Berlin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the capital of Germany. For other uses, see Berlin (disambiguation).

Berlin
State of Germany

From top: Skyline including the TV Tower,

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Film Festival,
East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall), Alte Nationalgalerie,
Reichstag building (Bundestag)

Flag
Coat of arms

Location within European Union and Germany

Coordinates:

5231N 1323ECoordinates:

Country

5231N 1323E

Germany

Government
Governing Mayor

Michael Mller (SPD)

Governing parties

SPD / CDU

Votes in Bundesrat

4 (of 69)

Area
City

891.85 km2(344.35 sq mi)

Elevation

34 m (112 ft)

Population (December 2014)[1]

City

3,562,166

Density

4,000/km2 (10,000/sq mi)

Demonym

Berliner

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

Postal code(s)

1011514199

Area code(s)

030

ISO 3166 code

DE-BE

Vehicle registration

B[2]

GDP/ Nominal

109.2 billion (2013) [3]

NUTS Region

DE3

Website

berlin.de

Berlin (/brln/, German: [b lin] ( listen)) is the capital of Germany, and one of the 16 states of
Germany. With a population of 3.5 million people,[4] Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the
second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European
Union.[5] Located in northeastern Germany on the banks of River Spree, it is the center of the BerlinBrandenburg Metropolitan Region, which has about 6 million residents from over 180 nations.[6][7][8]
[9]
Due to its location in the European Plain, Berlin is influenced by a temperateseasonal climate.
Around one third of the city's area is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes. [10]
First documented in the 13th century, Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of
Brandenburg (1417-1701), the Kingdom of Prussia (17011918), the German Empire (18711918),
the Weimar Republic (19191933) and the Third Reich (19331945).[11] Berlin in the 1920s was the
third largest municipality in the world.[12] After World War II, the city was divided; East Berlin became
the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became a de factoWest German exclave, surrounded
by the Berlin Wall (19611989).[13] Following German reunification in 1990, the city was once more
designated as the capital of all Germany, hosting 158 foreign embassies.[14]
Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media, and science.[15][16][17][18] Its economy is based on hightech firms and the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, research
facilities, media corporations, and convention venues.[19][20] Berlin serves as a continental hub for air
and rail traffic and has a highly complex public transportation network. The metropolis is a popular
tourist destination.[21] Significant industries also include IT, pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering,
clean tech, biotechnology, construction, and electronics.
Modern Berlin is home to renowned universities, orchestras, museums, entertainment venues, and
is host to many sporting events.[22] Its urban setting has made it a sought-after location for
international film productions.[23]The city is well known for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife,
contemporary arts, and a high quality of living.[24] Over the last decade Berlin has seen the
emergence of a cosmopolitan entrepreneurial scene.[25]