Geography and Environment of Czech Republic

The Czech Republic lies in the heartland of Central Europe. The Czech Republic is almost entirely surrounded by mountains. To the north and northeast are the Sudetes Mountains, which include the Krkonose Mountains and Mt. Snazka, the highest point in the country. To the southeast along the Czech-Slovak border are the Carpathian Mountains. The Sumava Mountains in the southwest form the border with Germany. These mountain ranges protect the country from the extremes of western and northern European winters. The main geographic subdivisions are the Czech lands of Bohemia to the west and Moravia to the east. In addition, a section of what was once Silesia occupies the north-central part of the country. The Czech Republic covers a total area of 30,332 square miles (78,864 square kilometers). The terrain is typically hilly with wide, rolling plains. Bohemia has more low mountains and plateaus than Moravia, which tends to be flatter. At 20,368 square miles (52,764 square kilometers), Bohemia is twice the size of Moravia and includes the capital city of Prague. Prague lies on the Vltava River (Moldau in German), which flows northward and joins the Labe (Elbe) north of Prague. Prague, with an altitude of 800 feet, lies at the center of the gently rolling Bohemian Plain.

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