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© 2016 Dwellworks
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Discovering Germany
People and Culture
For the majority of German history, the culture has been shaped by intellectual and popular
currents in Europe, both religious and secular. Germany is a modern society, mixing
lifestyles and regional identities.
Demographics
Germany lies in the centre of Europe with a population of about 82 million, of which
approximately 6.7 million are foreigners. The largest foreign communities are from Turkey,
Italy, Poland, Serbia/Montenegro, Greece, and Croatia. Germany not only has the largest
population in Europe (excluding Russia), but is also one of the most densely-populated
countries in Europe, with an estimated average of 220
persons per square kilometer. Some
88% live in cities, but only four cities have a population of more than one million inhabitants:
Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne.
Language
German is spoken by 95% of Germany’s residents, with a variety of international languages
making up the difference. Nearly 64% of Germans speak English as a second language.
Religion
The majority of Germans belong to Christian religious groups, of which, about half are
Protestant and the other half are Catholic.