1. Introduction

The Czech Republic is due to the geotectonic and geologic history and diversity exceptionally rich in landforms which originated throughout completely different time scales. Main factors which influenced such high diversity are tectonics, lithology and climate.

Similar to geological division the territory of Czech Republic is composed of two main geomorphic units/provinces - the Czech Highland and the Western Carpathians - and two minor units - Central European Lowland and West Panonnian Basin.

Four chronological milestones of long-term relief evolution can be distinguished in the Czech territory:

  1. Variscan orogenetic processes
  2. Late Cretaceous transgression and deposition of a thick sedimentary pile across a vast part of the Bohemian Massif
  3. Alpine and Carpathian orogenetic processes and follow-up neotectonic activity in the Bohemian Massif since the Late Cretaceous
  4. Volcanic activity in the Eocene-Pleistocene time span
The forms of relief which originated during these stages were sculptured in diverse climatic conditions - predominantly humid tropical and subtropical climate in the Mesozoic and Tertiary and cold periglacial and temperate climate during the Quaternary.

The geomorphic evolution will be divided in two periods - Pre-Quaternary and Quaternary evolution. The result of the long term relief evolution is current Czech relief which can be simply described as a basin surrounded by the Variscan (Hercynian) mountains which gradually passes in the east through a stripe of basins to the younger Western Carpathians.

Fig. 1. Map of the relief.

Tasks:
Notice the map (Fig. 1). Where are the mountain ranges and where are the lowlands? Which rivers flow through these lowlands?