Germany (German: Deutschland) is a country in Central Europe, that stretches from the Alps, across the North European Plain to the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. It is the second-most populous country in Europe after Russia, and is seventh-largest country by area in the continent. The area of Germany ranked 63rd and covers , consisting of of land and of waters, smaller than Japan but larger than Republic of the Congo. Elevation ranges from the mountains of the Alps (highest point: the Zugspitze at ) in the south to the shores of the North Sea (Nordsee) in the northwest and the Baltic Sea (Ostsee) in the northeast. Between lie the forested uplands of central Germany and the low-lying lands of northern Germany (lowest point: Neuendorf-Sachsenbande at below sea level), traversed by some of Europe's major rivers such as the Rhine, Danube and Elbe. Germany has the second-most borders of any European country, after Russia. It shares borders with nine countries: Denmark in the north, Poland and the Czech Republic in the east, Switzerland (its only non-EU neighbor) and Austria in the south, France in the southwest and Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in the west. Germany also shares a maritime border with Sweden in the north and the United Kingdom in the northwest. Area Germany is in Central Europe, bordering Denmark in the north, Poland and the Czech Republic in the east, Austria and Switzerland in the south, France and Luxembourg in the south-west, and Belgium and the Netherlands in the north-west. It lies mostly between latitudes 47° and 55° N (the tip of Sylt is just north of 55°), and longitudes 5° and 16° E. The territory covers , consisting of of land and of water. It is the seventh largest country by area in Europe and the 63rd largest in the world. Extreme points Northernmost point: List, Sylt, Schleswig-Holstein Northernmost point in mainland Germany: Rodenäs, Schleswig-Holstein Southernmost point: Haldenwanger Eck, Oberstdorf, Bavaria Westernmost point: Isenbruch, Selfkant, North Rhine-Westphalia Easternmost point: Deschka, Neißeaue, Saxony Lowest point (man-made): Tagebau Hambach below sea level, Niederzier, North Rhine-Westphalia, Lowest point (natural): Neuendorf-Sachsenbande, Wilstermarsch, Schleswig-Holstein below sea level Highest point: Zugspitze, in the Bavarian Alps, , Garmisch-Partenkirchen / Grainau, Bavaria Highest settlement: Feldberg, Baden-Württemberg, in the Black Forest, Maritime claims Continental shelf: depth or to the depth of exploitation. Exclusive economic zone: with . The exact EEZ is due to conventions with