Place of birth: Hamburg

Parentage: d. of Horst Kasner and Herlind Kasner

Family: married 1st Ulrich Merkel (divorced 1982); married 2nd Joachim Sauer 1998

Education: Univ. of Leipzig

Career: Research Assoc. in quantum chem., Zentralinstitut für physikalische Chemie, East Berlin 1978–90; joined Demokratischer Aufbruch (DA) 1989, Press Spokesperson 1990; Deputy Spokesman for Govt of Lothar de la Maizière, March–October 1990; joined Christlich-Demokratische Union (Christian Democratic Union) 1990, member Bundestag 1990–, Deputy Fed. Chair. 1991–98, Christlich-Demokratische Union Chair. Fed. State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 1993–2000, Gen. Sec. Christlich-Demokratische Union 1998–2000, Chair. 2000–, also Parl. Leader 2002–05; Fed. Minister for Women and Young People 1991–94, for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety 1994–98; Chancellor 2005–; Pres. European Council and Chair. G8 2007; member Council of Women World Leaders

Honours and awards: Bundesverdienstkreuz 2008; Dr hc (Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem) 2007, ( Univ. of Leipzig) 2008, (Univ. of Tech., Wrocław) 2008; ranked by Forbes magazine amongst The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (first) 2006–09, (fourth) 2010, (first) 2011, named a Hero of the Environment 2007, Charlemagne Prize for distinguished services to European unity 2008, Presidential Medal of Freedom (US) 2011, ranked by Forbes magazine amongst The World’s Most Powerful People (15th) 2009, (sixth) 2010, (fourth) 2011

Publication: Der Preis des Überlebens: Gedanken und Gespräche über zukünftige Aufgaben der Umweltpolitik (The Price of Survival: Ideas and Conversations about Future Tasks for Environmental Policy) 1997

Leisure interests: reading, hiking, gardening

Contact details: Address: Office of the Federal Chancellery, Willy-Brandt str. 1, 10557 Berlin, Germany (office); Tel: (30) 40000 (office); Fax: (30) 40002357 (office); Email: internetpost@bundeskanzler.de (office); Website: http://www.bundeskanzler.de/ (office); Website: http://www.angela-merkel.de/ .