Germany: General information
Germany has the biggest population of Europe and is the largest country of Central Europe. Its neighboring countrys beginning clockwise from the north are: Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands
- Capital: Berlin
- Total area: 357 021km² (137 847 sq ml)
- Population: 82 200 000
- Population density: 230/km² (596/sq ml)
- Internet TLD: .de
- Calling code: +49
The Federal Republic of Germany consists of 16 federal states (Bundeslaender)
- Baden-Wuerttemberg, area 35 752 km², population 10 739 000, capital: Stuttgart
- Bavaria (Bayern), area 70 552 km², population 12 488 000, capital: Munich (Muenchen)
- Berlin, area 892 km², population 3 395 000 (city state); capital of Germany.
- Brandenburg, area 29 479 km², population 2 559 000, capital: Potsdam
- Bremen, area 404 km², population 663 000 (city state)
- Hamburg, area 755 km², population 1 774 000 (city state)
- Hesse (Hessen), area 21 115 km², population 6 075 000, capital: Wiesbaden
- Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), population 7 900 000, capital: Hanover (Hannover)
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, area 23 180 km², population 1 707 000, capital: Schwerin
- North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen), area 34 085 km², population 18 029 000, capital: Duesseldorf
- Rhineland-Palatinate Rheinland-Pfalz), area 19 853 km², population 4 053 000, capital: Mainz
- Saarland, area 2 569 km², population 1 050 000, capital: Saarbruecken
- Saxony (Sachsen), area 18 416 km², population 4 250 000, capital: Dresden
- Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt), area 20 446 km², population 2 470 000, capital: Magdeburg
- Schleswig-Holstein, area 15 799 km², population 2 833 000, capital: Kiel
- Thuringia (Thueringen), area 16 172 km², population 2 335, capital: Erfurt
Driving information
Speed limits:
- Urban areas 50km/h, Bundesstrassen 100km/h
- Highways (Autobahn) have no speed limit if not otherwise marked, speed limit of 130km ph is recommended
The limit of blood alcoholic concentration in Germany is 0,5 permille BAC
Residents of countrys outside the European Union can use their driving license for six month from date of arrival
Autobahn - Federal motorway
Although there is no general speed limit on a Autobahn there is a recommended speed limit of 130 km/h.
The numbering system for the federal motorways in germany is in use since 1974. All direction signs on a Autobahn are white on blue ground, starting with the capital letter A, followed by a number. The main motorways that are going across germany have a single number, Autobahns of regional importance have two digits and smaller Autobahns 3 digits.
Autobahns with odd numbers go from north to south, Autobahns with even numbers go from west to east.
In 2003 germany had federal motorways with a total length of 11 980 km, third most behind the United States and China
Bundesstrasse - Federal highway
The signs for Bundesstrassen are black digits on yellow grounds, the speed limit is 100 km/h, when the lanes are built as dual carriageway the recommend speed limit is 130 km/h.