Hamburg is a major city in northern Germany. It’s situated on the beautiful Elbe River. Hamburg is among the world's most livable cities and a prime example of German efficiency. It is the country’s center for trade, transportation, and culture. Since the Middle Ages, Hamburg has been known for its influential role in global trade. It is famous for its stunning architecture, both medieval buildings and modern structures that exist in harmony. Some of the places that make it famous include the stunning Speicherstadt, Miniatur Wunderland, Hamburg Rathaus, and the Port of Hamburg.

Census in Germany is done after every 10 years and 2011 was the last time that it was conducted. The next census is scheduled for 2021 in Germany. According to the 2011 census, Hamburg had a population of 1,786,448. Compared to other cities in Germany, Hamburg is considered to be quite diverse. According to the 2011 census, 77.1% of the population is German in Hamburg while the rest is composed of various nationalities. This is due to many people moving to the city for work. When it comes to religious beliefs, Hamburg is known to be diverse as most people identify themselves as Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, and some other religions. According to the data collected during the 2011 census, 29.4% people in Hamburg identified themselves as Protestant, 10.7% as Catholic, 8.4% Muslim, and 51.5% declared that they followed no religion. As one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Germany, Hamburg houses over 1.8 million residents, who collectively speak over 50 languages, including Turkish, Polish, Russian, English, and of course German. The Port of Hamburg, known as 'Germany's Gateway to the World', is the third-largest port in Europe. Hamburg has more bridges than any other city in the world, boasting over 2,500 bridges.

Hamburg is a city-state and a federal state of Germany. The city's administration is coordinated by the Senate of Hamburg and the Hamburg Parliament. The Senate of Hamburg is the executive branch, which is responsible for state and local affairs. It consists of the First Mayor of Hamburg, the Second Mayor, and senators. The mayor is elected by the Hamburg Parliament, which is the legislative branch, and he/she serves as the head of the Senate. The Hamburg Parliament is responsible for legislation, controlling the Senate, and representing the citizens. The 121 members of the Hamburg Parliament are elected every five years by local residents.

Hamburg has always been a commercial city and today enjoys the status of having one of the strongest economies in Germany. The city thrives in trade and commerce and has a vibrant economy deeply rooted in shipping and transport. It has a GDP of over €110 billion, which is about 4 percent of Germany's total GDP. The size of its economy is larger than that of some European nations. The Port of Hamburg handles over 130 million tons of cargo every year.

Hamburg has been taking positive steps with its infrastructure planning. The city has identified a range of infrastructure priorities, from new energy, water and sewerage infrastructure, to enhanced digital connectivity and new transportation projects. Some of the investment is provided by the private sector. Business is particularly concerned at the lack of capacity in digital infrastructure. The take-up of high speed broadband by business is low compared to other world cities; and just over 10% of premises cannot access superfast broadband in the first place. Businesses see these as priority areas for action by the city.