{{Country geography
| name = Czech Republic
| map = Relief Map of Czech Republic.png
| map size =
| continent = Europe
| region = Central Europe
| coordinates =
| area ranking = 115th
| km area = 78,871
| percent water = 2.12
| km coastline = 0
| borders = 2290.7 km
- Germany – 810.3 km
- Poland – 761.8 km
- Austria – 466.3 km
- Slovakia – 252.3 km
| highest point = Sněžka, 1603.3 m
| lowest point = Hřensko, 115 m
| longest river = Vltava, 433 km
| largest lake = Černé jezero, 18.4 ha
| climate = temperate, continental
| terrain = hills and lowlands surrounded by low mountains
| natural resources = kaolin, lithium, graphite, black coal, brown coal, uranium, timber
| natural hazards =
| environmental issues =
| exclusive economic zone =
}}
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Germany to the west, Austria to the south, Slovakia to the east and Poland to the north. It consists mostly of low hills and plateaus surrounded along the borders by low mountains. Two areas of lowlands follow the Elbe river and the Morava river. About a third of the area of the Czech Republic is covered by forests.
The Czech Republic also possesses Moldauhafen, a 30,000 m2 enclave in the middle of Hamburg docks in Germany, which was awarded to Czechoslovakia by Article 363 of the Treaty of Versailles to allow the landlocked country a place where goods transported down river could be transferred to seagoing ships. This territory reverts to Germany in 2028.
Physical geography
Climate
thumb|Köppen climate classification of the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic's climate is temperate, transitional between an oceanic climate and a continental climate. The summers are rather cool and dry, with average temperatures in most areas around 20 °C, the winters are fairly mild and wet with temperatures averaging around 0 °C in most areas. The relative humidity varies between 60% and 80%.
Examples
{{Weather box
|width=auto
|location=Prague (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1775–present)
|metric first=Yes
|single line=Yes
|collapsed=Yes
|Jan record high C=17.4
|Feb record high C=19.2
|Mar record high C=22.5
|Apr record high C=28.8
|May record high C=32.5
|Jun record high C=37.9
|Jul record high C=37.8
|Aug record high C=37.4
|Sep record high C=33.1
|Oct record high C=27.0
|Nov record high C=19.5
|Dec record high C=17.4
|year record high C=37.9
|Jan high C=2.6
|Feb high C=4.4
|Mar high C=9.1
|Apr high C=15.1
|May high C=20.3
|Jun high C=22.8
|Jul high C=25.3
|Aug high C=25.1
|Sep high C=19.9
|Oct high C=14.2
|Nov high C=7.2
|Dec high C=3.4
|year high C=
|Jan mean C=0.1
|Feb mean C=1.3
|Mar mean C=5.3
|Apr mean C=10.1
|May mean C=15.0
|Jun mean C=17.8
|Jul mean C=19.9
|Aug mean C=19.6
|Sep mean C=15.2
|Oct mean C=10.3
|Nov mean C=4.6
|Dec mean C=1.1
|Jan low C=−2.4
|Feb low C=−1.8
|Mar low C=1.5
|Apr low C=5.1
|May low C=9.7
|Jun low C=12.7
|Jul low C=14.5
|Aug low C=14.2
|Sep low C=10.5
|Oct low C=6.4
|Nov low C=2.1
|Dec low C=−1.1
|year low C=
|Jan record low C=−27.5
|Feb record low C=−27.1
|Mar record low C=−27.6
|Apr record low C=−8.0
|May record low C=−2.3
|Jun record low C=1.9
|Jul record low C=6.7
|Aug record low C=6.4
|Sep record low C=0.7
|Oct record low C=−7.5
|Nov record low C=−16.9
|Dec record low C=−24.8
|year record low C=−27.6
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm=34
|Feb precipitation mm=30
|Mar precipitation mm=40
|Apr precipitation mm=34
|May precipitation mm=63
|Jun precipitation mm=70
|Jul precipitation mm=82
|Aug precipitation mm=75
|Sep precipitation mm=47
|Oct precipitation mm=34
|Nov precipitation mm=40
|Dec precipitation mm=38
|year precipitation mm=587
|Jan snow cm=17.9
|Feb snow cm=15.9
|Mar snow cm=10.3
|Apr snow cm=2.9
|May snow cm=0.0
|Jun snow cm=0.0
|Jul snow cm=0.0
|Aug snow cm=0.0
|Sep snow cm=0.0
|Oct snow cm=0.1
|Nov snow cm=8.4
|Dec snow cm=15.9
|year snow cm=71.4
|Jan precipitation days=5.7
|Feb precipitation days=5.2
|Mar precipitation days=6.6
|Apr precipitation days=5.8
|May precipitation days=8.5
|Jun precipitation days=9.4
|Jul precipitation days=8.9
