According to abbreviationfinder, Berlin is the capital and at the same time one of the 16 federal states of the Federal Republic of Germany with an area of 892 km 2 and 3.7 million people.
As a city-state, Berlin is located in the middle of Brandenburg. It is the largest and most populous city in Germany in terms of area. The most important political decision-making bodies in the Federal Republic of Germany have their headquarters in Berlin: the Federal Government, the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.
State facts Berlin
| Country facts | |
| Founding: | 1237 (city foundation) |
| Surface: | 892 km 2 |
| Population: | 3.7 million |
| Population density: | 4 109 residents per km 2 |
| Ruling parties: | SPD, Left and Greens |
| Head of Government: | Michael Müller (SPD) |
The governing mayor is also the head of the country and the city. Since 2014 has Michael Müller (* 1964, SPD) held the post.
Attractions, cities and people
Berlin is a green city with numerous parks, meadows and forests. The Tiergarten, a huge park in the middle of Berlin, is very well known. The city is also characterized by water. The rivers Havel and Spree as well as numerous lakes, navigable canals and bridges shape the cityscape.
In the western as well as in the eastern part of the city there are theaters, libraries, museums and other cultural institutions. The cityscape is particularly determined by the monuments that survived the Second World War relatively unscathed or were restored: Brandenburg Gate, Charlottenburg Palace, Reichstag, radio tower, Olympic Stadium and Museum Island (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000). In addition, the redesigned Alexanderplatz, the street »Unter den Linden«, the Neue Nationalgalerie, the Neue Wache (central memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany since 1993), the Philharmonie, the Red Town Hall and the ruins of the Memorial Church stand out.
Potsdamer Platz with its imposing skyscrapers is the epitome of modern Berlin. The former Berlin City Palace was rebuilt and opened in 2020. The building houses the Humboldt Forum, a place of art, culture and science named after the research brothers Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt .
Berlin is a booming metropolis with strong population growth. The city attracts people from all cultures and countries in the world.
Industry and economy
Numerous companies from all over Germany, associations, clubs and other institutions have their headquarters in the capital. Berlin is a magnet for young companies, especially start-ups in the technology sector. The service sector, including restaurants and hotels, is of particular economic importance for the city. Tourism is an important economic factor. Berlin is a popular travel destination for people from Germany and abroad.
Berlin has three universities (Free University, Technical University and Humboldt University) as well as several universities, academies and research institutes. It is an important congress and trade fair city as well as an important transport hub with several long-distance train stations, Berlin Brandenburg Airport and canal connections to the North and Baltic Seas. Berlin is completely surrounded by a motorway ring into which several motorways leading to Berlin flow.
History
The city of Berlin began in the High Middle Ages. The settlements of Cölln (on the Spree island) and Berlin (on the right bank of the Spree) were built around the castles Köpenick and Spandau in the 12th and 13th centuries. In the late Middle Ages, Cölln and Berlin grew together to form the twin cities of Berlin-Cölln, which had been the permanent residence of the Electors of Brandenburg since the end of the 15th century. In 1709 Berlin-Cölln was united with other places by King Friedrich I of Prussia to form the residential city of Berlin. From 1871 to 1945 Berlin was the capital of the German Empire.
After severe destruction in World War II, the city was divided into four sectors in 1945 and placed under the control of the four victorious powers Soviet Union, USA, Great Britain and France. During the Soviet closure of land and waterways (Berlin Blockade) from June 1948 to May 1949, Berlin was supplied by air. During the blockade, the division in West Berlin and East Berlin took place. After the founding of the GDR in 1949, East Berlin became its capital, and West Berlin after the constitution of 1950 became the country of the Federal Republic of Germany, but due to the reservations of the three western allies without voting rights in the Bundestag and Bundesrat. The capital city function continued until 1990 Bonn.
To stop the flow of refugees from the GDR and East Berlin, the GDR government began building the Berlin Wall on August 13, 1961. In 1971 the four occupying powers confirmed their joint responsibility and their rights for Berlin in the Four Power Agreement.
After the reunification of the two German states on October 3, 1990, the whole of Berlin became the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany and a federal state again. The Allies gave up their control rights. Berlin has been the official seat of the Federal President since 1994. The move of government and parliament followed in 1999. A unification of the federal states of Berlin and Brandenburg was rejected by a majority in a 1996 referendum.
There is hardly any other city where German history can be experienced so closely as in Berlin.
