The Central Upland Range divides northern Germany from the south. The central Rhine valley and the Hessian depressions serve as the natural north-south traffic arteries. The Central Uplands include ihe Rhenish Schist Massif (Hunsruck, Eifel, Taunus, Westerwaid,Bergisches Land and Sauerland), the Hessian Mountains, and the Weser and Leine Mountains in western and central Germany. Right in the heart of Germany are the Harz Mountains. Toward the east are the Rhon Mountains, the Bavarian Forest, the Upper Palatinate Forest, the Fichtel Hills, the Franconian Forest, the Thuringian Forest and the Ore Mountains.

Mountains, waterways, lakes and islands:

Mountains:
Zugspitze (northern Alps) 2,962 m
Watzmann (northern Alps) 2,713 m
Feldberg (Black Forest) 1,493 m
Grosser Arber (Bavarian Forest) 1,4.56 m
Fichtelberg (Ore Mountains) 1,215 m
Bracken (Harz Mountains) 1,142 m
Rivers within Germany:
Rhine 86.5 km
Elbe 700 km
Danube 686 km
Main 524 km
Weser 440 km
Spree 382 km
Mosel 242 km
Shipping canals:
Mittelland Canal 321 km
Dortmund-Ems Canal 269 km
Main-Danube Canal 153 km
Kiel Canal 99 km
Lakes and dams:
Lake Conslance (German part) 305.0 sq km
Lake Muritz 1 10.3 sq km Schwammenauel 205 million cubic meters Eder Dam (Lake Eder) 202 million cubic meters
Islands:
Riigen 930sqkm
Usedom (German part) 373 sq km
Fehmarn 185 sq km
Sylt 99 sq km