The Czech Republic is divided into 91 administrative districts grouped to make 14 administrative regions, including the Hl. m. Praha Region (the so-called higher territorial self-governing units). This new administrative set-up has been in force since 1 January 2000.

      The major European watershed passes through the territory of the Czech Republic and separates the basins of the North, Baltic and Black Seas. The divide node of the three seas is the mountain Králický Sněžník (1 423 m above sea level). The principal rivers are the Labe (370 km) and the Vltava (433 km) in Bohemia, the Morava (246 km) and the Dyje (306 km) in Moravia, and the Odra (135 km) and the Opava (131 km) in Silesia and northern Moravia.

      From the physical geographic point of view the Czech Republic lies on the borderline of two mountain systems, which differ by age and geological and geomorphologic evolution. The uplands Česká vysočina in the western and middle parts of the Czech Republic were basically created at the end of Palaeozoic era. For the most part they are hilly and of Mesozoic era nature (the mountain ranges Šumava, Český les, Krušné hory, Krkonoše, Orlické hory, Jeseníky). The Západní Karpaty mountains, which gained today's appearance in Tertiary era (the Beskydy mountain range), spread into the eastern part of the country. There is a belt of valleys between the two mountain systems.

      The climate in the Czech Republic is influenced by the mutual penetration and mingling of ocean and continental effects. It is characterized by prevailing western winds, intensive cyclonic activities causing frequent alternating of air masses, and comparatively ample precipitation. Maritime effects are mainly felt in Bohemia, whereas Moravia and Silesia are affected rather by continental climate. The Czech Republic's climate is also influenced to a large extent by the altitude and geographical relief: 52 817 km² of the country's whole territory (66.97%) can be found at an altitude of up to 500 m, 25 222 km² (31.98%) between 500 to 1 000 m, and only 827 km² (1.05%) above 1 000 m. The average altitude of the Czech Republic is 430 m.

      Fauna and flora on the territory of the Czech Republic also testify to the mutual penetration of principal directions in which fauna and flora propagated in Europe. Forests, mostly coniferous, cover 33% of the total area.

      The soil cover is varied in terms of both soil grain size composition and occurrence of individual soil types. Brown soils are the most prevalent soil type of the Czech Republic.

Highest point	Sněžka	1 602 m a.s.l.	the Krkonoše mountain range
Lowest point	discharge of the Labe river at Hřensko	115 m a.s.l.	Děčín District
Largest dam reservoir	Lipno	4 870 ha	Český Krumlov District and Prachatice District
Largest pond - maximum depth	Rožmberk	489 ha 6.2 m	Jindřichův Hradec District
Largest lake - maximum depth	Černé jezero	18.4 ha 39.8 m	Klatovy District
Longest river	Vltava	433 km
Largest catchment area	Labe	51 103.9 km2
Hottest thermal spring	Vřídlo	72 0C	Karlovy Vary
Deepest chasm	Hranická Chasm	-244.5 m	Přerov District
Largest national park	the Šumava National Park	685.2 km2	the Šumava mountain range
Largest landscape area protected	Beskydy	1 160 km2	the Beskydy mountain range
Settlement placed highest	Filipova Huť	1 093 m a.s.l.	Klatovy District
Settlement placed lowest	Hřensko	130 m a.s.l.	Děčín District
Largest municipality	Praha	1 160 118 inhabitants	the Capital
Smallest municipality	Vlkov	20 inhabitants	České Budějovice District