FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):
Destination Germany
How well do you know your future destination? What do you think about when you think of Berlin?
Some facts about Germany
Official name: Federal Republic of Germany
Capital: Berlin
Size: 357.376 km²
Population: 80,8 million
Government type: federal republic
National day: October 3rd, Day of German Unity
Language: German
Population density: 226,5 per km²
Currency: Euro, 1€ = 100 cent
Time difference: GMT +1
Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz
System of measurement: metric
Some facts about Berlin
Size: 892 km²
Population: 3.5 million
Largest lake: Großer Müggelsee 743,3 ha
Longest river: Spree 45,1 km
Woodland area: 16.364 ha
Expanse of water: 5.967 ha
Highest building: TV tower, 368m
Schools: 798
Universities: 39
All these facts are very impressive, but there is so much more to learn about your future home. Do you know that
• Germany was the first country in the world to adopt Daylight saving time (DST)? The summer time was introduced in April 1916 during the First World War to conserve energy.
• Germany is know as the „land of poets and thinkers“? Goethe, Schiller, Kleist or Heine were native German, just as some of the world’s famos philosophers like Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer or Nietzsche. And don’t forget the world of classical music with composers like Bach, Beethoven, Händel, Brahms, Wagner or R. Strauß.
• Fanta was invented in Germany during the Second World War? Due to a trade embargo it was not possible to import Coca-Cola syrup into Germany. As an „emergency solution“ the local head of the company created a domestic product, using available products like whey and apple pomace. Now Fanta is the second oldest brand of the Coca-Cola company and the second most popular drink outside the US.
• more than 7 million Currywurst are eaten each year in Berlin? The „Berlin specialty“ was invented in 1949 in Charlottenburg, a quarter of Berlin. Today you can find a small plaque at the original place of Herta Heuwer’s takeaway and there is even a museum dedicated to the cult snack.
• the capital city of Germany changed seven times? For a certain period the following cities have all been the capital of Germany: Aachen, Regensburg, Frankfurt am Main, Nürnberg, Berlin, Weimar, Bonn/East Berlin and since 1990 again Berlin.
• Berlin’s „Zoologischer Garten“ is the largest zoo in the world? On an area of 33 ha you can find 18.600 animals from 1400 species, some of them threatened with extinction.
• Berlin has more bridges than Venice? In Berlin nearly 2100 bridges cross roads, motorways, railways and waterways – these are more bridges than Venice and Amsterdam together.
• Berlin is one of the most interesting cities for start ups in the world? Over the last three years more than twice as many companies were founded compared to 2012. In 2016 around 620 startups chose Berlin as the company’s headquarter.
These examples show only some aspects of your new destination. Look forward to your time in Germany and discover the openness and versatility of Berlin.
© Petra Bork / pixelio.de
