Germany, Federal Republic of (in German, Bundesrepublik Deutschland), nation in central Europe, bordered on the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; on the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; on the south by Austria and Switzerland; and on the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. For much of German history, Germany was a geographical term for an area occupied by many states. A unified nation for 74 years (1871-1945), it was separated after World War II into the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; commonly known as West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR; commonly known as East Germany). On October 3, 1990, East Germany, or the GDR, became part of the FRG, and Germany once again became a unified nation. It has an area of 356,959 sq km (137,823 sq mi). Berlin is Germany's capital and largest city.

Population
        83,536,115
        (1996 estimate)
Population Density
        234 people/sq km
        (606 people/sq mi)
        (1996 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
        85% Urban
        15% Rural
Largest Cities
        Berlin 3,477,900
        Hamburg 1,703,800 
        Munich 1,251,100
        Cologne 963,300 
        Frankfurt 656,200
        (1994 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
        96% German
        4%  Other
        including Turks, Poles, Italians, and Yugoslavs
Languages
Official Language
        German
        Other Languages
        Sorbian, other minority languages
Religions
        35% Protestantism
mainly Lutheranism
        34% Roman Catholicism
        2%  Islam
        29% Other
        including Judaism