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Berlin

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

   Berlin
   Central Berlin by night seen from the Allianz building in Treptow,
   showing the Universal building on the right at the river Spree and the
   TV-Tower at Alexanderplatz
   Location in Germany and Europe
   Coordinates :
   52°31′07″N, 13°24′30″E Time zone :
   UTC+1/Summer UTC+2
   Flag Coat of arms
   Flag of Berlin
   Coat of Arms of Berlin
   Basic information
   Area 891.82  km² City
   5,370  km² Metro Area
   Population 3,399,511 (06/2006)
   3,675,000 Urban Area
   4,262,480 Metro Area
   Density 3,810/km²
   Elevation 34 - 115 m
   Government
   NUTS-Code DE3
   Country Germany
   State Berlin
   Subdivisions 12 Bezirke
   Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit since 2001
   Governing Parties SPD / Linkspartei
   Website www.berlin.de

   Berlin is the capital city and one of the sixteen states of the Federal
   Republic of Germany. It is the heart of the Berlin- Brandenburg
   metropolitan region, located in northeastern Germany. With a population
   of 3.4 million, Berlin is the country's largest city, and the second
   most populous city in the European Union.

   Berlin is one of the most influential centers in European politics,
   culture and science. The city serves as an important hub of continental
   transportation and is home to some of the most prominent universities,
   sport events, orchestras, and museums. Its economy is based on the
   service sector, encompassing a diverse range of media and life science
   corporations, convention venues, research institutes, and creative
   industries.

   The rapidly evolving metropolis enjoys an international reputation for
   its festivals, contemporary architecture, nightlife, and avant-garde
   arts. Being a major tourist centre and home to people from over 180
   nations, Berlin is a focal point for individuals who are attracted by
   its liberal lifestyle, urban eclecticism, and artistic freedom.

   First documented in the 13th century, Berlin became successively the
   capital of the Kingdom of Prussia (from 1701), the German Empire
   (1871-1918), the Weimar Republic (1919-1932) and the Third Reich
   (1933-1945). After World War II, the city was divided. East Berlin
   became the capital of the GDR (East Germany), while West Berlin
   remained a West German enclave surrounded by the Berlin Wall from
   1961-1989. Following the reunification in 1990, the city regained its
   status as the capital of all Germany.

History

   The name Berlin, which is pronounced /bə(r)ˈlɪn/ in English and
   /bɛɐˈliːn/ in German, is of uncertain origin, but may be related to the
   Old Polabian stem berl-/birl- "swamp".
   Frederick the Great was the enlightened Prussian King.
   Enlarge
   Frederick the Great was the enlightened Prussian King.

   The first written mention of towns in the area of present-day Berlin
   dates from the late 12th and early 14th century. Spandau is first
   mentioned in 1197, and Köpenick in 1209, though these areas did not
   join Berlin until 1920. The central part of Berlin can be traced back
   to two towns: Cölln (on the Fisher Island) is first mentioned in a 1237
   document, and Berlin (across the Spree in what is now called the
   Nikolaiviertel) in one from 1244. From the beginning, the two cities
   formed an economic and social unit. In 1307, the two cities were united
   politically. Over time, the twin cities came to be known simply as
   Berlin, the larger of the pair.

   In 1415 Frederick I became the elector of the Margraviate of
   Brandenburg, which he ruled until 1440. Subsequent members of the
   Hohenzollern family ruled until 1918 in Berlin, first as electors of
   Brandenburg, then as kings of Prussia, and finally as German emperors.
   In 1448 citizens rebelled in the “Berlin Indignation” against the
   construction of a new royal palace by Elector Frederick II Irontooth.
   This protest was not successful, however, and the citizenry lost many
   of its political and economic privileges. In 1451 Berlin became the
   royal residence of the Brandenburg electors, and Berlin had to give up
   its status as a free Hanseatic city. In 1539 the electors and the city
   officially became Lutheran.

17–19th century

   Napoleon conquering Berlin in 1806, marching through the Brandenburg
   Gate.
   Enlarge
   Napoleon conquering Berlin in 1806, marching through the Brandenburg
   Gate.

   The Thirty Years' War between 1618 and 1648 had devastating
   consequences for Berlin. A third of the houses were damaged, and the
   city lost half of its population. Frederick William, known as the
   “Great Elector”, who had succeeded his father George William as ruler
   in 1640, initiated a policy of promoting immigration and religious
   toleration. With the Edict of Potsdam in 1685, Frederick William
   invited the French Huguenots to Brandenburg. More than 15,000 Huguenots
   came, of whom 6,000 settled in Berlin. Around 1700, approximately
   twenty percent of Berlin's residents were French, and their cultural
   influence was great. Many other immigrants came from Bohemia, Poland,
   and Salzburg.

   With the coronation of Frederick I in 1701 as king, Berlin became the
   capital of the kingdom of Prussia. In 1740 Friedrich II, known as
   Frederick the Great (1740-1786) came to power. Berlin became, under the
   rule of the philosophically-oriented Frederick II, centre of the
   Enlightenment. The Industrial Revolution transformed Berlin during the
   19th century; the city's economy and population expanded dramatically,
   and it became the main rail hub and economic centre of Germany.
   Additional suburbs soon developed and increased the area and population
   of Berlin. In 1861, outlying suburbs including Wedding, Moabit, and
   several others were incorporated into Berlin. In 1871, Berlin became
   capital of the newly founded German Empire.

20th century

   In this Soviet photograph from May 2, 1945, Red Army soldiers are
   raising the Soviet flag on the roof of the Reichstag.
   Enlarge
   In this Soviet photograph from May 2, 1945, Red Army soldiers are
   raising the Soviet flag on the roof of the Reichstag.

