Munich is the third largest city in Germany and the capital of the German state of Bavaria. It is situated in the south of Germany, near the Alps. Munich is one of the most prosperous and fastest growing cities in Germany. It is a major international center of engineering, science, innovation, and research, exemplified by the presence of two research universities, a multitude of scientific institutions in the city and its surroundings, and world class technology and science museums like the Deutsches Museum and BMW Museum. Munich's cultural scene is second to none in Germany, with the museums even considered by some to outrank Berlin in quality. Many travelers to Munich are absolutely stunned by the quality of the architecture. Although it was heavily damaged by allied bombing during World War II, many of its historic buildings have been rebuilt and the city center appears mostly as it did in the late 1800s including its largest church, the Frauenkirche, and the famous city hall (Neues Rathaus).

As of 2019, the population of Munich is estimated to be about 1.5 million. The city is very multicultural with 37% of its residents foreign-born. The largest groups of foreign nationals are Turks (43,309), Croatians (24,866), Italians (22,086), Greeks (21,411), Poles (20,847), Austrians (16,223), and Romanians (15,086). In terms of religion, as of 2015, 31.8% of Munich's residents are Catholic, 13.3% are Protestant, 0.3% are Jewish, and 4.0% are Muslim. 50.6% of the city's inhabitants are not affiliated with any religious group. Munich has the strongest economy of any German city and the lowest unemployment rate of any German city of more than a million people (3.3% in June 2019). The city is also home to many multinational companies like Siemens, BMW and Munich Re, one of the world's leading reinsurers.

The city is administered by a Lord Mayor, a city council, and a city senate. The Lord Mayor is the representative of the city and a city councilman. He is involved in the affairs of the city council and all its committees. The city council is the representative and legislative body of the city. It is responsible for making the city's municipal laws. The city senate is composed of the professionally active senior civil servants of the city administration and the Lord Mayor as chairman. It advises the Lord Mayor and prepares the decisions of the city council. The city council, in turn, is elected every five years by the Munich population.

Munich is one of the most prosperous and fastest growing cities in Germany. It is a leading location for science and research with a long list of Nobel Prize laureates from Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1901 to Theodor Hänsch in 2005. Munich has become a spiritual center of the technological world. Companies such as Siemens and BMW, MAN, Linde, Munich Re and Allianz have their home in Munich, among many others. Munich is also the home of the headquarters of many other large companies such as the aircraft engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engines, the injection moulding machine manufacturer Krauss-Maffei, the camera and lighting manufacturer Arri, the semiconductor company Infineon Technologies (headquartered in Neubiberg near Munich), lighting giant Osram, as well as the German or European headquarters of many foreign companies such as McDonald's and Microsoft.

Munich has an extensive public transportation system consisting of an underground metro, trams, buses and high-speed rail service. The system is operated by the Munich Transport and Tariff Association (MVG). The city is connected to major international roadways and has a highly developed network of boulevards and highways. Munich Airport is among the best and busiest airports in Europe. It is recognized for its architecture and the quality of its services. The city also has a well-developed network of cycle paths. The city's power supply and waste disposal services are provided by the city-owned utilities company Stadtwerke München.