Map of Germany
Germany is a country in Europe with its capital at Berlin, home to about 83.49 million people across 357,588 km². The interactive map below plots 58 cities and towns, 9 rivers, 3 lakes, 5 mountain summits and 34 ports recorded for Germany in YearMaps.
- Population
- 83.49 million
- Area
- 357,588 km²
- Capital
- Berlin
- Continent
- Europe
Interactive Map of Germany
Centred on Berlin at 52.5238° N, 13.3996° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Western and Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north with the Alps to the south. Its 16 constituent states have a total population of over 83 million, making it the most populous member state of the European Union (EU). Germany borders Denmark to the north; Poland and the Czech Republic to the east; Austria and Switzerland to the south; and France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands to the west. The nation's capital and most populous city is Berlin and its main financial centre is Frankfurt; the largest urban area is the Ruhr.
Settlement in the territory of modern Germany began in the Lower Paleolithic, with various tribes inhabiting it from the Neolithic onward, chiefly the Celts, and Germanic tribes inhabiting the north. Romans named the area Germania. In 962, the Kingdom of Germany formed the bulk of the Holy Roman Empire. During the 16th century, northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation. Following the Napoleonic Wars and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the German Confederation was formed in 1815.
Unification of Germany into the modern nation-state, led by Prussia, established the German Empire in 1871. After World War I and a revolution, the Empire was replaced by the Weimar Republic. The Nazi rise to power in 1933 led to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship, World War II, and the Holocaust. In 1949, after the war and Allied occupation, Germany was organised into two separate polities with limited sovereignty: the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), or West Germany, and the German Democratic Republic (GDR), or East Germany. The FRG was a founding member of the European Economic Community, while the GDR was a communist Eastern Bloc state and a founding member of the Warsaw Pact. After the fall of the communist-led government in East Germany, German reunification saw the former East German states join the FRG on 3 October 1990. Germany regained its full sovereignty on 15 March 1991.
Germany is a developed country with a strong economy, the largest in Europe by nominal GDP. As a major force in several industrial, scientific and technological sectors, Germany is both the world's third-largest exporter and third-largest importer. Widely considered a great power, Germany is part of multiple international organisations and forums. It has the third-highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites: 55, of which 52 are cultural.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Germany (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Germany
As Europe's largest economy and second most-populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating world wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key western economic and security organizations, including the EC (now the EU) and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War allowed German reunification to occur in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.
- Location
- Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark.
- Climate
- Temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind.
- Terrain
- Lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south.
- Highest point
- Zugspitze 2,963 m.
- Lowest point
- Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.5 m.
- Coastline
- 2,389 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 3,694 km; border countries: Austria 801 km; Belgium 133 km; Czechia 704 km; Denmark 140 km; France 418 km; Luxembourg 128 km; Netherlands 575 km; Poland 447 km; Switzerland 348 km.
- Major rivers
- Donau (Danube) river source (shared with Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Elbe river mouth (shared with Czechia [s]) - 1,252 km; Rhein (Rhine) (shared with Switzerland [s], France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth.
- Major lakes
- Fresh water lake(s): Lake Constance (shared with Switzerland and Austria) - 540 sq km; salt water lake(s): Stettiner Haff/Zalew Szczecinski (shared with Poland) - 900 sq km.
- Natural resources
- Coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 47.5% (2023 est.); arable land: 33.4% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 13.5% (2023 est.); forest: 32.8% (2023 est.); other: 15% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Flooding.
- Geographic note
- Strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea; most major rivers in Germany -- the Rhine, Weser, Oder, Elbe -- flow northward; the Danube, which originates in the Black Forest, flows eastward.
- Languages
- German (official); note - Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages.
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 24.8%, Protestant 22.6%, Muslim 3.7%, other 5.1%, none 43.8% (2022 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- German 85.4%, Turkish 1.8%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Syrian 1.1%, Romanian 1%, Poland 1%, other/stateless/unspecified 8.3% (2022 est.)