|Aug precipitation days=8.4
|Sep precipitation days=7.3
|Oct precipitation days=5.5
|Nov precipitation days=7.1
|Dec precipitation days=5.9
|year precipitation days=
|Jan humidity=86
|Feb humidity=83
|Mar humidity=77
|Apr humidity=69
|May humidity=70
|Jun humidity=71
|Jul humidity=70
|Aug humidity=71
|Sep humidity=76
|Oct humidity=81
|Nov humidity=87
|Dec humidity=88
|year humidity=77
|Jan dew point C=-4.6
|Feb dew point C=-3.5
|Mar dew point C=-1.1
|Apr dew point C=2.0
|May dew point C=7.0
|Jun dew point C=10.3
|Jul dew point C=11.6
|Aug dew point C=11.5
|Sep dew point C=9.1
|Oct dew point C=5.1
|Nov dew point C=0.6
|Dec dew point C=-2.9
|year dew point C=3.8
|Jan sun=50.0
|Feb sun=72.4
|Mar sun=124.7
|Apr sun=167.6
|May sun=214.0
|Jun sun=218.3
|Jul sun=226.2
|Aug sun=212.3
|Sep sun=161.0
|Oct sun=120.8
|Nov sun=53.9
|Dec sun=46.7
|year sun=1667.9
|Jan uv=1
|Feb uv=1
|Mar uv=3
|Apr uv=4
|May uv=6
|Jun uv=7
|Jul uv=6
|Aug uv=6
|Sep uv=4
|Oct uv=2
|Nov uv=1
|Dec uv=1
|source 1=World Meteorological Organization (temperature and rainfall 1981–2010) NOAA and Weather Atlas
|date=July 2018
|source=
}}
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Brno (Brno-Tuřany Airport), 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1939-present
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = Yes
|Jan record high C = 16.0
|Feb record high C = 17.6
|Mar record high C = 24.0
|Apr record high C = 29.5
|May record high C = 31.8
|Jun record high C = 36.6
|Jul record high C = 36.4
|Aug record high C = 37.8
|Sep record high C = 32.2
|Oct record high C = 27.7
|Nov record high C = 19.3
|Dec record high C = 19.0
|year record high C = 37.8
|Jan high C = 1.1
|Feb high C = 3.6
|Mar high C = 8.7
|Apr high C = 15.1
|May high C = 20.1
|Jun high C = 23.0
|Jul high C = 25.6
|Aug high C = 25.4
|Sep high C = 20.0
|Oct high C = 13.8
|Nov high C = 6.9
|Dec high C = 2.0
|year high C = 13.8
|Jan mean C = −2.5
|Feb mean C = −0.3
|Mar mean C = 3.8
|Apr mean C = 9.0
|May mean C = 13.9
|Jun mean C = 17.0
|Jul mean C = 18.5
|Aug mean C = 18.1
|Sep mean C = 14.3
|Oct mean C = 9.1
|Nov mean C = 3.5
|Dec mean C = -0.6
|year mean C = 8.7
|Jan low C = -4.3
|Feb low C = -3.3
|Mar low C = 0.2
|Apr low C = 4.5
|May low C = 9.3
|Jun low C = 12.1
|Jul low C = 14.0
|Aug low C = 13.8
|Sep low C = 10.0
|Oct low C = 5.7
|Nov low C = 1.1
|Dec low C = -2.9
|year low C = 5.0
|Jan record low C = −24.1
|Feb record low C = −22.2
|Mar record low C = −18.9
|Apr record low C = −7.0
|May record low C = −2.8
|Jun record low C = 0.0
|Jul record low C = 1.1
|Aug record low C = 2.8
|Sep record low C = −2.2
|Oct record low C = −6.5
|Nov record low C = −13.0
|Dec record low C = −21.0
|year record low C = −24.1
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 23.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 23.4
|Mar precipitation mm = 29.7
|Apr precipitation mm = 28.9
|May precipitation mm = 61.2
|Jun precipitation mm = 72.2
|Jul precipitation mm = 69.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 55.7
|Sep precipitation mm = 47.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 31.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 34.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 31.9
|year precipitation mm = 508.1
|Jan snow cm = 17.4
|Feb snow cm = 12.4
|Mar snow cm = 5.2
|Apr snow cm = 0.6
|May snow cm = 0.0
|Jun snow cm = 0.0
|Jul snow cm = 0.0
|Aug snow cm = 0.0
|Sep snow cm = 0.0
|Oct snow cm = 0.0
|Nov snow cm = 4.5
|Dec snow cm = 12.5
|year snow cm = 52.6
|Jan precipitation days = 5.8
|Feb precipitation days = 5.3
|Mar precipitation days = 6.4
|Apr precipitation days = 5.7
|May precipitation days = 8.1
|Jun precipitation days = 8.6
|Jul precipitation days = 9.1
|Aug precipitation days = 7.4
|Sep precipitation days = 6.5
|Oct precipitation days = 6.3
|Nov precipitation days = 7.1
|Dec precipitation days = 7.5
|year precipitation days = 83.8
|Jan humidity = 84
|Feb humidity = 81
|Mar humidity = 73
|Apr humidity = 65
|May humidity = 67
|Jun humidity = 69
|Jul humidity = 67
|Aug humidity = 68
|Sep humidity = 73
|Oct humidity = 78
