Knelstrom Intelligence · World Factbook

Germany

Bundesrepublik Deutschland

DE / DEUeurope
CapitalBerlin
Population83,491,249
GDP$5.05tn
Area357,588 km²
RegionEurope & Central Asia
Data sources current · last checked September 20, 2026 2:10 am

Country facts

Official nameBundesrepublik Deutschland
CapitalBerlin
Area357,588 km²
Official language(s)German
Calling code+49
RegionEurope & Central Asia
Income levelHigh income
Form of governmentparliamentary republic
Time zoneUTC+01:00, UTC+02:00

Overview

Population83,491,2492025 · Verified
UN Population Division population estimate83,644,2582026 · Estimated
GDP (current US$)$5,050,922,925,0472025 · Verified
GDP per capita (current US$)$60,4962025 · Verified
GDP growth0.2%2025 · Verified
Inflation, consumer prices2.2%2025 · Verified
Unemployment3.7%2025 · Verified

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.
Reference: 1999, 1990, 1949, 1945

Geography

Latitude52.5235°current · Verified
Longitude13.4115°current · Verified

Location

Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Map references

Europe

Area

total: 357,022 sq km
land: 348,672 sq km
water: 8,350 sq km

Area - comparative

three times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries

total: 3,694 km
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
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.5 m
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.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 33.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 13.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 32.8% (2023 est.)
other: 15% (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Irrigated land

5,065 sq km (2020)
Reference: 2020

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lake Constance (shared with Switzerland and Austria) - 540 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

Population & Society

Population83,491,2492025 · Verified
UN Population Division population estimate83,644,2582026 · Estimated
Fertility rate1.42024 · Verified
Urban population82.1%2025 · Verified

Nationality

noun: German(s)
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.)
note: note:  data represent population by nationality
Reference: 2022

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
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.)
Reference: 2022

Age structure

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 5,925,800/female 5,688,603)
15-64 years: 62.5% (male 26,705,657/female 25,875,865)
65 years and over: 23.7% (2024 est.) (male 8,941,245/female 10,981,930)
Reference: 2024

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 60 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 22.1 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 37.9 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 2.6 (2024 est.)
Reference: 2024

Median age

total: 46.8 years (2024 est.)
male: 45.5 years
female: 48.3 years
Reference: 2024

Population growth rate

-0.12% (2024 est.)
Reference: 2024

Birth rate

8.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Reference: 2024

Death rate

12 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Reference: 2024

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

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)
Reference: 2023

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Reference: 2024

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.9 years (2020 est.)
Reference: 2020

Maternal mortality ratio

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Gross reproduction rate

0.77 (2024 est.)
Reference: 2024

Drinking water source

improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Reference: 2022

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 12.7% of GDP (2022)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 20.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Reference: 2022

Physician density

4.53 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Reference: 2022

Hospital bed density

7.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Reference: 2020

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Reference: 2022

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.3% (2016)
Reference: 2016

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 10.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 5.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 3.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Reference: 2019

Tobacco use

total: 17.2% (2025 est.)
male: 19.4% (2025 est.)
female: 15% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.6% (2016 est.)
Reference: 2016

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.4% (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 17 years (2023 est.)
male: 17 years (2023 est.)
female: 17 years (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Migration & Displacement

Immigrant/emigrant stock measures the number of international migrants resident in, or originating from, the country; it is not the same as annual immigration/emigration flows.

International migrant stock (immigrants)16,750,0842024 · Verified
International migrant stock19.8%2024 · Verified
International emigrant stock4,297,2332024 · Estimated
Net migration-334,0722025 · Verified
Refugees from this country3272025 · Verified
Asylum seekers from this country6262025 · Verified

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 3,098,169 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 100 (2023 est.)
stateless persons: 28,813 (2024 est.)
Reference: 2024, 2023

Government & Politics

Form of governmentparliamentary republiccurrent · Reported
OfficeHolderAffiliationFromStatusEvidence
Head of governmentFriedrich Merz2025-05-06CurrentReported
Head of stateFrank-Walter Steinmeier2017-03-19CurrentReported

Country name

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
conventional short form: Germany
local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland
local short form: Deutschland
former: German Reich
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"

Capital

name: Berlin
geographic coordinates: 52 31 N, 13 24 E
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
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)
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
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
Reference: 1949, 1948, 1919

