Vice President Xi Jinping arrived in the eastern German city of Dresden on Saturday to continue his European tour. The following are basic facts about the Federal Republic of Germany.

Located in central Europe, Germany has common borders with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland.

Germany, with a total area of about 357,000 square km, has a population of about 82.11 million people. Berlin is the capital of the country.

Germany, a highly industrialized country, is the largest economy in Eruope and the fourth largest in the world. The gross domestic product (GDP) of the country reached 2,492 billion euros (about 3,663 billion U.S. dollars) in 2008, with per capita GDP standing at 30,340 euros (about 44,600 dollars).

Heavy industries such as auto and machinery manufacturing, chemicals and electrics, which account for more than 40 percent of Germany's industrial production, have been the pillars. Germany also has advanced industrial sectors in food, textile, steel, mining, space and aviation.

Germany depends heavily on imports of raw materials and energy.

Germany, which has established trade relations with more than 230 countries and regions, is a leading international trader in the world. It had been the world's top exporter for six consecutive years from 2003 to 2008. German exports reached 994.9 billion euros (about 1462.5 billion dollars), a 2.7 percent year-on-year increase.

China and Germany established diplomatic relations on Oct. 11, 1972,. Their bilateral political ties since then have developed very smoothly with frequent high-level visits.

Germany has been China's biggest trade partner in Europe for more than 30 years, and China is currently the biggest trade partner of Germany in Asia. According to statistics from China's Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade hit 115 billion dollars in 2008, a 22.2 percent year-on-year rise.