Germany
The German economy is the largest economy in Europe. Germany is a post—industrial country, where the basis of the economy (54%) is services, 45.9% is production and agribusiness — 0.1%, which employs the same number of economically active population.
The German economy is characterized by a well-developed infrastructure and a highly skilled workforce. There are several specific features in the German economic system.
The German economy is organized on the principle of a socio-market economy characterized by a combination of social balance and market freedom.
This model is represented by economic growth and an even distribution of wealth. The entrepreneurial activity of the state is placed at the center of the system, ensuring an even distribution of social benefits in society. The social partnership between trade unions and employers provides a fairly solid social peace. Reforms in social insurance systems and structural reforms in the labor market are aimed at reducing side labor costs and stimulating economic growth.
The second feature of the economic development path of Germany is the so-called "Rhine capitalism", characterized by a significant role of banks in the country's economy. Banks are large shareholders of industrial and service companies in Germany.
Also, the German economy is characterized by a high degree of industrialization. In comparison with many developed countries of the world, industry accounts for a very large share of GDP production here — the main area of specialization of Germany in the world economy.
Another feature of the German economy is its export orientation. The state is interested in an open market and over the past decade, significant expansion of its presence on the world market has been achieved.
In terms of agricultural production, grain production and livestock production, Germany is second only to France, and milk production ranks first within the EU. The efficiency of agricultural production in Germany is significantly higher than the EU average.
About 70% of marketable agricultural products are provided by animal husbandry. Broiler production, egg production, beef, and pig farming are concentrated in large livestock farms.
The German industry provides the country with leadership in many global product markets. The most competitive industries are: automotive industry, electrical industry, general mechanical engineering (production of machine tools, various devices), transport engineering (car building, aircraft construction), chemical, pharmaceutical and perfumery and cosmetics industry, precision mechanics and optics, ferrous metallurgy, aerospace industry, production of information and communication technology, shipbuilding.
Food industry: the main industries here are winemaking and brewing.
Non-ferrous metallurgy, as well as ferrous metallurgy, is based on imported primary raw materials and on own and imported scrap of non-ferrous metals. Accordingly, most of the centers are located on the coast.
One of the pillars of the German economy is an extremely diversified engineering industry. It consists of several parts, the most developed of which are automotive, machine tool construction, production of equipment for enterprises, computer technology, electrical engineering.
In the structure of the electrical industry of Germany, it stands out as the production of expensive industrial products (generators, cables, transformers), using a large number of non-ferrous metals, special grades of steel, and the production of durable household goods (refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, etc.). The rapid development of the electrical industry in Germany is associated with the introduction of information technologies, the creation of the nuclear industry and with the orders of the military industry.
Germany is one of the leading European countries in shipbuilding. More than 1 million workers are engaged in the production of various machines for shipbuilding here. Direct deliveries of components of related shipbuilding industries are carried out by 350-400 companies in the country, while one third of the components are used in Germany.
The aerospace industry in Germany does not occupy a leading position in the country's economy. This industry plays the role of the technological engine of the country. Innovations in this field have significantly contributed to the rise of computer production.
The estimated total recoverable reserves of natural energy resources in Germany, according to data calculated on the basis of EIA information (as of December 2015), amounted to 14.94 billion tons.