Krkonoše [key], Ger. Riesengebirge, Pol. Karkonosze, highest range of the Sudetes, extending c.25 mi (40 km) along the border of N Czech Republic and SW Poland. Its highest peak, Snĕžka (Ger. Schneekoppe, Pol. Śnieźka), rises to 5,258 ft (1,603 m). Paper and textile mills, which use the range's waterpower, are found on both sides of the border. There are numerous resorts and spas in the mountains; the most notable is Janské Láznĕ, Czech Republic. A national park (est. 1963) straddles the international border. The Labe (Elbe) River rises in the Krkonoše.
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