Germany Geography

Germany is situated in the heart of Europe, between the Netherlands and Poland. The closest neighbors of Germany are Austria and Switzerland (in the south), Poland and Czech Republic (in the east), Denmark (in the north), France (in the southwest), Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (in the west). So, it boarders with nine countries, it is more than any other country except for Russia. Germany comprises 16 states (Bundesländer), which are usually called the provinces. Traditionally, the territory of Germany is divided into five main regions: The North Germany Lowlands (the main waterways such as the Elbe, the Ems, the Oder, the Rhine and other rivers are concentrated here); The South German Hills (a great part of this area is covered with mountains, usually it’s called the Black Forest); The Central Uplands (this land is famous for its diversity, here you can meet mountains as well as plain, especially orchards and vineyards); the two rest regions are The Swabian-Bavarian Alpine Foothills and the Rhine River Valley. The landscape of the country can not be called monotonous: a plain dotted with lakes, moors and marshes, suddenly turns into the hills which are crisscrossed by streams and rivers. Gradually the hills, forming high plateaus and woodlands, become mountains. It is a real mystery to watch the change of the scenery while traveling through Germany.