Short facts about the geography of Czech Republic

Location:

Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates:

49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total:  78,866 sq km land:  77,276 sq km water:  1,590 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total:  1,881 km border countries:  Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 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:  41% permanent crops:  2% permanent pastures:  11% forests and woodland:  34% other:  12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

240 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

Source: World Factbook