Map of Czech Republic | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: Once part of the Holy Roman Empire and, later, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Czechoslovakia became an independent nation at the end of World War I. Independence ended with the German takeover in 1939. After World War II, Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence, and in 1968 an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops snuffed out anti-communist demonstrations and riots. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1991, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom. On 1 January 1993, the country peacefully split into its two ethnic components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic, largely by aspiring to become a NATO and EU member, has moved toward integration in world markets, a development that poses both opportunities and risks. But Prague has had a difficult time convincing the public that membership in NATO is crucial to Czech security. At the same time, support for eventual EU membership is waning. Coupled with the country's worsening economic situation, Prague's political scene, troubled for the past three years, will remain so for the foreseeable future.


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Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 78,703 km²
Land: 78,645 km²
Water: 58 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries
Total: 1,881 km
Border countries: (4) Austria 362 km; , Germany 646 km; , Poland 658 km; , Slovakia 215 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
Extremes highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite

Land use
Arable land: 41%
Permanent crops: 2%
Permanent pastures: 11%
Forests and woodland: 34%
Other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 240 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe


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Population: 10,298,324 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: -0.13% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Czech(s)
Adjective: Czech
Note: 300,000 Slovaks declared themselves Czech citizens in 1994

Ethnic groups: Czech 94.4%, Slovak 3%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%, Gypsy 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 1%

Languages: Czech, Slovak

Religions: atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 18% (male 930,874; female 886,444)
15-64 years: 69% (male 3,542,900; female 3,539,351)
65 years and over: 13% (male 535,049; female 863,706) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.13% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 8.84 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 11.02 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.93 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 6.9 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.86 years
Male: 70.49 years
Female: 77.42 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.17 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age NA and over can read and write
Total population: 99% (est.)
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Czech Republic
Conventional short form: Czech Republic
Local long form: Ceska Republika
Local short form: Ceska Republika

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Prague

Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje, kraj - singular; Jihocesky, Jihomoravsky, Praha, Severocesky, Severomoravsky, Stredocesky, Vychodocesky, Zapadocesky

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)

National holiday: National Liberation Day, 8 May; Founding of the Republic, 28 October

Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Vaclav HAVEL (since 26 January 1993)
Head of government: Prime Minister Vaclav KLAUS (since NA June 1992); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivan KOCARNIK (since NA June 1992), Josef LUX (since NA June 1992), Josef ZIELENIEC (since NA June 1992)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 26 January 1993 (next to be held NA January 1998); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Vaclav HAVEL elected president; percent of parliamentary vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve staggered two-, four-, and six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Snemovna Poslancu (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held 15-16 and 22-23 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998 - to replace/re-elect 20 senators serving two-year terms); Chamber of Deputies - last held 31 May-1 June 1996 (next to be held NA May 2000)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - governing coalition (ODS 32, KDU-CSL 13, ODA 7), opposition (CSSD 25, KCSM 2, DEU 1, independent 1); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - governing coalition (ODS 68, KDU-CSL 18, ODA 13), opposition (CSSD 61, KCSM 22, SPR-RSC 18)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president; Constitutional Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (guest), CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NACC, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VONDRA
In the us chancery: 3,900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 274-9,101, 9,102
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 966-8,540
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jenonne R. WALKER
From the us embassy: Trziste 15, 11,801 Prague 1
From the us mailing address: Unit 1330, APO AE 9,213
From the us telephone: [420] (2) 5,732-0663
From the us FAX: [420] (2) 5,732-0920

