Try it for yourself
222Neighbouring countries share a geographical relationship

Switzerland shares a border with Germany.

The question asks for a country directly sharing a border. EU membership or a shared currency is not required.

About 4 min readReviewed: 20 October 2026
AI-generated two plain wooden boxes standing directly beside one another on a table.
Federal Statistical OfficeShared national borders
A spatial study metaphor for direct neighbours, not a map or Swiss border.
The short answer

Switzerland.

Of the four countries listed, only Switzerland directly borders Germany. Hungary, Portugal and Spain are European countries but do not share a national border with Germany.

Try it for yourselfExam question · No. 222
Which country is a neighboring country of Germany?

Choose one answer. Your result stays on this page only.

A neighbouring country lies directly across the national border.

In this question, “neighbouring country” does not simply mean a country in the same part of the world. What matters is a shared border. Switzerland is one of the nine countries directly bordering Germany.

Switzerland is not a German federal state. It is a separate country. “European country” and “EU member” are also not equivalent: Switzerland is in Europe but is not a member of the European Union. This does not change its status as Germany’s neighbour.

Three fictional adults with long copper hair, short black hair and a plain blue hair covering sort blank study cards.
AI-generated study group; appearance and clothing do not indicate nationality.

The other three answers

The other three countries do not directly border Germany.

Hungary

Hungary is not among the countries sharing a border with Germany. Being reachable overland does not make it a direct neighbour.

Portugal

Portugal is a European country, but not Germany’s direct neighbour. “In Europe” describes a larger group than “bordering Germany”.

Spain

Spain also has no shared border with Germany. A familiar travel destination or EU member need not be a neighbouring country.

Borders, travel rules and currency are separate questions.

Switzerland participates in Schengen and uses the Swiss franc. This clearly illustrates that neighbouring status, shared travel rules and a shared currency are different things. One of these features does not automatically imply the others.

You do not need to memorise a border’s length for this question. Published distances can differ with the measurement method and the sections included. The reliable classification is enough here: Germany and Switzerland share a border.

Shared national borders · Federal Statistical Office ↗
Your memory cue

Switzerland is Germany’s neighbour despite not being an EU member.

Start with the shared border. Consider the EU, Schengen and currency when the question asks about them.

Three words for this question

angrenzento border
To lie directly next to another territory.
der Nachbarstaatneighbouring country
A country sharing a border with the country being considered.
die Währungcurrency
The monetary system of a country or shared currency area.
Statistisches Bundesamt · Gemeinsame Grenzen Deutschlands ↗

Other questions test the same border relationship with different answer choices.

223Which country is a neighboring country of Germany?
Catalogue answer

Poland

Poland is also a direct neighbour of Germany.

221Germany is a member of the Schengen Agreement. What does that mean?
Catalogue answer

Germans can travel to many European countries without passport control.

Schengen concerns border checks, not the definition of a neighbouring country.

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Sources & context

An independently written study guide, not an official BAMF publication or advice for an individual case. The sources below were reviewed on 20 October 2026 for the claims explained here; the test question comes from the existing question bank.

The two editorial pictures are AI-generated illustrations. They do not document real events or official proceedings.