2018 Edition

Background

At the close of World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. 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. In 1968, an invasion by 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 added the short-form name Czechia in 2016, while continuing to use the full form name, Czech Republic.

Area

land

77,247 sq km

total

78,867 sq km

water

1,620 sq km

Area Comparative

about two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

elevation extremes

115 m lowest point: Labe (Elbe) River

mean elevation

433 m

note

1602 highest point: Snezka

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; land pollution caused by industry, mining, and agriculture

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

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

320 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (4)

Austria 402 km, Germany 704 km, Poland 796 km, Slovakia 241 km

total

2,143 km

Land Use

arable land: 41% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 12.8% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

54.8% (2011 est.)

forest

34.4% (2011 est.)

other

10.8% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria

Map References

Europe

Maritime Claims

note

none (landlocked)

Natural Hazards

flooding

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

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

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

Age Structure

0-14 years

15.21% (male 834,800 /female 790,128)

15-24 years

9.34% (male 514,728 /female 483,546)

25-54 years

43.79% (male 2,404,724 /female 2,275,309)

55-64 years

12.24% (male 638,130 /female 669,959)

65 years and over

19.42% (male 865,455 /female 1,209,490) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

9.2 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

86.3% (2008)

note

percent of women aged 18-44

Death Rate

10.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

26.9 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

3.7 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

49.5 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

22.6 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

4% of GDP (2014)

Ethnic Groups

Czech 64.3%, Moravian 5%, Slovak 1.4%, other 1.8%, unspecified 27.5% (2011 est.)

Health Expenditures

7.4% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

<.1% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

<100 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

2,900 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

6.5 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

2.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Czech (official) 95.4%, Slovak 1.6%, other 3% (2011 census)

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

82.1 years (2018 est.)

male

76 years (2018 est.)

total population

78.9 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

NA (2011 est.)

female

99% (2011 est.)

male

99% (2011 est.)

total population

99% (2011 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

1.292 million PRAGUE (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

43.8 years (2018 est.)

male

41.2 years

total

42.5 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

28.1 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Czech

noun

Czech(s)

Net Migration Rate

2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

26% (2016)

Physicians Density

3.68 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

10,686,269 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.1% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 10.4%, Protestant (includes Czech Brethren and Hussite) 1.1%, other and unspecified 54%, none 34.5% (2011 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 99.1% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 99.2% of population (2015 est.)

total: 99.1% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 0.8% of population (2015 est.)

total: 0.9% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

18 years (2014)

male

16 years (2014)

total

17 years (2014)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.94 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.7 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.46 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

11.4% (2016 est.)

male

9.9% (2016 est.)

total

10.5% (2016 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.21% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

73.8% of total population (2018)

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)

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

50 05 N, 14 28 E

name

Prague

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Czechia

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

passage requires at least three-fifths concurrence by members present in both houses of Parliament; amended several times, last in 2013 (2017)

history

previous 1960; latest ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993 (2017)

Country Name

conventional long form

Czech Republic

conventional short form

Czechia

etymology

name derives from the Czechs, a West Slavic tribe who rose to prominence in the late 9th century A.D.

local long form

Ceska republika

local short form

Cesko

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador Stephen B. KING (since 6 December 2017)

embassy

Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1 - Mala Strana

FAX

[420] 257 022 809

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[420] 257 022 000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Hynek KMONICEK (since 24 April 2017)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 966-8540

telephone

[1] (202) 274-9100

Executive Branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Milos ZEMAN (since 8 March 2013)

election results

Milos ZEMAN reelected president in the second round; percent of vote - Milos ZEMAN (SPO) 51.4%, Jiri DRAHOS (independent) 48.6%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); elections last held on 12-13 January 2018 with a runoff on 26-27 January 2018 (next to be held in January 2023); prime minister appointed by the president for a 4-year term

head of government

Prime Minister Andrej BABIS (since 13 December 2017); First Deputy Prime Minister Jan HAMACEK (since 27 June 2018), Deputy Prime Minister Richard BRABEC (since 13 December 2017); note - the current government of Prime Minister Andrej BABIS was sworn in on 13 December 2017 but lost a confidence vote on 16 January 2018 and resigned the next day; President Milos ZEMAN accepted the resignation on 24 January 2018; the government is currently ruling in resignation

Flag Description

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

note

combines the white and red colors of Bohemia with blue from the arms of Moravia; is identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia); note - although 1 January is the day the Czech Republic came into being, the Czechs commemorate 28 October 1918, the day the former Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as their independence day

