The capital and largest city of Germany is Berlin, a major center of culture and education. It is also one of Germany’s 16 Länder, or states. Located in the northeastern part of the country, Berlin is surrounded by the state of Brandenburg. From 1949 until 1990, when the city was divided, East Berlin was the capital of East Germany and one of its 15 districts. West Berlin functioned as one of West Germany’s states, though it was not officially a part of that country and did not have full voting rights

Source: Britannica