   At the end of World War I in 1918, the Weimar Republic was proclaimed
   in Berlin. In 1920, the Greater Berlin Act united dozens of suburban
   cities, villages, and estates around Berlin into a greatly expanded
   city and established Berlin as a separate administrative region. After
   this expansion, Berlin had a population of around 4 million. 1920s
   Berlin was an exciting city known for its liberal subcultures,
   including homosexuals and prostitution, and well known for its fierce
   political street fights.

   The Nazi Party came to power in 1933 and started World War II in 1939.
   Nazi rule destroyed Berlin's Jewish community, which numbered 170,000
   before the Nazis came to power. After the pogrom of Kristallnacht in
   1938, thousands of the city's German Jews were imprisoned in the nearby
   Sachsenhausen concentration camp or, in early 1943, were shipped to
   death camps such as Auschwitz. During the war, large parts of Berlin
   were destroyed in the 1943–45 air raids and during the Battle of
   Berlin. After the end of the war in Europe in 1945, Berlin received
   large numbers of refugees from the Eastern provinces. The victorious
   powers divided the city into four sectors, analogous to the occupation
   zones into which Germany was divided. The sectors of the Western Allies
   (the United States, United Kingdom, and France) formed West Berlin,
   while the Soviet sector formed East Berlin.
   The Cold War border sign at Checkpoint Charlie Enlarge
   The Cold War border sign at Checkpoint Charlie

   All four allies retained shared responsibility for Berlin. However, the
   growing political differences between the Western Allies and the Soviet
   Union led the latter, which controlled the territory surrounding
   Berlin, to impose the Berlin Blockade, an economic blockade of West
   Berlin. The allies successfully overcame the Blockade by airlifting
   food and other supplies into the city from 24 June 1948 to 11 May 1949.
   In 1949 the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in West Germany,
   while the Marxist-Leninist German Democratic Republic was proclaimed in
   East Germany.

   The founding of the two German states increased Cold War tensions. West
   Berlin was surrounded by East German territory. East Germany, however,
   proclaimed East Berlin (which it described only as "Berlin") as its
   capital, a move that was not recognized by the western powers. Although
   half the size and population of West Berlin, it included most of the
   historic centre. The tensions between east and west culminated in the
   construction of Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin and other
   barriers around West Berlin by the East Germany on 13 August 1961 and
   were exacerbated by a tank standoff at Checkpoint Charlie on 27 October
   1961. West Berlin was now de facto a part of West Germany with a unique
   legal status, while East Berlin was de facto a part of East Germany.
   The Bundeskanzleramt is the seat of the German chancellor since 2001
   Enlarge
   The Bundeskanzleramt is the seat of the German chancellor since 2001

   Berlin was completely separated. It was possible for Westerners to pass
   from one to the other only through strictly controlled checkpoints. For
   most Easterners, travel to West Berlin or West Germany was no longer
   possible. In 1971, a Four-Power agreement guaranteed access across East
   Germany to West Berlin and ended the potential for harassment or
   closure of the routes.

   In 1989 pressure from the East German population brought a transition
   to democracy in East Germany, and its citizens gained free access
   across the Berlin Wall, which was subsequently mostly demolished. Not
   much is left of it today; the East Side Gallery in Friedrichshain near
   the Oberbaumbrücke over the Spree preserves a portion of the Wall. In
   1990 the two parts of Germany were reunified as the Federal Republic of
   Germany, and Berlin became the German capital according to the
   unification treaty. In 1999 the German parliament and government began
   their work in Berlin.

Geography

   The urban pool "Badeschiff" at River Spree in summer
   Enlarge
   The urban pool "Badeschiff" at River Spree in summer

   Berlin is located in eastern Germany, about 110 kilometers (65 miles)
   west of the border with Poland. Berlin's landscape was shaped by ice
   sheets during the last ice age. The city centre lies along the river
   Spree in the Berlin-Warsaw Urstromtal (ancient river valley), formed by
   water flowing from melting ice sheets at the end of the last Ice Age.
   The Urstromtal lies between the low Barnim plateau to the north, and
   the Teltow plateau to the south. In Spandau, Berlin's westernmost
   borough, the Spree meets the river Havel, which flows from north to
   south through western Berlin. The course of the Havel is more like a
   chain of lakes, the largest being the Tegeler See and Großer Wannsee. A
   series of lakes also feeds into the upper Spree, which flows through
   the Großer Müggelsee in eastern Berlin.
   Map of natural and built environment in the city
   Enlarge
   Map of natural and built environment in the city

   Substantial parts of present-day Berlin extend onto the low plateaus on
   both sides of the Spree Valley. Large parts of the boroughs
   Reinickendorf and Pankow lie on the Barnim plateau, while most of the
   boroughs Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Steglitz-Zehlendorf,
   Tempelhof-Schöneberg, and Neukölln lie on the Teltow plateau. The
   borough of Spandau lies partly within the Berlin Urstromtal and partly
   on the Nauen Plain, which stretches to the west of Berlin. The highest
   elevations in Berlin are the Teufelsberg in the borough of
   Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and the Müggelberge in the borough of
   Treptow-Köpenick. Both hills have an elevation of about 115 meters (377
   feet). The Teufelsberg is in fact an artificial pile of rubble from the
   ruins of World War II.

