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Germany is famous for many things, like its tuition-free universities, beer, and sausages. But did you know some more interesting and lesser-known facts about Germany are waiting to be discovered?

Let’s find out more:

Geography

1. One-third of Germany is still covered in forests and woodlands.
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, the biggest in Europe. The industry also produced over 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 20,000-25,000 castles.
3. The first printed book was printed in Germany, a Latin language Bible by Johann Gutenberg.
4. Germany was the first country in the world to adopt Daylight saving time – DST, also known as summertime. This occurred on April 30, 1916, in the midst of WWI.
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 understood that this statement translated to “I am a jelly donut.” Although the word “Berliner” traditionally refers 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 started the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century when Christians started bringing decorated trees into their homes.
7. Germans celebrate the start of school by giving their children sweet-filled cardboard cones known as “Schultüte,” containing sweets, toys, school supplies, etc.
8. Guinness World Records says the world’s narrowest street is in Reutlingen, Germany. It is called Spreuerhofstrasse and is 31cm (one foot) wide at its narrowest point.
9. Germany has used the Euro as its currency since 2002.
10. Germany is the birthplace of 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 at 83,460 square meters (898,400 sq ft).

Language and Literature

1. German is the fifth most 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 has 79 letters. It 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 contributed greatly to art, literature, sports, architecture, cuisine, philosophy, and religion.
6. There are three noun genders in the German language: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
7. There are over 200 German universities that teach study programs in English.

Fun Facts

1. The Germans have a famous 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 original German way of ordering three drinks (initially with beer) is to raise three fingers: the thumb, index, and middle finger.
5. Many public German universities have high-quality education with low or no tuition fees, aside from administrative costs.
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 one of the top countries that consume the most beer.
9. Germany has over 1,500 different kinds of sausage.
10. In Bavaria, beer is called “liquid food” due to its nutrition and importance in the local culture.
11. According to the Central Association of the German Bakery Trade, Germany has 3,200 different types of bread.
12. In 2023, the average unemployment rate in Germany was 5.6 percent. The unemployment rate for those over 25 in Germany is 2.8 percent.
13. 65% of the highways in Germany (Autobahn as Germans call them) have no imposed speed limit; however, they have a recommended speed limit of 130 km/h.
14. Germany has the highest recycling rate in the world, recycling 66.1% of its waste.
15. The Weihenstephan Brewery in Bavaria is the world’s oldest brewery, dating back to 1040.
16. German engineer Karlheinz Brandenburg developed the MP3 audio format.
17. Gummy bears were created by Hans Riegel in 1922. Hans Riegel, from Bonn in Germany, founded the German sweet company Haribo. 
18. You can legally enjoy your first beer at 16 in Germany.