3rd October: Germany

On this date in 1990, East and West Germany reunited to become Germany as it is today. Here are ten things you might not know about Germany.

1. The capital of Germany is Berlin. Berlin is nine times bigger than Paris and has more bridges than Venice (960). Combined with its surrounding state Brandenburg, it has Europe's largest inland water network. Berlin is also home to Europe's largest railway station and the world's largest zoo, one of Germany's 400 zoos, making it the country with the most zoos in the world.
2. Germany is famous for its Beer. Germans drink more beer than any other people in Europe, apart from the Czechs. The country hosts the biggest and most famous beer festival in the world, the Oktoberfest in Munich, Bavaria, which started off as a party thrown by Prince Ludwig in 1810 to celebrate his marriage. Despite the name, Oktoberfest starts in September. In Bavaria, beer is considered a food. A couple of things to remember if partaking in Oktoberfest: to order a beer, put up your thumb, not your first finger (using the first finger signifies you want two beers) and don't steal the beer glasses because you could be fined.
3. Stealing a glass at Oktoberfest may be a crime, but escaping from prison isn't, because in German law, freedom is a basic human right. However, it's difficult to break out of prison without causing damage to people or property, so escapees will get punished for that.
4. The soft drink Fanta was invented in Germany during the second world war. Unable to import the vital ingredients to make Coca Cola, the Coca-Cola factory in Germany had to come up with a different idea. Fanta was made from whey and apple pomace, common leftover products. Today, it is the second most popular Coca-Cola brand.
5. During the first world war, Germany became the first country in the world to adopt daylight saving time to conserve energy. Other notable German inventions include the telephone, Aspirin, fluorescent lamp, the automated calculator, the car, insulin, the Clarinet, the pocket watch, paraffin, petrol and Diesel engines, the motorcycle, the LCD screen and the Walkman.
6. Famous Germans include Pope Benedict XVI, Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss, Levi Strauss, Albert Einstein, Bach, Beethoven, Goethe, Handel, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Kant, Nietzsche, and Heidegger.
7. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been ranked as the second most powerful person in the world and there is an Angela Merkel Barbie Doll.
8. Cologne Cathedral took 700 years to build and can hold 40,000 people. The world’s tallest cathedral is in Ulm and is 530 feet tall.
9. The world's narrowest street is in Germany, in Reutlingen. It is called Spreuerhofstrasse and is 31cm (one foot) wide at its narrowest point.
10. There are over 300 kinds of Bread in Germany. There are also several museums dedicated to bread.