The 9 Most Mountainous Countries in Europe

Every single country in the world is unique in its way. Some countries are filled with mountains, valleys, and plains. Other countries are just mountainous. Others have rainforests, jungles, and beaches. When it comes to Europe, some countries are mountainous and some countries are not. Let’s explore the nine most mountainous countries in Europe. The way we will analyze this list is in the percentage of the country covered in mountains.

Montenegro

Montenegro means “Black Mountain” in the romanticized language of Venetian. Located in the Balkans region of Europe, Montenegro has 50 peaks over 6,600 ft. The country bordering the Mediterranean Sea is quite plain, but as you go inland the terrain turns extremely mountainous.

North Macedonia

A landlocked country, North Macedonia is located in the Balkans region of Europe. It borders Greece to the north and the country has a central valley but mountainous areas along its borders. Its mountains are some of the most scenic in the continent of Europe. The country has two mountain ranges. The Šar Mountains are located in northwestern North Macedonia and the Osogovo-Belasica Mountains are located in the country’s southeastern area.

Switzerland

The Swiss mountains are world famous because it is home to the Alps. The landlocked country has many lakes and mountains throughout its area. The Alps cover most of the country, but there is also a central plateau, as well as the Jura Mountains in the western part of Switzerland. The Swiss Alps are famous for mountain sports, including skiing.

Kosovo

Kosovo’s topography is quite diverse. There are mountain ranges bordering the outside of the country including the Albanian Alps in the west, the Sharr mountains in the south, and the Kopaonik Mountains in the north. There are also several plains regions in the country. The region in the Albanian Alps is one of the most inaccessible mountainous areas in the continent.

Greece

Located in Southern Europe, Greece has a coastline that measures 8,498 miles and many people might think that Greece isn’t mountainous at all. But that is further from the truth. Around 80% of the country is mountainous. The Pindus mountain range goes through the center of Greece and most of mainland Greece is covered in mountains.

Slovakia

Slovakia is a landlocked country that borders Austria to the east. Located in central-east Europe, the mountainous regions of the country are mainly in the North and there is flat terrain in the southern portions. The Tatra Mountains are mainly located in Slovakia. A total of 29 mountain peaks are at an elevation of 8,202 feet or more. 

Slovenia

Located in central-east Europe, Slovenia touches the Alps just slightly. The country is very hilly and mountainous, and in fact, about 90% of Slovenia has an elevation of 650 feet or more. This has become a problem for Slovenian farmers as most of its territory is deemed null for farming. The western and southern parts have more mountains than the east and northeastern areas.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Located in the Balkans region of Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina only has 12 miles of coastline and the rest are valleys and mountainous areas. The Dinaric Alps, which are the main mountains in the country, however, can be around 7,800 feet tall. This makes it one of the most mountainous countries on the continent.

Albania

Over 75% of the country has a high elevation of 650 feet or more above sea level. Albania does have a coastline of 296 miles where it can be quite plain, but the rest is hilly and mountainous. The Albanian Alps straddle the northern area. The Korab Mountains are in the eastern part of the country, the Ceraunian Mountains are in the southwestern part of the country, and the Pindus Mountains are located in the southeast.

Summary of The 9 Most Mountainous Countries in Europe

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