How many federal states does Germany consist of?

Explanation

The Federal Republic of Germany consists of 16 Länder (federal states), of which three—Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg—are city-states. The federal states have significant powers within areas such as cultural and educational policy, and they can also govern financial and tax policy to some degree. The division of powers between the states and the federal government, along with the best possible administrative division, remains a subject of ongoing debate. There are large differences in the economy and size of the federal states, and mergers between federal states have been discussed but never carried out (e.g., Berlin-Brandenburg and a "Northern State" comprising Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania).