West Germany and East Germany unified on 3 October 1990, with all four powers formally relinquishing rights on 15 March 1991; notable earlier dates: 10 August 843 (Eastern Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 2 February 962 (crowning of OTTO I, recognized as the first Holy Roman Emperor)
National holiday
German Unity Day, 3 October (1990)
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold history: the colors can be traced back to the medieval banner of the Holy Roman Emperor -- a black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field
National symbol(s)
eagle
National color(s)
black, red, yellow
National coat of arms
Germany’s coat of arms is the world’s oldest, said to date back to 1200, and uses the country’s national colors; it features the oldest European national symbol, an eagle known as the Bundesadler (Federal Eagle); the coat of arms has varied over time for military or political reasons, but the eagle has always been part of the design; the Federal Republic of Germany adopted this version in 1950
National anthem(s) - title
“Lied der Deutschen”(Song of the Germans)
National anthem(s) - lyrics/music
August Heinrich HOFFMANN VON FALLERSLEBEN/Franz Joseph HAYDN
National anthem(s) - history
first adopted 1922; the anthem, also known as "Deutschlandlied" (Song of Germany), was originally adopted for its connection to the March 1848 liberal revolution; the Nazis later appropriated the first verse -- specifically the phrase "Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles" (Germany, Germany above all) -- to promote nationalism, and the anthem was banned after 1945; in 1952, West Germany adopted the third verse as its national anthem; in 1990, it became the national anthem for the reunited Germany
National heritage - total World Heritage Sites
56 (54 cultural, 2 natural)
National heritage - selected World Heritage Site locales
Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin (c); Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (c); Speyer Cathedral (c); Aachen Cathedral (c); Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau, and Bernau (c); Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura (c); Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter, and Church of Our Lady in Trier (c); Hanseatic City of Lübeck (c); Old Town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof (c); Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square (c); Pilgrimage Church of Wies (c); Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl (c); St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim (c); Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch (c); Maulbronn Monastery Complex (c); Collegiate Church, Castle and Old Town of Quedlinburg (c); Cologne Cathedral (c); Castle Church in Wittenberg (c); Classical Weimar (c); Wartburg Castle (c); Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz (c); Monastic Island of Reichenau (c); Berlin Modernism Housing Estates (c); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Moravian Church Settlements (c); Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus (c); The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (c); Archaeological Border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke (c); Naumburg Cathedral (c); Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt (c); ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz (c); The Great Spa Towns of Europe (c); Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt (c); Schwerin Residence Ensemble (c); The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee (c); The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee (c)
Economy
Economic overview
leading export-driven, core EU and eurozone economy; key automotive, chemical, engineering, finance, and green energy industries; growth stalled by energy crisis and declining exports; tight labor market with falling working-age population; fiscal rebalancing with phaseout of energy price supports
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) - Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$5.247 trillion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) - Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$5.26 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) - Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$5.274 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) - note
note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate - Real GDP growth rate 2024
-0.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate - Real GDP growth rate 2023
-0.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate - Real GDP growth rate 2022
1.4% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate - note
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita - Real GDP per capita 2024
$62,800 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita - Real GDP per capita 2023
$62,700 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita - Real GDP per capita 2022
$62,900 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita - note
note: data in 2021 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.66 trillion (2024 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate) - note
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.3% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
5.9% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
6.9% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - note
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture
0.8% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry
25.8% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services
63.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin - note
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption
49.9% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption
21.2% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital
21.5% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories
0.2% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services
43.4% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services
-39.4% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use - note
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, barley, maize, rapeseed, pork, rye, triticale (2023)
Agricultural products - note
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, automobiles, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles
Industrial production growth rate
-3% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate - note
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Labor force
43.772 million (2024 est.)
Labor force - note
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate - Unemployment rate 2024
3.5% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate - Unemployment rate 2023
3.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate - Unemployment rate 2022
3.2% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate - note
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) - total
6.7% (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) - male
7.4% (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) - female
5.9% (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) - note
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Population below poverty line
14.8% (2021 est.)
Population below poverty line - note
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income - Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020
32.4 (2020 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income - note
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Average household expenditures - on food
11.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Average household expenditures - on alcohol and tobacco
3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%
2.9% (2020 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10%
25% (2020 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - note
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances - Remittances 2024
0.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances - Remittances 2023
0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances - Remittances 2022
0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances - note
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget - revenues
$1.279 trillion (2023 est.)
Budget - expenditures
$1.369 trillion (2023 est.)
Budget - note
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Public debt - Public debt 2017
63.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
Public debt - note
note: general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government and social security funds; the series are presented as a percentage of GDP and in millions of euros; GDP used as a denominator is the gross domestic product at current market prices; data expressed in national currency are converted into euro using end-of-year exchange rates provided by the European Central Bank
Taxes and other revenues
11% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Taxes and other revenues - note
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Current account balance - Current account balance 2024
$267.056 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance - Current account balance 2023
$251.479 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance - Current account balance 2022
$161.759 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance - note
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports - Exports 2024
$1.949 trillion (2024 est.)
