Government

Country Name (conventional long form): Federal Republic of Germany
Country Name (conventional short form): Germany
Country Name (local long form): Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Country Name (local short form): Deutschland
Country Name (former): German Empire, German Republic, German Reich
Government Type: federal republic
Capital City: Berlin
Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, a
National Holiday: Unity Day, 3 October (1990)
Constitution: 23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united German people 3 October 1990
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legal System: civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction