Most of the people of Germany live in urban areas. German cities face the problems of pollution and congestion that affect urban areas everywhere. Many German cities also have housing shortages.

Many German cities were destroyed during World War II. In some of them, such as Munich, the old city center has been restored. Most cities, however, have buildings dating from the postwar construction of the 1950's and 1960's.

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In western Germany, most farms are small and owned by families that live on them. In eastern Germany, most farms were large collective farms formerly controlled by the East German government. Since unification, the German government has returned most of this land to private ownership.

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Germans usually eat their main meal of the day at noon. This main meal often features veal, pork, beef, or chicken. It also includes such vegetables as beets, carrots, onions, potatoes, or turnips. Breakfast usually consists of rolls and jam with coffee or milk. In the afternoon, especially on Sunday, many Germans enjoy a snack of fancy pastries. They generally eat a light supper of bread, cheese, and sausage. Beer and wine are popular beverages. German beer and wine are internationally famous for their high quality.

Many world-famous German dishes were created hundreds of years ago to prevent foods from spoiling. Sauerkraut was developed to preserve cabbage. To preserve meat, German cooks soaked it in vinegar and spices—and created sauerbraten. The Germans also preserved meats by making such sausages as bratwurst and frankfurters. They developed many kinds of cheeses, including Limburger, Munster, and Tilsiter, which were named for the regions where they were first made.

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The people of Germany enjoy hiking, reading, gardening, swimming, and watching television. Many young people take bicycling, hiking, or hitchhiking trips. They carry knapsacks and spend the night in the open or at inexpensive inns called youth hostels. Germany has many lakes and rivers for canoeing, rowing, sailing, and swimming. The high, snow-covered mountains help make skiing a favorite winter sport.

Soccer is the most popular organized sport in Germany. There are thousands of soccer teams, most of which represent various towns or cities. Gymnastics, tennis, and track are also popular. Some Germans belong to sharpshooting clubs.

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The religious movement called the Reformation started in Germany. It began in 1517 when Martin Luther, a German monk, protested certain practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The Reformation brought about the establishment of Protestantism. By 1600, most of the people in northern and central Germany had become Protestants. Most of those in the south remained Roman Catholics.

Today, about 38 percent of Germans are Protestants, mostly Lutherans. About 33 percent of the people are Roman Catholics. About 2 percent are Muslims.

About 560,000 Jews lived in Germany when the Nazis came to power in 1933. By the end of World War II, most Jews had been killed by the Nazis or had fled the country. Today, about 100,000 Jews live in Germany.

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The German states were among the first in the world to set up a public education system for all children. Prussia established a system during the early 1800's. The other German states developed their own public education systems by the mid-1800's. By the 1900's, almost all Germans over the age of 15 could read and write.

Germany also developed one of the finest university systems in the world. In the late 1800's and early 1900's, students came from many countries to study in Germany. Such German universities as the University of Berlin (now Humboldt University) and the University of Leipzig (called Karl Marx University from 1953 to 1991) were especially famous for scientific research. Between 1900 and 1933, German scientists won more Nobel Prizes than scientists from any other country.

Education in Germany is controlled by the individual states. All children must go to school full-time for at least 9 or 10 years, starting at age 6. But the length of time children spend in elementary and other types of schools varies from state to state.

In most German states, children attend elementary school for four years. Children may then go to one of several types of schools. A gymnasium is a traditional junior and senior high school. This type of school prepares students for entrance into a university. There are also intermediate schools. They provide students with academic subjects as well as some job training. Other schools are hauptschulen (vocational schools). These have fewer academic subjects than the other types of schools but offer much job training. Comprehensive schools combine all three types of junior and senior high levels of education.

Germany has about 60 universities and many specialized and technical colleges. The University of Heidelberg, founded in 1386, is Germany's oldest university.

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