Index
Germany is a federal state. Both the central federal government and the 16 federal states have independent areas of jurisdiction. The government in Berlin is responsible for foreign policy, European policy, defense, justice, employment, social affairs, tax and health. The federal states are responsible for internal security, schooling, tertiary education, administration and local government. Central government’s area of responsibility is mainly limited to legislation, in which the federal states are involved through their presence in the Bundesrat. It is the duty of the federal administration systems, on the other hand, to enforce not only the laws that apply in their own particular state, but those of central government as well.
The reasons for this task sharing lie in the past: The German nation state emerged in 1871 through the union of several independent states. This made the establishment of a larger central administration system superfluous. The three city states are a peculiarity among the 16 federal states. Their territory is limited in each case to the major cities of Berlin, Bremen/Bremerhaven and Hamburg, whereas the other larger states comprise a number of city and rural municipalities.
The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is based in Frankfurt am Main. It showcases the diversity of tourism in Germany as well as paying close attention to the compatibility of tourism and sustainability. The GNTB also promotes Germany as a travel destination at 25 locations around the world.
To a large extent the 16 national parks in Germany are located in the north of the country. They are all noteworthy for their unique nature and landscape and serve to preserve the natural diversity of rare plants and animals. The largest is the Schleswig-Holstein Mud Flats National Park Wattenmeer, with a surface area of 441,000 hectares. The smallest, Jasmund National Park on the Isle of Rügen, with its famous white cliffs, is only 3,070 hectares large.
→ bfn.de
With 150 international trade fairs, Germany is a leading international marketplace for goods and commodities. Major events include the annual Hannover Messe, which is regarded as an industry showcase, and also IAA Mobility, which is organised by the German Association of the Automotive Industry. In the field of information technology, the consumer electronics trade show IFA in Berlin is one of the leading trade fairs. Berlin is also the venue of the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) each year. Meanwhile, International Green Week is a unique exhibition dedicated to food and agriculture, likewise held in Berlin. When it comes to books, the Frankfurt Book Fair every October is a global industry event, while Gamescom in Cologne is the world’s largest video games trade fair in terms of visitor numbers and exhibition space.
The Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) is the umbrella organisation of the German trade show sector. Its central task is to promote German trade fairs at home and abroad
→ auma.de