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As of December 31, 2005, we employed a total of 63,427 staff members as compared to 65,417 as of December 31, 2004. We calculate our employee figures on a full-time equivalent basis, meaning we include proportionate numbers of part-time employees.
The following table shows our numbers of full-time equivalent employees as of December 31, 2005, and 2004.
| Employees1 | Dec 31, 2005 | Dec 31, 2004 |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 26,336 | 27,093 |
| Europe (outside Germany)2 | 18,444 | 19,538 |
| Asia-Pacific | 7,169 | 6,458 |
| North America3 | 11,134 | 11,954 |
| South America | 345 | 374 |
| Total employees | 63,427 | 65,417 |
| 1 | Full-time equivalent employees. |
| 2 | Includes a small number of employees in Africa. |
| 3 | Primarily the United States. |
The number of our employees decreased by 1,990 to 63,427 during the year. In the course of implementing the global BRP, we completed approximately 5,900 employee departures and notifications as of December 31, 2005 out of the announced 6,400. This reduction was offset by some of our growth initiatives in other parts of our businesses.
The proportion of employees working in Germany as a percentage of our total staff remained essentially the same at 41.5%.