Climate

   Berlin has a temperate/mesothermal climate (Cfb) according to the
   Köppen climate classification system. The mean annual temperature for
   Berlin-Dahlem (a location within Steglitz-Zehlendorf) is 9.4 °C (48.9
   °F) and its mean annual precipitation totals 578 mm (22.8 inches). The
   warmest months are June, July, and August, with mean temperatures of
   16.7 to 17.9°C (62.1 to 64.2°F). The coldest are December, January, and
   February, with mean temperatures of −0.4 to 1.2°C (31.3 to 34.2°F).
   Berlin's built-up area creates a microclimate, with heat stored by the
   city's buildings. Temperatures can be 4°C higher in the city than in
   the surrounding areas.
   Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
   Mean daily maximum temperature (°C) 2.9 4.2 8.5 13.2 18.9 21.6 23.7
   23.6 18.8 13.4 7.1 4.4
   Mean daily minimum temperature (°C) −1.9 −1.5 −1.3 4.2 9.0 12.3 14.3
   14.1 10.6 6.4 2.2 −0.4
   Mean total rainfall (mm) 42.3 33.3 40.5 37.1 53.8 68.7 55.5 58.2 45.1
   37.3 43.6 55.3
   Mean number of rain days 10.0 8.0 9.1 7.8 8.9 9.8 8.4 7.9 7.8 7.6 9.6
   11.4

Cityscape

   The city has seen major investments and rebuilding efforts since 1990
   Enlarge
   The city has seen major investments and rebuilding efforts since 1990

   The city's appearance today is predominantly shaped by the key role it
   played in Germany's history in the 20th century. Each of the national
   governments based in Berlin—the 1871 German Empire, the Weimar
   Republic, Nazi Germany, East Germany, and now the reunified
   Germany—initiated ambitious construction programs, each with its own
   distinctive character. Berlin was devastated by bombing raids during
   World War II, and many of the old buildings that escaped the bombs were
   eradicated in the 1950s and 1960s in both West and East. Much of this
   destruction was initiated by municipal architecture programs, to build
   new residential or business quarters and main roads. Berlin's unique
   recent history has left the city with an eclectic array of architecture
   and sights.

   Neighborhoods still reveal whether one is in the former eastern or
   western part of the city. In the eastern part, many Plattenbauten can
   be found, reminders of Eastern Bloc ambitions to create complete
   residential areas with fixed ratios of shops, kindergartens and
   schools. Another difference between former east and west is in the
   design of little red and green men on pedestrian crossing lights (
   Ampelmännchen in German); the eastern versions received an opt-out
   during the standardization of road traffic signs after re-unification,
   and have survived to become a popular icon in tourist products.
   However, they are by now common in western Berlin too and so can no
   longer be considered a uniquely East Berlin phenomenon.

Urban centers

   The Brandenburg Gate is a symbol of Berlin and Germany
   Enlarge
   The Brandenburg Gate is a symbol of Berlin and Germany

   The Brandenburg Gate is a world-wide known symbol of Berlin, and
   nowadays of Germany. It also appears on German euro coins. The
   Reichstag building is the traditional seat of the German Parliament,
   renovated in the 1950s after severe World War II damage. The building
   was again remodeled by Norman Foster in the 1990s and features a glass
   dome over the session area, which is open to the public and allows
   parliamentarians to be viewed from above.

   Gendarmenmarkt, a neoclassical square in Berlin whose name dates back
   to the Napoleonic occupation of Berlin, is bordered by two similarly
   designed cathedrals, the French Cathedral with its observation platform
   and the German Cathedral. The Konzerthaus (Concert Hall), home of the
   Berlin Symphony Orchestra, stands between the two cathedrals.
   Weltzeituhr at Alexanderplatz
   Enlarge
   Weltzeituhr at Alexanderplatz

   The Berliner Dom, a Protestant cathedral and the third church on this
   site, is located on the Spree Island across from the site of the
   Berliner Stadtschloss and adjacent to the Lustgarten. A large crypt
   houses the remains of some of the earlier Prussian royal family. The
   Cathedral of St. Hedwig is Berlin's Roman Catholic cathedral.

   The Nikolaiviertel is the historical core of Berlin. Its church dates
   from the 13th century. This area was much remodeled during the East
   German period and although not authentic, has become a busy tourist
   site. Adjacent to this area is the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall) with
   its distinctive red-brick architecture. The previously built-up part in
   front of it, is the Neptunbrunnen, a fountain featuring a mythological
   scene.

   West of the centre, Schloss Bellevue is the residence of the German
   President. Schloss Charlottenburg, which was burnt out in the Second
   World War and largely destroyed, has been rebuilt and is the largest
   surviving historical palace in Berlin.
   Aerial view of central Berlin, showing Unter den Linden
   Enlarge
   Aerial view of central Berlin, showing Unter den Linden

   The Fernsehturm (TV tower) at Alexanderplatz in Mitte is the highest
   building in the city at 368 m. Built in 1969 it is visible throughout
   most of the central districts of Berlin. The city can be viewed from
   its 204-m high observation platform. Starting here the Karl-Marx-Allee
   is heading east, a boulevard lined by monumental resident buildings,
   designed in the Socialist Classicism Style of the Stalin era.

   The East Side Gallery is an open-air exhibition of art painted directly
   on the last parts of the Berlin Wall. It is the largest still existing
   evidence of the city's historical division.
   The New Synagogue was built in 1866
   Enlarge
   The New Synagogue was built in 1866

   Unter den Linden is a tree lined east-west avenue from the Brandenburg
   Gate to the site of the former Berliner Stadtschloss, it was Berlin's
   premier promenade. Many Classical buildings line the street and a part
   of Humboldt University is located there. Berlin's legendary street of
   the Roaring Twenties is the Friedrichstraße, it combines twentieth
   Century tradition with the modern architecture of today's Berlin.

   Potsdamer Platz is an entire quarter built from scratch after 1995 and
   was not rebuilt as it was divided by the Wall. To the West of Potsdamer
   Platz is the Kulturforum, which houses the Gemäldegalerie, and is
   flanked by the Neue Nationalgalerie and the Philharmonie. The Memorial
   to the Murdered Jews of Europe a Holocaust memorial is situated to the
   north.

