10 Interesting Facts About Germany

Germany is the most populous nation in the European Union and possesses one of the largest economies in the world. The country has seen its role in the international community grow steadily since reunification.

Here are 10 interesting facts about Germany:

1. Germany is an international leader in developing renewable energy, with its carbon dioxide emissions a fraction of the United States and China. Renewable energy overtook coal in 2018 as the country's leading source of power.

2. Nearly one-third of the country remains forested.

3. Germany's international reputation for technological expertise is well-earned. Notable inventions coming from Germany include vehicle automobiles, air bags, the printing press with movable type, the MP3 format and X-ray technology.

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4. In the 2019 Best Countries global survey of more than 20,000 people, more people said they prefer automobiles made in Germany than from any other country.

5. The Berlin Zoological Garden is the country's oldest zoo, opening in 1844, and claims to have more species of animals -- more than 1,300 -- than any zoo in the world.

6. Both the legend of the Easter Bunny and gummy bear candies originated in Germany. The pagan egg-laying rabbit and the Christian Easter celebration merged sometime in the 17th century, while the gelatinous gummy bear candy dates to the 1920s.

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7. Many of the world's firsts came from Germany. On April 30, 1969, the then-German Empire first began using Daylight Savings Time.

8. When does a street stop being considered a street? According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world's narrowest street is in Reutlingen, Germany. The street, Spreuerhofstrasse, measures 31 centimeters (about one foot) at its narrowest part, and expands to a whopping 50 centimeters (1.6 feet) at its widest part.

9. The Ulm Minster in Ulm, Germany, is the world's tallest church, at 161.5 meters, or 530 feet. People wishing a workout can take the church's 768 steps to 141 meters above the ground. La Sagrada Basilica in Barcelona, Spain, is expected to overtake the Ulm Minster's height in 2026, when renovation work is completed.

10. Oktoberfest, the annual two-week festival in Munich that begins in late September, dates to October 12, 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, and the citizens of Munich were invited to the celebrations.

Sintia Radu covers international affairs and technology for U.S. News & World Report. You can follow her on Twitter @sintiaradu and send her suggestions and ideas at sradu@usnews.com.