Located centrally in Europe and one of Western Europe’s biggest countries at 357,021 sq km.

Borders nine other European countries; more than any other European nation:

Denmark to the north, Switzerland and Austria to the south, The Czech Republic and Poland to the east, France and Luxembourg to the south-west, Belgium and The Netherlands to the north-west.

In the north the land is flat, comprising of lowlands and coast. Much of the land on the North Sea coast is made up of drained land and dykes. The Baltic Sea coast is indented with bays and fjords. About a third of the country comprises of the Northern Lowlands, made up of marshes, heathland and glacial lakes – the lowest point is Neuendorfer/Wilstermarsch at 3.54 m below sea level.

To the south the land rises up to form the high mountains of the Alps – the Zugspitze at 2,962m is the highest point. This area is scattered with glacial lakes – some large such as the Chiemsee as well as hundreds of smaller ones.

The centre of Germany comprises The Central Uplands, an area of forested valleys and mountain ranges.

The country is crossed by several of Europe’s major rivers – the Rhine, Danube and Elbe.

Most of Germany is in the cool/temperate climate zone, where humid westerly winds predominate. The North and north-west is the wettest region, with mild winters and relatively cool summers. The centre and south of the country is very changeable. The east of the country is more extreme, with long, cold winters and hot, dry summers.