   The area around Hackescher Markt is home to the fashionable culture,
   with countless clothing outlets, clubs, bars, and galleries. This
   includes the Hackesche Höfe, a conglomeration of buildings around
   several courtyards, reconstructed around 1996. Oranienburger Straße and
   the nearby New Synagogue were the centre of Jewish culture before 1933,
   and regains being it today.
   People walking inside the Reichstag glass dome
   Enlarge
   People walking inside the Reichstag glass dome

   The Rathaus Schöneberg, where John F. Kennedy made his famous " Ich bin
   ein Berliner!" speech is situated in Tempelhof-Schöneberg.

   The Kurfürstendamm is the home of Berlin's luxury stores with the
   Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche at its eastern end on
   Breitscheidplatz.The church was destroyed in World War II and left in
   ruins as a reminder of the horrors of war. Near by on Tauentzienstraße
   is KaDeWe, claimed to be continental Europe's largest department store.
   Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
   Enlarge
   Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

   The Straße des 17. Juni, another East-West avenue connecting the
   Brandenburg Gate and Ernst-Reuter-Platz, was extensively widened during
   the Nazi period as part of the East-West-Axis. Its current name
   commemorates the uprisings in East Berlin of 17 June 1953.
   Approximately half-way from the Brandenburg Gate is the Großer Stern, a
   circular traffic island on which the Siegessäule (Victory Column) is
   situated. The monument was built to Prussia's victories and was
   relocated in 1938–39 from its previous position in front of the
   Reichstag. The site is annually used to be the centre stage for the
   Love Parade.

   Weißensee Cemetery is the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe. The
   writers Micha Josef Berdyczewski and Stefan Heym as well as the
   philosopher Hermann Cohen are buried there. Städtischer Friedhof III in
   Friedenau is the final resting place of Marlene Dietrich as well as
   composer Ferruccio Busoni and photographer Helmut Newton.

Government

   The Reichstag is the old and new site of the German parliament.
   Enlarge
   The Reichstag is the old and new site of the German parliament.

   Berlin is the national capital of the Federal Republic of Germany and
   is the seat of the President of Germany, whose official residence is
   Schloss Bellevue. Since German reunification on 3 October 1990 it has
   been one of the three city states, together with Hamburg and Bremen,
   among the present sixteen states of Germany. The Bundesrat ("federal
   council") is the representation of the Federal States (Bundesländer) of
   Germany and has its seat at the former Prussian Herrenhaus (House of
   Lords). Though most of the ministries are seated in Berlin, some of
   them, as well as some minor departments, are seated in Bonn, the former
   capital of West Germany.

City state

   Mayor Klaus Wowereit (right) at the 2001 Christopher Street Day.
   Enlarge
   Mayor Klaus Wowereit (right) at the 2001 Christopher Street Day.

   The city and state parliament is the House of Representatives
   (Abgeordnetenhaus), which currently has 141 seats. Berlin's executive
   body is the Senate of Berlin (Senat von Berlin). The Senate of Berlin
   consists of the Governing Mayor (Regierender Bürgermeister) and up to
   eight senators holding ministerial positions, one of them holding the
   official title "Mayor" (Bürgermeister) as deputy to the Governing
   Mayor. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Party of Democratic
   Socialism (PDS) took control of the city government after the 2001
   state election and won another term in the 2006 state election.

   The Governing Mayor is simultaneously lord mayor of the city
   (Oberbürgermeister der Stadt) and prime minister of the federal state
   (Ministerpräsident des Bundeslandes). The office of Berlin's governing
   mayor is in the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall). Presently (April 2006),
   this office is held by Klaus Wowereit of the SPD. The city's government
   is based on a coalition between the SPD and Die Linke. PDS, a party
   formed by a merger of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) (the
   successor to the former East German communist party), which renamed
   itself in 2005 for cooperation with the Labor and Social Justice Party.

   Mainly due to reunification-related expenditures, Berlin as a German
   state has accumulated more debt than any other city in Germany, with
   the most current estimate being €61.2 billion.

Subdivisions

   Map of Berlin's twelve boroughs and their localities
   Enlarge
   Map of Berlin's twelve boroughs and their localities

   Berlin is subdivided into twelve boroughs (Bezirke), but before
   Berlin's 2001 administrative reform there were 23. Each borough is
   subdivided into a number of localities (Stadtteile), which represent
   the traditional urbanized areas that inhabitants identify with. Some of
   these have been rearranged several times over the years. At present the
   city of Berlin consists of 96 such localities. The localities often
   consist of a number of city neighborhoods (usually called Kiez in
   colloquial German) representing small residential areas.

   Each borough is governed by a borough council (Bezirksamt) consisting
   of five councilors (Bezirksstadträte) and a borough mayor
   (Bezirksbürgermeister). The borough council is elected by the borough
   assembly (Bezirksverordnetenversammlung). The boroughs of Berlin are
   not independent municipalities. The power of borough governments is
   limited and subordinate to the Senate of Berlin. The borough mayors
   form the Council of Mayors (Rat der Bürgermeister), led by the city's
   Governing Mayor, which advises the Senate.

   The localities have no government bodies of their own, even though most
   of the localities have historic roots in older municipalities that
   predate the formation of Greater Berlin on 1 October 1920. The
   subsequent position of locality representative (Ortsvorsteher) was
   discontinued in favour of borough mayors.