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
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
dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from government
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)
head of government: Chancellor Friedrich MERZ (since 6 May 2025)
cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) recommended by the chancellor, appointed by the president
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
most recent election date: president: 13 February 2022
chancellor: 6 May 2025
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
expected date of next election: president: February 2027
Reference: 2027, 2025, 2022, 2017

Legislative branch

legislative structure: bicameral
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)
number of seats: 630 (all directly elected)
electoral system: mixed system
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 2/23/2025
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)
percentage of women in chamber: 32.4%
expected date of next election: February 2029
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)
Reference: 2029, 2025

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name: Federal Council (Bundesrat)
number of seats: 69 (all appointed)
parties elected and seats per party: SPD 23; CDU 17; Green Party 15; Left Party 4; CSU 3; FW 3; FDP 2; other 2
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)
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
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
Reference: 2020

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)
chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000
FAX: [1] (202) 298-4261
email address and website: info@washington.diplo.de
https://www.germany.info/us-en
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)
embassy: Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin
Clayallee 170, 14191 Berlin (administrative services)
mailing address: 5090 Berlin Place, Washington DC  20521-5090
telephone: [49] (30) 8305-0
FAX: [49] (30) 8305-1215
email address and website: BerlinPCO@state.gov
https://de.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich
Reference: 2024

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)
Reference: 1991, 1990, 1949, 1945

National holiday

German Unity Day, 3 October (1990)
Reference: 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
Reference: 1950

National anthem(s)

title: “Lied der Deutschen”(Song of the Germans)
lyrics/music: August Heinrich HOFFMANN VON FALLERSLEBEN/Franz Joseph HAYDN
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
Reference: 1990, 1952, 1945, 1922

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 56 (54 cultural, 2 natural)
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)

Legislature & Elections

Legislature

NameChamberSeatsElectoral system
Bundesrat69

Economy

GDP (current US$)$5,050,922,925,0472025 · Verified
GDP per capita (current US$)$60,4962025 · Verified
GDP growth0.2%2025 · Verified
Inflation, consumer prices2.2%2025 · Verified
Unemployment3.7%2025 · Verified
Income levelHigh incomecurrent · Verified

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) 2023: $5.26 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $5.274 trillion (2022 est.)
note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $62,800 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $62,700 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $62,900 (2022 est.)
note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.8% (2024 est.)
industry: 25.8% (2024 est.)
services: 63.9% (2024 est.)
note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Reference: 2024

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 49.9% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 21.2% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 21.5% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.2% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 43.4% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -39.4% (2023 est.)
note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Reference: 2023

Agricultural products

milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, barley, maize, rapeseed, pork, rye, triticale (2023)
note: note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Reference: 2023

Industries

iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, automobiles, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles

Industrial production growth rate

-3% (2024 est.)
note: note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Reference: 2024

Labor force

43.772 million (2024 est.)
note: note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Reference: 2024

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 6.7% (2024 est.)
male: 7.4% (2024 est.)
female: 5.9% (2024 est.)
note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Reference: 2024

Population below poverty line

14.8% (2021 est.)
note: note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Reference: 2021

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020: 32.4 (2020 est.)
note: note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Reference: 2020

Average household expenditures

on food: 11.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% (2020 est.)
highest 10%: 25% (2020 est.)
note: note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Reference: 2020

Remittances

Remittances 2024: 0.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022

Budget

revenues: $1.279 trillion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $1.369 trillion (2023 est.)
note: note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Reference: 2023

Public debt

Public debt 2017: 63.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
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
Reference: 2017

Taxes and other revenues

11% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
note: note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Reference: 2022

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024: $267.056 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $251.479 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $161.759 billion (2022 est.)
note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022

Exports

Exports 2024: $1.949 trillion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $1.958 trillion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.917 trillion (2022 est.)
note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022

Exports - partners

USA 10%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, China 7%, Italy 6% (2023)
note: note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Reference: 2023

Exports - commodities

cars, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, plastic products, vaccines (2023)
note: note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Reference: 2023

Imports

Imports 2024: $1.774 trillion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.781 trillion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.808 trillion (2022 est.)
note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022

Imports - partners

China 12%, Netherlands 7%, USA 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2023)
note: note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Reference: 2023

