Europe : Germany

Modern-day Germany is molded from the many individual princedoms and dukedoms that existed there until a century and a half ago. Today the country is made up of sixteen states so distinct that Germans can still tell where their countrymen are from with a simple hello. Throughout the country are bustling metropolitan cities, cozy villages, and lovely natural landscapes.

The landscape is generally flat in the north and hilly in the northeast and central region, rising to the Bavarian Alps in the south. The Rhine River basin dominates the central and western part of the country; other important rivers are the Elbe, Danube, and Oder.

Germany’s cultural diversity is an offshoot of its rich history. Throughout time, portions of Germany have been dominated by various factions, including Celts, Romans, Carolingians, Saxons, the Holy Roman Empire, sovereign feudal princes, leaders of the Weimar Republic, Nazis, and communists. Germany was reunified Germany in 1990, and continues to move toward deeper political and economic integration with Western Europe through its membership in the European Union. The Federal Republic of Germany now is one of the richest countries in the world.

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