Since the unification of Germany in 1990, Berlin has been the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany and the seat of the German government. Berlin is a city state, an independent German Land, and the centre of the metropolitan area Berlin/Brandenburg. Berlin has more than 3.4 million inhabitants, and is the most populous and largest German city. With regard to the number of inhabitants, Berlin is the second largest city in the European Union.

In the past, Berlin was the capital of various German states such as the margraviate/electorate of Brandenburg, the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Reich or the GDR (only the eastern part of the city). Berlin grew from the old city centre, the Nikolai quarter, the neighbouring town of Cölln, the newly founded electorate towns such as Dorotheenstadt or Friedrichstadt and, finally, with the the formation of Greater Berlin in 1920, when independent towns such as Spandau, Charlottenburg or Cöpenick were joined with the old part of Berlin, forming a city with four million inhabitants.

The consequence of this decentralised history of the city's development is that today's city of Berlin has numerous landmarks, not only in the centre, but also in the outskirts of the city.

Berlin is an important centre of politics, media, culture and science in Europe.
Outstanding institutions, such as the universities, research facilities, theatres and museums enjoy international recognition. The city is a centre of attraction for people involved in culture and arts from all over the world. Berlin's historic legacy, night life and versatile architecture are renowned beyond the borders.

Towards the end of the Second World War, Berlin was occupied by the Red Army. After surrender in 1945, Berlin, and the entire German territory, was divided into four sectors. The sectors held by the Western Allies (USA, United Kingdom and France) constituted the Western part of the city, while the sector held by the Soviet Union formed the Eastern part.

As agreement could not be reached, responsibility for the entire territory of Berlin remained with all four allies. In 1948/49, increasing political tensions between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union led to an economic blockade of West Berlin which the Western Allies overcame with the so-called Berlin Airlift.

After the foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany in Germany's western regions and of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in the East in 1949, the Cold War intensified, also in Berlin. While the Federal Republic relocated its capital to Bonn, which originally was intended as a provisional solution, the GDR declared East Berlin to be the capital of the GDR. The East-West conflict peaked when the Berlin Wall was built by the GDR on 13 August 1961.

From then on, West Berlin de facto was a part of the Federal Republic of Germany - but with a special legal status - whereas East Berlin de facto was a part of the GDR. Berlin's East and West were separated completely; crossing the border was only possible at certain checkpoints, but not for citizens of the GDR and East Berlin, with the exception of pensioners. In 1971, the Four Power Agreement on Berlin was signed.

While the Soviet Union claimed that the Four Power Status only related to West Berlin, the Western Allies stressed in a note dated 1975 to the United Nations their opinion that the Four Power Status covered the entire territory of Berlin.

In 1989, Die Wende (the change) came, and the Wall fell. As early as 1990, the two German states were reunified as the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Unification Treaty made Berlin the German capital. In 1991, the Bundestag (German parliament) passed the resolution on the capital after a controversial public discussion, deciding that the city should once more become the seat of the Bundesregierung (German federal government). On 01 September 1999, the government and the parliament commenced working in Berlin.