23 Amazing Germany Facts: From Berlin to Bavaria

Germany is a historically and culturally rich country. It is home to a wide range of beautiful sceneries and customs.

The beautiful sceneries of this country include snowy mountains, forested hills, river valleys, and many more.

Every part of this Central European country is worth exploring, such as the Romanesque architecture of Cologne, the laid-back city of Munich, the futuristic skyline of Frankfurt, and many more.

So, in this article, we will now discuss some interesting facts about Germany.

Interesting Germany facts

Germany is the seventh-largest country in Europe

Germany is the seventh-largest company in Europe. The country covers an area of 357,022 square km or 137,847 square miles, of which 34,836 square miles or 90,224 square km are covered by land, and the remaining 7798 square miles contain water. 

It is composed of sixteen federal states

The country of Germany is composed of sixteen federal states. Each of these states has its constitution divided into 403 administrative districts, also known as Landkreis or Kreis, of which 102 are urban, and 294 are rural districts. Bavaria is the largest state, with an area of 70,550.19 square km or 27,240 square miles.

Germany has the largest economy in the EU

According to the latest statistics, Germany has the largest economy in the EU. It has a GDP or gross domestic product of 4.2 trillion USD and has occupied fourth place in the world after the United States, China, and Japan.

It shares borders with nine countrie

Germany shares borders with nine countries. Those are Poland, Denmark, Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Moreover, Germany is one of the most densely populated nations in the world. Almost 77% of the people of Germany live in populated areas.

One of the largest car producers in the world

Germany is famous as one of the largest car producers of the world, selling about 3.4 million cars in 2011. Since 1981, VW’s Golf has been one of the best-selling cars. Also, in 2012, it sold over 240,702 Golfs around Europe.

In 2013, the country’s most popular and top-selling car brands were Mercedes, Volkswagen, BMW, and Audi.

Also, most taxis in the country are Mercedes, which provide great deals to the taxi companies.

The fifth most taught language is German

German is the fifth most widely taught language worldwide, only after Spanish. German is the official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and also Liechtenstein.

In addition, German is also the language with the most native speakers in Europe, with almost 100 million native speakers, after Russian, which has about 120 million native speakers.

Germans love beer and Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest is one of the most famous yearly events in Germany, where many people dress up in traditional costumes, dirndl, tracht, and lederhosen while drinking delicious beer. In this festival, the beer glass size is not 500 ml but a whole liter.

The German’s love for beer is also expressed through the famous saying, “Durst wird durch Bier erst schon,” which can be translated as “Thirst is only beautiful when accompanied by beer.”

The first printed book was printed here

The first printed book was printed in the country of Germany, which is a Latin language Bible by Johann Gutenberg.

Also, in 1663, the first magazine ever seen was launched in Germany. It was called “Erbauliche Monaths-Unterredungen” and was started by a theologian and poet named Johann Rist.

It is among the top ten countries that consume the most beer

The country of Germany has occupied the place among the top ten countries that consume the most amount of beer. 

Also, the true German method of ordering three drinks is to raise three fingers. Those are the thumb, index, and also middle finger. This practice is common among Western Europeans.

It has more football fan clubs than any other places

Germany has more football or soccer fan clubs than anywhere else. The country once lost a penalty shootout in a well-known football competition.

It was in the year 1976 when West Germany lost a shootout 5-3 in the European Championships against the country Czechoslovakia. 

Germany was involved in one on the four other occasions, and they won.

The country is a leader in climate and energy policies

Country of Germany is a leader in climate and energy policies. In 2011, it decided to decommission all nuclear power stations by 2022 and replace them with renewable energies and new storage systems for green energy electricity.

65% of the Autobahn doesn’t have a speed limit

The suggested speed limit is almost 130 kilometers per hour unless stated on the Autobahn otherwise.

However, there is no upper-speed limit at about 65% of the Autobahn, so you mustn’t be surprised if you see someone driving at a speed of over 200 kilometers per hour.

Most people in Germany normally drive around 130 km per hour, so here you can drive faster if you can.