- Economy
- Leading export-driven, core EU and eurozone economy; key automotive, chemical, engineering, finance, and green energy industries; growth stalled by energy crisis and declining exports; tight labor market with falling working-age population; fiscal rebalancing with phaseout of energy price supports.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Germany in Numbers
- Population
- 83.49 million
- GDP
- US$5.05 trillion
- GDP per person
- US$60,496
- Life expectancy
- 80.8 years
- Population growth
- -0.03% a year
- Population density
- 239 per km²
- Urban population
- 82.1%
- Surface area
- 357,680 km²
- Forest cover
- 32.8%
- Arable land
- 33.4%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 93.5%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Germany in Depth
History
Ancient humans were present in Germany at least 600,000 years ago. The first non-modern human fossil (the Neanderthal) was discovered in the Neander Valley. Similarly dated evidence of modern humans has been found in the Swabian Jura, including 42,000-year-old flutes which are the oldest musical instruments ever found, the 40,000-year-old Lion-man, and the 41,000-year-old Venus of Hohle Fels.
From southern Scandinavia and northern Germany, the Germanic peoples expanded south, east, and west, coming into contact with the Celtic, Iranian, Baltic, and Slavic tribes. Southern Germany was inhabited by Celtic-speaking peoples, who belonged to the wider La Tène culture. They were later assimilated by the Germanic conquerors.
Geography
Germany is the seventh-largest country in Europe. It borders Denmark to the north; Poland and the Czech Republic to the east; Austria and Switzerland to the south; and France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands to the west. Germany is also bordered by the North Sea (Nordsee) in the northwest and the Baltic Sea (Ostsee) in the northeast. German territory covers 357,022 km2 (137,847 sq mi). Elevation ranges from the mountains of the Alps (with the highest point being the Zugspitze at 2,963 metres or 9,721 feet) in the south to the shores of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
Economy
Germany has a social market economy with a highly skilled labour force, a low level of corruption, and a high level of innovation. It is the largest economy in Europe by nominal GDP, as well as the world's third-largest by nominal GDP and sixth-largest by PPP-adjusted GDP. Its PPP-adjusted GDP per capita amounted to 115% of the EU average in 2024. The country's service sector contributes approximately 72% of the total GDP, the industrial sector 27%—with Germany having the largest manufacturing output in Europe—and its agricultural sector 1%, as of 2023. The unemployment rate published by Eurostat amounts to 3.2% as of January 2020, which is the fourth-lowest in the EU.
Germany is part of the European single market which represents more than 450 million consumers.
Demographics
With a population of 84.7 million according to the 2023 German census, Germany is the most populous member state of the European Union, the second-most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the nineteenth-most populous country in the world. Its population density stands at 236 inhabitants per square kilometre (610 inhabitants/mi2). The fertility rate of 1.36 children born per woman (2024 estimates) is below the replacement rate of 2.1, but slightly above the EU average of 1.34. Since the 1970s, Germany's death rate has exceeded its birth rate. However, the country is witnessing increased birth and migration rates since the early 2010s.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Germany (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Germany: Key Facts
| Official language | German |
|---|---|
| Head of state | Frank-Walter Steinmeier |
| Head of government | Friedrich Merz |
| Form of government | federal parliamentary republic |
| Calling code | +49 |
| Internet domain | .de |
| Highest point | Zugspitze |
| Lowest point | Neuendorf-Sachsenbande |
| Established | 23 May 1949 |
Facts from Wikidata Q183 (CC0).