Sister cities

   Town twinning between Berlin and other cities began in 1987, excluding
   that with Los Angeles which began in 1967. East Berlin's partnerships
   were canceled at the time of German reunification and later partially
   reestablished. West Berlin's partnerships had previously been
   restricted to the borough level. During the Cold War era, the
   partnerships had reflected the different powers blocs, with West Berlin
   partnering with capitals in the West, and East Berlin mostly partnering
   with cities from the Warsaw Pact and its allies.
     * United States - Los Angeles, USA (1967)
     * France - Paris, France (1987)
     * Spain - Madrid, Spain (1988)
     * Turkey - Istanbul, Turkey (1989)
     * Russia - Moscow, Russia (1990)
     * Poland - Warsaw, Poland (1991)

     * Hungary - Budapest, Hungary (1991)
     * Belgium - Brussels, Belgium (1992)
     * Indonesia - Jakarta, Indonesia (1993)
     * Uzbekistan - Tashkent, Uzbekistan (1993)
     * Mexico - Mexico City, Mexico (1993)
     * People's Republic of China - Beijing, the PR China (1994)

     * Japan - Tokyo, Japan (1994)
     * Argentina - Buenos Aires, Argentina (1994)
     * Czech Republic - Prague, Czech Republic (1995)
     * Namibia - Windhoek, Namibia (2000)
     * United Kingdom - London, United Kingdom (2000)

Demographics

   Berlin is the seventh-largest urban area in the European Union, and
   approximately the 80th-largest urban area in the world. As of June
   2006, Berlin has 3,399,511 inhabitants in an area of 891.82 square
   kilometers (344.31 mi²). Thus, the population density of the region
   amounts to 3,812 inhabitants per square kilometer (9,857/square mile).
   Berlin residents' average age is 41.9 years (as of 2004) compared to
   Germany's 42.1 years (as of 2005).
   Berlin's population fluctuations, 1880 to 2005
   Enlarge
   Berlin's population fluctuations, 1880 to 2005

   As of September 2006, almost 464,000 (13.7%) residents are of foreign
   nationality, coming from 183 different countries. The largest groups by
   nationality are citizens from Turkey (117,736), Poland (40,787), Serbia
   & Montenegro (24,757), Russia (14,005), Italy (13,804), United States
   (12,556), France (11,517), Croatia (11,517), Vietnam (11,298), Greece
   (10,134).

   As of 2005, the largest religious groupings are No religion 60%,
   Evangelical 23% (757,000), Roman Catholic 9% (312,000), Muslim 6%
   (213,000), Jewish 0.4% (12,000) .

Economy

   Before the reunification of Germany and the two Berlin parts in 1990,
   the city of West Berlin received substantial subsidies from the West
   German state to compensate for its geographic isolation from West
   Germany. Many of those subsidies were phased out after 1990. The
   reduced financial support for the city and its gradual economic decline
   have produced fiscal difficulties for Berlin's city government and
   forced it to cut funding for various programs. The current unemployment
   rate remains therefore above the German average at 16.5% as of October
   2006.
   Unemployment and poverty figures are higher than the national average
   Enlarge
   Unemployment and poverty figures are higher than the national average

   The gross state product of Berlin totaled €79.6 ($95.5) billion in 2005
   and compares with €77.4 billion in 1995. Among the 20 largest employers
   are the railway company Deutsche Bahn AG, the hospital company Charité,
   Siemens, the local public transport company BVG, the service provider
   Dussmann and the Piepenbrock Group. DaimlerChrysler manufactures cars
   and BMW motorcycles in Berlin. BayerSchering Pharma and Berlin Chemie
   are major pharmaceutical companies headquartered in the city. The
   Science and Business Park of Berlin-Adlershof is is among the 15
   biggest scientific and technological parks world-wide and expanding
   model in modern city planning.

   Core and fast-growing sectors are communications, life sciences,
   mobility and services with information and communication technologies,
   media and music, advertising and design, biotechnology and
   environmental services, transportation and medical engineering. The
   city of Berlin is among the top five congress cities in the world and
   is home to Europe's biggest convention centre in the form of the
   Internationales Congress Centrum (ICC). It contributes to the rapidly
   increasing tourism sector which numbered 14.6 million overnight guests
   and more than 120 million one-day visitors in 2005, making the city the
   third most visited city in the European Union.
   Area in km² Population in million GDP total in billion € / $ GDP per
   capita in € / $
   Flag of Berlin Berlin 892 3.39 € 79 / $ 94 € 23 205 / $ 27 846
   Brandenburg 29 478 2.57 € 47 / $ 57 € 18 334 / $ 22 001
   Germany 357 050 82.69 € 2 164 / $ 2 597 € 26 217 / $ 31 460
   EU25 3 976 372 457.51 € 9 953 / $ 11 944 € 21 741 / $ 26 089

   The Euro / Dollar currency relation is estimated at (€:$ , 1:1.2)

Education

   Statue of Alexander von Humboldt outside Humboldt University
   Enlarge
   Statue of Alexander von Humboldt outside Humboldt University

   The Berlin capital region is one of Europe's most prolific centers of
   higher education and research. With four universities, numerous
   private, professional and technical colleges ( Fachhochschulen),
   offering students a wide range of disciplines.

   Around 140,000 students attend the universities and professional or
   technical colleges. The three largest universities alone account for
   around 110,000 students. These are the Freie Universität Berlin (Free
   University of Berlin) with 40,840 students, the Humboldt Universität zu
   Berlin with 36,423 students, and the Technische Universität Berlin with
   31,547 students. The Universität der Künste has about 4,300 students.

   The city has a high concentration of research institutions, such as
   Fraunhofer-, and Max Planck Society, which are independent of, or only
   loosely connected to its universities. A total number of 62,000
   scientists are working in research and development.

   In addition to the libraries affiliated with the various universities,
   the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin is a major research library. It has two
   main locations, one near Potsdamer Platz on Potsdamer Straße and one on
   Unter den Linden. There are 108 public libraries to be found in the
   city.
   The Französisches Gymnasium Berlin has a long existing tradition
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   The Französisches Gymnasium Berlin has a long existing tradition

   Berlin has 878 schools teaching 340,658 children in 13,727 classes (for
   2004/2005) and 56,787 trainees in businesses and elsewhere. The city
   has a six-year primary education program. After completing primary
   school, students progress to one of four types of secondary school for
   six further years: Hauptschule, Realschule, Gymnasium, or Gesamtschule.

   Berlin has a unique bilingual school program embedded in the
   'Europaschule'. Children get taught the curriculum in German and a
   foreign language starting in grammar school and later in secondary
   school. Throughout nearly all cityboroughs a range of 9 major European
   languages in 29 schools can be chosen. One of them the Französisches
   Gymnasium Berlin, which was founded in 1689 for the benefit of Huguenot
   refugees, offers (German/French) instruction. Among its former students
   is Wernher von Braun.

Culture

   Alte Nationalgalerie houses works from Classicism and Romanticism
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   Alte Nationalgalerie houses works from Classicism and Romanticism

   Berlin is noted for its numerous cultural institutions, many of which
   enjoy international reputation. The cultural diversity and tolerance
   remain from the time when West Berlin took pride in its role as a "free
   city" with the motto "something for everyone."

   Berlin has a rich art scene, and it is home to hundreds of art
   galleries. The city is host to the Art Forum annual international art
   fair. Young Germans and international artists continue to settle in the
   city, and Berlin has established itself as a centre of youth and
   popular culture in Europe. Signs of this expanding role were the 2003
   announcement that the annual Popkomm, Europe's largest music industry
   convention, would move to Berlin after 15 years in Cologne. Shortly
   thereafter, the Universal Music Group and MTV also decided to move its
   European headquarters and main studios to the banks of the River Spree
   in Friedrichshain. Since 2005, Berlin has been listed as a UNESCO City
   of Design.

Nightlife, festivals

   The city is a center for nightlife and DJ-culture in Europe
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   The city is a centre for nightlife and DJ-culture in Europe

   Berlin has one of the most diverse and vibrant nightlife scenes in
   Europe. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 many buildings in
   Mitte, the former city centre of East Berlin were renovated. Many had
   not been rebuilt since World War II. Illegally occupied by young
   people, they became a fertile ground for all sorts of underground and
   counter-culture gatherings. It is also home to many nightclubs,
   including Kunst Haus Tacheles, techno clubs Tresor, WMF, Ufo, E-Werk,
   the infamous Kitkatclub and Berghain.
   The annual "Karneval der Kulturen" celebrations
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   The annual "Karneval der Kulturen" celebrations

   Former West Berlin was also home to several well-known nightclubs. SO36
   in Kreuzberg originally focused largely on punk music but today has
   become a popular venue for dances and parties of all kinds. SOUND,
   located from 1971 to 1988 in Tiergarten and today in Charlottenburg,
   gained notoriety in the late 1970s for its popularity with heroin users
   and other drug addicts as described in Christiane F.'s book Wir Kinder
   vom Bahnhof Zoo. The Linientreu, near the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial
   Church, has been well known since the 1990s for techno music. The
   LaBelle discotheque in Friedenau became famous as the location of the
   1986 Berlin discotheque bombing.
   Berlin's annual Karneval der Kulturen, a multi-ethnic street parade,
   and Christopher Street Day celebrations, Central Europe's largest
   gay-lesbian pride event, are openly supported by the city's government.
   Berlin is also well known for the techno carnival Love Parade and the
   cultural festival Berliner Festspiele, which include the jazz festival
   JazzFest Berlin.

Museums, galleries

   The Ishtar Gate of Babylon at Pergamon Museum
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   The Ishtar Gate of Babylon at Pergamon Museum

   Berlin is home to 153 museums. The ensemble on the Museum Island is a
   UNESCO World Heritage Site and is situated in the northern part of the
   Spree Island between the Spree and the Kupfergraben. As early as 1841
   it was designated a “district dedicated to art and antiquities” by a
   royal decree. Subsequently, the Altes Museum (Old Museum) in the
   Lustgarten displaying the bust of Queen Nefertiti, and the Neues Museum
   (New Museum), Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), Pergamon
   Museum, and Bode Museum were built there. While these buildings once
   housed distinct collections, the names of the buildings no longer
   necessarily correspond to the names of the collections they house.
   The Jewish Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind
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   The Jewish Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind

   Apart from the Museum Island, there is a wide variety of museums. The
   Gemäldegalerie (Painting Gallery) focuses on the paintings of the "old
   masters" from the 13th to the 18th centuries, while the Neue
   Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery, built by Ludwig Mies van der
   Rohe) specializes in 20th-century European painting. In spring 2006,
   the expanded Deutsches Historisches Museum re-opened in the Zeughaus
   with an overview of German history through the fall of the Berlin Wall
   in 1989. The Bauhaus Archiv is an architecture museum. The Jewish
   Museum has a standing exhibition on 2,000 years of German-Jewish
   history. The Egyptian Museum of Berlin, across the street from
   Charlottenburg Palace, is home to one of the world's most important
   collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts. The German Museum of
   Technology in Kreuzberg has a large collection of historical technical
   artifacts. The Humboldt Museum of Natural History near Berlin
   Hauptbahnhof has the largest mounted dinosaur in the world, and the
   best preserved specimen of an archaeopteryx.
   In Dahlem, there are several museums of world art and culture, such as
   the Museum of Indian Art, the Museum of East Asian Art, the
   Ethnological Museum, the Museum of European Cultures, as well as the
   Allied Museum (a museum of the Cold War), the Brücke Museum (an art
   museum). In Lichtenberg, on the grounds of the former East German
   Ministry for State Security ( Stasi), is the Stasi Museum. Checkpoint
   Charlie, remains the site and a museum about one of the crossing points
   in the Berlin Wall. The museum, which is a private venture, exhibits a
   comprehensive array of material about people who devised ingenious
   plans to flee the East. The Beate Uhse Erotic Museum near Zoo Station
   claims to be the world's largest erotic museum.