Also, running out of fuel on the Autobahn in Germany is illegal. So, you must fill up your tank until you reach the next gas station if you don’t want to pay a fine.

Germany has abolished college tuition fees officially

Back in 2014, college tuition fees were abolished in 16 states in Germany at public universities.

This means that every student could pursue their studies in Germany for free except for some small fees for administration and other small expenses per semester.

This facility is even applicable to non-Germans, meaning a foreigner could also come here and pursue their studies at a public university.

More than 800 million currywurst are eaten each year in Germany

One of the most famous and beloved sausages in Germany is currywurst. Also, nowadays, you can even have the vegan or vegetarian version of currywurst at several restaurants.

Moreover, it is not wrong that a majority of Germans love to eat a currywurst every now and then.

800 million currywurst is almost 10 currywurst per individual annually. 

Germans have one of the best passports.

Germans have the third-best passport in the world. People of Germany can travel to 126 nations worldwide even without a visa, and 36 additional nations can receive a visa on arrival.

Prostitution is legal in Germany

In Germany, it is legal with prostitution and in all other aspects of the sex industry, including advertisements, brothels, and even job offer through HR companies. Sex workers in Germany pay taxes just like any regular worker.

There are almost 400,000 sex workers, whereas around 60% are from foreign nations in Eastern and Central Europe.

In Germany, almost everything is closed on Sundays

If you wish to shop in Germany on a Sunday, you won’t find anything open except 24/7-hour stores, restaurants, and gas stations. Shopping and also grocery stores are actually closed on Sundays.

This specific concept comes from “Ruhetag,” meaning resting day. From the start, it was a countryside law that a person couldn’t open a store on Sundays, to allow people to enjoy a resting day and avoid 7 work days per week. 

One-third of Germany is covered in woodland and forest

Many Germans love to be out in nature, so one-third of the country Germany is covered in woodland and forest. Also, here, you will get to enjoy many beautiful scenery and lakes scattered around the country.

Also, in Germany, you will get to see the narrowest street in the world, according to Guinness World Records.

It can be seen in Reutlingen, Germany, and is known as Spreuerhofstrasse, which is 31cm in width at its narrowest point.

Berlin has more bridges than Venice

Berlin is the capital of Germany, and it boasts 59.8 square kilometers of water consisting lakes, almost 960 bridges, and about 180 kilometers of navigable waterways.

Combined with its surrounding state, known as Brandenburg houses the largest inland water network of Europe.

Fanta originated in Germany

Because of a trade embargo that prevented the import of Coca-Cola syrup into Germany, the head of Coca-Cola in the country decided to make a domestic product for the market using “leftover” things like apple pomace and whey. 

It is Coca-Cola’s second oldest brand and the second most popular drink outside of the United States. Fanta is consumed almost 130 million times every day around the globe.

In Germany, prison escape is not punishable by law

The law of Germany maintains that it is a basic human instinct to be free; hence, prisoners have the right to escape jail.

However, escapes rarely go unpunished, as prisoners are held liable if they cause harm or damage to property or even inflict bodily harm against anyone upon their breakout.

The capital center of Germany has shifted seven times

There are some cities that all at one time or another, have been capitals of the modern-day territory of Germany. Regenberg, Aachen, Nuremberg, Frankfurt-am-Main, Weimar, Berlin, Bonn, and since 1990, Berlin again.

Another interesting fact about Germany is that Munich is the world’s second most punctual large airport, only after Tokyo, according to an OAG report.

Germany can boast some of the most famous inventions of the world

People can thank the Germans for several notable inventions, like the automated calculator, the light bulb, and also the automobile.

Moreover, the people of Germany are also associated with the discovery of insulin, the pocket watch, the invention of the clarinet, television (partly), petrol/gasoline engines, paraffin, the automobile engine, the motorcycle, the LCD screen, the jet engine, the Walkman, etc.

So, Germany is one of the most important countries of the world with its interesting laws, beautiful landscapes, powerful economy, delicious cuisine, remarkable people, and many more.

At the end of this article, we have learned 23 fascinating facts about this European country, Germany, that offer us a clear picture of this interesting and unique country. To get some additional amazing facts, you can see our website.