eligions:
Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 37%, unaffiliated or other 18%
Languages:
German
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1977 est.)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
36.75 million
by occupation:
industry 41%, agriculture 6%, other 53% (1987)

*Germany, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form:
Germany
local long form:
Bundesrepublik Deutschland
local short form:
Deutschland
Digraph:
GM
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 and several ministries
Administrative divisions:
16 states (laender, singular - land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, 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:
German Unity Day, 3 October (1990)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Helmut KOHL, chairman; Christian Social
Union (CSU), Theo WAIGEL, chairman; Free Democratic Party (FDP), Klaus
KINKEL, chairman; Social Democratic Party (SPD); Green Party, Ludger VOLMER,
Christine WEISKE, co-chairmen (after the 2 December 1990 election the East
and West German Green Parties united); Alliance 90 united to form one party
in September 1991, Petra MORAWE, chairwoman; Party of Democratic Socialism
(PDS), Gregor GYSI, chairman; Republikaner, Franz SCHOENHUBER; National
Democratic Party (NP