Central Europe

Germany•Democratic Government •Berlin is the Capital•Country is divided into 16 states•German is Dominate Language •Germany is an economic Power house

• Business Manufacturing, Cars, electronics etc

• Agriculture- half of country is available for Agriculture

Issues and Challenges

East and West Germany have different Cultures• 1990 fall of Berlin wall

caused a lot of unemployment in east Germany

• Easterners (Ossis) feel as if they are second class citizens

• Westerns (Wessis) have a higher class of living

GERMANY

Austria

•Located in the Alps•Most mountainous region in central Europe•Same size as South Carolina•German is main language•Vienna is the largest City and the capital, located on the banks of the Danube River•Economy includes Steel, machinery and chemicals….skiing in the alps

Switzerland

•The government is a Confederation- group of states joined together for a common purpose and is made up of 26 cantons (states)•Switzerland is a neutral country and will not take sides in international conflict or join international Organizations•Four major languages- German, French, Italian, Romansh•Zurich is the leading world banking center•International banking and insurance are important to economy•Bern is the Capital•Has one of the highest standards of living

Poland•Landscape of rolling hills and plains•Language is Polish, a Slavic language•Warsaw is the capital and is located by the Vistula River•Religion is Roman Catholic•The country was communist and has moved to capitalism and many people do not have work

The Czech Republic•Was once part of Slovakia called (Czechoslovakia) separated into 2 countries in 1993 •Landscape is hilly•Agriculture is grain and cereal•Capitalistic economy•Prague is the capital •Has a lot of foreign investment and tourism

Slovakia

•Is the poorer of the two countries•Move to capitalism has been difficult…lots of unemployment•Capital is Bratislava on the Danube River•Has a strong folk culture

HUNGARY•Language is Magyar, which is related to Finnish•Budapest is the capital•Located on a broad agricultural plain in the central Danube basin• Potatoes, sugar beets and wheat are main

crops• was Communist government until 1990 (but they are starting to allow privately owned business) making the move from communist to market economy was difficult.