BELGIUM - ECONOMY
Macroeconomic statistics
| 2004 | 2005 | |
| Economic growth | 2,6 % | 1,2 % |
| GDP/inhabitant | 118,4 | 117,5 |
| Inflation rate | 1,9 % | 2,5 % |
| Unemployment rate | 8,4 % | 8,4 % |
| Public debt | 94,7 % in relation |
BELGIUM - BASIC FACTS
Surface area : 30 528 km2 (136th biggest in the world)
North-South 220 km, West-East 260 km
Belgium is a part of West-European region. It is located on the coast of La Manche canal (English Channel) and shares frontiers with Netherlands on the North, with the Germany and Luxembourg on the East, and France on the South. Local Time Zone is GMT + 1 hour(summer + 2 hours).
Inhabitants: 10 millions
GERMANY - TRAVEL AND TOURISM
Germany is a one of the most visited countries in the world. In the year 2007, Germany was visited by about 25 million foreigners. Most foreigners visited European region of Oberbayern, about 5 million people in 2007.
GERMANY - COMMUNICATION
German culture rewards forward thinking and planning - knowing what one will be doing at a specific time of the day.
GERMANY - CULTURE
Cultural Attributes: Germans have a reputation for being industrious, thrifty, and orderly. They have a strong sense of regional pride, a fact that the federal system of government recognizes and accommodates. Most Germans have a strong classical education because of the nation’s rich heritage in music, history and art and they expect others to appreciat that heritage.
GERMANY - POLITICS
Germany is a federal republic. The head of the Federal Republic of Germany is a president. German Federation consists of 13 states and 3 free cities: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Brandeburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedesachsen, Nordhein-Westfalen, Reinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Th?ringen and the three cities are: Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen. In terms of "European regions", Germany has 41 regions (at NUTS2 level). It is a country wirth most European regions. For comparison: Great Britain has 37,France 26, Spain 19, Italy 21 etc.
GERMANY - HISTORY
The history of Germany
100 BC – the germanic tribes came to the territory of contemporary Germany
5th-9th century –The Empire of Franks
772 to 814 king and emperor Charlemagne – Charles the Great – the first emperor of future Holy Roman Empire
GERMANY - ECONOMY
GDP structure: 68,4% services, 30,4% industry, 1,2% agriculture.
Employment structure: 63,8% of German employees work in services, 33,4% work in industry and 2,8% work in agriculture.