Most populous country in Europe

Germany is the most populous country in Europe (not counting Russia) making up almost 10 percent of the European population.

Bundesrepublik - Federal Republic of Germany

Germany is made up by sixteen states collectively referred to as “Länder”. The three largest have over 10 million inhabitants each:

• North Rhine-Westphalia: 17.9 million
• Bavaria: 12.8 million
• Baden-Württemberg: 10.9 million

Very low German fertility

The German fertility rate is 1.5 children per woman which is well below the rate of 2.1 to maintain a stable population (not counting immigration). The low fertility rate is, of course, the main reason for the expected decline in the German population. In 1911, the population of Germany was 63.5 million people. By 2100, the population will be about the same having peaked at around 82.7 million people in 2017.

An old population

The life expectancy is 80.7 years - 78.2 for men and 83.1 for women - and the median age is 47.1 years which is one of the highest in the world.

Main cities of Germany

Germany has four cities with over a million people:

• Berlin: 3.7 million people
• Hamburg: 1.8 million
• Munich: 1.5 million
• Cologne: 1.1 million

4th largest economy in the world - but going down

Germany is the fourth largest economy in the world after the US, China and Japan. By 2050, Germany is expected to have dropped to the 7th largest economy in the world having been overtaken by India, Indonesia, and Brazil. The German population has the 17th highest purchasing power in the world.

How does Germany make its money?

The main industries of Germany include iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, electronics, and automobiles. The main export goods are cars, electronics and machinery (including parts).

Environmental Footprint of Germany

The German population has an average global footprint of 5.1 global hectares per person meaning we would need almost three planets if everyone on Earth consumed at the same level. Put another way, the Earth’s biocapacity in terms of natural resources and ability to absorb waste would be exhausted by 2 May if everyone consumed like the average German consumer.