Austria
Czech Republic
Germany
Germany has the largest population of any EU country. Its territory stretches from the North Sea and the Baltic in the north to the Alps in the south and is traversed by some of Europe's major rivers such as the Rhine, Danube and Elbe.Germany is a federal republic. The lawmakers at the national level are the Bundestag , whose members are elected every four years by popular vote and the Bundesrat , which consists of 69 representatives of the 16 states (Bundesländer).After the Second World War, Germany was divided into the democratic West and the Communist East (German Democratic Republic). The Berlin Wall became the symbol of this division. It fell in 1989 and Germany was reunited a year later.German is the most widely spoken first language in the European Union. Germany is the world's third largest economy, producing automobiles, precision engineering products, electronic and communications equipment, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and much more besides. Its companies have invested heavily in the central and east European countries which joined the EU in 2004.As birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms and Richard Wagner, among others, Germany's gift to European classical music is important. In thought and word, Germany's huge heritage includes the works of Luther, Goethe, Schiller, Nietzsche, Kant, Brecht and Thomas Mann.Germany is the second largest producer of hops in the world and the country is known for its quality beers. Wine is produced in the Moselle and Rhine valleys.
Hungary
Hungary lies in Central Europe in the Carpathian Basin. The greatest distance from north to south is 268 km, from east to west 528 km. 50% of the country's territory is flatland: the Alföld (Great Plain) that occupies the entire eastern half of the country and the Kisalföld (Small Plain) along the north-western border. The two most important rivers, the Danube (Hungarian stretch: 417 km) and the Tisza (598 km) flow across the country from north to south. The region between the Danube and Tisza is flat, while the region lying to the west of the Danube, Transdanubia is rolling hilly country with Central Europe's warmest lake, the Balaton at its centre. A range of mountains stretches diagonally right across the country. To the west of the Danube, the Transdanubian Range is 400-700 metres high, divided into the Keszthely Hills, the Bakony, Vértes, Gerecse, Pilis and Visegrád mountains. To the east of the Danube, the Northern Range rises to heights of 500-1000 metres, divided into the Börzsöny, Cserhát, Mátra, Bükk, Cserehát and Zemplén mountains. The highest point is the Kékes (1,014 m) in the Mátra. The Hungarian "puszta" is a favourite tourist destination where the once characteristic animals and ethnographic traditions can be seen in the Hortobágy National Park (Hortobágy) and in the Kiskunság National Park (Bugac, Apajpuszta, Lajosmizse) on the occasion of horse shows.
Poland
The north of Poland, stretching to the Baltic Sea, consists almost entirely of lowlands, while the Carpathian Mountains (including the Tatra range) form the southern border. The Masuria region forms the largest and most-visited lake district in Poland.The Polish state is over 1 000 years old. In the 16th century Poland was one of the most powerful countries in Europe. With victory at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, King Jan III Sobieski of Poland was able to break the Ottoman siege of Vienna and end the threat of a possible occupation of western EuropePoland is rich in natural mineral resources, including iron, zinc, copper and rock salt. The Wieliczka salt mine, constructed in the 13th century, contains an entire town below ground with a sanatorium, theatre, church and café! Everything from stairs to chandeliers is made from salt.Poland's current constitution dates from 1997. The President is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The 460 members of the lower house of parliament (the Sejm) and the 100 members of the senate, are directly elected by a system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms.Poland's traditional dishes include beetroot soup, cabbage rolls (cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice) and pierogi (dumplings stuffed with cabbage and mushrooms, for example).Famous Poles include the astronomer Copernicus, the composer Chopin, the scientist Maria Curie-Sklodowska, film-makers Roman Polanski and Krzysztof Kieslowski, and the late Pope, John-Paul II
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Slovakia became an independent state in January 1993 after Czechoslovakia split into its two constituent parts.The country is in the heart of central Europe, linked to its neighbours by the River Danube. The Carpathian Mountains extend across the northern half of the country and include the High Tatras - a popular skiing destination and home to the country's highest peak - the 2 655 m Gerlachovsky. The lowlands of the Danube plain provide a fertile farming region producing wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beet, fruit, tobacco and grapes.The President, elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term, has limited powers. The country has a single-chamber parliament whose 150 members are elected for four-year terms.Ethnically, the population is 86% Slovak; Hungarians are the largest minority.Perched on many hilltops are fortifications that bear witness to Slovakia's long history of invasions. Bratislava, the coronation place for the kings of Hungary in the past, has a rich heritage of medieval and baroque architecture.Traditional meals include potato dumplings with sheep's cheese and cabbage soup with sausages.Among the best-known Slovaks are Štefan Banič who invented the parachute in 1913, and Andy Warhol, the American-born pop artist, whose parents were from Slovakia.
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