Germany, Federal Republic of (in German, Bundesrepublik Deutschland), nation in central Europe, bordered on the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; on the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; on the south by Austria and Switzerland; and on the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. For much of German history, Germany was a geographical term for an area occupied by many states. A unified nation for 74 years (1871-1945), it was separated after World War II into the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; commonly known as West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR; commonly known as East Germany). On October 3, 1990, East Germany, or the GDR, became part of the FRG, and Germany once again became a unified nation. It has an area of 356,959 sq km (137,823 sq mi). Berlin is Germany's capital and largest city.

Population
	83,536,115
	(1996 estimate)
Population Density
	234 people/sq km
	(606 people/sq mi)
	(1996 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
	85% Urban
	15% Rural
Largest Cities
	Berlin 3,477,900
	Hamburg 1,703,800 
	Munich 1,251,100
	Cologne 963,300 
	Frankfurt 656,200
	(1994 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
	96% German
	4%  Other
	including Turks, Poles, Italians, and Yugoslavs
Languages
Official Language
	German
	Other Languages
	Sorbian, other minority languages
Religions
	35% Protestantism
mainly Lutheranism
	34% Roman Catholicism
	2%  Islam
	29% Other
	including Judaism