History of Germany: Empires and States
The atlas records 67 polities whose mapped territory included part of Germany, from Roman Republic in 50 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Roman Republic | 50–32 BCE | A small part |
| The Roman Empire | 31 BCE – 475 CE | Most |
| Ripuarian Franks | 238–509 CE | A small part |
| Gallic Empire | 261–282 CE | A small part |
| Western Roman Empire | 395–475 CE | A small part |
| Saxons | 455–799 CE | A small part |
| Merovingian Empire | 462–717 CE | A large part |
| Kingdom of Alamannia | 462–731 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of the Franks | 462–849 CE | Most |
| Thuringian states | 469–475 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Thuringia | 476–533 CE | A small part |
| Lombards | 490–499 CE | A small part |
| Ostrogoths | 490–499 CE | A small part |
| Salian Franks | 500–509 CE | A small part |
| Ostrogothic Kingdom | 500–539 CE | A small part |
| Bavarians | 540–787 CE | A small part |
| Duchy of Thuringia | 567–723 CE | A small part |
| Frisia Kingdom | 612–717 CE | A small part |
| Carolingian Empire | 718–925 CE | Most |
| Obotrites | 793–946 CE | A small part |
| Middle Franks | 850–899 CE | A small part |
| East Franks | 850–910 CE | Most |
| Lower Burgundy | 860–869 CE | A small part |
| Great Moravia | 875–895 CE | A small part |
| West Franks | 876–925 CE | Most |
| Kingdom of Germany | 911–961 CE | Nearly all |
| The Holy Roman Empire | 922–1805 CE | Nearly all |
| Kingdom of Poland | 1003–1009 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Denmark | 1169–1332 CE | A small part |
| Vassalage of Kingdom of Bohemia to Holy Roman Empire | 1202–1452 CE | Nearly all |
| Margraviate of Brandenburg | 1260–1414 CE | A small part |
| House of Ascania | 1260–1486 CE | A small part |
| Duchy of Bavaria | 1260–1805 CE | A small part |
| Holy Roman Empire Minor States | 1260–1805 CE | Most |
| Kingdom of Bohemia | 1375–1384 CE | A small part |
| Vassalage of Electorate of Brandenburg to Holy Roman Empire | 1422–1458 CE | Nearly all |
| Electorate of Brandenburg | 1422–1618 CE | A small part |
| Electorate of Saxony | 1487–1805 CE | A small part |
| Denmark-Norway | 1526–1863 CE | A small part |
| Habsburg Monarchy | 1556–1802 CE | A small part |
| Brandenburg-Prussia | 1619–1717 CE | A small part |
| Swedish Empire | 1632–1712 CE | A large part |
| Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth | 1700–1756 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Prussia | 1702–1806 CE | A large part |
| Electorate of Hanover | 1709–1802 CE | A small part |
Also recorded: Kingdom of France, The French Colonial Empire, Kingdom of Hanover, First French Empire, Grand Duchy of Berg, Duchy of Nassau, Grand Duchy of Hesse, Grand Duchy of Baden, Kingdom of Bavaria, Kingdom of Saxony, Confederation of the Rhine, German Confederation, The British Empire, Kingdom of Great Britain, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, German Empire, Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, United States of America, West Germany, German Democratic Republic, Reunified Germany.
Historical Maps of Germany
Germany on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Germany
Germany (German: Deutschland) is the largest country in Central Europe. It is known for its rich cultural heritage, innovative inventions, its old-world charm and Gemütlichkeit (cosiness). Discard any perceptions of Germany as being homogeneous; a country of surprising regional diversity awaits your presence. Many tourists visit Germany to experience European history and the diverse German landscape. German culture, outdoor activities, German holidays and festivities, the countryside and rural areas, and the German cities are identified as being big draws for visitors.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Germany (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Germany
58 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berlin | 3.41 million | Berlin | National capital |
| 2 | Stuttgart | 2.94 million | Baden-Württemberg | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Frankfurt | 2.90 million | Hessen | Populated place |
| 4 | Mannheim | 2.36 million | Baden-Württemberg | Populated place |
| 5 | Hamburg | 1.76 million | Hamburg | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Essen | 1.74 million | Nordrhein-Westfalen | Populated place |
