2008 Edition

Background

Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "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.

Area

total: 78,866 sq km land: 77,276 sq km water: 1,590 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

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

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; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.91 cu km/yr (41%/57%/2%) per capita: 187 cu m/yr (2002)

Geographic coordinates

49 45 N, 15 30 E

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

Irrigated land

240 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 1,989 km border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 815 km, Poland 615 km, Slovakia 197 km

Land use

arable land: 38.82% permanent crops: 3% other: 58.18% (2005)

Location

Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

flooding

Natural resources

hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

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

Total renewable water resources

16 cu km (2005)

Age structure

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 723,521/female 684,786) 15-64 years: 71.2% (male 3,653,679/female 3,619,872) 65 years and over: 15.1% (male 604,419/female 934,634) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

8.89 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

10.69 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2004)

Ethnic groups

Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 10 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,500 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8% (2001 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.62 years male: 73.34 years female: 80.08 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: NA total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 39.8 years male: 38.2 years female: 41.6 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech

Net migration rate

0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

10,220,911 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.082% (2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.23 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky, Kralovehradecky, Liberecky, Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky, Pardubicky, Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky, Vysocina, Zlinsky

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

Constitution

ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993

Country name

conventional long form: Czech Republic conventional short form: Czech Republic local long form: Ceska Republika local short form: Cesko

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER embassy: Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [420] 257 022 000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100

Executive branch

chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK (since 9 January 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007), Martin BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Alexandr VONDRA (since 9 January 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held 15 February 2008 (after earlier elections held 8 and 9 February 2008 were inconclusive; next election to be held in February 2013); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaclav KLAUS reelected president on 15 February 2008; Vaclav KLAUS 141 votes, Jan SVEJNAR 111 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

FAX

[1] (202) 966-8540 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

[420] 257 022 809

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 17-18 and 24-25 October 2008 (next to be held in October 2010); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODS 35, CSSD 29, KDU-CSL 7, others 8, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD 32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6; note - seats by party as of December 2007 - ODS 81, CSSD 72, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6, unaffiliated 2 (former CSSD members)

National holiday

Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Political parties and leaders

Association of Independent Candidates-European Democrats or SNK-ED [Helmut DOHNALEK]; Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK]; Union of Freedom-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan CERNY]; Green Party [Martin BURSIK]; Independent Democrats (NEZDEM) [Vladimir ZELEZNY]; Party of Open Society (SOS) [Pavel NOVACEK]; Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Milan STECH]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Budget

revenues: $72.1 billion expenditures: $74.98 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

3.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.79% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Czech koruna (CZK)

Currency code

CZK

Current account balance

-$4.534 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$74.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

26 (2005)

Economic aid - recipient

$278.7 million in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004)

Economy - overview

The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in 2000-07 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role in underpinning growth as the availability of credit cards and mortgages increases. The current account deficit has declined to around 3.3% of GDP as demand for automotive and other products from the Czech Republic remains strong in the European Union. Rising inflation from higher food and energy prices are a risk to balanced economic growth. Significant increases in social spending in the run-up to June 2006 elections prevented, the government from meeting its goal of reducing its budget deficit to 3% of GDP in 2007. Negotiations on pension and additional healthcare reforms are continuing without clear prospects for agreement and implementation. Intensified restructuring among large enterprises, improvements in the financial sector, and effective use of available EU funds should strengthen output growth. The pro-business Civic Democratic Party-led government approved reforms in 2007 designed to cut spending on some social welfare benefits and reform the tax system with the aim of eventually reducing the budget deficit to 2.3% of GDP by 2010. Parliamentary approval for any additional reforms could prove difficult, however, because of the parliament's even split. The government withdrew a 2010 target date for euro adoption and instead aims to meet the eurozone criteria around 2012.

Electricity - consumption

61.52 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

26.36 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

10.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

82.88 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 76.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 20% other: 1% (2001)

Exchange rates

koruny (CZK) per US dollar - 20.53 (2007), 22.596 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003)

Exports

$122.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 52%, raw materials and fuel 9%, chemicals 5% (2003)

Exports - partners

Germany 30.7%, Slovakia 8.7%, Poland 5.9%, France 5.4%, UK 5.1%, Italy 4.9%, Austria 4.6% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 2.7% industry: 38.7% services: 58.6% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$24,500 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.6% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$175.3 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$251 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Imports

$116.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)

Imports - partners

Germany 31.8%, Netherlands 6.7%, Slovakia 6.4%, Poland 6.3%, Austria 5.1%, China 5.1%, Russia 4.5%, Italy 4.4%, France 4.1% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

9.8% (2007 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

24.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

5.36 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 4.1% industry: 37.6% services: 58.3% (2003)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$48.6 billion (2006)

Natural gas - consumption

8.622 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

402 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

8.628 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

172 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

207,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports

27,360 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

224,600 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

13,530 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

26% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$34.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$6.058 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$86.75 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$103.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$84.43 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$58.77 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

6.6% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.cz

Internet hosts

2.434 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

more than 300 (2000)

Internet users

4.4 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Radios

3,159,134 (December 2000)

Telephone system

general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; access to the fixed-line telephone network expanded throughout the 1990s but the number of fixed line connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population domestic: virtually all exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

2.888 million (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

13.075 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Televisions

3,405,834 (December 2000)

Airports

122 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 45 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 18 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 77 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 50 (2007)

Heliports

1 (2007)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Railways

total: 9,597 km standard gauge: 9,597 km 1.435-m gauge (3,041 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways

total: 128,512 km paved: 128,512 km (includes 657 km of expressways) (2007)

Waterways

664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2006)

Army of the Czech Republic (ACR)

Joint Forces Command (includes Army and Air Forces), Support and Training Forces Command (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,522,383 females age 16-49: 2,425,095 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,100,789 females age 16-49: 2,018,101 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 63,124 female: 59,786 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

1.46% of GDP (2007 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-28 years of age for voluntary and 19-28 for compulsory military service (2008)

Disputes - international

while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the popular Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closes its controversial Soviet-style nuclear plant in Temelin, bordering Austria

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime; significant consumer of ecstasy This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008