The city is in the eastern part of Germany in Central Europe and is surrounded by many forests and lakes. Berlin has an area of891km2 (344.02sqmi). TheriversHavel, Dahme andSpree run through Berlin. It has atemperate climate.
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 inWorld War Two. The city was split intoWest Berlin andEast Berlin after World War Two. After theBerlin 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'seconomy. Many planes and trains travel to and from Berlin because the city is an important place for tourism and business.[10]
In 2018, Berlin had 3.75million registered inhabitants in an area of891.1km2 (344.1sqmi). The city's population density was 4,206 inhabitants per km2. Berlin is the most populous city in Germany and theEuropean Union. The entire Berlin-Brandenburg capital region has a population of more than 6million in an area of30,546km2 (11,794sqmi).[11][1] More than 2.0million households were counted in the city. Around 60 percent of them were single-person households.
There are more than 20 communities with a population of at least 10,000 people in 2019, including German, Turkish, Polish, Syrian, Italian, Bulgarian, Russian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Serbian, Bosnian, Vietnamese, American, Romanian, Croatian, Chinese, Austrian, Ukrainian, French, British, Spanish, Israeli, Indian and Iranian communities.
In 2019, there were 777,345 registered residents of foreign nationality and another 542,975 German citizens with a "migration background",[2] meaning they or one of their parents immigrated to Germany after 1955. Berlin residents originate from about 190 different countries.[12]
Berlin is in northeasternGermany, in an area of low-lying marshy woodlands with a mainly flat terrain. It is part of the Northern European Plain. The riverSpree and Havel are the two main rivers in the city. In Spandau, a borough in the west of Berlin, the Spree empties into the riverHavel, which flows from north to south through western Berlin. The largest lakes being the Tegeler See, the Großer Wannsee and the Großer Müggelsee.[13]
The Arkenberge hills in Pankow at122 meters (400ft) elevation are the highest point in Berlin. The Müggelberge (mountains) at114.7 meters (376ft) elevation is the highest natural point and the lowest is the Spektesee in Spandau, at28.1 meters (92ft) elevation.[14]
Berlin is one of the most renowned centers of higher education and research in Germany and the world. Historically, 57 Nobel Prize winners are affiliated with the Berlin-based universities.
The city has four universities and more than 40 private, professional, and technical colleges in 2020.[15] Around 200.000 students were enrolled in 2019. Among them around 20% have an international background.
The three largest universities combined have approximately 110,000 students. There are the Free University of Berlin(Free University of Berlin, FU Berlin) with about 35,000 students, the Humboldt University of Berlin(HU Berlin) with 40,000 students, and the Technical University of Berlin(TU Berlin) with 35,000 students. TheCharité Medical School has around 9,000 students. The Berlin University of the Arts(UdK) has about 4,000 students and theESMT Berlin is a leading business schools in Germany. The Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR) has an enrollment of about 11,000 students, the Berlin University of Applied Sciences and Technology (BHT) of about 12,000 students, and the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (University of Applied Sciences for Engineering and Economics, HTW) of about 14,000 students.
Berlin is famous for its numerous cultural institutions, many of which enjoy international reputation.[16] It is a trendsetting city.[17] Young people, creatives and entrepreneurs continue to settle in the city and make Berlin a popular entertainment center in the world.[18]
The Berlin cuisine and culinary offerings vary greatly. 23 restaurants in Berlin have been awarded one or more Michelin stars in 2021, which ranks the city at the top for the number of restaurants in Germany.[19]
Many local foods originated from north German culinary traditions and include rustic and hearty dishes with pork, goose, fish, peas, beans, cucumbers, or potatoes. Typical Berliner fare include popular street food like theCurrywurst Buletten (meat balls) and theBerliner doughnut, known in Berlin asPfannkuchen.[20][21] German bakeries offering a variety of breads and pastries are widespread. One of Europe's largestdelicatessen markets is found at the department store KaDeWe. Among the world's largest chocolate stores isFassbender & Rausch.[22]
Berlin is also home to a diverse gastronomy scene reflecting the immigrant history of the city. Immigrants brought their culinary traditions to the city, such as the varied fast-food version of the döner kebab. Asian cuisine like Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, Korean, and Japanese restaurants, as well as Spanish tapas bars, Italian, and Greek cuisine, can be found in many parts of the city.
Berlin is recognized for its creative industries and startups.[24]
In 2018, the GDP of Berlin totaled €147billion.[1] The city is the largest metropolitan economy in Germany and the third largest in the European Union. Berlin's economy is dominated by the service sector, with around 85% of all companies doing business in services. In 2019, the total labor force in Berlin was about twomillion.
Important economic sectors in Berlin include life sciences, transportation, information and communication technologies, media and music, advertising and design, biotechnology, environmental services, construction, e-commerce, retail, hotel business, and medical engineering.[25]
Research and development are important for the city.[26] Berlin is part of the Eurozone.
The creative arts and entertainment business is an important part of Berlin's economy. The sector comprises music, film, advertising, architecture, art, design, fashion,performing arts, publishing,R&D,software,[27] TV and radio.
In 2014, around 30,500 creative companies operated in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region, predominantly medium-sized enterprises. Generating a revenue of 15.6billion Euro and 6% of all private economic sales, the culture industry grew from 2009 to 2014 at an average rate of 5.5% per year.[28]
Berlin is an important center in the European and German film industry.[29] It is home to more than 1,000 film and television production companies, 270 movie theaters, and around 300 national and international co-productions are filmed in the region every year.[26] The Babelsberg Studios and the production company UFA are adjacent to Berlin inPotsdam. The city is also home of the German Film Academy (Deutsche Filmakademie), founded in 2003, and the European Film Academy, founded in 1988.
Many German and international companies have business or service centers in the city. For several years Berlin has been recognized as a major center ofbusiness founders.[30] In 2015, Berlin generated the most venture capital for youngstartup companies in Europe.[31]
Among the 10 largest employers in Berlin are the City-State of Berlin,Deutsche Bahn, the hospital providers Charité and Vivantes, the Federal Government of Germany, the local public transport provider BVG,Siemens, Deutsche Telekom and the e-commerce firm Zalando.[32]
In 2025, around 800,000 Berliners were registered in one of the more than 2,300 sport and fitness clubs. The city of Berlin operates more than 60 public indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Berlin is the largest Olympic training center in Germany.
Berlin is a host city of major international sporting events. The city hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics and was the host city for the 2006 FIFA World Cup final. The World Athletics Championships was held at Olympiastadion in 2009. In 2015 Berlin was the venue for the UEFA Champions League Final. Berlin hosted the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games.
The annual Berlin Marathon – a course that holds the most top-10 world record runs – is an athletic competition in the city. The WTA Berlin is a woman's tennis tournament. The Berlin E-Prix is an annual motorsport race.
Several professional clubs representing the most important spectator team sports in Germany are based in Berlin. The football clubs 1. FC Union Berlin and Hertha BSC have the most members. Other professional team sport clubs include Alba Berlin (basketball), Füchse Berlin (handball), Eisbären Berlin (ice hockey) and Wasserfreunde Spandau 04 (waterpolo).
.svg)
_-_de_-_colored.svg)
.svg)
