Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor-General Quentin Bryce Prime minister: Julia Gillard
Population
81,305,856
22,015,576
Life Expectancy
80.190 years
81.900 years
Capital City
Berlin
Canberra
Largest city
Berlin (population: 3,426,350)
Sydney (population: 4,394,580)
Human Development Index
0.94
0.965
GDP per capita
$38,400 US
$40,800 US
Literacy Rate
99%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
7.9
8.7
Percentage of Women in Parliament
30.6%
29.6%
Wealthiest Citizens
Karl Albrecht ($21.5bn US)
Frank Lowy & family ($2.7bn US)
Unemployment Rate
6.000%
5.100%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
federal republic
federal parliamentary democracy
Independence date
18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991
1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Religions
Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%
Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census)
Languages
German
English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)
Exports
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs, textiles
coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
External Debt
$5,624,000,000,000 $
$1,376,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.500%
3.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
41
46
Location
Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Area
357,022 km sq
7,741,220 km sq
Coastline
2,389 km
25,760 km
Climate
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
