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Germany

 
     
    • 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, Thueringen 
     
    • 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 
     
    • National holiday: 
      German Unity Day (Day of Unity), 3 October (1990) 
     
    • Constitution: 
      23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united German people 3 October 1990 
     
    • Legal system: 
      civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 
     
    • Suffrage: 
      18 years of age; universal 
     
    • Executive branch: 
     
        chief of state: 
        President Roman HERZOG (since 1 July 1994) 
     
        head of government: 
        Chancellor Dr. Helmut KOHL (since 4 October 1982) 
     
        cabinet: 
        Cabinet; appointed by the president upon the proposal of the chancellor 
     
    • Legislative branch: 
      bicameral chamber (no official name for the two chambers as a whole) 
     
        Federal Assembly (Bundestag): 
        last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held by NA 1998); results - CDU 34.2%, SPD 36.4%, Alliance 90/Greens 7.3%, CSU 7.3%, FDP 6.9%, PDS 4.4%, Republicans 1.9% ; seats - (662 total, but number can vary) CDU 244, SPD 252, Alliance 90/Greens 49, CSU 50, FDP 47, PDS 30; elected by direct popular vote under a system combining direct and proportional representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or 3 direct mandates to gain representation 
     
        Federal Council (Bundesrat): 
        State governments are directly represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes 
     
        depending on size and are required to vote as a block; current composition: 
        votes - (68 total) SPD-led states 37, CDU-led states 31 
     
    • Women's Share of Seats in Parliament:

      • 25% (1997 est.) 
       
    • Judicial branch: 
      Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) 
     
    • 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), Rudolf SCHARPING, chairman; Alliance '90/Greens, Krista SAGER, Juergen TRITTIN, cochairpersons; Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), Lothar BISKY, chairman; Republikaner, Rolf SCHLIERER, chairman; National Democratic Party (NPD), Guenter DECKERT; Communist Party (DKP), Rolf PRIEMER 
     
    • Other political or pressure groups: 
      expellee, refugee, and veterans groups 
     
    • Member of: 
      AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC 
     
    • Diplomatic representation in US: 
     
        chief of mission: 
        Ambassador Juergen CHROBOG 
     
        chancery: 
        4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 
     
        telephone: 
        [1] (202) 298-4000 
     
        FAX: 
        [1] (202) 298-4249 
     
        consulate(s) general: 
        Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle 
     
        consulate(s): 
        Manila (Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands) and Wellington (America Samoa) 
     
    • US diplomatic representation: 
     
        chief of mission: 
        Ambassador Charles E. REDMAN 
     
        embassy: 
        Deichmanns Aue 29, 53170 Bonn 
     
        mailing address: 
        Unit 21701, Bonn; APO AE 09080 
     
        telephone: 
        [49] (228) 3391 
     
        FAX: 
        [49] (228) 339-2663 
     
        branch office: 
        Berlin 
     
        consulate(s) general: 
        Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, and Stuttgart 
     
    • Flag: 
      three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and yellow