| 7 | Duisburg | 1.28 million | Nordrhein-Westfalen | Populated place |
| 8 | Munich | 1.27 million | Bayern | Admin-1 capital |
| 9 | Düsseldorf | 1.22 million | Nordrhein-Westfalen | Admin-1 capital |
| 10 | Cologne | 1.00 million | Nordrhein-Westfalen | Populated place |
| 11 | Wuppertal | 776,525 | Nordrhein-Westfalen | Populated place |
| 12 | Saarbrücken | 770,001 | Saarland | Admin-1 capital |
| 13 | Nürnberg | 737,304 | Bayern | Populated place |
| 14 | Bremen | 724,909 | Bremen | Admin-1 capital |
| 15 | Hannover | 722,490 | Niedersachsen | Admin-1 capital |
| 16 | Bonn | 680,543 | Nordrhein-Westfalen | Populated place |
| 17 | Dresden | 617,515 | Sachsen | Admin-1 capital |
| 18 | Wiesbaden | 617,126 | Hessen | Admin-1 capital |
| 19 | Dortmund | 588,462 | Nordrhein-Westfalen | Populated place |
| 20 | Leipzig | 542,529 | Sachsen | Populated place |
| 21 | Heidelberg | 426,590 | Baden-Württemberg | Populated place |
| 22 | Karlsruhe | 377,487 | Baden-Württemberg | Populated place |
| 23 | Augsburg | 358,989 | Bayern | Populated place |
| 24 | Bielefeld | 331,906 | Nordrhein-Westfalen | Populated place |
| 25 | Koblenz | 312,633 | Rheinland-Pfalz | Populated place |
The other 33 (population, region, role)
- Chemnitz · 302,643 · Sachsen · Populated place
- Kassel · 289,924 · Hessen · Populated place
- Münster · 270,184 · Nordrhein-Westfalen · Populated place
- Kiel · 269,427 · Schleswig-Holstein · Admin-1 capital
- Freiburg · 254,889 · Baden-Württemberg · Populated place
- Braunschweig · 244,715 · Niedersachsen · Populated place
- Fürth · 237,844 · Bayern · Populated place
- Lübeck · 235,390 · Schleswig-Holstein · Populated place
- Osnabrück · 231,268 · Niedersachsen · Populated place
- Magdeburg · 229,826 · Sachsen-Anhalt · Admin-1 capital
- Potsdam · 218,095 · Brandenburg · Admin-1 capital
- Erfurt · 203,254 · Thüringen · Admin-1 capital
- Rostock · 203,080 · Mecklenburg-Vorpommern · Populated place
- Mainz · 184,997 · Rheinland-Pfalz · Admin-1 capital
- Ulm · 172,955 · Baden-Württemberg · Populated place
- Würzburg · 168,561 · Bayern · Populated place
- Oldenburg · 167,458 · Niedersachsen · Populated place
- Regensburg · 164,359 · Bayern · Populated place
- Ingolstadt · 163,325 · Bayern · Populated place
- Göttingen · 139,419 · Niedersachsen · Populated place
- Bremerhaven · 137,751 · Bremen · Populated place
- Cottbus · 105,067 · Brandenburg · Populated place
- Jena · 104,712 · Thüringen · Populated place
- Gera · 104,659 · Thüringen · Populated place
- Flensburg · 97,930 · Schleswig-Holstein · Populated place
- Schwerin · 96,641 · Mecklenburg-Vorpommern · Admin-1 capital
- Rosenheim · 92,809 · Bayern · Populated place
- Gießen · 82,358 · Hessen · Populated place
- Stralsund · 61,368 · Mecklenburg-Vorpommern · Populated place
- Coburg · 61,054 · Bayern · Populated place
- Hof · 56,153 · Bayern · Populated place
- Emden · 51,526 · Niedersachsen · Populated place
- Passau · 50,560 · Bayern · Populated place
Highest Mountains in Germany
5 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zugspitze | 2,963 m | 9,721 ft | Europe |
| 2 | Feldberg | 1,493 m | 4,898 ft | Europe |
| 3 | Brocken | 1,141 m | 3,743 ft | Europe |
| 4 | Hohe Acht | 747 m | 2,451 ft | Europe |
| 5 | Vaalserberg | 321 m | 1,053 ft | Europe |
Largest Lakes in Germany
3 lakes recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Constance (Bodensee) | 295 km² | Alpine Lake |
| 2 | Mritz | 105 km² | Lake |
| 3 | Schweriner See | 56 km² | Lake |
Lake Constance (Bodensee)
Alpine Lake · 295 km²
Lake Constance (Bodensee) is a alpine lake in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, with a mapped surface area of about 295 km². About 20% of its surface lies in Germany, and the rest in Switzerland and Austria. Central Europe's third largest lake, situated on the Rhine River..
Lake Constance (German: Bodensee, pronounced [ˈboːdn̩zeː] ) refers to three bodies of water on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps: Upper Lake Constance (Obersee), Lower Lake Constance (Untersee), and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein (lit. 'Rhine of the lake(s)'). These water bodies lie within the Lake Constance Basin (Bodenseebecken) in the Alpine Foreland through which the Rhine flows. The nearby Mindelsee is not considered part of Lake Constance.
