Project 1 Make your own Country

1. Project 1Make your own Country By: Shanese Breitkreitz

2. Research Country Germany Capital City: Berlin

3. Location • Absolute Location: • Latitude: 51 ̊ North of the Equator • Longitude: 9 ̊ East of the Greenwich line • Relative Location: • The neighbouring country North of Germany is Denmark • The neighbouring country East of Germany is Poland • The neighbouring country South of Germany is Austria and Italy • The neighbouring country West of Germany is France, Belgium and the Netherlands

4. Geography • Germany is split into 16 states, and has 6 different regions • They own 357,022 sq km, and 8,350 sq km of this is water. • Germany is Landlocked with long sandy beaches, plains, hills, and mountains (Alps).

5. Climate and Vegetation • Germany is in the path of winds that blow over the Atlantic ocean bringing relatively warm humid air onto the land. Depending if you are in the Northern Lowlands, Central Upper lands or in the Alps the average rainfall for the year is between 500 – 2000mm of rain. The amount of precipitation lessens when going west to east. • In the eastern parts of the Northern Lowlands are generally below zero in January, whereas they stay above in the Western parts. Because of the higher altitude in the south, the lowest mean temperatures are the lowest but don’t fall much below -5 degrees Celsius during the winter months. • The climate does not change dramatically from season to season. The main difference between summer and winter is the length of daylight.

6. Climate and Vegetation (Cont’d) • Even though Germany has such a high population density, it still has 29% of land covered by woods and forests. • The biggest amount of the forests in Germany is a mixture of broadleaf and needlelead trees. In the lowlands the most common species are oaks, maples and elms, and beeches, pines, and pirs are more common in the higher altitudes. • Soils are a product of the climate, and at the same time they reflects the nature of the parent rock on which they are developed. In the Northern Lowlands are poorly drained, podzolic soils. Soils contain greater amounts of organic materials and less leached of minerals outside the glaciated regions. This soil has be called brown podzolic soils, and is the most typical soil in Germany. They are similar to chernozem soils because, they are rich in organic materials and receive moderate rainfalls.

7. Natural Resources • Agriculture products include potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry. • Coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land are all natural resources in Germany. • Germany earns approximately $1.159 trillion (2009 est.) and spends approximately $966.9 billion (2009 est.) on imports.

8. Natural Resources (Cont’d)Imports and Exports • Their production of electricity is more than their consumption, so they export approximately 62 billion kWh and import approximately 42 billion kWh • Their production of oil is WAY lower than their consumption and they export more than they produce in a day and import a little more than they consume in a day. As of January 1 2009 Germany had proved reserves that contained approximately 276 million bbl of oil. • Their production of natural gas is a lot lower than their consumption as well, but they export a small amount and import approximately 95 billion cu m a day. They also had proved reserves containing approximately 175.6 billion cu m as of January 1 2009.

9. Population • The population of Germany is 82,329,758 people (July 2010 est.), with 74% of the total population is urban. • 13.7% is between 0-14 years, 66.1% is between 15-64 years, and 20.3% is over 65 years of age. • The overall Median age is 44.3 years old, 43 years old for males and 45.6 years old for females (2010 est.) • The growth rate is -0.053% (2010 est.). This rate is caused by having a lower birth rate than death rate, including the fact that the net migration rate does not completely close the gap between the death rate and birth rate.

10. Cultural Traits Germans tend to eat heavy and hearty meals that include large portions of meat and bread. Potatoes is a common food, that each region has their own favorite way to prepare. Sometimes they are eaten with pears, bacon, and beans. Pichelsteiner, is a meal made with three kinds of meat and potatoes. In the capital city of Berlin potatoes are usually eaten with bacon and spicy sausage. Sauerbraten is a large roast made of pork, beef, or veal that is made throughout the nation, but is flavored differently depending on the region. Fruit and meat is usually put together to add a sweet and sour taste to the meal. Throughout Germany apple desserts are very popular. Knödel (boiled of fried mashed potato and/or bread), or dumplings, are eaten with meals mainly in the north. A smaller version called spätzleis more common in the south. Bread is eaten with every meal, but rye, pumpernickel, and sourdough breads more common than white. Soft pretzels are also very popular and can be found almost anywhere.

