• Population: 83,029,536, largest in Europe after the Russian Federation. (Ranked 12th in the world by the US Census Bureau).
• Population density: 601 people per square mile, 87% urban.
• Children 0-14: 15.6 %—12,925,322.
• Teenage 10-19: 11.5%—9,517,326.
• Youth 15-24: 11.4%—9,425,832.
• Seniors Over 70: 11.5%—9,510,904.
• Male to female ratio: 96/100.
• Birth rate: 9.35 per 1000 one of the lowest in the world.
• Life expectancy at birth: Males 73.9, females 80.2.
• Infant mortality rate: 5.08 per 1000 live births.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Technology is responsible for the administration of education in Germany. Germany has general schools, and vocational schools, understanding that not all students will move on to higher education.

There are several types of general schools in Germany. The primary school (grundschulen) is attended by all children and lasts four years. It offers basic education and prepares students for secondary school (hauptschulen). Between grundschulen and hauptschulen lies the orientation stage (orientierungsstufe), which helps parents determine which type of secondary education is best for their children. Intermediate schools (realschulen) are a type of hauptschulen that provides the training necessary for all types of medium level occupations in Germany. Grammar schools (gymnasien) offer students the certificate necessary to participate in any higher education institution. Comprehensive schools (gesamtschulen), combine characteristics from the realschulen and the gymnasien. Special schools (sonderschulen) offer education and special care for physically, mentally, and emotionally disadvantaged children or children at risk.

There are also several types of vocational schools. The part-time vocational school (berufsschulen) is for students who have completed hauptschulen and have a training contract or are already employed. For many students there is the pre-vocational or basic vocational training year as a part of the hauptschulen (berufsvorbereitungsjahr/berufsgrundbildungsjahr), which offers general knowledge and vocational training for a particular field. There is also the vocational extension school (berufsaufbauschulen), which offers students a certificate that qualifies them for entrance into trade and technical schools. The full-time vocational schools (berufsfachschulen) offer full vocational training and qualify students to enter a trade or technical school (fachschule). The specialized grammar schools (fachgymnasien) are grammar schools oriented toward occupations and allow students to enter higher education institutions. Trade and technical schools (fachschulen) offer advanced vocational training, with an eye toward the master’s or technician’s qualification.

UNESCO Statistics Division.

US Central Intelligence Agency. World Factbook.

Freedom House.

Jonathan Ketcham cCYS

SOURCES

EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE

DEMOGRAPHICS

GERMAN YOUTH OVERVIEW

(Download this overview as a PDF)