Berlin | |
---|---|
From top, left to right: Berlin center, Reichstag; Brandenburg Gate; Potsdamer Platz; Gendarmenmarkt | |
Coordinates: 52°31′12″N 13°24′18″E / 52.52000°N 13.40500°E | |
Country | Germany |
State | Berlin |
Government | |
• Body | Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin |
• Governing Mayor | Franziska Giffey (SPD) |
Area | |
• City/State | 891.7 km2 (344.3 sq mi) |
Elevation | 34 m (112 ft) |
Population (31 December 2019)[2] | |
• City/State | 3,769,495 |
• Urban | 4,473,101 |
• Metro | 6,144,600 |
Demonyms | Berliner(s) (English) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
Area codes | 030 |
Geocode | NUTS Region: DE3 |
GDP (nominal) | €155 billion (2020)[5] |
GDP per capita | €41,000 (2020) |
GeoTLD | .berlin |
HDI (2018) | 0.950[6] very high |
Website | www |
Berlin (/bɜːrˈlɪn/; German: [bɛʁˈliːn] (listen)[7]) is the capital city of Germany. It is the largest city in the European Union by population, with around 3.9 million people in 2024.[8] Berlin residents come from about 190 different countries.
The city is in the eastern part of Germany in Central Europe and is surrounded by many forests and lakes. Berlin has an area of 891 km2 (344.02 sq mi). The rivers Havel, Dahme and Spree run through Berlin. It has a temperate climate.
Berlin is home to many famous buildings and monuments, like the Siegessäule, the Brandenburger Tor, the Reichstag and the boulevard Unter den Linden. On the boulevard is the Humboldt University. The city has many nightlife options.
Berlin is an important city for the history of Germany. The King of Prussia and the Emperor of Germany lived in Berlin. The government of Germany was in Berlin for many years. Bombs destroyed many buildings in the city in World War Two. The city was split into West Berlin and East Berlin after World War Two. After the Berlin Wall was built in 1961 very few people were allowed to cross from East Berlin into West Berlin. The wall divided the city until 1989 when the East German government decided to allow anyone to cross, and people decided to tear down the wall.
Berlin is a world city of culture, start ups, politics, media and science.[9] There are a lot of technology companies in the city. They are important for the city's economy. Many planes and trains travel to and from Berlin because the city is an important place for tourism and business.[10]
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