11. Cultural Traits (Cont’d) • Major industries include, chemicals, engineering, electronics, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, food and beverages, shipbuilding. • The labor force includes 43.5 million people (2009 est.) 2.4% of this is agriculture, 29.7% is industry, and 67.8% is services (2005) • The unemployment rate is 7.5% of the population (2009 est.) • The National day is called Unity Day, and occurs on October 3 • The language spoken in Germany is German, but they are now required to learn English in school. • Some challenges in the German culture include linguistic, cultural, and psychological. • inadequacies in the use of language that result in misunderstandings, faulty judgments based on cultural assumptions, and reduced competency as a result of performing under such circumstances.

12. Religion • In Germany the most popular religions are Protestant , which is one of the four major divisions between Christianity at 34%, and Roman Catholic, which is a similar spin off of Christianity and is lead by the pope, at again 34%. • There is a low number of Muslim, which is an adherent of the religion Islam, at 3.7%. • And 28.3% are unaffiliated or have other religions

13. Social Structure • The unemployment rate is 7.5%, will 11% of the population below the poverty line. • The family is of fundamental importance for people. • Over the years if anything the importance of family has increased. • For almost 90% of the population, family comes first in their personal priorities. Family is also highly valued to young people. • 72.5% of 12 to 25-year olds think that being happy is dependent on having a family.

14. Economic System • Germany is a Social market economy, which means the state guarantees the free play of entrepreneurial forces, while endeavoring to maintain the social balance at the same time. • The Type of money used in Germany is the Euro, which is universal throughout Europe.

15. Political System • Germanys government is a federal republic • voting age 18 years of age; universal • The government is made up of three sections, the Executive Branch, The Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch.

16. Political Systems (Cont’d)Executive Branch • The chief of state is President Christian Wulff and he has been chief of state since June 30/2010 • The head of government is Chancellor Angela Merkel and she has been the head of government since November 22/2005 • The cabinet is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor • The president is elected for a 5 year term by a Federal Convention, as well as all members of the Federal Assembly as well as an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments. The President is eligible for a second term. • The Chancellor is elected for a 4 year term, and is elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly.

17. Political System (Cont’d)Legislative and Judicial Branch • Legislative Branch • The Bicameral legislature consists of the Federal Council and the Federal Assembly • There are no elections for the Bundesrat. The Bundesrat is determined by the composition of the state-level governments, and can change at any time if one of the 16 states holds an election. • Judicial Branch • In the Federal Constitutional Court half of the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half are elected by the Bundesrat.

18. Map Picture from 2007 Source: http://www.hartfordschools.net/Schools/HHS/FacultyandStaff/ForeignLanguage/HinmanThatcher/HHSDeutsch/GermanyGeographyandNaturalEnvironment/tabid/952/Default.aspx

19. Created Country Ritz Land Capital City: Cora

20. Location • Relative Location • It is located in the South Pacific ocean • Absolute Location • Latitude: 35 ̊ South of the equator • Longitude: 120̊ west of the Greenwich line

21. Geography • Ritz Land is an island that resides in the South Pacific Ocean. • The center of Ritz Land consist of long flat plains with rolling hills towards the coast. • The Northern coast has multiple big mountains containing one inactive volcano. • There are thick rain forests residing at the base of the mountains. • The coast around the rest of the island is long sandy beaches with a few cliffs between spaces of beach.

22. Climate and Vegetation • The yearly average temperature in Ritz Land is 35 degrees Celsius, with an average low of 15 degrees Celsius during the winter months. • Because Ritz Land is a small island, warm winds blow into the land causing the weather to be warm/hot and humid relatively all year round. • Rain forests engulf the northern part of the island at the base of the mountains.

