Physical Features of Germany The physical features of Germany are dominated by three main rivers; they are the Rhine, the Elbe, and the Danube. The Rhine River runs 865 km through Germany, with the main tributaries being the Neckar, the Main, and the Moselle. The Rhine valley cuts through the western part of this region. Southern Germany's physical features consist of hill and mountain ranges. The Elbe River runs 727 km through Germany and drains into the North Sea. The Danube River runs 687 km through Germany. Other important rivers include the Isar in the southeast, the Main in central Germany, the Neckar in the southwest, and the Weser in the North. The northern part of Germany is characterized by flat terrain crossed by the northward-flowing watercourses Elbe, Ems, Weser, and Oder. Wetlands and marshy conditions are found close to the Dutch border and Sandy Mecklenburg in the northeast has many glacier-formed lakes dating to the last ice age. Central Germany features rough and mountainous countryside, some of it formed by ancient volcanic activity. The Alps on the southern border are the highest mountains, but little Alpine terrain lies within Germany compared to Switzerland and Austria. The Black Forest, on the southwestern border with France, separates the Rhine from the headwaters of the Danube on its eastern slopes.
Julius Caesar found the low-lying Netherlands inhabited by Germanic tribes—the Nervii, Frisii, and Batavi. The Batavi on the Roman frontier did not submit to Rome's rule until 13 B.C. , and then only as allies. The Franks controlled the region from the 4th to the 8th century, and it became part of Charlemagne's empire in the 8th and 9th centuries. The area later passed into the hands of Burgundy and the Austrian Hapsburgs and finally, in the 16th century, came under Spanish rule. When Philip II of Spain suppressed political liberties and the growing Protestant movement in the Netherlands, a revolt led by William of Orange broke out in 1568. Under the Union of Utrecht (1579), the seven northern provinces became the United Provinces of the Netherlands. War between the United Provinces and Spain continued into the 17th century but.
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. Belgium has prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south of Belgium have led in
Switzerland's dominant physical features, each trending northeast-southwest, are the Alps, the Jura Mountains, and the Swiss Plateau. The Alps cover about three-fifths of Switzerland. In most areas, except the northern foothills, they are high and magnificently rugged, with ice and snow covering the loftiest peaks. Deep, scenic valleys created by glaciers during the last Ice Age are also characteristic. Numerous remnants of the ice still remain, including the Aletsch Glacier, the largest in continental Europe. The highest parts of the Swiss Alps flank the upper Rhône River valley. South of the valley are the Pennine Alps, where numerous peaks exceed 14,000 feet (4,267 m), especially on or near the Italian border. Dufourspitze, the highest point of Monte Rosa, reaches 15,203 feet (4,634 m)—the highest elevation in Switzerland. Dom rises 14,913 feet (4,545 m); Weisshorn, 14,782 feet (4,506 m). The 14,692-foot (4,478-m) Matterhorn is probably the best-known peak. North of the Rhône valley rise the Bernese Alps, or Bernese Oberland, which crest in such massive peaks as Finsteraarhorn (14,022 feet; 4,274 m), Aletschhorn (13,763; 4,195), and Jungfrau (13,642; 4,158). This area, which includes the resort city of Inter-laken, is one of the most scenic and frequently visited sections in the Swiss Alps. The mountains of southeastern Switzerland, notably the Glarus, Lepontine, Rhaetian, and Bernina Alps, are as rugged as those to the west but somewhat lower. Only a few peaks here rise more than 11,000 feet (3,353 m) above sea level; only one exceeds 13,000 feet (3,962 m)..
As a geographic feature, the Alps literally overshadow other landform regions. Just over 28% of Austria is moderately hilly or flat: the Northern Alpine Foreland, ...
There are a number of natural resources of Germany. Germany is located in Central Europe. It is rich in timber, iron ore, peat and hydroelectric power. Germany.
Environment, Energy and Natural Resources. With one of the largest and most highly recognized energy and environmental practices in the nation, Holland ...
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital ...
Learn about the history, geography and culture of Switzerland and find statistical and demographic ... Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt.