In both Central and Western Europe is Germany. It shares borders with the Czech Republic, Austria, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Germany is made up of 16 states and has a total area of 357.386 km^. It is the seventh largest nation in Europe and the 64th largest nation overall in terms of area. With 83 million people, Germany is the second most populous state in Europe behind Russia. It is also the EU member state with the largest population.
Berlin is the capital and biggest city in Germany. Frankfurt is the financial centre of the country and has the busiest airport. The Ruhr is the name of Germany’s largest metropolitan area. Other important cities in the country include Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart, Leipzig, Bremen, Dresden, Hannover, and Nuremberg.
As per the 2011 German Census, Christianity holds the highest share of the overall population in Germany, accounting for 66.8%. 31.2% of people identified as Roman Catholics and 31.7% as Protestants. 1.3% of people identify as Orthodox, while 2.7% belong to other religions.
German, which is written using the Latin alphabet, is the official language and the most widely spoken tongue in Germany. It is one of the three working languages of the European Commission and one of the 24 official and working languages of the EU. With around 100 million native speakers, it is the first language most people in the EU speak.
In Germany, native minority languages such as Danish, Low Rhenish, Sorbian, Low German, Romany, North Frisian, and Saterland Frisian are officially recognised. The most often spoken languages among immigrants in Germany are Turkish, Polish, Russian, Kurdish, and languages from the Balkans.
In 1957 Germany was a founding member of the European Economic Community and in 1993 of the EU. Germany is a part of the Schengen Area and in 1999 became a co-founder of the Eurozone. Germany is a member of NATO, the United Nations, the OECD, the G7, and the G20.