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Capital: Berlin

Population: 82,431,390 (July 2005 est.)

Languages: German

Religions: Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Currency: euro (EUR)

Timezone: GMT+1

Located in central Europe, Germany has borders with nine countries. Since 1990 it has consisted of the unified former western Federal Republic of Germany and the eastern German Democratic Republic. Reunification has presented the country with major challenges.

Germany has a wide variety of rural and urban landscapes, including big modern cities, charming historical villages and small towns, mountains, forests and lakes, upland plains and lush farmlands. There are five distinct geographical regions: the North German Plain, Central Uplands, south-western terraces, the foothills of the Alps in the south and the scenic region of the Bavarian Alps. To the east of the country is a densely forested area, while the terraces of the southwest include the upper Rhine Valley. The country is divided into 16 states, each possessing its own dialect, traditions and architectural styles.