The Carpathian mountain range crosses eight countries: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, and Austria.
The Carpathians form a broad arc across Central and Eastern Europe. They begin near Bratislava and curve eastward before turning south through Romania and Serbia. The range is commonly divided into the Western, Eastern, and Southern Carpathians, with several smaller geographic subdivisions.
Romania contains the largest share of the Carpathian system. The range’s highest summit is Gerlachovský štít in Slovakia, at 2,655 metres. The Carpathians are lower than the Alps, but they cover a very large area and support extensive forests and wildlife habitats.
The Carpathian region is associated with brown bears, wolves, lynx, and traditional mountain communities. Lists sometimes differ when discussing nearby foothills, but the standard geographic description identifies eight countries as part of the range.