All German citizens who are 18 years old or older may vote. Voter registration is automatic. Life expectancy for German women is 79 years, for German men 73 years. About half of Germany's budget is spent on social welfare programs. The government subsizes cultural events and production.
Education is compulsory in Germany for ten years.
Germany exports 498 billion dollars' worth of goods annually. Exports account for one-third of the country's income. Germany imports 441 billion dollars' worth of goods annually. Since 1945, more Americans have lived and worked in Germany than in any other country in the world. 120 million people speak German as their native language.