Performing arts

   Berliner Philharmonie is home to the renowned orchestra
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   Berliner Philharmonie is home to the renowned orchestra

   Berlin is home to more than 50 theaters. The Deutsches Theatre in Mitte
   was built in 1849–50 and has operated continuously since then except
   for a one-year break (1944–45) due to World War II. The Volksbühne on
   Rosa Luxemburg Platz was built in 1913–14, though the company had been
   founded already in 1890. The Berliner Ensemble, famous for performing
   the works of Bertolt Brecht, was established in 1949 not far from the
   Deutsches Theatre. The Schaubühne was founded in 1962 in a building in
   Kreuzberg, but moved in 1981 to the building of the former Universum
   Cinema on Kurfürstendamm.

   Berlin has three major opera houses: the Deutsche Oper, the Berlin
   State Opera, and the Komische Oper. The Berlin State Opera on Unter den
   Linden is the oldest; it opened in 1742. Its current musical director
   is Daniel Barenboim. The Komische Oper, which has traditionally
   specialized in operettas, is located not far from the State Opera just
   off Unter den Linden. It originally opened in 1892 as a theatre and has
   been operating under its current name since 1947. The Deutsche Oper
   opened in 1912 in Charlottenburg. During the division of the city from
   1961 to 1989 it was the only major opera house in West Berlin.
   Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Tiergarten
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   Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Tiergarten

   There are seven symphony orchestras in Berlin. The Berlin Philharmonic
   Orchestra is one of the preeminent orchestras in the world; it is
   housed in the Berliner Philharmonie near Potsdamer Platz on a street
   named for the orchestra's longest-serving conductor, Herbert von
   Karajan. The current principal conductor is Simon Rattle, who took over
   in 2002 from Karajan's successor, Claudio Abbado. The
   Konzerthausorchester Berlin was founded in 1952 as the orchestra for
   East Berlin, since the Philharmonic was based in West Berlin. Its
   current principal conductor is Lothar Zagrosek.

   The Haus der Kulturen der Welt is presenting various exhibitions
   dealing with intercultural issues and stages world music and
   conferences.

Recreation

   Berlin´s central park Tiergarten, encompassing Siegessäule and Schloss
   Bellevue
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   Berlin´s central park Tiergarten, encompassing Siegessäule and Schloss
   Bellevue

   Zoologischer Garten Berlin, the older of the two zoos in the city, was
   founded in 1844, and presents the most diverse range of species in the
   world. Tierpark Friedrichsfelde, founded in 1955 in the grounds of
   Schloss Friedrichsfelde in the Borough of Lichtenberg, is Europe's
   largest zoo in terms of square meters.
   Prenzlauer Berg is known for its bohemian lifestyle
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   Prenzlauer Berg is known for its bohemian lifestyle

   Berlin's botanical gardens include the Botanic Museum Berlin, the
   largest botanical garden in Europe. Tiergarten is Berlin's largest park
   and was designed by Peter Joseph Lenné. In Kreuzberg the Viktoriapark
   provides a good viewing point over the southern part of inner city
   Berlin. Treptower Park beside the Spree in Treptow has a monument
   honoring the Soviet soldiers killed in the 1945 Battle of Berlin. The
   Volkspark in Friedrichshain, which opened in 1848, is the oldest park
   in the city. Its summit is man-made and covers a World War II bunker
   and rubble from the ruins of the city; at its foot is Germany's main
   memorial to Polish soldiers.

Sports

   The renovated Olympiastadion
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   The renovated Olympiastadion

   Berlin hosted the 1936 Olympics and was the host city for the 2006 FIFA
   World Cup Final. The annual Berlin Marathon and the annual Golden
   League event ISTAF for athletics are also held here. The WTA Tour holds
   the Qatar Total German Open annually in the city. Founded in 1896, it
   is one of the oldest tennis tournaments for women. The FIVB World Tour
   has chosen an inner-city site near Alexanderplatz to present a beach
   volleyball Grand Slam every year.

   Berlin is home to Hertha BSC Berlin, a football team in the Bundesliga,
   and the basketball team ALBA Berlin (known as the "Berlin
   Albatrosses"), which won the national championships every year from
   1997 to 2003. Berlin is also home to the American football team Berlin
   Thunder of NFL Europe as well as the Eisbären Berlin of the German Ice
   Hockey League, an ice hockey team which was founded in the East German
   era.

   Club Sport Founded League Venue Head Coach
   Hertha BSC Berlin Soccer 1892 Bundesliga Olympiastadion Falko Götz
   1. FC Union Berlin Soccer 1966 Regionalliga Nord Alte Försterei
   Christian Schreier
   ALBA Berlin Basketball 1991 BBL Max-Schmeling-Halle Henrik Rödl
   Eisbären Berlin Ice hockey 1954 DEL Wellblechpalast Pierre Pagé
   Berlin Thunder American football 1999 NFL Europe Olympiastadion Rick
   Lantz
   SCC Berlin Volleyball 1911 DVB Sporthalle Charlottenburg Michael Warm

Infrastructure

   Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the city's central rail, opened in 2006
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   Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the city's central rail, opened in 2006

   Berlin developed a complex transportation and energy-supply
   infrastructure before World War II. After the war, West Berlin was cut
   off from the surrounding territory and had to develop independent
   infrastructures. Meanwhile, the government of East Germany purposely
   constructed rail lines and highways that allowed traffic to bypass West
   Berlin. The political reunification of East and West Berlin has led to
   the reintegration of Berlin's transportation and energy-supply with the
   infrastructures of the surrounding region. Crossing 979 bridges, 5334
   kilometers of roads run through Berlin, of which 66 kilometers are
   motorways. In 2004, 1.428 million motor vehicles, including 6800 taxis,
   were registered in the city.Long-distance rail lines connect Berlin
   with all of the major cities of Germany and with many cities in
   neighboring European countries. Regional rail lines provide access to
   the surrounding region of Brandenburg and eastern Germany.

