GERMANY

Conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany

Conventional short form: Germany

Local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Local short form: Deutschland

Population: 81,471,834 (2011 estimate)

Median age: 44.9 years

Age structure: (2011 estimates)
0–14 years: 13.3%
15–64 years: 66.1%
65 years and over: 20.6%

GDP per capita (PPP): $35,900 (2010 estimated in US dollars)

Suffrage: 18 years old

Legal drinking age: 16 years old to purchase beer or wine; 18 years old to purchase spirits. Laws are primarily directed toward sellers, rather than the minors.

Advertising Note

German citizens save twice as much money every year as people from the United States. When Germans do shop, they usually go for items they have already researched, seeking out the lowest price. When they find what they want, they often buy it and go home. In general, Germans do not consider shopping to be a form of entertainment; aimlessly wandering through store after store is wasteful to them. If you want to motivate Germans to buy something, provide as much scientific detail as you can about the item in the ad or on your website. The more serious information (not hype!) that your marketing materials and advertisements offer, the better your chances of loosening up some of those savings accounts.