|Nov humidity = 84
|Dec humidity = 85
|year humidity = 75
|Jan sun = 53.8
|Feb sun = 82.9
|Mar sun = 137.5
|Apr sun = 208.7
|May sun = 226.4
|Jun sun = 246.9
|Jul sun = 245.7
|Aug sun = 246.3
|Sep sun = 175.5
|Oct sun = 112.5
|Nov sun = 59.3
|Dec sun = 44.5
|year sun = 1840.0
| Jan uv =1
| Feb uv =1
| Mar uv =3
| Apr uv =4
| May uv =6
| Jun uv =7
| Jul uv =7
| Aug uv =6
| Sep uv =4
| Oct uv =2
| Nov uv =1
| Dec uv =1
|source 1 = World Meteorological Organization (UN)<ref name= WMOBrno >{{cite web
| url = http://www.worldweather.org/172/c00693.htm
| title = World Weather Information Service – Brno
| access-date = 28 February 2013
| publisher = World Meteorological Organization
| date = May 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171756/http://www.worldweather.org/172/c00693.htm
| archive-date = 3 March 2016
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
|source 2 = NOAA<ref name= NOAABrno >{{Cite FTP | url = ftp://dossier.ogp.noaa.gov/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-VI/CZ/11723.TXT
| server = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| url-status = dead
| title = Brno Climate Normals 1961–1990
| access-date = 28 February 2013}}</ref>
|date=January 2011
}}
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Ostrava (1981−2010 normals, extremes 1980−present)
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = Yes
|Jan record high C = 14.2
|Feb record high C = 17.3
|Mar record high C = 22.8
|Apr record high C = 29.0
|May record high C = 31.9
|Jun record high C = 35.2
|Jul record high C = 36.7
|Aug record high C = 36.9
|Sep record high C = 33.7
|Oct record high C = 26.2
|Nov record high C = 22.5
|Dec record high C = 16.7
|Jan record low C = -29.3
|Feb record low C = -24.7
|Mar record low C = -21.9
|Apr record low C = -7.8
|May record low C = -3.0
|Jun record low C = 1.2
|Jul record low C = 4.2
|Aug record low C = 3.8
|Sep record low C = -0.6
|Oct record low C = -7.6
|Nov record low C = -18.7
|Dec record low C = -25.8
|Jan high C = 0.4
|Feb high C = 2.8
|Mar high C = 7.7
|Apr high C = 13.5
|May high C = 18.9
|Jun high C = 21.9
|Jul high C = 23.6
|Aug high C = 23.4
|Sep high C = 19.4
|Oct high C = 14.0
|Nov high C = 6.7
|Dec high C = 2.0
|Jan low C = -5.6
|Feb low C = -4.1
|Mar low C = -0.8
|Apr low C = 3.0
|May low C = 7.3
|Jun low C = 10.6
|Jul low C = 11.9
|Aug low C = 11.6
|Sep low C = 8.7
|Oct low C = 4.7
|Nov low C = 0.9
|Dec low C = -3.2
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 26.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 30.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 34.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 52.4
|May precipitation mm = 91.2
|Jun precipitation mm = 104.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 91.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 91.8
|Sep precipitation mm = 58.8
|Oct precipitation mm = 42.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 44.6
|Dec precipitation mm = 34.3
|Jan precipitation days = 7
|Feb precipitation days = 7
|Mar precipitation days = 7
|Apr precipitation days = 8
|May precipitation days = 11
|Jun precipitation days = 11
|Jul precipitation days = 11
|Aug precipitation days = 10
|Sep precipitation days = 8
|Oct precipitation days = 7
|Nov precipitation days = 9
|Dec precipitation days = 8
|source 1 = World Meteorological Organisation (UN)
|source 2 = infoclimat.fr<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/normales-records/1991-2020/ostrava-mosnov/valeurs/11782.html
|title=Normales et records pour la période 1991–2020 à Ostrava
| publisher = infoclimat.fr
| access-date = March 15, 2022}}</ref>
|date=January 2011
}}
Geology
Most of the area of the Czech Republic belongs to the geographically stable Bohemian Massif. Only an area of the Western Carpathians in the east of the country is younger, lifted during the Tertiary. Igneous rocks make up the base of the Bohemian Massif. Sedimentary rocks are mostly found in the north-eastern part of Bohemia with significant areas of sandstone. Among the metamorphic rocks, the most commonly found is Gneiss.
