others 1.4%;
seats--(497 total, 22 are elected by the West Berlin House of
Representatives and have limited voting rights) SPD 186, CDU 174,
CSU 49, FDP 46, Green Party 42

Communists: about 40,000 members and supporters

Other political or pressure groups: expellee, refugee, and veterans
groups

Member of: ADB, CCC, Council of Europe, DAC, EC, EIB, EMS, ESA,
FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American
Development Bank, IFAD, IEA, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IPU, ITC, ITU, NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WSG, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jeurgen RUHFUS; Chancery at
4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone (202) 298-4000;
there are FRG Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston,
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York, and Consulates in Miami
and New Orleans;
US--Ambassador Vernon WALTERS; Embassy at Deichmanns Avenue, 5300 Bonn 2
(mailing address is APO New York 09080); telephone 49 (228) 3391; there are
US Consulates General in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, and Stuttgart

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and yellow;
similar to the flag of the GDR which has a coat of arms in the center

- Economy
Overview: West Germany, a major economic power and a leading exporter,
has a highly urbanized and skilled population that enjoys excellent
living standards and comprehensive social welfare benefits. The FRG is
poor in natural resources, coal being the most important
mineral. The FRG's comparative advantage lies in the technologically
advanced production stages. Thus manufacturing and services dominate
economic activity, and raw materials and semimanufactures constitute
a large proportion of imports. In 1988 manufacturing accounted for
35% of GDP, with other sectors contributing lesser amounts. The major
economic problem in 1989 is persistent unemployment of over 8%. The FRG is well
poised to take advantage of the increasing economic integration of the European
Community. The dramatic opening of the boundary with East Germany in late 1989
poses new economic challenges that could tax even this powerful economy.

GDP: $945.7 billion, per capita $15,300; real growth rate 4.3% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.0% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 8.4% (1989)

Budget: revenues $539 billion; expenditures $563 billion, including
capital expenditures