Germany

Officially the Federal Republic of Germany. European power struggles immersed the country in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949 - the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990.

Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm foehn wind

Natural resources: iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel, arable land

Population: 83,029,536

Language: German

Capital: Berlin

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

National holiday: Unity Day, October 3 (1990)