Mountains
The most notable mountain ranges in the Czech Republic are all found along the borders of the country. In Bohemia it is the Bohemian Forest and Ore Mountains, both bordering Germany. Then the long region of Sudetes with several mountains ranges, including the Giant Mountains with Sněžka – the highest peak of the Czech Republic. The last major mountain range is the Moravian-Silesian Beskids in the east.
Rivers
thumb|Drainage areas of the Elbe and the Morava rivers
There are four major rivers in the Czech Republic. The Elbe (locally "Labe") flows from the Giant Mountains in the north east of Bohemia to the west and then through northern Germany all the way to the North Sea. The Morava River drains most of Moravia and flows to the south into the Danube and ultimately to the Black Sea. The Oder starts in the Moravian Silesia and flows north through Poland into the Baltic Sea. The fourth major river is the Vltava, which is the longest river of the Czech Republic and drains the southern part of Bohemia before flowing into the Elbe at Mělník.
Bodies of water
Natural occurring bodies of water are rather scarce; most of the significant bodies of water are man-made ponds and reservoirs. The largest pond is the Rožmberk Pond, which is one of the system of fish ponds built in the 16th century around Třeboň. The largest reservoir by area covered is the Lipno Reservoir (4,870 ha), built in the 1950s and the largest reservoir by volume is Orlík Reservoir (716 million m3), built around the same time. The largest and deepest natural lake is Černé jezero (18.4 ha).
Human geography
Population geography
thumb|Population density in the Czech Republic
[[File:Natural resources of the Czech Republic.png|thumb|300px|Natural resources:
Metals are in blue: Fe — iron ore, PY — pyrite, PM – polymetal ores (Cu, Zn, Pb, etc.), U — uranium.
Fossil fuels are in red: C — coal, L — lignite, O – oil.
Non-metallic minerals are in green: G — graphite, KA — kaolinite. ]]
The population of the Czech Republic is estimated to be around 10.6 million. The highest population density is in the larger metropolitan area of Ostrava and of course in the area around the capital of Prague. The lowest population density is in the Czech-German and Czech-Austrian borderlands, mostly as a lasting result of the expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia after the World War II.
Political geography
The Czech Republic is divided into thirteen regions and one capital city with regional status. The older administrative units of seventy-six districts are still recognized and remain the seats of various branches of state administration. Historically, the Czech Republic can be split into three regions: Bohemia in the west, Moravia in the east and Czech Silesia in the north east.
Industry and agriculture
Areas affected the most by heavy industry are the Sokolov Basin and the Most Basin in the north-west of the Czech Republic. The extensive deposits of brown coal in those areas are mostly used for electricity production. It is estimated, that almost 40% of all electric power produced in the Czech Republic comes from burning brown coal mined in these areas. Plant agriculture is focused around the lowlands surrounding the Elbe and the Morava. Around 34% of the country is covered by forests and approximately 37% of land is arable. The estimated area of irrigated land is 385 km2, and freshwater withdrawal per capita is around 164 m3 every year.
See also
- Protected areas of the Czech Republic
- Rivers of the Czech Republic
- List of highest mountains of the Czech Republic
References
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pt:República Checa#Geografia