Berlin

INTRODUCTION

Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is the country's largest city. It is the second most populous city and the ninth most populous urban area in the European Union. Located in northeastern Germany, it is the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan area, comprising 5 million people from over 190 nations.Berlin is a major center in European culture, politics, media, and science. Its economy is primarily based on the service sector.


GEOGRAPHY

Berlin is located in eastern Germany, about 70 kilometers (44 miles) west of the border with Poland in an area with marshy terrain.Substantial parts of present-day Berlin extend onto the low plateaus on both sides of the Spree Valley. The highest elevations in Berlin are Teufelsberg and the Müggelberge. Both hills have an elevation of about 115 meters (377 ft). The Teufelsberg is in fact an artificial pile of rubble from the ruins of World War II.


CLIMATE

Berlin has a temperate/mesothermal climate, according to the Köppen climate classification system. The mean annual temperature for Berlin-Dahlem is 9.4°C (48.9°F) and its mean annual precipitation totals 578 millimeters (22.8 inches). The warmest months are June, July, and August, with mean temperatures of 16.7 to 17.9 °C (62.1 to 64.2 °F). The coldest are December, January, and February, with mean temperatures of −0.4 to 1.2 °C (31.3 to 34.2 °F).