Geography
Germany is located on the territory of the Central European Plain. In addition, it includes all the East Frisian and part of the North Frisian Islands, the island of Helgoland in the North Sea, as well as the islands of Fehmarn, Rügen and Hudensee, Usedom and several small islands in the Baltic Sea. See Germany abbreviations.
Germany is washed by the Baltic and North Seas.
The southern borders separate Germany from Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland, the western and northwestern borders from Belgium, Denmark, France and Holland, the eastern and southeastern borders from the Czech Republic and Poland.
The capital and largest city of the country is Berlin.
The area of Germany is 357 thousand square meters. km. The landscape of the country is very diverse, rising from north to south and defining differences in soil cover, climate and the formation of the river network.
The north of Germany is occupied by the North German Plain, the formation of which dates back to the Ice Age (the lowest point is the Neuendorf-Saxenbande in Wilstermarsh, 3.54 m below sea level). Further south are the Mid-German mid-altitude mountains and uplands. The central part of the country is covered by the forested South-Western German Highlands and the South German Pre-Alpine Plateau. In the very south of the country, the Bavarian Alps begin – the advanced ranges of the Eastern Alps.
The highest point in Germany is the Sügspitze, which is 2962 meters high. Also among the high mountains of the country, the Jura and Black Forest mountains, Taunus and Spessart, Fichtelgerbirg, as well as the low Eifel and Gunsrück should be noted.
The river network of Germany is very extensive and branched. The most significant rivers can be considered Rhine, Danube, Elbe, Weser and Oder. Canals were also built between the rivers, the most famous of which – Kiel – runs from the Kiel Bay in the Baltic Sea to the mouth of the Elbe River.
Numerous lakes in Germany are also known. The largest is Lake Constance with an area of 540 sq. km and a depth of 250 m. In addition to it, one can distinguish the lakes Ammer, Walchen, Chiemsee, Müritz, Tegernsee and others.
Climate
According to 800zipcodes, the country is located in a temperate climate zone, so natural disasters such as storms, very strong heat or frost are extremely rare here. In the north, the climate is maritime, the rest of the territory belongs to the transitional climate from maritime to continental.
Low pressure, as a rule, excludes severe frosts in winter. On average, the temperature in the coldest month – January – does not fall below -3… +2 °C. Cooler only in mountainous areas. In summer (the warmest month is July), the average air temperature is about +16 C… +20 °C.
Precipitation is more abundant in the southern regions (up to 2000 mm per year), in the northern regions it is less – about 710 mm per year. Precipitation mainly falls in autumn and winter, more often in the form of rain. Snow is a rarity.
Beach resorts: Bavaria, German Baltic coast (Timmendorfer Strand), Warnemünde;
Ski resorts: Berchtesgaden, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Oberstdorf, Reit im Winkl;
Medical resorts: Baden-Baden, Bad Kissingen, Bad Reichenhall;
Major cities: Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Magdeburg, Munich, Rostock, Frankfurt, Schwerin, Stuttgart
German cuisine
The national cuisine of Germany combines the culinary traditions of all the peoples of the country. Cuisine features may vary by region. Bavaria and Swabia are regions with a large number of original dishes.
The most popular products in Germany are traditionally considered meat (pork, beef), vegetables (potatoes, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, onions, legumes), flour products (bread, pastries), eggs, fish. Seasonings in national cuisine are used quite sparingly.
German cuisine dishes
- Meat dishes. German cuisine is characterized by an abundance of meat dishes. Especially in the country, various types of sausages are popular, of which there are about 1500. Sausages, sausages, sausages (“bratwurst”) are actively used to create snacks, first and second courses. Among them, it is worth noting a special variety of Bavarian white sausages “weisswurst”, which is known throughout the world, as well as sausages with curry sauce.
Among the first courses with the addition of sausages, potato soup with sausages, pea soup with sausage, Berlin hearty eintopf soup are distinguished. Among the second courses, sausages with stewed sauerkraut – “sauerkraut” are very popular.
Be careful, raw minced meat products (blood sausage, schnitzels, pork knuckle, etc.) are difficult for an unprepared body to assimilate.
- Vegetable dishes are good as a side dish. Of these, sauerkraut is called the national dish.
- Flour products. In Germany, different types of bread are baked, mainly from rye and wheat flour, pasta is made. Baking pies and strudels with various fillings (apple, cherry, cottage cheese and others) is a long-standing culinary tradition of the country. In addition, among the desserts, it is worth noting the famous Christmas cakes.
- Egg dishes. Among them are baked, stuffed eggs, scrambled eggs with cheese, tomatoes, smoked herring, scrambled eggs with potatoes, herbs.
Of the soft drinks in Germany, coffee is the most common. Wine is popular among alcohol, well-known varieties of white wine – Riesling, Sylvaner.
German beer
The most popular alcoholic drink in Germany is beer. One of the most famous beer festivals, Oktoberfest, takes place in Bavaria, a region that produces many different types of beer.
Often in the country they buy beer of the Pilsner brand, once purchased from the Czechs. The popular brands “Warsteiner”, “Konig”, “Bitburger”, “Korlsberg” and “Krombacher” are produced using first-class technologies. “DAB” is the brand of the country’s most beer city – Dortmund. It is worth trying the varieties of the so-called “old beer”: “Schlosser Alt”, “Gatzweilers”, “Hannen Alt”. Of the unusual varieties, the “smoked” beer “Rauchbier” should be noted, and the strongest German beer (13.5% alcohol) is considered “EKU 28”.
