The nationality of Germany is German. German nationality law details the conditions by which an individual is a national of Germany. The primary law governing these requirements is the Nationality Act, which came into force on 1 January 1914. Germany is a member state of the European Union (EU) and all German nationals are EU citizens. They have automatic and permanent permission to live and work in any EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country and may vote in elections to the European Parliament.

German citizenship is mainly acquired and passed on through descent from a German parent. The parent has to be a German citizen at the time of the birth of the child. Children who are born to former German citizens do not acquire German citizenship. In addition, for children born before January 1st, 1975, to parents who were married to each other at the time of the birth, it was mandatory that the father was a German citizen in order for the child to acquire German citizenship.

Nationality is a reference to the country of birth and/or citizenship. So, all people born in Germany are Germans in that sense. Ethnic Germans are the majority ethnic group in Germany, and the largest minority group are Turks. Other large minority groups include Italians.