Despite their name, the Swiss Alps are only a portion of the much larger Alps mountain range, which stretches across eight European countries. While the "Swiss Alps" specifically refers to the sections located within Switzerland's borders—including iconic peaks like the Matterhorn and the Eiger—the range itself also covers France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, and Monaco. In fact, Austria actually contains the largest percentage of the total Alpine area by landmass (about 28%), while Switzerland holds about 13%. The mountains are generally divided into the Western Alps and Eastern Alps, with the Swiss section forming a significant part of the West. Many famous massifs, such as the Mont Blanc range, are shared; for example, Mont Blanc itself sits on the border between France and Italy, not Switzerland. Therefore, while Switzerland is the country most culturally synonymous with the Alps, the range is a vast international geological feature that defines the landscape of Central Europe.