Key Facts

Location
Western/Central Europe.

Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Area
357,045 sq km (137,819 sq miles).

Population
82.5 million (UN estimate 2005).

Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style round two-pin plugs are in use.

Money
Currency
Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Public Holidays
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1 Jan  New Year's Day.
6 Jan* Epiphany.
21 Mar Good Friday.
24 Mar Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
1 May Ascension.
12 May Whit Monday.
22 May* Corpus Christi.
15 Aug* Assumption.
3 Oct Day of German Unity.
31 Oct* Day of Reformation.
1 Nov* All Saints' Day.
19 Nov* Repentance Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
6 Jan* Epiphany.
10 Apr Good Friday.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
21 May Ascension.
1 Jun Whit Monday.
11 Jun* Corpus Christi.
15 Aug* Assumption.
3 Oct Day of German Unity.
31 Oct* Day of Reformation.
1 Nov* All Saints' Day.
18 Nov* Repentance Day.
25-26 Dec Christmas.

Climate
Temperate throughout the country with warm summers and cold winters, but prolonged periods of frost or snow are rare. Rain falls throughout the year. The average January daytime temperature is 3°C (38°F) and in July is 22°C (72°F). Extremes commonly reach -10°C (5°F) in winter and 35°C (95°F) in the summer months.

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