Ralsko Uplands

The Ralsko Uplands (Ralská pahorkatina) are uplands and a geomorphological mesoregion of the Czech Republic. It is located in the Liberec, Ústí nad Labem and Central Bohemian regions.

Geomorphology
The Ralsko Uplands are a mesoregion of the North Bohemian Table within the Bohemian Massif. Four types of formations predominate in the landscape: volcanic (basaltic) inselbergs, flat-bottomed basins, sandstone structural formations with rock formations, and medium relief with acidic brown soils. The uplands are further subdivided into the microregions of Doksy Uplands and Zákupy Uplands.

There are a lot of medium-high hills. The highest point is Ralsko, whose new measured altitude is 698 m. The elevations are the highest within the sub-province of the Bohemian Table. The uplands are thus a transition between lowland areas in the south (Lower Ohře Table, Jizera Table) and between mountain ranges in the north (Lusatian Mountains, Central Bohemian Uplands, Ještěd–Kozákov Ridge). The highest peaks are located in the northern part of the territory. The highest peaks of the Ralsko Uplands are:
 * Ralsko, 698 m
 * Jezevčí vrch, 666 m
 * Vlhošť, 614 m
 * Bezděz, 606 m
 * Tlustec, 592 m
 * Zelený vrch, 586 m
 * Malý Bezděz, 577 m
 * Mazova horka, 569 m
 * Holubník, 562 m
 * Ortel, 554 m

Geography
The territory has a relatively regular shape and stretches from southwest to northeast. The region has an area of 1356 sqkm and an average elevation of 318 m.

The territory is drained by the Ploučnice River and by small right-handed tributaries of the Elbe. There are no other notable rivers, but there are many middle-sized streams. The Elbe flows just beyond the southwestern border of the Ralsko Uplands. The largest body of water is Lake Mácha.

The most populated settlements located in whole or in large part in the territory are Česká Lípa, Nový Bor, Mimoň, Doksy and Stráž pod Ralskem.

Geology
The uplands are formed by Late Cretaceous kaolinic, clayey and calcareous quartz sandstones, and to a lesser extent marlstones and sandy marlstones.

Nature
The territory alternates between forested and agricultural landscapes. Almost the entire area of the Kokořínsko – Máchův kraj Protected Landscape Area lies within the Ralsko Uplands, located in the southern and central parts of the uplands. In the north, the Lužické hory and České středohoří protected landscape areas extend into the territory. A large part of the Ralsko Uplands in the southeast has an intact and uninhabited landscape due to the existence of the former Ralsko military training area.