Exports - Exports 2023
$1.958 trillion (2023 est.)
Exports - Exports 2022
$1.917 trillion (2022 est.)
Exports - note
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - partners
USA 10%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, China 7%, Italy 6% (2023)
Exports - partners - note
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
cars, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, plastic products, vaccines (2023)
Exports - commodities - note
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - Imports 2024
$1.774 trillion (2024 est.)
Imports - Imports 2023
$1.781 trillion (2023 est.)
Imports - Imports 2022
$1.808 trillion (2022 est.)
Imports - note
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - partners
China 12%, Netherlands 7%, USA 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2023)
Imports - partners - note
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
cars, vehicle parts/accessories, garments, natural gas, vaccines (2023)
Imports - commodities - note
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold - Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$377.936 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold - Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$322.7 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold - Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$293.914 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold - note
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Exchange rates - Currency
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2024
0.924 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2023
0.925 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2022
0.95 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2021
0.845 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2020
0.876 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access - electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
275.658 million kW (2023 est.)
Electricity - consumption
519.691 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity - exports
60.316 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity - imports
69.353 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity - transmission/distribution losses
25.774 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources - fossil fuels
49% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources - nuclear
1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources - solar
11.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources - wind
25.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources - hydroelectricity
3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources - biomass and waste
9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Nuclear energy - Percent of total electricity production
1.4% (2023 est.)
Nuclear energy - Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
33 (2025)
Coal - production
109.741 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Coal - consumption
140.994 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Coal - exports
1.68 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Coal - imports
32.933 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Coal - proven reserves
35.4 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum - total petroleum production
131,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Petroleum - refined petroleum consumption
2.062 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
Petroleum - crude oil estimated reserves
115.2 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas - production
4.337 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
82.371 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Natural gas - imports
74.989 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Natural gas - proven reserves
23.39 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita - Total energy consumption per capita 2023
120.457 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines - total subscriptions
38.4 million (2024 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines - subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
45 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular - total subscriptions
109 million (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular - subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
129 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media
a mix of publicly operated and privately owned TV and radio stations; 70 national and regional public broadcasters compete with nearly 400 privately owned national and regional TV stations; more than 90% of households have cable or satellite TV; hundreds of radio stations, including national and regional networks and a large number of local stations
Internet country code
.de
Internet users - percent of population
94% (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions - total
38.4 million (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions - subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
45 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
D
Airports
840 (2025)
Heliports
449 (2025)
Railways - total
39,379 km (2020) 20,942 km electrified
Railways - note
15 km 0.900-mm gauge, 24 km 0.750-mm gauge (2015)
Merchant marine - total
595 (2023)
Merchant marine - by type
bulk carrier 1, container ship 69, general cargo 82, oil tanker 32, other 411
Ports - total ports
35 (2024)
Ports - large
5
Ports - medium
4
Ports - small
11
Ports - very small
15
Ports - ports with oil terminals
12
Ports - key ports
Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Emden, Hamburg, Kiel, Lubeck, Rostock
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): German Army (Deutsche Heer), German Navy (Deutsche Marine, includes naval air arm), German Air Force (Deutsche Luftwaffe, includes air defense), Cyber and Information Space (Cyber und Informationsraum) (2025)
Military and security forces - note
note: responsibility for internal and border security is shared by the police forces of the 16 states, the Federal Criminal Police Office, and the Federal Police; the states’ police forces report to their respective interior ministries while the Federal Police forces report to the Federal Ministry of the Interior
Military expenditures - Military Expenditures 2025
2.4% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military expenditures - Military Expenditures 2024
2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military expenditures - Military Expenditures 2023
1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures - Military Expenditures 2022
1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures - Military Expenditures 2021
1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 185,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the inventory of Federal Armed Forces is comprised of weapons systems produced domestically or jointly with other European countries and Western imports, particularly from the US; Germany's defense industry is capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems; it also participates in joint defense production projects with European partners and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation
17-23 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (must have completed compulsory full-time education and have German citizenship); service obligation 7-23 months or 12 years (2025)
Military service age and obligation - note
