The Alps are a major mountain range located in south-central Europe. They extend approximately 1,200 km (750 miles) in a crescent-shaped arc from the Mediterranean coast near Nice, France, in the west, across several countries, to the Pannonian Basin near Vienna, Austria, and Slovenia in the east

. The Alps span eight countries:

• France
• Monaco
• Italy
• Switzerland
• Liechtenstein
• Austria
• Germany
• Slovenia

Geographically, the Alps stretch from the Mediterranean Sea northward above the Po basin in Italy, through France (starting near Grenoble), Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia. The northern boundary reaches the southern border of Bavaria in Germany, while the southern boundary dips into northern Italy

. The Swiss Alps lie in southern Switzerland, bordering Italy to the south, with the northern part of Switzerland known as the Swiss Plateau. The Alps form a natural barrier between northern and southern Europe and contain many famous peaks such as Mont Blanc (the highest peak at 4,809 m) and the Matterhorn

. In summary, the Alps are centrally located in Europe, spanning eight countries from France in the west to Slovenia in the east, forming a significant natural and climatic divide in the region