Berlin
Neighborhoods
The center of Berlin is marked by the Reichstag, or Deutscher Bundestag-Plenarbereich Reichstagsgebäude (German Federal Assembly-Plenary Area, Imperial Assembly Building), which was renamed to symbolize a break with the city's Nazi history. The Brandenburg Tor, or Gate, is the doorway from West
| City Fact Comparison | ||||
| Indicator | Berlin | Cairo | Rome | Beijing |
| (Germany) | (Egypt) | (Italy) | (China) | |
| Population of urban area1 | 3,337,000 | 10,772,000 | 2,688,000 | 12,033,000 |
| Date the city was founded | 28 October 1237 | AD 969 | 753 BC | 723 BC |
| Daily costs to visit the city2 | ||||
| Hotel (single occupancy) | $118 | $193 | $172 | $129 |
| Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) | $66 | $56 | $59 | $62 |
| Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.) | $16 | $14 | $15 | $16 |
| Total daily costs (hotel, meals, incidentals) | $200 | $173 | $246 | $207 |
| Major Newspapers3 | ||||
| Number of newspapers serving the city | 8 | 13 | 20 | 11 |
| Largest newspaper | Berliner Zeitung | Akhbar El Yom/Al Akhbar | La Repubblica | Renmin Ribao |
| Circulation of largest newspaper | 370,000 | 1,159,450 | 754,930 | 3,000,000 |
| Date largest newspaper was established | 1877 | 1944 | 1976 | 1948 |
| 1United Nations population estimates for the year 2000. | ||||
| 2The maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. | ||||
| 3David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. | ||||
to East, where the Berlin Wall crossed the city center before it was destroyed in November 1989. The eastern and western portions of the city differ greatly, with the western Kurfürstendamm, or Ku'damm, commercial center sporting all of the nicest shops and cafés while the eastern Alexanderplatz has been described as "depressing." This should change soon because the greatest building activity in Germany is taking place in Berlin, improving the infrastructure that will link both sides of the city together again. Much of the population lives in the suburbs. Spandau, in the west of Berlin, is home to one of Berlin's largest residential developments, Wasserstadt Oberhavel on the banks of the Havel. Biesdorf-Süd, between Marzahn and Hellersdorf, houses 500,000 residents on the edge of the former East Berlin. The nicer neighborhoods lie around the lakes in the west, including the Grunewald, Frohnau, and Westend communities. The majority of Berliners rent housing and enjoy the idea of a local community, or the Kiez. Although Berlin has always been a popular place to live, more people are emigrating to nearby towns and cities than are moving into the capital city. The government has embarked upon a complete restructuring of surrounding communities
