rce (1986 est.)

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Federal Republic of Germany

_#_Type: federal republic

_#_Capital: Berlin; note--the shift from Bonn to Berlin will take
place over a period of years with Bonn retaining many administrative
functions

_#_Administrative divisions: 16 states (lander, singular--land);
Baden-Wurttemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg,
Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen,
Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein,
Thuringen

_#_Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided
into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany)
proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones;
German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October
1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and
East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four power rights formally
relinquished 15 March 1991

_#_Constitution: 23 May 1949, provisional constitution known as
Basic Law

_#_Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

_#_National holiday: 3 October 1990, German Unity Day

_#_Executive branch: president, chancellor, Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: bicameral parliament (no official name
for the two chambers as a whole) consists of an upper chamber or
Federal Council (Bundesrat) and a lower chamber or Federal Diet
(Bundestag)

_#_Judicial branch:
Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht)

_#_Leaders:
Chief of State--President Dr. Richard von WEIZSACKER
(since 1 July 1984);

Head of Government--Chancellor Dr. Helmut KOHL
(since 4 October 1982)

_#_Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Helmut KOHL, chairman;
Christian Social Union (CSU), Theo WAIGEL;
Free Democratic Party (FDP), Otto Count LAMBSDORFF, chairman;
Social Democratic Party (SPD), Bjoern ENGHOLM, chairman;
Green Party--Volmer LUDGER, Christine WEISKE, co-chairmen
(after the 2 December 1990 election the East and West German
Green Parties united);
Alliance 90 includes three parties--New Forum, Jens REICH, Sebastian
PFLUGBEIL, spokespersons; Democracy Now, Konrad WEISS, spokesperson;
and Initiative