Germany, Federal Republic of

C

Natural Resources

Germany has large-scale deposits of several minerals. The most important is bituminous coal, which is found mainly in the Ruhr region and in the Saarland, although German industry has depleted much of the supply. The east produces large amounts of lignite, a low-quality coal. Potash is abundant in the south-west, around Freiburg, and petroleum and natural-gas deposits occur in the north, near the mouths of the Ems and Weser rivers and east of Kiel. Germany also has large deposits of rock salt, plus relatively small quantities of mercury, silver, sulphur, and lead, uranium, and zinc ores.

D

Plants and Animals

About 30 per cent of Germany is made up of woodland, most of which is in the southern half of the country. Approximately two thirds of the woodland is composed of pines and other conifers, and the rest is made up of deciduous species such as beech, birch, oak, and walnut. Vineyards cover many of the hillsides in the south-west and along the Rhine, Mosel, and Main rivers. Western Germany is noted for its orchards. A great variety of mosses and flowering plants also exists.

Germany has a small variety of wildlife. The more common mammals include deer, wild boar, hares, weasels, badgers, wolves, and foxes. Among the few reptiles is one poisonous snake, the adder. Finches, geese, and other migratory birds cross the country in great numbers. Herring, cod, and flounder are found in the coastal waters of the North Sea and Baltic Sea, while carp, catfish, and trout inhabit the country’s rivers and streams.

E

Environmental Concerns

Economic activity in western Germany is modern and efficient, but development in the east has long been based on heavy industry, which very frequently used outdated technology that produced much pollution. Total emissions of most pollutants are higher in the west, but per capita emissions are often higher in the east and are likely to rise further. Sulphur emissions in eastern Germany are currently five times greater than those in the west of the country, and they contribute to a significant amount of acid rain, the effects of which are often felt in neighbouring countries. Decreased emissions can be expected as European and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Sulphur Protocols are implemented. In 1996 the eastern part of the country implemented domestic regulations. Raw sewage and industrial effluents in rivers of eastern Germany pollute the Baltic Sea. National regulations have led to greater public participation in recycling programmes in western Germany, but problems have occurred with stockpiles and depressed markets for recycled products.

III

Population

The people of Germany consist mostly of two groupings of the Caucasoid race. The predominant Alpine type is concentrated in the central and southern regions; people of the Teutonic grouping live principally in the north. Of ethnic minorities, some 2.3 per cent of the population is Turkish.

A

Population Characteristics

The population of Germany is 82,400,996 (2007 estimate), giving the country an overall population density of about 236 people per sq km (611 people per sq mi). Population densities in the former East Germany are generally lower than in western Germany. The nation is highly urbanized, with approximately 88 per cent of the people living in urban areas.