Imports - commodities

cars, vehicle parts/accessories, garments, natural gas, vaccines (2023)
note: note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reference: 2023

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $377.936 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $322.7 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $293.914 billion (2022 est.)
note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022

Exchange rates

Currency: euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 0.924 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 0.925 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 0.95 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 0.845 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 0.876 (2020 est.)
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021

Trade

Exports of goods and services40.4%2025 · Verified
Imports of goods and services38.1%2025 · Verified
Trade78.5%2025 · Verified

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024: $267.056 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $251.479 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $161.759 billion (2022 est.)
note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022

Exports

Exports 2024: $1.949 trillion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $1.958 trillion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.917 trillion (2022 est.)
note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022

Exports - partners

USA 10%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, China 7%, Italy 6% (2023)
note: note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Reference: 2023

Exports - commodities

cars, vehicle parts/accessories, packaged medicine, plastic products, vaccines (2023)
note: note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Reference: 2023

Imports

Imports 2024: $1.774 trillion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.781 trillion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.808 trillion (2022 est.)
note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022

Imports - partners

China 12%, Netherlands 7%, USA 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2023)
note: note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Reference: 2023

Imports - commodities

cars, vehicle parts/accessories, garments, natural gas, vaccines (2023)
note: note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reference: 2023

Energy & Resources

Access to electricity100.0%2024 · Verified
Electric power consumption6,109 kWh/person2024 · Verified
Renewable energy consumption17.6%2021 · Verified

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 275.658 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 519.691 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 60.316 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 69.353 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 25.774 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 49% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 11.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 25.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Nuclear energy

Percent of total electricity production: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 33 (2025)
Reference: 2025, 2023

Coal

production: 109.741 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 140.994 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 1.68 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 32.933 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 35.4 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 131,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 2.062 million bbl/day (2024 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 115.2 million barrels (2021 est.)
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2021

Natural gas

production: 4.337 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 82.371 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 74.989 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 23.39 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Reference: 2023, 2021

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 120.457 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Infrastructure

Access to electricity100.0%2024 · Verified
Fixed broadband subscriptions45.6 per 1002024 · Verified
Mobile cellular subscriptions129.2 per 1002024 · Verified

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 38.8 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Health

Life expectancy at birth80.8 years2024 · Verified
Current health expenditure12.3%2024 · Verified
Infant mortality rate3.1 per 1,0002024 · Verified

Maternal mortality ratio

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 12.7% of GDP (2022)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 20.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Reference: 2022

Physician density

4.53 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Reference: 2022

Hospital bed density

7.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Reference: 2020

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.3% (2016)
Reference: 2016

Tobacco use

total: 17.2% (2025 est.)
male: 19.4% (2025 est.)
female: 15% (2025 est.)

Education

Secondary school enrolment, gross100.2%2024 · Verified
Government education expenditure5.2%2022 · Verified

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 17 years (2023 est.)
male: 17 years (2023 est.)
female: 17 years (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Rights, Freedoms & Society

Press & Media Freedom

V-Dem expert-coded/modelled source measures. Knelstrom does not create a press-freedom ranking or composite score.

Freedom of expression & alternative information index0.9142025 · Estimated
Government censorship effort — media2.2142025 · Estimated
Harassment of journalists2.1512025 · Estimated
Print/broadcast media critical of government3.4182025 · Estimated
Range of perspectives in major media1.5062025 · Estimated
Media bias1.7072025 · Estimated
Media self-censorship1.4742025 · Estimated

LGBTQ+ Rights & Law

Concrete legal-status fields only; Knelstrom does not generate an LGBTQ rights score or country ranking.

Same-sex sexual activityYes Legal in East Germany since 1968; Legal in West Germany since 1969; equal age of consent since 1988 in East Germany and since 1994 in unified Germany; + UN decl. sign.Reported
Recognition of same-sex relationshipsYes Registered life partnerships from 2001 to 2017 (existing partnerships and new foreign partnerships still recognised)Reported
Same-sex marriageYes Legal since 2017Reported
Same-sex adoptionYes Stepchild adoption since 2005; successive adoption since 2013; joint adoption legal since 2017Reported
Open military serviceYes Includes transgender peopleReported
Sexual-orientation anti-discrimination lawYes Bans all anti-gay discriminationReported
Gender identity / expression lawYes Gender self-determination enacted and implemented on a birth certificate since 2024.Reported

Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country or territory (CC BY-SA 4.0). Community-edited legal-status summary; retrieved by Knelstrom and not legal advice.