The lake is situated where Germany, Switzerland, and Austria meet. Its shorelines lie in the German states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria; the Swiss cantons of St. Gallen, Thurgau, and Schaffhausen; and the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. The actual locations of the country borders within the lake are disputed, with Austria, Germany and Switzerland all holding different opinions on the matter.
The Alpine Rhine forms, in its original course (Alter Rhein), the Austro-Swiss border and flows into the lake from the south. The High Rhine flows westbound out of the lake and forms (with the exception of the Canton of Schaffhausen, Rafzerfeld and Basel-Stadt) the German-Swiss border as far as to the city of Basel.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Lake Constance (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Surface area
- 295 km²
- Area rank
- #416 of 756 indexed
- Type
- Alpine Lake
- Countries
- Switzerland, Germany, Austria
- Coordinates
- 47.6375°, 9.2024°
Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Lake Constance (Bodensee) ranks #416 by surface area, after Lake Cheshi (298 km²) and ahead of Virihaure (294 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.
- Other water nearby:
- Schweriner See (56 km²)
More about Lake Constance (Bodensee)
Geography
Lake Constance is located in the foothills of the Alps. The shore length of both main lakes is 273 kilometres (170 mi) long. Of this, 173 kilometres (107 mi) are located in Germany (Baden-Württemberg 155 kilometres or 96 miles, Bavaria 18 kilometres or 11 miles), 28 kilometres (17 mi) run through Austria and 72 kilometres (45 mi) through Switzerland. If the upper and lower lakes are combined, Lake Constance has a total area of 536 km2 (207 sq mi), the third largest lake in Central Europe by area after Lake Balaton (594 km2 or 229 sq mi) and Lake Geneva (580 km2 or 220 sq mi).
History
Lake Constance was formed by the Rhine Glacier during the Quaternary glaciation ice age and is a Zungenbecken or Tongue lake. After the end of the last glacial period, about 10,000 years ago, the Obersee and Untersee still formed a single lake. The downward erosion of the High Rhine caused the lake level to gradually sink and a sill, the Konstanzer Schwelle, to emerge.
The Rhine, the Bregenzer Ach, and the Dornbirner Ach carry sediments from the Alps to the lake, thus gradually decreasing the depth and reducing the extension of the lake in the southeast.
In antiquity, the two lakes had different names; later, for reasons which are unknown, they came to have the same name.
In the 19th century, there were five different local time zones around Lake Constance.
Ecology
Until the 19th century, Lake Constance was a natural lake. Since then, nature has been heavily influenced by clearing and the cultivation of much of the land around its shores. However, some near-natural areas have been largely conserved, especially in the nature reserves, or were re-naturalised. As a result, the Lake Constance region has some unusual ecological features. These include the large forested area on the Bodanrück, the occurrence of marsh gentian and orchids of the genera Dactylorhiza and Orchis in the Wollmatinger Ried, and the Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) in the Eriskircher Ried, which was therefore given its own name.
Description
Lake Constance is located along the Rhine between the Alpine Rhine, its main tributary, and the High Rhine, its outflow. It is the third largest freshwater lake by surface area in Central and Western Europe (and the second largest in volume), after Lake Geneva and (in surface area) Lake Balaton.
It is 63 km (39 mi) long, and, nearly 14 km (8.7 mi) at its widest point. It covers about 536 km2 (207 sq mi), and is 395 m (1,296 ft) above sea level. Its greatest depth is 252 metres (827 ft), exactly in the middle of the Upper Lake. Its volume is about 48 km3 (12 cu mi).
The lake has two parts.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Lake Constance (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Lake Constance (Bodensee): Key Facts
| Surface area | 536 km² |
|---|---|
| Maximum depth | 251 m |
| Volume | 48.52 km³ |
| Surface elevation | 395 m |
| Inflows | Rhine, Alter Rhein, Goldach, Steinach, Stockacher Aach, Linzer Aach |
| Outflows | High Rhine |
| Drainage system | Rhine basin |
Facts from Wikidata Q4127 (CC0).
Schweriner See
Lake · 56 km²
Schweriner See is a lake in Germany, with a mapped surface area of about 56 km².
