Background: At the close of World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia, a parliamentarian democracy. During the interwar years, having rejected a federal system, the new country's predominantly Czech leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the increasingly strident demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Slovaks, the Sudeten Germans, and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). On the eve of World War II, Nazi Germany occupied the territory that today comprises Czechia, and Slovakia became an independent state allied with Germany. After the war, a reunited but truncated Czechoslovakia (less Ruthenia) fell within the Soviet sphere of influence when the pro-Soviet Communist party staged a coup in February 1948. In 1968, an invasion by fellow Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create 'socialism with a human face,' ushering in a period of repression known as 'normalization.' The peaceful 'Velvet Revolution' swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a nonviolent 'velvet divorce' into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. The country formally added the short-form name Czechia in 2016, while also continuing to use the full form name, the Czech Republic.

Area
Total: 78,867 km²
Land: 77,247 km²
Water: 1,620 km²
Comparative: about two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries
Total: 2,046 km
Border countries (4): (4) Austria 402 km; Germany 704 km; Poland 699 km; Slovakia 241 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
Highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
Lowest point: Labe (Elbe) River 115 m
Mean elevation: 433 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 45.8% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 32.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 38.2% (2023 est.)
Other: 16% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 220 km² (2022)

Major rivers: Labe (Elbe) river source (shared with Germany [m]) - 1,252 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Natural hazards: flooding

Geography
Note note 1: landlocked; strategically located on 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
Note note 2: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed freshwater cave at 519 m (1,703 ft); its survey is not complete, and it may be up to 800-1,200 m (2,625-3,937 ft) deep

Population
Total: 10,837,890 (2024 est.)
Male: 5,335,737
Female: 5,502,153
Distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations
Growth rate: 0.04% (2024 est.)

Languages: Czech (official) 88.4%, Slovak 1.5%, other 2.6%, unspecified 7.2% (2021 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; World Factbook, nepostradatelný zdroj základních informací. (Czech); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: includes only persons with one mother tongue

Religions: Roman Catholic 7%, other believers belonging to a church or religious society 6% (includes Evangelical United Brethren Church and Czechoslovak Hussite Church), believers unaffiliated with a religious society 9.1%, none 47.8%, unspecified 30.1% (2021 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.7% (male 871,303/female 826,896)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 3,542,298/female 3,373,127)
65 years and over: 20.5% (2024 est.) (male 922,136/female 1,302,130)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 56.7 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 24.6 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 32.2 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.1 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 44.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 42.7 years
Female: 45.7 years

Population growth rate: 0.04% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 9.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations

Urbanization
Urban population: 74.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.323 million PRAGUE (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75.6 years
Female: 81.8 years

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.6% (2024 est.); 2.6% (2023 est.); 2.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Prague
Geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology: the name may derive from the old Slavic word 'praga' or 'prah,' meaning 'threshold;' it could also be related to the same Slavic root word as the modern Czech 'pražiti,' a term for woodland cleared by burning

Administrative divisions: 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky (Karlovy Vary), Kralovehradecky (Hradec Kralove), Liberecky (Liberec), Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky (Olomouc), Pardubicky (Pardubice), Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky (Usti), Vysocina (Highlands), Zlinsky (Zlin)

Legal system: new civil code enacted in 2014, replacing civil code of 1964 based on former Austro-Hungarian civil codes and socialist theory

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Petr PAVEL (since 9 March 2023)
Head of government: Prime Minister Andrej BABIS (since 9 December 2025)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president for a 4-year term
Most recent election date: 13-14 January 2023, with a second round on 27-28 January 2023
2023: Petr PAVEL elected in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Petr PAVEL (independent) 35.4%, Andrej BABIS (ANO) 35%, Danuse NERUDOVA (Mayors and Independents) 13.9%, Pavel FISCHER (independent) 6.8%; percent of vote in the second round - Petr PAVEL 58.3%, Andrej BABIS 41.6%
2018: Milos ZEMAN reelected president in the second round; percent of vote - Milos ZEMAN (SPO) 51.4%, Jiri DRAHOS (independent) 48.6%
Expected date of next election: by January 2,028

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament (Parlament)
Legislative structure: bicameral

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side

National anthem
Title: 'Kde domov muj?' (Where is My Home?)
Lyrics/music: Josef Kajetan TYL/Frantisek Jan SKROUP
History: adopted 1993; the anthem was originally written as incidental music for the play 'Fidlovacka' (1834), but it soon became popular as an unofficial anthem of the Czech nation; its first verse served as the official Czechoslovak anthem beginning in 1918, and the second verse (Slovak) was dropped after Czechoslovakia was dissolved in 1993

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 17 (16 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 1.1% (2024 est.); -0.1% (2023 est.); 2.8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 1.1% (2024 est.); -0.1% (2023 est.); 2.8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 44% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 19.7% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 27.3% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 69% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -64% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.5% (2024 est.)
Industry: 30.2% (2024 est.)
Services: 59.5% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments

Industrial production growth rate: -1% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 5.541 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 2.6% (2024 est.); 2.6% (2023 est.); 2.3% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.6% (2024 est.); 2.6% (2023 est.); 2.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $94.01 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $106.07 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 12.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $239.259 billion (2024 est.); $236.103 billion (2023 est.); $219.419 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, vehicle parts/accessories, broadcasting equipment, computers, plastic products (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $216.741 billion (2024 est.); $219.09 billion (2023 est.); $216.042 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts/accessories, cars, plastic products, computers (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 21.802 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 63.628 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 22.648 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 13.465 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.012 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 45.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 40.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 31.946 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 33.239 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 2.128 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 4.09 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 3.595 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 219,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 15 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 163.333 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 6.499 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 6.812 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 3.964 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 79.901 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 41.667 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 25.707 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 12.527 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 136.306 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1.197 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 13.6 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 128 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 86% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 4.1 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2025 est.); 2.1% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Airports: 252 (2025)

Heliports: 107 (2025)

Railways
Total: 9,548 km (2020) 3,242 km electrified