Updated: March 2009
Germany
Overview | World Vision's history in Germany | World Vision in Germany today
OverviewLocated in Central Europe, the Federal Republic of Germany lies to the south of the Baltic and North Seas and borders Denmark along its northern tip. Seven other European countries—Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands—surround Germany. This cold, rainy country has a low-lying plain in the north, in close proximity to the Baltic Sea. The remainder of the country is defined by mountains and hills. Natural resources include coal, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, salt, timber, and arable land.Germany is the second most populous European nation. Although most inhabitants are ethnic German, an ethnic Danish minority lives in the north, and a small Slavic minority lives in the eastern part of the country. Germany also has some 7 million foreign residents, many of whom are the families and descendents of “guest workers,” mostly from Turkey, who were invited to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to fill widening labor shortages. German is the official language. |  |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Celts are believed to have been the initial inhabitants of what is now Germany. However, at the end of the second century B.C., the Celts were pushed out by Germanic tribes, who eventually destroyed the declining Roman Empire in the fourth and fifth centuries. Between A.D. 962 and the beginning of the 19th century, the German territories were loosely organized into the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, characterized by warring factions. Beginning in 1517 with Martin Luther's posting of his 95 Theses, the German population sustained the brunt of the continent’s strife that resulted from the Reformation. Germany suffered extraordinary human and material losses during two devastating world wars in the first half of the 20th century. With the beginning of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany and the eastern German Democratic Republic. The decline of the U.S.S.R. and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. Today, Germany has Europe’s largest economy with a growth rate of 2.5 percent, spurred by recent economic reform. The country is a member of both the G-8 and the European Union. The German economy is heavily export-oriented, with items such as machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs, and textiles accounting for more than one-third of national output. In its industrial sector, Germany leads the world in the technological production of materials such as iron, steel, and coal. Despite the size of its economy and recent improvements, Germany continues to struggle with high unemployment rates. Germany has one of the world’s highest levels of education. Since the end of World War II, the number of German youths entering universities has more than tripled, and its trade and technical schools are considered to be among the world’s best. Germany’s social welfare system provides for universal medical care, unemployment compensation, and other social needs. Back to top World Vision's history in GermanyWorld Vision opened an office in West Germany in 1979, with the goal of making a positive impact on foreign aid policy and assisting developing countries through child sponsorship programs. Within a short time, more than 20,000 people across Germany made donations to help the world’s poor.German donors have helped World Vision provide medical care, educational opportunities, HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention, disaster relief and rehabilitation, and hunger relief to the world’s poorest children and families. Additional efforts have included the creation of peace-supporting measures and the development of early warning systems for disasters. Back to top World Vision in Germany todayToday, the people of Germany sponsor more than 120,000 children and fund approximately 200 projects in 46 countries.For more information on World Vision’s work in Germany, please contact the United States office. For more information on World Vision’s work in Germany, please contact the United States office. Back to top | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Newsletter Sign-Up
World Vision
Phone: 1-888-511-6548
P.O. Box 9716
Federal,WA 98063-9716
© 2009 World Vision Inc.
- Fraud Alert
- Our Mission
- Trustworthy
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
Accredited Charity
Charity Navigator Your Guide To Intelligent Giving
- Careers
- FAQs