2019 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2019 Archive (Wayback Machine)
Introduction
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.
Geography
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
- Highest Point
- Snezka 1,602 m
- Lowest Point
- Labe (Elbe) River 115 m
- Mean Elevation
- 433 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; 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
note 1: 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 note 2: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deep
Irrigated Land
320 sq km (2012)
Land Boundaries
- Border Countries
- Austria 402 km, Germany 704 km, Poland 796 km, Slovakia 241 km
- Total
- 2,143 km
Land Use
- Agricultural Land
- 54.8% (2011 est.)
- Agricultural Land Arable Land
- 41% (2011 est.)
- Agricultural Land Permanent Crops
- 1% (2011 est.)
- Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture
- 12.8% (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
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
People and Society
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.)
Current Health Expenditure
7.1% (2016)
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 Rural
- 100% of population
- Improved Total
- 100% of population
- Improved Urban
- 100% of population
- Unimproved Rural
- 0% of population
- Unimproved Total
- 0% of population (2015 est.)
- Unimproved Urban
- 0% of population
Education Expenditures
5.6% of GDP (2016)
Ethnic Groups
Czech 64.3%, Moravian 5%, Slovak 1.4%, other 1.8%, unspecified 27.5% (2011 est.)
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate
<.1% (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS Deaths
<100 (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS
4,400 (2018 est.)
Hospital Bed Density
6.5 beds/1,000 population (2015)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Female
- 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
- Male
- 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births
- 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
- Male
- 76 years
- Total Population
- 78.9 years (2018 est.)
Literacy
- Female
- 99% (2011)
- Male
- 99%
- Total Population
- 99%
Major Urban Areas Population
1.299 million PRAGUE (capital) (2019)
Maternal Mortality Rate
3 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Median Age
- Female
- 43.8 years
- Male
- 41.2 years
- Total
- 42.5 years (2018 est.)
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 (2018 est.)
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate
26% (2016)
Physicians Density
4.31 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
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 Rural
- 99.2% of population (2015 est.)
- Improved Total
- 99.1% of population (2015 est.)
- Improved Urban
- 99.1% of population (2015 est.)
- Unimproved Rural
- 0.8% of population (2015 est.)
- Unimproved Total
- 0.9% of population (2015 est.)
- Unimproved Urban
- 0.9% of population (2015 est.)
School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education
- Female
- 18 years (2016)
- Male
- 16 years
- Total
- 17 years
Sex Ratio
- 0 14 Years
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15 24 Years
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 25 54 Years
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 55 64 Years
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- 65 Years And Over
- 0.72 male(s)/female
- At Birth
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- Total Population
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
Total Fertility Rate
1.46 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24
- Female
- 8.7% (2017 est.)
- Male
- 7.4%
- Total
- 7.9%
Urbanization
- Rate Of Urbanization
- 0.21% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
- Urban Population
- 73.9% of total population (2019)
Government
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 of 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
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 Alena SCHILLEROVA (since 30 April 2019)
Flag Description
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
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 36 judges, including the court president and vice president, and organized into 6-, 7-, and 9-member chambers)
- 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; seats by party - 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 men 69, women 12, percent of women 14.8% 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 19.9%
- 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?)
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] Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD [Tomio OKAMURA] Green Party or SZ [Petr STEPANEK] Mayors and Independents or STAN [Petr GAZDIK] Movement of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO [Andrej BABIS] 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
Economy
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
- 31 December 2016
- 0.05%
- 31 December 2017
- 0.05%
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
- 31 December 2016
- 3.91%
- 31 December 2017
- 3.59%
Current Account Balance
- 2016
- $3.037 billion
- 2017
- $2.317 billion
Debt External
- 31 December 2016
- $138 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $205.2 billion
Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index
- 2014
- 25.1
- 2015
- 25
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
- 2013
- 20.758
- 2014
- 24.599
- 2015
- 24.44
- 2016
- 24.44
- 2017
- 23.34
- Currency
- koruny (CZK) per US dollar -
Exports
- 2016
- $131.1 billion
- 2017
- $144.8 billion
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.)
GDP Per Capita Ppp
- 2015
- $33,400
- 2016
- $34,200
- 2017
- $35,500
GDP Purchasing Power Parity
- 2015
- $351.9 billion
- 2016
- $360.5 billion
- 2017
- $375.9 billion
GDP Real Growth Rate
- 2015
- 5.3%
- 2016
- 2.5%
- 2017
- 4.3%
Gross National Saving
- 2015
- 28.2% of GDP
- 2016
- 27.5% of GDP
- 2017
- 26.9% of GDP
Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share
- Highest 10
- 21.7% (2015 est.)
- Lowest 10
- 4.1%
Imports
- 2016
- $120.5 billion
- 2017
- $134.7 billion
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
- 2016
- 0.7%
- 2017
- 2.4%
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
- 31 December 2015
- $44.5 billion
- 31 December 2016
- $40.74 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $58.83 billion
Population Below Poverty Line
9.7% (2015 est.)
Public Debt
- 2016
- 36.8% of GDP
- 2017
- 34.7% of GDP
Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold
- 31 December 2016
- $85.73 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $148 billion
Stock Of Broad Money
- 31 December 2016
- $133.5 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $177.2 billion
Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad
- 31 December 2016
- $43.09 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $54.39 billion
Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home
- 31 December 2016
- $139.6 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $185.6 billion
Stock Of Domestic Credit
- 31 December 2016
- $124.3 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $147.1 billion
Stock Of Narrow Money
- 31 December 2016
- $133.5 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $177.2 billion
Taxes And Other Revenues
40.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment Rate
- 2016
- 3.9%
- 2017
- 2.9%
Energy
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 (2018 est.)
Crude Oil Proved Reserves
15 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Electricity Access
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.)
Communications
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants
- 29 (2017 est.)
- Total
- 3,060,597
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 (2019)
Internet Country Code
.cz
Internet Users
- Percent Of Population
- 76.5% (July 2016 est.)
- Total
- 8,141,303
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 to 119 per 100 mobile-cellular, and the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population (2018)
- General Assessment
- good telephone and Internet service; the Czech Republic has a sophisticated telecom market, with 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 (2018)
- International
- country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2019)
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants
- 15 (2017 est.)
- Total Subscriptions
- 1,616,631
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants
- 118 (2017 est.)
- Total Subscriptions
- 12,634,937
Transportation
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
7,160 km gas, 675 km oil, 94 km refined products (2016)
Ports And Terminals
Prague (Vltava)
Railways
- Narrow Gauge
- 23 km 0.760-m gauge (2017)
- Standard Gauge
- 9,385 km 1.435-m gauge (3,218 km electrified) (2017)
- Total
- 9,408 km (2017)
Roadways
- Paved
- 55,744 km (includes 1,252 km of expressways) (2019)
- Total
- 55,744 km (includes urban and category I, II, III roads) (2019)
Waterways
664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2010)
Military and Security
Military And Security Forces
Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces: Czech Land Forces and Czech Air Force (2019)
Military Expenditures
- 2015
- 1.03% of GDP
- 2016
- 0.96% of GDP
- 2017
- 1.04% of GDP
- 2018
- 1.13% of GDP
- 2019
- 1.19% of GDP
Military Service Age And Obligation
18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)
Transnational Issues
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
1,502 (2018)