German Geography

Germany is located in the heart of Europe, and borders the Baltic and North Seas. It is situated in between the Netherlands and Poland. Germany is 138,000 square miles and is slightly smaller than the state of Montana. Germany is bordered on the south by the Alps mountain range, the highest mountain range in all of Europe. In the middle of the country, Germany also has the Harz Mountains. The west boasts the Rhine River which initially contributed to the settlement of populations in Germany, and is now used as a main thoroughfare for transporting goods to and from the North. The Baltic and the North seas border the north, with Denmark as a buffer in between. To the south, the Danube River is an international waterway which second only to the Volga River in Russia as the longest. It is frequently called “The River that Unites Europe” because it stretches across ten neighboring European countries. Only recently, has the river been unified and passable by all regional inhabitants of Europe.

The terrain of Germany varies by region. To the north, near the Baltic Sea, the coast is sandy with small dunes and hills. Similarly, the area by the North Sea boasts of the same sandy shores and green moors. As far as further water, the only lake is Lake Constance, which is shared by Austria and Switzerland. To the south, the Danube flows and with the exception of the southern areas of Germany whose rivers flow into the Danube, most of Germany drains out into the North Sea.

The climate in Germany also depends on the region, but is considered continental. Generally, the maritime areas and coastlines near the north (Baltic and North) seas have mild weather without dominant cold or hot weather. Further inland, the temperatures get cooler, providing colder winters and cooler summers. Of course the area surrounding the Alps Mountains has a mountain climate, providing much colder temperatures than anywhere else in the country. As a whole, the country sees moderate temperatures throughout, without much in the way of extreme variation.