The landscape of Czechia is really diverse, especially when compared to its size. The country is surrounded by mountain ranges on almost all sides. The steep Ore mountains run on the northwestern parallel to the border with Saxony, its highest summit is the Klínovec reaching 1244 meters. Still on the German border, but at the southwestern edge of the country lies the heavily forested Bohemian Forest (highest peak Plechý 1378 meters). The Sudetes mark the northern, northeastern borderline towards Poland, this is the highest elevated range in the Czech republic, Sněžka is the highest peak at 1602 meters. The range of the Beskids close the full circle of mountain chains on the Czech-Slovakian border. It's altitude is very similar to the others, Lysa Hora is the highest altitude point at 1328 meters.
The central regions of the country are characterized by lower hilly areas and lowlands of the rivers originating in the bordering mountain chains. The Bohemian-Moravian Highland is the lengthy hilly area which also marks the border between the two historical regions, Moravia and Bohemia. It is considerably lower elevated then the ring of mountains, its highest is the Javorice at 837 meters.
Perhaps the mot important river of the country is the Elbe, which springs not far from the highest peak of Sněžka in the Sudetes, draws a nice arc towards the central regions, then leaves a country in the Ore Mountains to Germany. Its main tributaries are the Vltava and Berounka from the Bohemian Forest, Sazava from the central highlands, all belonging to the watershed of the North Sea. The rivers on the east, on the other side, are joined by the Morava river, its main tributaries are the Thaya and Svratka rivers, and they will end in the Black Sea after joining the Danube in Austria. There is also a small section in the northeastern corner that belongs to the Baltic Sea watershed, these streams are collected by the Oder river which runs to the north to Poland.
