Basic Statistics

• Population: 82,282,988 (2010) – most populous country in the European Union.
• Largest economy in Europe
• First world country, ranked 10th in the world by the United Nations' Human Development Index in 2010.
• Size: 357,021 km²

Geography

• "Germany is a federal parliamentary republic of sixteen states."
• Located in west and central Europe
• Major cities included in map: Berlin (capital), Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart, and Dortmund.
• Most cities in Germany are roughly the same size because of Germany's division of city-states prior to the unity of the nation.

Climate

• Germany has a moderate climate.
• In areas bordering the North Sea, the climate is OCEANIC and weather is warmer on average.
• In areas further east, climate is CONTINENTAL. Here, weather is more extreme (colder in winter, hotter in summer).

Transport

• Urban country = modern and increase technology in terms of transportation.
• Main methods of transportation:

 Automobile (Auto Bahn)
 Transit (Deustche Bahn)
 Air Transit

Key Natural Resources

• Mining industry
• Largest producer of brown coal and anthracite
• Iron ore, potash, timber, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel, arable land, and water

History

• German culture began developing before the city-states were united as a country.

 Nationalism in French Revolution (1789-1830)
 Socialist movement during Industrial Revolution (18th-19th century)
 Official country in 1871.

• 20th century: one of the greatest powers in Europe.

 Loss in WWI; Treaty of Versailles

• Great Depression: Election of Adolf Hitler

 Holocaust - "perfect race"
 Reign ended in 1945 with the death of Hitler

• Cold War: Split of East and West Germany

 East Germany: communist
 West Germany: ethnic Germans

• Today, the country has reunited (fall of the Berlin wall) and has learned from their past to fluorish in the increase of culture (technology, innovations, etc.)

Major Religions

• The prominent religions in Germany are:

 Roman Catholicism
 Protestantism
 Islam

Roman Catholicism

• Pope is leader; bishops and cardinals govern; priests partake and lead in mass and church activities.
• Beliefs centered on the Holy Trinity and the Eucharist.
• Roman Catholicism has been financially sustained by Germany's church taxes despite rejection of the Church by German youth.
• Scripture is interpreted, not taken literally.

Protestantism

• Similar beliefs as Catholicism - faith in Jesus Christ - however, mass is celebrated radically different.
• Beliefs centered on the literal meanings of scripture and the Popes.

Islam

• Belief in one, divine god - Allah
• Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of God, according to the Qu'ran
• All actions in a Muslim's life are in coherence with religion: eating, cleaning, and purification.

Germany's Demographics

• Germany is a DEVELOPED COUNTRY.

 GDP: $3.33 Trillion (2009)
 Industrialized Nation: Part of the G8 and G4 Nations

• Distribution of Population (March 2011):

• Estimated Population Birth Rate for March 2011: -0.208%, to a previous 0.06% in 2010.
• Estimated Population Death Rate for July 2010: 10.92%, to a previous 11% in July 2010.
• Approximate Literacy Rate (Ages 15 and over can read and write as of 2003): 99%
• Gender Split Ratio (number of males for every 1 female):

• Ethnic Makeup:

• Education:

 Primary school lasts from grades 1-4 in Germany (except in Berlin, where it lasts in until grade 6).
 Secondary school lasts from grades 5-13 in Germany (except in Berlin, where it begins in grade 7).

Subculture

• Some of the subcultures that exist within the German demographic include skinheads, punk, gothics, hippies, and Nazi rockers.

Politics

• Representative democracy

 Chancellor is head of government (Current: Angela Merkel)
 President is head of state (Current: Christian Wulff)

• Dominant Parties

 Christian Democratic Union
 Social Democratic Party of Germany

• The Basic Law is Germany's constitution.
• Germany is a member of:

 NATO
 G8
 G4 Nations
 European Union (EU)

Trading Relationship with Canada

• Currency: The Euro

 Value: 1 Euro = 1.40 Canadian dollars (April 30, 2011)

• Germany is Canada's sixth largest trading partner as of 2008.
• Total amount in imports from Canada: $3,936,157,965
• Total amount in exports to Canada: $11,272,873,076

Source: BC Stats

Business Meetings and Negotiation Style

Time Perception

• Monochronic
• Germans are very serious about punctuality and planning.

Spatial Perception

• Germans value their own space.
• In line-ups, more lenient toward closer-knit spaces.

Dress & Wardrobe

• Simple, classic, formal, conservative dress
• Men: dark coloured suits
• Women: business suits or conservative dresses
• AVOID: loud, flashy, over-the-top jewellery and dress

Language

• 95% of the population speaks the national language of German.
• The remainder of the population speaks minority languages (Turkish, Danish, etc.).

Guess the English translation of the following ten German words!