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court (organized into Civil Law and Commercial Division, and Criminal Division each with a court chief justice, vice justice, and several judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 15 justices); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 28 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges proposed by the Chamber of Deputies and appointed by the president; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed for 10-year, renewable terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the president of the Court; unlimited terms

subordinate courts

High Court; regional and district courts

Legal System

new civil code enacted in 2014, replacing civil code of 1964 - based on former Austro-Hungarian civil codes and socialist theory - and reintroducing former Czech legal terminology

Legislative Branch

description

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of:Senate or Senat (81 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years) Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members directly elected in 14 multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote with a 5% threshold required to fill a seat; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; ODS 16, KDU-CSL 16, CSSD 13, STAN 10, ANO 7, SEN 21 6, TOP 09 3, SZ 1, Movement for Prague 1, Pirates 1, SsCR 1, independent 6; composition NA Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ANO 29.6%, ODS 11.3%, Pirates 10.8%, SPD 10.6%, KSCM 7.8%, CSSD 7.3%, KDU-CSL 5.8%, TOP 09 5.3%, STAN 5.2%, other 6.3%; seats by party - ANO 78, ODS 25, Pirates 22, SPD 22, CSSD 15, KSCM 15, KDU-CSL 10, TOP 09 7, STAN 6; composition - men 156, women 44, percent of women 22%; note - total Parliament percent of women NA

elections

Senate - last held in 2 rounds on 5-6 and 12-13 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2020) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 20-21 October 2017 (next to be held by October 2021)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Josef Kajetan TYL/Frantisek Jan SKROUP

name

"Kde domov muj?" (Where is My Home?)

note

adopted 1993; the anthem was originally written as incidental music to the play "Fidlovacka" (1834), it soon became very popular as an unofficial anthem of the Czech nation; its first verse served as the official Czechoslovak anthem beginning in 1918, while the second verse (Slovak) was dropped after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993

National Holiday

Czechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

National Symbol S

silver (or white), double-tailed, rampant lion; national colors: white, red, blue

Political Parties And Leaders

Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Pavel BELOBRADEK]Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Petr FIALA]Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP]Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jan HAMACEK]Dawn - National Coalition or Usvit-NK [Miroslav LIDINSKY]Free Citizens Party or Svobodni [Petr MACH]Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD [Tomio OKAMURA]Green Party or SZ [Petr STEPANEK]Mayors and Independents or STAN [Petr GAZDIK]Mayors for the Liberec Region or SLK [Martin PUTA]Movement for PragueMovement of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO [Andrej BABIS]Nestranici (Non-Partisans) or NK [Vera RYBOVA]North Bohemians or S.cz [Bronislav SCHWARZ]Party of Civic Rights or SPO [Lubomir NECAS]Pirate Party or Pirates [Ivan BARTOS]Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09 [Jiri POSPISIL]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

83.92 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

87.37 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

0.05% (31 December 2017)

0.05% (31 December 2016)

note

this is the two-week repo, the main rate CNB uses

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

3.59% (31 December 2017 est.)

3.91% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

$2.317 billion (2017 est.)

$3.037 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$205.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$138 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

25 (2015)

25.1 (2014)

Economy Overview

Czechia is a prosperous market economy that boasts one of the highest GDP growth rates and lowest unemployment levels in the EU, but its dependence on exports makes economic growth vulnerable to contractions in external demand. Czechia’s exports comprise some 80% of GDP and largely consist of automobiles, the country’s single largest industry. Czechia acceded to the EU in 2004 but has yet to join the euro-zone. While the flexible koruna helps Czechia weather external shocks, it was one of the world’s strongest performing currencies in 2017, appreciating approximately 16% relative to the US dollar after the central bank (Czech National Bank - CNB) ended its cap on the currency’s value in early April 2017, which it had maintained since November 2013. The CNB hiked rates in August and November 2017 - the first rate changes in nine years - to address rising inflationary pressures brought by strong economic growth and a tight labor market.Since coming to power in 2014, the new government has undertaken some reforms to try to reduce corruption, attract investment, and improve social welfare programs, which could help increase the government’s revenues and improve living conditions for Czechs. The government introduced in December 2016 an online tax reporting system intended to reduce tax evasion and increase revenues. The government also plans to remove labor market rigidities to improve the business climate, bring procurement procedures in line with EU best practices, and boost wages. The country's low unemployment rate has led to steady increases in salaries, and the government is facing pressure from businesses to allow greater migration of qualified workers, at least from Ukraine and neighboring Central European countries.Long-term challenges include dealing with a rapidly aging population, a shortage of skilled workers, a lagging education system, funding an unsustainable pension and health care system, and diversifying away from manufacturing and toward a more high-tech, services-based, knowledge economy.

Exchange Rates

koruny (CZK) per US dollar -

23.34 (2017 est.)

24.44 (2016 est.)

24.44 (2015 est.)

24.599 (2014 est.)

20.758 (2013 est.)

Exports

$144.8 billion (2017 est.)

$131.1 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

machinery and transport equipment, raw materials, fuel, chemicals

Exports Partners

Germany 32.8%, Slovakia 7.8%, Poland 6.1%, France 5.1%, UK 4.9%, Austria 4.4%, Italy 4.1% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

79.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption

19.2% (2017 est.)

household consumption

47.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-72.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.7% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1.1% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

2.3% (2017 est.)

industry

36.9% (2017 est.)

services

60.8% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$215.8 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$35,500 (2017 est.)

$34,200 (2016 est.)

$33,400 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$375.9 billion (2017 est.)

$360.5 billion (2016 est.)

$351.9 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

4.3% (2017 est.)

2.5% (2016 est.)

5.3% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

26.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

27.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

28.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

21.7% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

21.7% (2015 est.)

Imports

$134.7 billion (2017 est.)

$120.5 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuels, chemicals

Imports Partners

Germany 29.8%, Poland 9.1%, China 7.4%, Slovakia 5.8%, Netherlands 5.3%, Italy 4% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

7.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2.4% (2017 est.)

0.7% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

5.427 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

2.8%

industry

38%

services

59.2% (2015)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$58.83 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$40.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$44.5 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

9.7% (2015 est.)

Public Debt

34.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

36.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$148 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$85.73 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$177.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$133.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$54.39 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$43.09 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$185.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$139.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$147.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$124.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$177.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$133.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

40.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2.9% (2017 est.)

3.9% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

115.8 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

446 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

155,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Production

2,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

15 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

62.34 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

24.79 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

60% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

5% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

13.82 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

21.63 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

77.39 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

8.721 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

8.891 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

229.4 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

213,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

52,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

83,860 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

177,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

29 (2017 est.)

total

3,060,597 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

22 TV stations operate nationally, with 17 of them in private hands; publicly operated Czech Television has 5 national channels; throughout the country, there are some 350 TV channels in operation, many through cable, satellite, and IPTV subscription services; 63 radio broadcasters are registered, operating over 80 radio stations, including 7 multiregional radio stations or networks; publicly operated broadcaster Czech Radio operates 4 national, 14 regional, and 4 Internet stations; both Czech Radio and Czech Television are partially financed through a license fee (2018)

Internet Country Code

.cz

Internet Users

percent of population

76.5% (July 2016 est.)

total

8,141,303 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

access to the fixed-line telephone network expanded throughout the 1990s, 15 per 100 fixed-line, but the number of fixed-line connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage increased sharply 118 per 100 mobile-cellular, and the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population (2017)

general assessment

good telephone and Internet service; the Czech Republic has a sophisticated telecom market, with good competition in all sectors provided by a number of alternate operators; the incumbent telco O2 Czech Republic remains the dominant player though other operators are gaining market share, through merger and acquisition activity; regulator makes progress for 5G services; fixed wireless broadband remains strong, with penetration among the highest in the EU (2017)

international

country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2017)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

1,616,631 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

118 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

12,634,937 (2017 est.)

Airports

128 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

12 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

9 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

2 (2017)

over 3,047 m

2 (2017)

total

41 (2017)

under 914 m

16 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

25 (2013)

total

87 (2013)

under 914 m

61 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

OK (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

26,619,650 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

4,971,616 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

48 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

4 (2015)

Pipelines

7160 km gas, 536 km oil, 94 km refined products (2013)

Ports And Terminals

note

Decin, Usti nad Labem (Elbe)

river port(s)

Prague (Vltava)

Railways

narrow gauge

102 km 0.760-m gauge (2014)

standard gauge

9,519.5 km 1.435-m gauge (3,240.5 km electrified) (2014)

total

9,622 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

130,661 km (includes 730 km of expressways) (2011)

total

130,661 km (includes urban roads) (2011)

Waterways

664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2010)

Military Branches

Army of the Czech Republic (Armada Ceske Republiky): General Staff (Generalni Stab, includes Land Forces (Pozemni sily) and Air Forces (Vzdusne sily)) (2018)

Military Expenditures

0.98% of GDP (2016)

0.96% of GDP (2015)

0.97% of GDP (2014)

0.99% of GDP (2013)

1.03% of GDP (2012)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Disputes International

none

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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

stateless persons

1,502 (2017)