Crime & Justice

Legal system

civil law system

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)
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
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
Reference: 2020

Military & 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)
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 2024: 2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021

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, and Germany is one of the world's leading arms exporters; it also participates in joint defense production projects with the US and European partners (2024)
Reference: 2024

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 (2024)
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: women have been eligible for voluntary service in all military branches and positions since 2001 and accounted for about 12% of the active-duty German military in 2023
Reference: 2024, 2023, 2020, 2011

Military deployments

up to 500 Iraq (NATO); 300 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR), Lebanon 170 (UNIFIL); up to 1,700 Lithuania (NATO) (2025)
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)
Reference: 2025, 2022, 2014, 1955

International Relations

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jens HANEFELD (since 5 September 2025)
chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000
FAX: [1] (202) 298-4261
email address and website: info@washington.diplo.de
https://www.germany.info/us-en
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)
embassy: Pariser Platz 2, 10117 Berlin
Clayallee 170, 14191 Berlin (administrative services)
mailing address: 5090 Berlin Place, Washington DC  20521-5090
telephone: [49] (30) 8305-0
FAX: [49] (30) 8305-1215
email address and website: BerlinPCO@state.gov
https://de.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich
Reference: 2024

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

Treaties & Organisations

OrganisationStatusJoined
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)member1973-06-25
European Union (EU)member1958-01-01
G20 (G20)member1999-09-26
Group of Seven (G7)member1977-00-00
NATO (NATO)member1955-05-09
OECD (OECD)member1961-09-27
United Nations (UN)member1973-09-18
World Trade Organization (WTO)member1995-01-01

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Conflict & Security

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 3,098,169 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 100 (2023 est.)
stateless persons: 28,813 (2024 est.)
Reference: 2024, 2023

Illicit drugs

USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa'ida
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

Transportation & Logistics

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

D

Airports

840 (2025)

Heliports

449 (2025)

Railways

total: 39,379 km (2020) 20,942 km electrified
note: 15 km 0.900-mm gauge, 24 km 0.750-mm gauge (2015)
Reference: 2020, 2015

Merchant marine

total: 595 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 69, general cargo 82, oil tanker 32, other 411
Reference: 2023

Ports

total ports: 35 (2024)
large: 5
medium: 4
small: 11
very small: 15
ports with oil terminals: 12
key ports: Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Emden, Hamburg, Kiel, Lubeck, Rostock
Reference: 2024

Environment

Forest area32.7%2023 · Verified
Renewable energy consumption17.6%2021 · Verified

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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Reference: 2006

Climate

temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Land use

agricultural land: 47.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 33.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 13.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 32.8% (2023 est.)
other: 15% (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Urbanization

urban population: 77.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Reference: 2023, 2020

Carbon dioxide emissions

total emissions: 600.192 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 163.407 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 277.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 159.097 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

Particulate matter emissions

10.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Reference: 2019

Methane emissions

energy: 476.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 1,197.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 459 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 110 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Reference: 2024, 2022, 2021, 2019

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 50.628 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 49.8% (2022 est.)
Reference: 2024, 2022

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 10.713 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 14.005 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 1.075 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Reference: 2022

Total renewable water resources

154 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Reference: 2022

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 8
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)
Reference: 2023

Communications & Media

Individuals using the Internet93.5%2024 · Verified
Mobile cellular subscriptions129.2 per 1002024 · Verified
Fixed broadband subscriptions45.6 per 1002024 · Verified
Secure Internet servers152,114 per million2024 · Verified

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 38.8 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (2023 est.)
Reference: 2023

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

Historical Trends

Population

Source: World Bank WDI. Historical observations shown by reference period.

View Population data table
PeriodValueSource
201682,348,669world_bank_wdi
201782,657,002world_bank_wdi
201882,905,782world_bank_wdi
201983,092,962world_bank_wdi
202083,160,871world_bank_wdi
202183,196,078world_bank_wdi
202283,177,813world_bank_wdi
202383,287,273world_bank_wdi
202483,516,593world_bank_wdi
202583,491,249world_bank_wdi

GDP (current US$)

Source: World Bank WDI. Historical observations shown by reference period.

