1 Official name of country:

Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany)

1.1When information last   updated:

20 Dec 05

1.1.i Capital city:

Berlin

1.1.iiLanguage(s):

German

1.1.iii Main Religions:

Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%, Muslim 3.7%

1.1.iv Currency:

Euro

1.1.v GDP:

US$2,687 billion (€2,177 billion) (2004)

1.1.vi GDP per head:

$31,427 (€25,462) (2004)

1.1.vii Inflation level:

1.6% (2004)

1.1.viii Major trading partners:

EU countries, US, China

1.1.ix Population level:

82.5 million

1.1.ix.i Age structure (0-14 years):

14.4% (male 6,078,885/female 5,766,065)

1.1.ix.ii Age structure (15-64 years):

66.7% (male 28,006,268/female 27,003,958)

1.1.ix.iii Age structure (65 years plus):

18.9% (male 6,359,776/female 9,216,438)

1.1.ix.iv Average age per head:

42.16 years

1.1.x Ethnic groups

German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

1.1.xi Major ports and harbours

Bremen, Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Mainz, Rostock, Wilhemshaven

1.1.xii Key leaders

President: Horst Koehler

Chancellor: Dr Angela Merkel

Foreign Minister: Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Interior Minister: Wolfgang Schäuble

Finance Minister: Peer Steinbrueck

1.1.xiii Political environment:

The Federal Republic of Germany comprises 16 states known as Länder. The Federal Assembly consists of two chambers: the Bundestag, which is directly elected by a mixed constituency and PR list system every four years; and the Bundesrat, which represents the 16 state governments. The Federal Government is formed by whichever party or coalition of parties has a majority in the Bundestag and is lead by the Chancellor. The Federal President, elected by a Federal Convention for a term of five years, is the formal Head of State, but only acts on the advice of the Federal Government. In 2005, Germany’s Federal elections produced a very close result, with previous chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) taking a fraction less than Angela Merkel’s Christian Democtrats (CDU). Following lengthy talks Dr Merkel became chancellor in a ‘grand coalition’ involving the CDU, its Christian Social Union (CSU) allies and the SPD. The CDU and CSU have eight cabinet posts and the SPD the other eight, including foreign affairs, finance and labour.  

1.1.xiv Government departments involved in deploying documents

Federal Ministry of the Interior

1.1.xv Is there a state printer?

No. Bundesdruckerei was a state owned printer, but was privatised in November 2000.

1.1.xvi If not, who prints the country’s passports/other ID documents?

Bundesdruckerei produces the country’s drivers licenses and passports

1.1.xvii Visa Waiver country?

Yes

1.1.xviii Membership of international/supranational organisations:

European Union (EU), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), G8, World Trade Organisation (WTO), United Nations (UN) , North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), Organisation for Co-operation and Security in Europe (OSCE), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

1.1.xix Tender information

http://www.evergabe-online.de