Many different dialects are spoken in Germany. As in other languages, dialect and accent are a good indication of which part of Germany the speaker is from. The regional dialects and traditions are a legacy from the time when the area now known as Germany was populated by various tribes such as the Franks, Saxons, Swabians and Bavarians.
German is also the native tongue in Austria, much of Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg as well as parts of northern Italy, eastern Belgium and eastern France.
Many Germans also speak English.
Just under two thirds of Germans consider themselves Christians, and around a third say they have no religion or are members of a non-Christian faith community such as Muslim or Jewish.
