A central position
With a rather modest surface area of 78,866 km2, slightly less than the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, the Czech Republic ranks twentieth among European countries in terms of area. It is therefore a small country, made up of two distinct regions: Bohemia, which occupies the western part of the country, and Moravia, which corresponds to the eastern part. Silesia, a mountainous region located in the extreme northeast, around the industrial city of Ostrava, can also be added. The country's largest neighbor is Germany to the northwest and west with 810 km of common border. The Czech Republic also borders to the northeast and east with Poland (762 km), to the south with Austria (466 km) and to the southeast, of course, with Slovakia (265 km). Thanks to the relatively gentle terrain, the population of the Czech Republic is relatively evenly distributed over the country, with an average of 135 inhabitants per square kilometer. The highest population concentrations are found in the capital city of Prague and in the former industrial regions of South Moravia.
Bohemia and its heights
With the highest point, the Sněžka mountain, at 1,602 m, the altitude of the Czech Republic is far from dizzying. Bohemia, a Hercynian massif made up of granitic rocks with an average height of 500 m, is nevertheless commonly called the "roof of Europe." There are many metal-bearing veins that have ensured the industrial destiny of the country. This massif is surrounded by higher mountains, averaging 1,000 to 1,500 meters in height, divided into several mountain ranges. To the southwest rises the Šumava, to the west the Český Mountains, on the side of the Polish border extends the Krkonoše massif (where the highest point of the country and the sources of the Elbe River are located) and finally to the north come the Krusňéhory Mountains. These numerous mountain ranges of course conceal geological treasures such as the Český Ráj and the Adršpach-Teplice region, which are characterized by high and narrow sandstone formations and form real stone towns. There are also numerous caves throughout the country, most of which can be visited, at least in part, and where beautiful natural formations can be seen. The area north of Děčín, where the Elbe River leaves the country, also offers beautiful natural sculptures. In contrast, at the lowest point of the country, where the Elbe crosses the German border, the altitude is only 116 m.
An abundant hydrographic network
The region is abundantly watered by the Elbe (Labe) and its tributary the Vltava. The latter, a true national treasure, was made famous in the 19th century by the famous symphony of Bedřich Smetana, a great national composer. It is the longest river in the country, rising in the Šumava Mountains, flowing through southern Bohemia and Prague, before flowing, 435 km from its source, into the Elbe at Mělník. It has long been a major economic axis, as evidenced by the beautiful towns and castles along its banks, and has produced well-drained land in Prague, which has favored the city's development. As a nourishing river, it has always been used to transport the wealth of the south of the country (wood and salt, in particular) to the capital. Ensuring the irrigation of fertile lands as well as the water supply of factories after the industrial revolution, it has always played a major role in the country's economy. But its beauty is deceptive: in 2002, devastating floods ravaged the country and strongly marked the capital. The water covered entire neighborhoods, damaging the lower floors of buildings, the subway, where several people drowned, as well as remarkable sites, such as Troja Castle
and the zoo. Many animals were found wandering around in different parts of Prague. The Bohemian Plateau is a beautiful region of gentle, cultivated hills. The valleys, such as the Vltava River, are more wooded. The Třeboň region is an exception with its very many lakes and ponds, some of them artificial, resulting from the development of swamps in medieval times. Western Bohemia is rich in numerous curative water sources. The famous spas of Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázně bear witness to this. Other mineral springs, meanwhile, will supply beer breweries with perfectly pure water, which, combined with the quality of Bohemian hops, ensures that the country produces some of the best beers in the world. As the capital of Bohemia and of the country, Prague is now the main focus of economic and tourist activity, to the detriment of its neighbors. 90% of tourists in the Czech Republic are content to visit Prague and one or two surrounding castles, but road trips in the Czech Republic are still rare. The second and third largest cities in the country (Brno and Ostrava) are located in Moravia. Nevertheless, the region is more densely populated than its Moravian neighbor and has a large number of major cities: Plzeň, the city of beer; Teplice and Ustí nad Labem, the two major industrial centers in the north; Liberec, at the foot of the mountains; Hradec Kralové, the economic lung of eastern Bohemia; Pardubice, its beautiful rival; Tábor, the Hussite; and České Budějovice, the southern capital.The Moravian Lowlands
Moravia is for the most part a lowland or gently rolling region, irrigated by the Morava River and a few of its tributaries such as the Bečva. As in Bohemia, the lowland area is framed by landforms. These include the Jeseník Mountains (1,491 m) north of Olomouc and along the Polish border, the Béskydy Mountains (1,323 m) south of Ostrava and along the Slovak border, and the White Carpathians (Bílé Karpaty) east of Zlín, which are more modest than the above. The central part of Moravia, along the Morava River, offers a landscape of cultivated plains. In the west and southwest there are beautiful hills, planted with wheat or poppies, and sometimes embellished by well-kept forests. The villages in the mountainous and heavily wooded areas along the Slovak border are among the most picturesque in the country. The rural architecture is still well preserved. The Moravian Karst, north of Brno, is one of the most interesting landscapes, with huge chasms and caves. Three major cities are home to a large part of the Moravian population. Brno, the second largest city in the country, is an industrial, student and trade fair city, as well as an important logistic hub. It is a very lively city and particularly active throughout the year. Ostrava, the country's third largest city in the northeast, is more Silesian than Moravian. It is a former major mining city where heavy industry has marked the urban landscape for a long time. Its reconversion was longer and more difficult with the closure of the mines and the main industrial sites, but their reconversion over the last ten years into a tourist attraction could change the economic destiny of the city and its surroundings. Between the two, Olomouc, more modest in size but much more attractive, offers the visitor its superb historical center with its network of perfectly preserved medieval streets. Many varied medium-sized towns await you in this region: Jihlava, a prosperous town at the crossroads of Bohemia and Moravia, Znojmo, a small bastide perched on its height, Zlín, the cradle of the famous Bata shoe company, Přerov and its industries, Kroměříž and its architectural treasures, or Mikulov and its wines. Not to mention Trebič and its beautiful historic center listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