View GDP (current US$) data table
PeriodValueSource
2016$3,536,787,895,179world_bank_wdi
2017$3,765,351,626,106world_bank_wdi
2018$4,055,433,215,302world_bank_wdi
2019$3,959,894,794,039world_bank_wdi
2020$3,941,398,957,074world_bank_wdi
2021$4,355,251,953,411world_bank_wdi
2022$4,201,021,706,479world_bank_wdi
2023$4,562,207,532,490world_bank_wdi
2024$4,685,592,577,805world_bank_wdi
2025$5,050,922,925,047world_bank_wdi

International migrant stock (immigrants)

Source: World Bank WDI. Historical observations shown by reference period.

View International migrant stock (immigrants) data table
PeriodValueSource
202015,021,300world_bank_wdi
202416,750,084world_bank_wdi

International emigrant stock

Source: World Bank WDI. Historical observations shown by reference period.

View International emigrant stock data table
PeriodValueSource
19903,870,620un_migrant_stock_2024
19954,825,017un_migrant_stock_2024
20004,107,120un_migrant_stock_2024
20054,078,804un_migrant_stock_2024
20104,260,810un_migrant_stock_2024
20154,207,460un_migrant_stock_2024
20204,204,441un_migrant_stock_2024
20244,297,233un_migrant_stock_2024

Net migration

Source: World Bank WDI. Historical observations shown by reference period.

View Net migration data table
PeriodValueSource
2016517,480world_bank_wdi
2017452,988world_bank_wdi
2018403,908world_bank_wdi
2019319,082world_bank_wdi
2020203,468world_bank_wdi
2021310,264world_bank_wdi
2022981,552world_bank_wdi
2023609,553world_bank_wdi
202436,954world_bank_wdi
2025-334,072world_bank_wdi

Sources & Methodology

Current statistical observations include their reference period and provenance. Reference fields from approved source datasets are attributed below. Missing information is left unknown rather than inferred.

IndicatorValuePeriodSourceStatus
Population83,491,2492025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
UN Population Division population estimate83,644,2582026UN Population Division Data PortalEstimated
Wikidata population (fallback)83,577,1402024WikidataReported
International migrant stock (immigrants)16,750,0842024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
International migrant stock19.8%2024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
International emigrant stock4,297,2332024UN DESA International Migrant Stock 2024Estimated
Net migration-334,0722025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Refugees from this country3272025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Asylum seekers from this country6262025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Freedom of expression & alternative information index0.9142025Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Country-Year Dataset v16Estimated
Government censorship effort — media2.2142025Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Country-Year Dataset v16Estimated
Harassment of journalists2.1512025Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Country-Year Dataset v16Estimated
Print/broadcast media critical of government3.4182025Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Country-Year Dataset v16Estimated
Range of perspectives in major media1.5062025Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Country-Year Dataset v16Estimated
Media bias1.7072025Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Country-Year Dataset v16Estimated
Media self-censorship1.4742025Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Country-Year Dataset v16Estimated
Same-sex sexual activityYes Legal in East Germany since 1968; Legal in West Germany since 1969; equal age of consent since 1988 in East Germany and since 1994 in unified Germany; + UN decl. sign.currentWikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country or territoryReported
Recognition of same-sex relationshipsYes Registered life partnerships from 2001 to 2017 (existing partnerships and new foreign partnerships still recognised)currentWikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country or territoryReported
Same-sex marriageYes Legal since 2017currentWikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country or territoryReported
Same-sex adoptionYes Stepchild adoption since 2005; successive adoption since 2013; joint adoption legal since 2017currentWikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country or territoryReported
Open military serviceYes Includes transgender peoplecurrentWikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country or territoryReported
Sexual-orientation anti-discrimination lawYes Bans all anti-gay discriminationcurrentWikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country or territoryReported
Gender identity / expression lawYes Gender self-determination enacted and implemented on a birth certificate since 2024.currentWikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country or territoryReported
GDP (current US$)$5,050,922,925,0472025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
GDP per capita (current US$)$60,4962025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
GDP growth0.2%2025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Inflation, consumer prices2.2%2025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Unemployment3.7%2025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Income levelHigh incomecurrentWorld Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Life expectancy at birth80.8 years2024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Fertility rate1.42024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Urban population82.1%2025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Individuals using the Internet93.5%2024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Exports of goods and services40.4%2025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Imports of goods and services38.1%2025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Trade78.5%2025World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Secondary school enrolment, gross100.2%2024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Government education expenditure5.2%2022World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Access to electricity100.0%2024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Electric power consumption6,109 kWh/person2024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Renewable energy consumption17.6%2021World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Current health expenditure12.3%2024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Infant mortality rate3.1 per 1,0002024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Forest area32.7%2023World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Mobile cellular subscriptions129.2 per 1002024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Fixed broadband subscriptions45.6 per 1002024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Secure Internet servers152,114 per million2024World Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Latitude52.5235°currentWorld Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Longitude13.4115°currentWorld Bank — World Development IndicatorsVerified
Latitude (Wikidata)51.0000°currentWikidataReported
Longitude (Wikidata)10.0000°currentWikidataReported
Time zoneUTC+01:00, UTC+02:00currentWikidataReported
Form of governmentparliamentary republiccurrentWikidataReported

