Human development index (HDI), an index based on life expectancy, education and GDP (max. 1)
0.916
World rank in HDI
6
Key economic sectors
Services (69); industry (30.3); agriculture (0.7) (2014)
Leading Companies
Bayer, a chemical and pharmaceutical company (US$102·5bn.); SAP, a software and computer services company (US$98·4bn.); and Siemens, an engineering conglomerate (US$91·8bn.).
Unemployment in 2015
4.5%
Main religious denominations
Roman Catholics (24,171,000); Protestants (23,040,000); Jews (100,437) (2013) The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees estimated there were between 3.8 and 4.3 m Muslims in 2009
Significant minority ethnic groups
Turkish
Political system
A parliamentary federal republic, with a directly elected lower house (Bundestag) and an upper house representing the states. Governments are usually consociational, led by the chancellor.
Electoral system
Mixed member proportional system for the Bundestag; members of the upper house are nominated by the assemblies of the states
Current leaders
Chancellor: Angela Merkel (b. 1954), since Nov 2005 President: Joachim Gauck (b. 1940), since March 2012
Previous leaders:
Chancellors: Gerhard Schröder (1998-2005); Helmut Kohl (1990-1998) Presidents: Christian Wulff (2010-2012); Horst Köhler (2004-2010)
Joined the EU/EC
1957 (founder member)
Commissioner from country in Barroso II College of Commissioners, and portfolio
Gunter Oettinger (Energy)
Number of MEPs
96
Turnout in 2014 EP elections (%)
48·1% (43.3% in 2009)
Member of eurozone
Yes (founder member)
Except where a specific reference is inserted, the sources for this profile are either Neill Nugent’s book itself, or Barry Turner (ed.), The Statesman’s Yearbook Online, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. If your library subscribes, you can gain access at http://www.statesmansyearbook.com