Transportation

   The U-Bahn passes the Oberbaumbrücke
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   The U-Bahn passes the Oberbaumbrücke

   Public transport within Berlin is provided by the S-Bahn (331.5 km net
   length/ 356.8 million passengers in 2005) —operated by S-Bahn Berlin
   GmbH—and by the U-Bahn (144.2 km/ 456.8 million), Straßenbahn (187.7
   km/ 171.3 million), Bus (1626 km/ 407.1 million), and ferries—operated
   by the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, or BVG. The S-Bahn is a mostly
   overground urban railway system. The U-Bahn is the city's mainly
   underground rail, metro or subway system. The Straßenbahn or tram
   (trolley) system that operates almost exclusively in the eastern part
   of the city. Buses provide extensive service linking outlying districts
   with the city centre and to the U-Bahn and S-Bahn. Almost all means of
   public transport—U- & S- Bahn, trams, buses and most ferries—can be
   accessed with the same ticket. There is usually no need to show or scan
   one's ticket, except on buses; however, plainclothes transit
   authorities officials frequently conduct random checks in which they
   board a vehicle and demand that everyone on board show their ticket.
   Anyone who does not produce a valid ticket is given a 40-euro fine.
   The S-Bahn is the second urban railway system
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   The S-Bahn is the second urban railway system

   The inner city is crossed from west to east by the elevated main line
   (Stadtbahn), which carries S-Bahn trains as well as regional and
   long-distance trains. This main line passes through most of the city's
   long-distance and regional train stations, including
   Berlin-Charlottenburg, Berlin Zoologischer Garten, Berlin Hauptbahnhof,
   Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz, and Berlin Ostbahnhof.

   The second component of Berlin's rail network is the S-Bahn ring
   (Ringbahn) that forms a circle around the inner city and crosses the
   main line at Westkreuz (“west crossing”) and Ostkreuz (“east
   crossing”). A number of regional and regional express lines connect
   Berlin with the surrounding region. The city is also served by the
   freight rail yard at Seddin, south of Potsdam.There are useful online
   resources for getting around Berlin using public transport, such as the
   route planner or a map of the current public transport network.
   Tegel International Airport is Berlin's busiest airport
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   Tegel International Airport is Berlin's busiest airport

   Berlin has three commercial airports— Tegel International Airport
   (TXL), Tempelhof International Airport (THF), and Schönefeld
   International Airport (SXF) serving 155 destinations (07/2006)- 118 of
   them in Europe. Schönefeld lies just outside Berlin's south-eastern
   border in the state of Brandenburg, while the other two airports lie
   within the city. Tempelhof handles only short-distance and commuter
   flights, and there are plans to close the airport and transfer its
   traffic to Berlin's other two airports. There are longer-term plans to
   close Tegel as well. Schönefeld is currently undergoing expansion.
   Berlin's airport authority aims to transfer all of Berlin's air traffic
   in 2011 to a greatly expanded airport at Schönefeld, to be renamed
   Berlin Brandenburg International Airport.

Utilities

   Heizkraftwerk Mitte
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   Heizkraftwerk Mitte

   During the division of Berlin, the power grid of West Berlin was cut
   off from the power grid of the surrounding area in East Germany. West
   Berlin's electricity supply was provided by thermal power stations. To
   facilitate buffering during load peaks, accumulators were installed
   during the 1980s at some of these power stations. These were connected
   by static inverters to the power grid and were loaded during times of
   low power consumption and unloaded during times of high consumption. In
   1993 the power connections to the surrounding areas (previously in East
   Germany) which had been capped in 1951 were restored. In the western
   districts of Berlin nearly all power lines are underground cables—only
   a 380 kV and a 110 kV line, which run from Reuter substation to the
   urban Autobahn, use overhead lines. The Berlin 380 kV electric line was
   constructed when West Berlin's electrical system was a totally
   independent system and not connected to those of East or West Germany.
   This has now become the backbone of the whole city's power system.

   Berlin's power supply is mainly, although not exclusively, provided by
   the Swedish firm Vattenfall. The company has come under criticism for
   relying more heavily than other electricity producers in Germany on
   lignite as an energy source, because burning lignite produces harmful
   emissions. However, Vattenfall has announced a commitment to shift
   towards reliance on cleaner, renewable energy sources.

Berlin quotations

   Marlene Dietrich, born in Berlin-Schöneberg
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   Marlene Dietrich, born in Berlin- Schöneberg

   " Ich bin ein Berliner." ("I am a citizen of Berlin")
   (John F. Kennedy, President of the USA, 1963 while visiting Berlin)

   "Berlin ist arm, aber sexy." ("Berlin is poor, but sexy.")
   ( Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor, in a press interview, 2003)

   "Ihr Völker der Welt ... schaut auf diese Stadt!" ("Peoples of the
   world ... look at this city!")
   (Ernst Reuter, Governing Mayor, in a speech during the Berlin blockade,
   1948)

   "Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin" ("I keep another suitcase in
   Berlin")
   ( Marlene Dietrich, song by the actress and singer born in Berlin-
   Schöneberg)

   "“Berlin ist eine Stadt, verdammt dazu, ewig zu werden, niemals zu
   sein” ("Berlin is a city condemned forever to becoming and never
   being.")
   (Karl Scheffler, author of Berlin: Ein Stadtschicksal, 1910)

   “Berlin combines the culture of New York, the traffic system of Tokyo,
   the nature of Seattle, and the historical treasures of, well, Berlin.”
   (Hiroshi Motomura, US Law professor, 2004)
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin"
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