The sterotypes no longer apply to Germany: both culturally and economically the country is home to fresh ideas and exciting developments. It’s time for the world, and Germans, to embrace a new future.

When we think about 21st-century Europe, we think about Germany. But our picture of the character and global outlook of the country can often be shaped by outdated notions. Here, Monocle crosses the real Germany and discovers the people who are shaping its future.

The streets are immaculate, the inhabitants are blonde and the local beer is exceptional. Welcome to Brazil’s ‘little Germany’.

The city of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan is considerably more relaxed than the capital Taipei. But behind city hall doors, a formidable team is seeing through some ambitious plans.

Who puts the lead in your pencil? Probably a German firm with a history of making fine writing instruments. And it’s a past these players want to highlight as they do battle with those pesky digital gadgets. Meet the stars of the stationery cupboard.

As companies around the world collapse into administration it would seem that the frenzied pursuit of profit in these straitened times can have an unfortunate side effect: bankruptcy. But the global resurgence of co-operatives points to a beguiling alternative: put employees and customers first and the rest will follow. Nervous CEOs should read on.

This Tennessee city used to be known for its smog and stench. However, Chattanooga has cleaned up its act, establishing itself as an emerging technology hub and the home of Volkswagen’s only US factory. How did that happen?

Built in the 1930s as a Third-Reich propaganda machine, Munich’s Haus der Kunst has since evolved to become one of Germany’s most prestigious and global-minded contemporary-art venues.

Deutsche Welle broadcasts TV and radio and in 30 languages worldwide. Established in 1953, today the public broadcaster is more important than ever – as a tool for public diplomacy.

Munich’s reputation rests largely on history, luxury and beer. But for 2013, the Bavarian city is setting a new focus, on public art. It has invited an outside force – artist duo Elmgreen + Dragset – to playfully carry out a most serious mission.

BAU is the world’s largest fair for the construction and architecture industries while also being a dream getaway for home handymen. From grand designs to garden sheds, Monocle visits the design world’s most no-nonsense gathering.

A new mosque in the heart of Köln is set to be the largest in Germany, inviting not only the city’s Muslim community but also a renewed sense of religious openness and the odd architecture enthusiast too.

In a globalised market flooded with faux-artisan branding, real craftsmen are endangered. But in Kyoto, where tradition rules, a new initiative is refreshing generations-old techniques to bring Japanese craft to a worldwide audience.

Since Anders Behring Breivik’s atrocious attack in 2011, Utøya has rarely been out of the news. Here, finally, a positive story emerges from the tragedy: meet the Norwegian architectural firm redesigning the island for a hopeful future.

The biannual Pitti Uomo menswear show is a highlight of the fashion calendar but its host country isn’t the force it used to be. That necessitates an unfamiliar focus on expansion into foreign markets – and Japan is first in line.

Each year there are two must-attend watch fairs in Switzerland. The vast Baselworld is still some months away but at the smaller, perfectly formed SIHH the talk was of slimming and self-reliance.

A new food hall in an old ironworks is helping change the face of both the docklands and the city’s food scene.

Think you’ve got the measure of the Haribo gummy bear? Think again. Behind that loveable face is a company that buys out rivals and takes its competitors to court. And we bet you didn’t know what country he’s from…

Gender equality is on the to-do list in France, local food is on the table in Helsinki, and holiday homes are on the shopping list in Switzerland

What's on the Mexican president's tarmac, who's nuts for Brazil and why cars are too quiet in America.

We put Burma's president Thein Sein under the sartorial spotlight. We also find out why Taiwan is making more babies and get the latest on the Malaysian elections

The Houston to Angola flight path, the art-loving tycoon Shafik Gabr and Mauritius's big business ambitions.

Rebranding Fiji's regime, saving butterflies in Papua New Guinea, and the wonder of ore in Western Australia.

Germany’s armed forces are experiencing an era of change. Just as they are becoming more active on the world military stage, they’re also facing cuts and restructuring. What type of military emerges in the end is still anyone’s guess.

Germany's man in Belgrade, the new Greek embassy, and Japanese PM's diplomatic style.

Diamond cutting in Israel, olive oil farming in Croatia and the business of making Japan cool.

Books, films and music to make a date for.

The world of mags, print and photography

An interview with Berlin gallerist Johann König plus art sale hightlights.

The latest buildings, most innovative products and most promising talent.

Retailers, brands, outfits and designers.

Our favourite cookware, products and restaurants plus news from the food and drink industry.

Finland’s icebreakers are crucial for keeping the Baltic Sea navigable and its ports open. Captain Tommy Berg is at the helm of the MSV Fennica. He says keeping the ship on the right course is ultimately a team effort.

A quick bite on your own in one of Tokyo’s cafés and restaurants is a pure, indulgent pleasure, especially when you’re adding to the ambience with a sharp-looking outfit.

This month, the natural world brings wood, leather and rare essences to the fore and creates unexpected combinations with chocolate-and-caramel tea and a vodka that starts life with a cow.

From a three-Michelin star restaurant to a new mobile kitchen in Berlin, we take a quick tour of what’s new and noteworthy for a trip to Germany. Then on the following pages we go global for this issue’s travel picks.

While the woodworking firms and lumber yards of northern Japan have been in decline, wooden-toy brand Mastro Geppetto is thriving.

Creative industries and individuals from near and far are flocking to the renovated factories and warehouses of Collingwood.

A restaurant in central Hamburg has been pleasing guests with its homely cooking for more than 20 years.

Renowned curator Klaus Biesenbach used to live on chocolate bars; thankfully he has something more refined in mind for his ‘last meal’.

They may not be sexy but the small firms that make everything from dog leads to lifting gear are the fuel powering Germany’s economy.

Editor in chief Tyler Brûlé looks back over his career in television, print and radio as we celebrate six years of Monocle and new developments for Monocle 24.