Germany

Capital:                  Berlin

Population:           82 424 609

GNP:                       + 2,3% (2007)

Official Language:  German

The Fedeeral Republic of Germany is a federation of 16 countries. Germany is a Memberstate of European Union as well as of NATO. As you know you can meet German tourist nearly in every town.

POLITICS

Germany is a Federative Parliament  Representative Democratic Republic. The essential characteristic of political system of Germany is Federal State Settlement - the state forms (after unification) 13 federal states and 3 free towns with a status of federal country. To the unification of German Democratic Republic and German Federal Republic came in 1989, after „Fall of Iron Curtain“.

GEOGRAPHY

Germany is arranged into three main natural  areas: The Plain of North-Germany - its surface is influenced by former ice-covering. There are here, from this reason, dry sandy hills, covered with heaths (Luneburg heaths southern from Hamburg) which are changing with marshs. The northeastern part is placed with Mecklenburg lake plateau with more than 600 lakes, the biggest is Muritz. German Central Highland - is formed by numerous mountain-ranges, the hills of which are in average 500-100 m high. The biggest is Schwarzwald (Feldberg 1493 m), where the Danube is springing. The other mountain-trails are Harz, Rothaar, Eifel, Rhon, Frankische Alb, Schwabische Alb. The chain of mountains in the West is breaking close and deep valley of  the Rhine river. Near to the Czech border there is situated the Czech Highland - Ore Mountains, Fichtelgebirge and Bohemian Forest.

The Alps - in a narrow belt in the South are interfering to Germany the Northern Limestone Alps. On the border with Austria there is situated the biggest peak of Germany - Zugspitze,

THE NATURE

The German nature countryside - everybody is speaking about the Alps - which are dominating, with its spicy hills and peaks - to the whole Germany.

HEALTH CARE

Since September 2002 there is valid an Agreement between Czech Republic and Germany about Social Care. Czech Policy Holder - Tourist has to obtain - in his own interest - before the journey  in the Agency of Health Assurance the respective Form D/CZ 111 confirming the claim for material duties of medical care in the Czech Republic for the account of this Assurance Agency. On base of the above mentioned Agreement has a person - after presenting of this form on German territory - claim for necessary and urgent health care under the same conditions as the German policy holder. You find more information on web-site www.cmu.cz the centre of international reimbursements (payments) W.Churchill Square 2, 113 59 Prague.

TRANSPORT

We are sure that in Germany you do not meet the problems with transport. As in most European countries there is in Germany very dense railway and bus nest. In bigger towns you can use - outside of buses or trams - the underground. For transport to long distance directions you can take a plane in domestic airplane lines.

PRESS, TV

The Federal Republic of Germany represents one of the biggest medial markets in Europe. According to the statistics are at least 74,8% of German people over 14 years of age reading at least one title (copy) of daily newspaper. The press is influencing especially the middle and older generation, but for Germany is typical - in spite of permanent decrease of readers - quite high share of young readers (49% in a group 14-19 years of age). In 2005 there were issued 359 titles with total issue 21 660 000 and total turnover 8,99 mld EUR. Most popular - from the point of view of readers - is Bild - daily read 11,82 mil. of German citizens. The dailies, diffused all over Germany, are most popular Suddeutsche Zeitung (1 100 000), Frankfurter Allgemeníne Zeitung (900 000) and Die Welt (590 000). As to weeklies - the most popular is Stern (7,84 mil. of readers) Focus (6,26 mil.) and Der Spiegel (6,04 mil). The intelectual weekly Die Zeit keeps the constant readers´base relating to 1,44 mil. of readers. As to the Audio-visual area: the most popular is the TV news - daily „Tagesschau“ of public TV ARD. Within the scope of ARD are active 9 broadcasting and TV country-studios. These are accepted of all Germany round, through cabels or satellite. The public TV is those of ZDF and French-German station ARTE. Some public TV are carrying the further stations - to which belong - for instance - 3 SAT, Phoenix, ZDF Infokanal, ZDF Dokukanal and  ZDF Theaterkanal. On the German market  there are acting many private TV studios, such as RTL, RTL 2, Super RTL, VOX, SAT 1, PRO 7 and Kabel 1, some of which are broadcasting also for Austria and the Switzerland. The stations N 24 and N-TV are active only for the latest news and information.

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