APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110023-8
part of the border. The population, about 17 million, is slightly less than five times that of Alabama. East Germany is smaller in size than any country with which it shared a common boundary, and only Czechoslovakia has a smaller population.
1. Topography
Subdued topography and many lakes and streams characterize East Germany. The East German portion of the North European Plain is nearly flat to gently rolling and slopes from a highlands area in the south to the low-lying, island-fronted Baltic coast (Figure 2). The settlement pattern is one of numerous small towns and villages concentrated on the plains (Figure 3). Large urban and industrial centers are mainly in the southern half of the country.
In the nearly flat northern two-thirds of the East German plain elevations are less than 650 feet, most slopes are less than 10%, and local relief (differences in elevation between tops and bottoms of adjacent topographic features) is less than 250 feet. Low hillocks and ridges are in some areas near the northern lakes.
The more rolling southern third of the plain has elevations of nearly 1,600 feet, some slopes between 10% and 30%, and local relief of under 500 feet. There are a few isolated areas of hills and ridges (Figure 4) in the south where local relief is over 500 feet and slopes are over 30%. Drainage features on the low plain are closely spaced and include the relatively large northwest-flowing streams, canals, thousands of lakes (most of which are in the north), and perennially wet areas on poorly drained lowlands and on flood plains bordering some streams. Areas of vegetation on the plains include large tracts of cultivated fields, meadows, small orchards, vegetable plots, and forested areas, the most extensive of which are pine forests located north and southeast of Berlin. The principal field crops are rye, wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes. The settlement pattern in the areas of cultivation is mostly one of small villages rather than single farmsteads.
Fringing the East German plain in the south and southwest is a narrow (less than 5 to about 50 miles), discontinuous belt of spruce- and beech-forested hills that have elevations between 1,600 and 3,300 feet above sea level, slopes of 30% or greater, and local relief ranging from 500 to 1,200 feet. The highland belt consists of the steep-sided edges and rolling interior of the eastern two-thirds of the Harz (Figure 5), the heavily forested, dissected Thueringer Wald, and the rolling lands of the Erzgebirge (Figure 6), which rise southward in long, gentle slopes. The hilly, dissected upland is interrupted to penetrated by scattered small lowlands which, in places, form corridors. Tributaries of several northward-flowing streams originate in the southern hills and flow swiftly between steep banks. Several important towns are within the highland area, but most of the highly urbanized and industrialized cities of southern East Germany are in the plains, adjacent to and north of the belt of hills.
2. Climate
East Germany has a predominantly maritime climate that is sometimes interrupted in winter by brief periods of cold continental weather from the east. Variations in climate in different parts of the country are not marked except for increased cloudiness and precipitation and lower ceilings over the hilly terrain in the south. Winter (early December through February) is characterized by high relative humidity, extensive cloudiness, frequent rain or snow, poor visibility, occasional strong winds, and moderately cold temperatures. Summer (early June through August) is slightly less cloudy, with frequent rain, mild temperatures, continued high humidity, and moderate thunderstorm activity. Spring (early March through May) and autumn (early September through November) are transitional seasons.
Mean daily minimum temperatures in winter range between 25° and 30° (F.) in the plains and between 15° and 25° in the highlands, but absolute minimums below -15° have occurred at most locations (Figure 7). Mean daily maximum temperatures in summer range from 60° to 75°; readings are slightly lower in the highlands. Temperatures occasionally reach the 90's when hot, dry winds are from the south.
Precipitation is frequent but usually light. Annual totals average 20 to 30 inches at most places, but some exposed locations in the southern hills receive more than 50 inches. Snowfall is fairly frequent from November through April. Snow falls on an average of 25 to 45 days annually over most of the country, but in the higher hills it may occur on as many as 100 days. Snow cover does not last throughout the winter except at higher elevations. Snow depths up to 16 inches have been measured in the lowlands, and depths over 10
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110023-8
