5 The Free Churches have a high proportion of Evangelicals but only represent 1.5% of the nation's population

6 German Evangelicals in all denominations are less than 2.5 million, but are slowly growing

a) The Pietist movement continues to be an influential force within the EKD

b) The Evangelical Alliance has become a rallying point for over 1.3 million Evangelicals for cooperative projects

c) Between 1980 and 1995 over 1,000 new independent congregations were started

d) The influx of ethnic Germans from Central and Eastern Europe over the past 20 years has led to a large increase of Mennonite and Baptist congregations

7 Theological education has proved a major cause of decline in the Protestant Church with high levels of scholarship but spiritually destructive teachings

8 Missionary vision has long been limited, with proportionately one of the lowest missionary-sending figures for any country with such a large Protestant community

Peoples

Indigenous 91.1%.

European Union (as of 2000) 2.5%.

Other Western 3%.

Other 3.4%.

Literacy almost 100%. Official language German. There are 110 million German-speakers worldwide. All languages 20. Languages with Scriptures 6Bi 3NT 5por.

Economy

Dramatic post-war recovery to become one of the world's strongest economies, with huge balance-of-payments surpluses. HDI 0.906; 14^th/174. Public debt 33% of GNP. Income/person $28,280 (90% of USA).

Politics

The collapse of Hitler's Reich in 1945 was followed by 45 years of partition between the democratic and capitalist Federal Republic (FRG) and the Communist 'Democratic' Republic (GDR).

Religion

Religious freedom.

Churches in Germany

Missionaries from Germany

approx. 4,090 in about 133 agencies with about 3,000 in 150 countries.

Missionaries to Germany

1,531 in 150 agencies from 40 countries

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Geography

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Area 357,042 sq.km. Strategically placed in the centre of Europe and of the expanding EU.

Population (2000) 82,220,490 +0.14%AGR

Capital Berlin 4,150,000.

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