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 100 Most Powerful Women (first) 2006, (first) 2007, (first) 2008, (first) 2009, named a Hero of the Environment 2007, Charlemagne Prize for distinguished services to European unity 2008, ranked 15th by Forbes magazine amongst The World’s Most Powerful People 2009

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/ .