Lake Schwerin (German: Schweriner See [ʃveˈʁiːnɐ ˌzeː]) is a lake in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, northern Germany. It was named after the city Schwerin, on its southwestern shore. The smaller town Bad Kleinen is on the north shore of the lake. Its surface is approximately 61.54 square kilometres (23.76 mi2), and its maximum depth is 52.4 metres (172 ft). The natural outflow of the lake is the (channelized) river Stör, a tributary of the Elde, and part of the Elbe watershed. The Wallensteingraben, a 16th-century canal, connects the lake with the Baltic Sea at Wismar.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Lake Schwerin (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Surface area
- 56 km²
- Area rank
- #698 of 756 indexed
- Type
- Lake
- Country
- Germany
- Coordinates
- 53.7295°, 11.4649°
Among the 756 water bodies with a mapped extent in YearMaps, Schweriner See ranks #698 by surface area, after Lake Bunyonyi (56 km²) and ahead of Ozero Pitlyarskiy Sor (56 km²). Areas are computed from the mapped outline and are approximate.
- Other water nearby:
- Lauwerszee (31 km²), Bolmen (232 km²)
More about Schweriner See
Schweriner See: Key Facts
| Surface area | 61.5 km² |
|---|---|
| Maximum depth | 52.4 m |
| Volume | 0.79 km³ |
| Surface elevation | 37.8 m |
| Outflows | Stör, Wallensteingraben |
Facts from Wikidata Q311217 (CC0).
Rivers in Germany
9 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
Ports in Germany
34 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orth | 56.7 m | Very Small | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 2 | Kappeln | 56.7 m | Very Small | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 3 | Husum | 56.7 m | Very Small | North Sea | medium vessels |
| 4 | Oldenburg | 56.7 m | Very Small | North Sea | medium vessels |
| 5 | Neuhaus | 53 m | Very Small | North Sea | medium vessels |
| 6 | Gluckstadt | 53 m | Small | North Sea | medium vessels |
| 7 | Elsfleth | 53 m | Very Small | North Sea | point_of_interest |
| 8 | Leer | 53 m | Very Small | North Sea | medium vessels |
| 9 | Papenburg | 53 m | Small | North Sea | medium vessels |
| 10 | Stralsund | 53 m | Very Small | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
The other 24 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)
- Wolgast · 49.4 m · Very Small · Baltic Sea · medium vessels
- Neustadt · 49.4 m · Very Small · Baltic Sea · medium vessels
- Heiligenhafen · 49.4 m · Very Small · Baltic Sea · medium vessels
- Itzehoe · 49.4 m · Very Small · North Sea · medium vessels
- Flensburg · 49.4 m · Small · Skagerrak & Kattegat · medium vessels
- Eckernforde · 45.7 m · Small · Baltic Sea · medium vessels
- Busum · 45.7 m · Very Small · North Sea · medium vessels
- Brake · 42.1 m · Minor · North Sea · medium vessels
- Lubeck-Travemunde · 42.1 m · Small · Baltic Sea · large vessels
- Bremen · 42.1 m · Major · North Sea · medium vessels
- Lubeck · 42.1 m · Minor · Baltic Sea · medium vessels
- Rostock · 42.1 m · Major · Baltic Sea · medium vessels
- Emden · 42.1 m · Minor · North Sea · medium vessels
- Wismar · 38.4 m · Small · Baltic Sea · medium vessels
- Sassnitz · 38.4 m · Very Small · Baltic Sea · large vessels
- Nordenham · 34.7 m · Small · North Sea · medium vessels
- Brunsbuttel Canal Terminals · 34.7 m · Small · North Sea · medium vessels
- Rendsburg · 34.7 m · Small · Baltic Sea · medium vessels
- Kiel · 34.7 m · Major · Baltic Sea · medium vessels
- Bremerhaven · 34.7 m · Major · North Sea · medium vessels
- Brunsbuttel Elbahafen · 31.1 m · Very Small · North Sea · large vessels
- Butzfleth · 31.1 m · Small · North Sea · medium vessels
- Cuxhaven · 27.4 m · Minor · North Sea · medium vessels
- Wilhelmshaven · 12.8 m · Small · North Sea · medium vessels
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany
50 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aachen Cathedral | 1978 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iv) (vi) |
| 2 | Speyer Cathedral | 1981 | Cultural | (ii) |
| 3 | Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square | 1981 | Cultural | (i) (iv) |
| 4 | Wieskirche | 1983 | Cultural | (i) (iii) |
| 5 | Augustusburg and Falkenlust Palaces | 1984 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) |
| 6 | St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim | 1985 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iii) |
| 7 | Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier UNESCO World Heritage Site | 1986 | Cultural | (i) (iii) (iv) (vi) |
| 8 | borders of the Roman Empire | 1987 | Cultural | (ii) (iii) (iv) |
| 9 | Hanseatic City of Lübeck | 1987 | Cultural | (iv) |
| 10 | Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin | 1990 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iv) |
Largest Islands of Germany
1 island recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frisian Islands | 2,564 km² | Island group |
Frisian Islands
Island group · 2,564 km²
Frisian Islands is an island group in Europe, covering an estimated 2,564 km². It extends across the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.
The Frisian Islands, also known as the Wadden Islands or the Wadden Sea Islands, form an archipelago at the eastern edge of the North Sea in northwestern Europe, stretching from the northwest of the Netherlands through Germany to the west of Denmark. The islands shield the mudflat region of the Wadden Sea (large parts of which fall dry during low tide) from the North Sea.
The Frisian Islands, along with the mainland coast in the German Bight, form the region of Frisia (German and Dutch: Friesland), homeland of the Frisian people. Generally, the term Frisian Islands is used for the islands where Frisian is spoken and the population is ethnically Frisian. In contrast, the term "Wadden Islands" applies to the entire archipelago, including the Dutch-speaking westernmost islands of Texel and Vlieland, Danish-speaking Danish Wadden Sea Islands further north off the west coast of Jutland and the Islands of Trischen and Neuwerk.
Most of the Wadden Sea Islands are environmentally protected areas, and an international wildlife nature reserve is being coordinated between the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Frisian Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island group
- Mapped extent
- 2,564 km²
- Size rank
- #237 of 445 islands
- Region
- Europe
- Countries
- Netherlands, Denmark, Germany
- Coordinates
- 53.4835°, 5.6639°
- Summits:
- Vaalserberg (321 m), Hohe Acht (747 m), Brocken (1,141 m)
- Settlements:
- Emden (104 km), Oldenburg (174 km), Bremerhaven (193 km)
More about Frisian Islands
History
During the last ice age, which ended approximately 12,000 years ago, sea level was about 60 metres (200 ft) lower than it is now, and part of what is now the North Sea was dry land. With the melting of the ice caps, the sea level rose, reaching the current coast line around the beginning of the Holocene era, approximately 7,000 years ago. Tidal action transported large quantities of sand to form a line of dunes extending over 500 kilometres (310 mi) from the Netherlands to the mouth of the river Elbe in Germany. The sea broke through the dunes in many places to form the Wadden Islands, with the low-lying country behind becoming the tidal Wadden mudflats.
The Dutch West Frisian and the German East Frisian Islands are barrier islands.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Frisian Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Frisian Islands: Key Facts
| Area | 1,047 km² |
|---|---|
| Surrounded by | North Sea, Wadden Sea |
Facts from Wikidata Q76936 (CC0).
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Germany
8 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Europe | 11.24M km² | Continent | Europe |
| 2 | Alps | 176,042 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 3 | Jutland | 30,621 km² | Geoarea | Europe |
| 4 | Vosges | 12,547 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 5 | Sudetes Mountains | 12,345 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 6 | Böhmerwald | 9,820 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 7 | Harz | 8,100 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 8 | Erzgebirge | 6,086 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
States and Provinces of Germany
5 first-level divisions with their own map.
Countries Bordering Germany
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Europe
Germany: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Germany?
- The capital of Germany is Berlin.
- What is the population of Germany?
- Germany has a population of about 83.49 million, the #19 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Germany?
- Germany covers 357,588 km², ranking #65 by area, with about 233 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Germany in?
- Germany is in Europe.
- Which countries border Germany?
- Germany shares a land or maritime border with Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, France, Czechia.
- What is the largest city in Germany?
- Berlin is the largest city in Germany, with a metropolitan population of about 3.41 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Germany?
- The highest summit recorded for Germany in YearMaps is Zugspitze at 2,963 m (9,721 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.
- What is the largest lake in Germany?
- The largest lake recorded in or bordering Germany is Bodensee, at roughly 459 km².