Geography

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe bounded to the north and east by Poland; to the south-east by Slovakia; to the south by Austria; and to the west and northwest by Germany. It covers an area of 78,866 sq km, making it the 117th largest country in the world, after the United Arab Emirates, and approximately the same size as Scotland.

The Czech landscape is quite varied; Bohemia to the west consists of a basin, drained by the Labe (German: Elbe) and Vltava rivers, surrounded by mostly low mountains such as the Sudetes with its part Krkonose, where one also finds the highest point in the country, the Snezka at 1,602 metres (5,256 ft). Moravia, the eastern part, is also quite hilly and is drained predominantly by the Morava river, but also contains the source of the Odra (German: Oder) river.

Water from the landlocked Czech Republic flows to three different seas: the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Black Sea.

The Czech Republic also possesses a 30,000 sq m exclave in the middle of the Hamburg docks which was awarded to Czechoslovakia by Article 363 of the Treaty of Versailles to allow the landlocked country a place where goods transported downriver could be transferred to seagoing ships; this territory reverts to Germany in 2018.

Facts and Figures

• Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany
• Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E
• Area:
  • Total: 78,866 sq km
  • Land: 77,276 sq km
  • Water: 1,590 sq km
• Land Boundaries: 2,290.2 km
• Border Countries
• Austria 466.3 km
  • Germany 810.3 km
  • Poland 761.8 km
  • Slovakia 251.8 km
• Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
• Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
• Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
• Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country.
• Elevation Extremes:
  • Lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
  • Highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
• Natural Resources:
  • Hard coal
  • Soft coal
  • Kaolin
  • Clay
  • Graphite
  • Timber
• Land Use:
  • Arable land: 38.82%
  • Permanent crops: 3%
  • Other: 58.18%
• Irrigated land: 240 sq km
• Natural Hazards: flooding
• Environmental Issues:
  • Air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks
  • Acid rain damaging forests