Data attribution

Credits below are generated from sources actually used by this country profile. Source-specific terms take precedence.

  • CIA World Factbook, final 2025 country profile (structured via factbook.json). Accessed September 20, 2026. U.S. Government public-domain data; retained as a reference source where a newer approved field is not available. Source · Terms/licence
  • Source: Eurostat (dataset/datacode: demo_pjan) Accessed September 19, 2026. Knelstrom presentation/formatting may differ from the source. Source · Terms/licence
  • United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, International Migrant Stock 2024; data access/processing via Our World in Data. Accessed September 20, 2026. Underlying UN dataset used under CC BY 3.0 IGO. Source · Terms/licence
  • United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects (WPP indicator 49) Accessed September 19, 2026. Used under CC BY 3.0 IGO; current-year WPP population values are presented as estimates/projections where applicable. Source · Terms/licence
  • Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem), Country-Year Dataset v16 (variables: v2mebias, v2mecenefm, v2mecrit, v2meharjrn, v2merange, v2meslfcen, v2x_freexp_altinf) Accessed September 20, 2026. Used under CC BY-SA 4.0; V-Dem measures are expert-coded/modelled and no V-Dem endorsement is implied. Source · Terms/licence
  • Wikidata structured data (CC0). Accessed September 20, 2026. Attribution is provided by Knelstrom for provenance although CC0 does not require it. Source · Terms/licence
  • Wikipedia, “LGBTQ rights by country or territory” (source revision/data fields: Wikipedia revision 1374406645 — Gender identity / expression law, Wikipedia revision 1374406645 — Open military service, Wikipedia revision 1374406645 — Recognition of same-sex relationships, Wikipedia revision 1374406645 — Same-sex adoption, Wikipedia revision 1374406645 — Same-sex marriage, Wikipedia revision 1374406645 — Same-sex sexual activity, Wikipedia revision 1374406645 — Sexual-orientation anti-discrimination law) Accessed September 20, 2026. Used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Knelstrom changes formatting and presents the imported material as a community-edited legal-status summary, not legal advice or a Knelstrom rights score. Source · Terms/licence
  • World Bank, World Development Indicators (series: AG.LND.FRST.ZS, country_metadata, EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS, EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS, EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC, FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG, IT.CEL.SETS.P2, IT.NET.BBND.P2, IT.NET.SECR.P6, IT.NET.USER.ZS, NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS, NE.IMP.GNFS.ZS, NE.TRD.GNFS.ZS, NY.GDP.MKTP.CD, NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG, NY.GDP.PCAP.CD, SE.SEC.ENRR, SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS, SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS, SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS, SM.POP.ASYS.EO, SM.POP.NETM, SM.POP.RHCR.EO, SM.POP.TOTL, SM.POP.TOTL.ZS, SP.DYN.IMRT.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.IN, SP.DYN.TFRT.IN, SP.POP.TOTL, SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS) Accessed September 20, 2026. Data used under CC BY 4.0; Knelstrom presentation/formatting may differ from the source. Source · Terms/licence

Knelstrom does not imply endorsement by any listed data provider.

Last automated statistical refresh: 2026-09-20 02:05:15