note 1: conscription ended in 2011; in 2020, the German Government launched a new voluntary conscript initiative focused on homeland security tasks, with the volunteers serving for 7 months plus 5 months as reservists over a 6-year period note 2: in December 2025, Germany passed a law reforming military service; from 2026, the new regulations require German males residing in Germany who have reached the age of 18 to complete a questionnaire, including questions about their willingness to serve; participation will remain voluntary for women note 3: women have been eligible for voluntary service in all military branches and positions since 2001; in 2025, they accounted for more than 13% of the active-duty German military
Military deployments
up to 500 Iraq (NATO); 300 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR), Lebanon 170 (UNIFIL); up to 1,700 Lithuania (NATO) (2025)
Military deployments - note
note: the German military also has air and naval contingents deployed to support NATO missions
Military - note
the Bundeswehr’s core mission is the defense of Germany and its NATO partners; it has a wide range of peacetime duties, including crisis management, cyber security, deterrence, homeland security, humanitarian and disaster relief, and international peacekeeping and stability operations; as a key member of NATO and the EU, the Bundeswehr typically operates in a coalition environment, and its capabilities are largely based on NATO and EU planning goals and needs; it has participated in a range of NATO and EU missions in Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as global maritime operations; the Bundeswehr has close bilateral defense ties with a number of EU countries, including the Czechia, France, the Netherlands, and Romania, as well as the UK and the US; it also contributes forces to UN peacekeeping missions the Bundeswehr was established in 1955; at the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, it had nearly 600,000 personnel, over 7,000 tanks, and 1,000 combat aircraft; in addition, over 400,000 soldiers from other NATO countries—including about 200,000 US military personnel—were stationed in West Germany; in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the Bundeswehr shrank by more than 60% in size (over 90% in tanks and about 80% in aircraft), while funding fell from nearly 3% of GDP and over 4% of government spending in the mid-1980s to 1.2% and 1.6% respectively; by the 2010s, the Bundeswehr’s ability to fulfill its regional security commitments had deteriorated; the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and full-scale assault on Ukraine in 2022 led to renewed emphasis on Germany’s leadership role in European defense and NATO and efforts to boost funding for the Bundeswehr to improve readiness, modernize, and expand (2025)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa'ida
Terrorist group(s) - note
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons - refugees
3,098,169 (2024 est.)
Refugees and internally displaced persons - IDPs
100 (2023 est.)
Refugees and internally displaced persons - stateless persons
28,813 (2024 est.)
Illicit drugs - USG identification
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
Environment
Environmental issues
air pollution and acid rain from coal-burning utilities and industries; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial effluents; hazardous waste disposal
International environmental agreements - party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International environmental agreements - signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Climate
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind
Land use - agricultural land
47.5% (2023 est.)
Land use - agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 33.4% (2023 est.)
Land use - agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
Land use - agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 13.5% (2023 est.)
Land use - forest
32.8% (2023 est.)
Land use - other
15% (2023 est.)
Urbanization - urban population
77.8% of total population (2023)
Urbanization - rate of urbanization
0.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions - total emissions
600.192 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions - from coal and metallurgical coke
163.407 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions - from petroleum and other liquids
277.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions - from consumed natural gas
159.097 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
10.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions - energy
476.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Methane emissions - agriculture
1,197.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Methane emissions - waste
459 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Methane emissions - other
110 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling - municipal solid waste generated annually
50.628 million tons (2024 est.)
Waste and recycling - percent of municipal solid waste recycled
49.8% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal - municipal
10.713 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal - industrial
14.005 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal - agricultural
1.075 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources
154 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Geoparks - total global geoparks and regional networks
8
Geoparks - global geoparks and regional networks
Bergstraße-Odenwald ; Harz, Braunschweiger Land; Swabian Alb; TERRA.vita; Vulkaneifel; Thuringia Inselsberg -Drei Gleichen; Muskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa (includes Poland); Ries (2023)
Space
Space agency/agencies
German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR; established 1997) (2025)
Space agency/agencies - note
note: DLR's predecessor organization, the German Test and Research Institute for Aviation and Space Flight, was established in 1969; the Federal Republic of Germany was allowed to research space flight after gaining sovereignty in 1955
Space launch site(s)
a commercial offshore launch platform that will operate from the North Sea is under development with both government and private funding (2025)
Space program overview
has one of Europe’s largest space programs and is a top contributor to the ESA; builds and operates satellites, satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs), probes, and unmanned orbiters; researches and develops a range of capabilities and technologies, including reusable space planes, satellite payloads, rockets, propulsion-assisted landing technologies, and aeronautics; participates in EU and ESA programs, including the Cassini-Huygens research mission to Saturn, Mars and Venus exploration missions, and the Galileo global navigation satellite system; participates in ESA’s astronaut training program and human space flight operations; hosts the European Astronaut Center; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station (ISS) and the James Webb Space Telescope; hosts mission control centers for the ISS, the ESA, and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT); has ties to foreign space programs, including those of China, Japan, Russia, and the US; has a robust commercial space sector (2025)
Key space-program milestones
1969 - first German scientific satellite (Azur) launched by US 1973 - participated with other European states, particularly France and the UK, in development of Ariane satellite launch vehicle 1978 - first German in space on Soviet Salyut space station 1980s-1990s - participated in US Space Shuttle program, including providing astronauts 1999 - launched a space-based X-ray telescope (ABRAXIS) on Russian rocket 2005 - began development of reusable space plane/shuttle/transporter 2019 - launched first space-based X-ray telescope (eROSITA) capable of imaging the entire sky (joint project with Russia) 2023 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for the exploration of space and the Moon; adopted a new national space strategy