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (almost identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Western observers view the Czech Republic as one of the most politically and economically stable post-Communist states. Its key macroeconomic indicators are, in the aggregate, the best in the region, and public opinion polls show strong support for reform. The country emerged from recession in 1994 with 2.6% growth and reached about 5% growth in both 1995 and 1996 while keeping a balanced budget and reorienting exports to the EU. Inflation and unemployment of 8.7% and 3.3% respectively in 1996 are among the lowest in the region. Prague's mass privatization program, including its innovative distribution of ownership shares to Czech citizens via "coupon vouchers," has made the most rapid progress in Eastern Europe. About 80% of the economy is in private hands or is partially privatized. The Czech Republic appears to be the East European frontrunner in economic integration with the West; for example, in 1996 it began to strengthen its bankruptcy law and to improve the transparency of stock market operations. It was the first post-Communist member of the OECD and is expected to be in the next group of new EU members. Its solid economic performance has led Standard and Poor's to upgrade the country's sovereign credit rating to "A" and has attracted over $6.7 billion in direct foreign investment to Czech industry between 1990 and September 1996 - one quarter from the US. Prague's biggest macroeconomic concerns now are mounting trade and current account deficits. In addition, the Czech economy still faces transition problems. The government continues to exert too much direct and indirect influence on the privatized economy, and the management of privatized firms sometimes is ineffective. Insufficient regulation and lack of public information in the capital markets and the banking system, combined with a shortage of experienced financial analysts, limit the ability to distribute new credit efficiently. The judicial system also has trouble speedily processing bankruptcy cases. Prague has promised to overhaul its bankruptcy law and improve stock market and bank operations, but it will take years to ensure compliance. Prague forecasts a balanced budget, 4.5% GDP growth, 3.3% unemployment and 7.5% to 8% inflation for 1997.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4%
Industry: 43%
Services: 53% (1996 est.)

Agriculture products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products

Industries: fuels, ferrous metallurgy, machinery and equipment, coal, motor vehicles, glass, armaments

Industrial production growth rate: 6.4% (1996 est.)

Labor force
Total: 5.107 million (1996)
By occupation industry: 33.1%
By occupation agriculture: 6.9%
By occupation construction: 9.1%
By occupation transport and communications: 7.2%
By occupation services: 43.7% (1994)

Unemployment rate: 3.3% (1996 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $18.4 billion
Expenditures: $18.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1996 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports
Total value: $21.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodities: manufactured goods 32.4%, machinery and transport equipment 26.3%, chemicals 10.4%, raw materials and fuel 11.3% (1995)
Partners: EU 55.1%, Eastern Europe, excluding Slovakia, and CIS countries 16.9%, Slovakia 16.2%, developing countries 6.6%, EFTA 1.8% (1995)

Imports
Total value: $27.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 35.6%, manufactured goods 17.9%, chemicals 13.2%, raw materials and fuels 14.4% (1994)
Partners: EU 56.4%, Eastern Europe, excluding Slovakia, and CIS countries 15.7%, Slovakia 13.1%, developing countries 6.0%, EFTA 2.5% (1995)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $17.1 billion (1996 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: koruny (Kcs) per US$1 - 27.516 (January 1997), 27.145 (1996), 26.541 (1995), 28.785 (1994), 29.153 (1993), 28.26 (1992)
Note: values before 1993 reflect Czechoslovak exchange rates


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 55.38 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 4,712 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions)

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.22 billion (1996)
Percent of gdp: 2.2% (1996)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 116 (1994 est.)
With paved runways total: 29
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 9
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 13
With paved runways under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 87
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 32
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 41 (1994 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 29
Over 3047 m: 2
2438 to 3047 m: 9
15-24 to 2437 m: 13
Under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 87
Over 3047 m: 1
2438 to 3047 m: 3
15-24 to 2437 m: 10
914 to 1523 m: 32
Under 914 m: 41 (1994 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: natural gas 5,400 km

Railways
Total: 9,441 km
Standard gauge: 9,345 km 1.435-m standard gauge (2,641 km electrified at three voltages)
Narrow gauge: 96 km two narrow gauges (1995)

Roadways

Waterways: NA km; the Elbe (Labe) is the principal river

Merchant marine
Total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 80,117 GRT/134,890 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Liechtenstein claims restitution for 1,600 km² of Czech territory confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the communists seized power; individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II; unresolved property issues with Slovakia over redistribution of property of the former Czechoslovak federal government

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; domestic consumption - especially of locally produced synthetic drugs - on the rise