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Germany is famous for many things, like its tuition-free universities and high-quality education, as well as its diverse culture. But did you know there are some more interesting and lesser-known facts about Germany waiting to be discovered?

Geography and Landmarks

1. Germany is home to 11.4 million hectares of forests, covering about 33% of its land area, with over 90 billion trees.
2. Germany is the seventh largest European country, covering an area of 357,168 square kilometers.
3. Berlin is nine times bigger than Paris.
4. The population of Germany is approximately 83,270,140 people.
5. Germany has the biggest economy in the EU, followed by France and Italy.
6. In 2021, about 786,100 people worked in Germany’s automotive industry, which is the biggest in Europe. They also made more than 3.1 million passenger cars for Europe’s largest car market.

History and Culture

1. Germany is a member of the European Union.
2. Germany has around 20,000 to possibly as many as 25,000 castles (see some of them here).
3. The first printed book was printed in Germany in Mainz, Germany, in the mid-1450s, by Johann Gutenberg and his partner Johann Fust. The book is known today as the Gutenberg Bible.
4. Germany was the first country to adopt daylight saving time in 1916.
5. When JFK visited Berlin, on June 26, 1963, he said, “Ich bin ein Berliner” (I am one with the people of Berlin). A long-lasting myth mistakenly conveyed that this statement translated to “I am a jelly donut”. Although the word “Berliner” has traditionally referred to a jelly donut in the north, west, and southwest of Germany, this is not the case with Berlin. In Berlin, this type of donut is known as “Pfannkuchen.” So, no Berliner would interpret JFK’s speech as a mistake.
6. Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century when devout Christians began bringing decorated trees into their homes.
7. The “Schultüte,” or school cone, is the most important part of every German child’s first day of school. This tradition, dating back to the early 19th century, involves giving children candy and presents to sweeten the idea of attending school for the next 12-13 years.
8. Spreuerhofstraße, located in the city of Reutlingen, Germany, holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s narrowest street. It measures just 31 centimeters (12.2 inches) at its narrowest point and widens to 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) at its widest.
9. Germany has been using the Euro as its currency since 2002.
10. Germany is the birthplace of influential figures such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Albert Einstein.
11. At 2,962 meters, the Zugspitze is Germany’s highest mountain.
12. The tallest church building in the world is the Ulm Minster (161.5 m), the main Lutheran congregation in Ulm, Germany.
13. Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is Europe’s largest railway station measured by floor area at 83,460 square meters (898,400 sq ft).

Language and Literature

1. German is the fifth most widely taught language worldwide.
2. German is an official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and  Liechtenstein.
3. The longest word in the German language is “Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft” which is made up of 79 letters. It is a compound word that describes the staff of a hydroelectric power station on the Danube.
4. There are many German dialects, and experts believe there could be as many as 250.
5. Germany is rightfully known as “Das Land der Dichter und Denker,” which translates to “The Country of Poets and Thinkers.” It has been a driving force in numerous cultural revolutions and has contributed significantly to art, literature, sports, architecture, cuisine, philosophy, and religion.
6. There are 3 noun genders in the German language: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
7. There are over 200 German universities that offer study programs taught in English.

Fun Facts

1. The Germans express their love for beer through the popular saying, “Durst wird durch Bier erst schön,” which translates to “Thirst is only beautiful when accompanied by beer.”
2. The Chancellor’s office in Berlin is known locally as the “washing machine” because of its unusual architecture.
3. In Germany, there’s no punishment for a prisoner who tries to escape jail because it is a basic human instinct to be free, as long as no crime is committed while escaping.
4. The true German way of ordering three drinks (originally with beer) is to raise three fingers: the thumb, index, and middle finger, which is common among Western Europeans
5. Many public German universities provide high-quality education with low tuition fees or no tuition fees at all, aside from administrative fees.
6. About 1,300 breweries in Germany produce over 5,000 brands of beer.
7. Oktoberfest is Germany’s most famous festival and the world’s largest beer festival.
8. Germany is among the top countries that consume the most beer.
9. Germany has over 1,500 different kinds of sausage.
10. In Bavaria, beer is referred to as “liquid bread” or “liquid food” due to its nutritional value and importance in the local culture.
11. According to the Central Association of the German Bakery Trade, there are approximately 3,200 different types of bread in Germany.
12. In 2023, the average unemployment rate in Germany was 5.6 percent. The unemployment rate of those over 25 years of age in Germany is 2.8%.
13. German autobahns (highways) don’t have a set speed limit, but around 30% of them do have occasional speed restrictions.
14. Germany has the highest recycling rate in the world, recycling an impressive 66.1% of its waste.
15. The Weihenstephan Brewery, located in Bavaria, is considered the world’s oldest brewery, with a history dating back to 1040.
16. The MP3 audio format was developed by German engineer Karlheinz Brandenburg.
17. Gummy bears were first created by Hans Riegel in 1922. Hans Riegel was the founder of the German sweet company Haribo and came from the city of Bonn in Germany.
18. In Germany, you can enjoy your first beer legally at the age of 16.