23. Natural Resources • The people have an abundant supply of oil and lumber, however they would have to have some gas and coal imported in order to have enough. • They mine for gold and for diamonds, but there is an abundant supply of diamonds, unlike gold.

24. Population • People live in the cities with some farmers, there is more work in the cities • There is a fairly small population • The population is growing because land is cheep • People usually stay put

25. Cultural Traits • The language in Ritz Land is called Ritz and it is very similar to old English. • One of the most common jobs is mining, because there is an abundant supply of diamonds. Logging is also a very common job for the same reason, as well as fishing. There is also a fairly large business in the tourist section, including tourist stores, tours of the land, hotels, etc. There is a high need for doctors and accountants. There are also s small amount of farms towards the center of the island. • The common foods they eat in Ritz Land are fish, rice, beef, chicken, grains, etc. • They celebrate their national day on May 8 every year.

26. Religion – God’s • Greek Polytheism, which is the belief in the Greek Gods . • Zeus – God of sky, weather, thunder, law, order and fate. he is also the king of the God’s. • Poseidon – God of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts, earthquakes and horses. • Hades – King of the Underworld and god of death, the dead, and the hidden wealth of the earth. • Apollo – God of music, healing, plague, prophecies, poetry and archery. • Ares – God of war, bloodlust, violence, manly courage and civil order. • Dionysus – God of wine, parties and festivals, madness, drunkenness and pleasure • Hephaestus – crippled God of fire, metalworking, stonemasonry, sculpture and volcanism. • Hermes – God of travel, messengers, trade, thievery, cunning wiles, language, writing, diplomacy, athletics and animal husbandry.

27. Religion - Goddesses • Artemis – Virgin Goddess of the hunt, wilderness, wild animals, childbirth and plague. • Aphrodite – Goddess of love, lust, beauty, seduction and pleasure. • Athena – Virgin Goddess of wisdom, warfare, strategy, heroic endeavour, handicrafts and reason. • Demeter – Goddess of fertility, agriculture, horticulture, grain and harvest. • Hestia – Virgin Goddess of the health, home and cooking. • Hera – Queen of heaven and goddess of marriage, women, childbirth, heirs, kings and empires.

28. Social Structure • There is lower class, middle class, and upper class • Family is very important • Nuclear family is much more important than extended family but extended family is still very important

29. Economic System • The economic system used in Ritz Land is capitalism. • The money is called Chutes, and one Chute is comparable with one Canadian Dollar.

30. Political System • There is a monarchy political system in Ritz Land, that also has levels of parliament. Ultimately the country is run by one central government that makes all the choices, however there is also a large parliament who brings ideas to the table and pushes for their ideas and laws to be accepted/passed. The parliament members are voted into office by the people of the land. Different people represent different areas of the country.

31. Bibliography • http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/europe/european-union/germany/map.htm • http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Greenwich%20Meridian&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl • http://www.cometogermany.com/ENU/nature_active_recreation/things_to_do_Germany.htm • http://www.about-germany.org/regions/counties.php • http://www.mapsofworld.com/germany/regions-of-germany.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_polytheism • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_religion#Classical_Greek_religion • http://library.thinkquest.org/28111/newpage2.htm

32. Bibliography (Cont’d) • http://info.wlu.ca/~wwwgeog/special/vgt/English/ger_mod1/unit3.htm • https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2111.html • http://www.prospects.ac.uk/germany_job_market.htm • http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Germany.html • http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/society/main-content-08/families.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_gods • http://www.hartfordschools.net/Schools/HHS/FacultyandStaff/ForeignLanguage/HinmanThatcher/HHSDeutsch/GermanyGeographyandNaturalEnvironment/tabid/952/Default.aspx • http://www.deshow.net/travel/germany-travel-landscape-605.html