2023 Edition

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

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

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 Europenote 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

220 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Austria 402 km; Germany 704 km; Poland 699 km; Slovakia 241 km

total

2,046 km

Land use

agricultural land

54.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 41% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 12.8% (2018 est.)

forest

34.4% (2018 est.)

other

10.8% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major rivers (by length in km)

Dunaj (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Labe (Elbe) river source (shared with Germany [m]) - 1,252 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

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

Age structure

0-14 years

14.68% (male 808,583/female 763,540)

15-64 years

64.18% (male 3,514,664/female 3,356,764)

65 years and over

21.13% (2023 est.) (male 954,139/female 1,308,552)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

6.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

3.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

12.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

9.2% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

48.4% (2023 est.)

Death rate

12.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

32.2

potential support ratio

3.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

57.4

youth dependency ratio

25.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.8% of population

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.1% of population

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Czech 57.3%, Moravian 3.4%, other 7.7%, unspecified 31.6% (2021 est.)

note

note: includes only persons with one ethnicity

Gross reproduction rate

0.85 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

6.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)

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 (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Czech (official) 88.4%, Slovak 1.5%, other 2.6%, unspecified 7.2%note: includes only persons with one mother tongue (2021 est.)

major-language sample(s)

World Fackbook, nepostradatelný zdroj základních informací. (Czech)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.6 years

male

75.1 years

total population

78.3 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

NA

female

99% (2011)

male

99%

total population

99%

Major urban areas - population

1.323 million PRAGUE (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

45.4 years

male

42.5 years

total

43.9 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.5 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Czech

noun

Czech(s)

Net migration rate

3.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

26% (2016)

Physicians density

4.15 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

10,706,242 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.1% (2023 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2020)

male

16 years

total

16 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.11 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.77 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

26.4% (2020 est.)

male

35% (2020 est.)

total

30.7% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.74 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

74.6% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

the name may derive from an old Slavic root "praga" or "prah", meaning "ford", and refer to the city's origin at a crossing point of the Vltava (Moldau) River

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 2021

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.; the country officially adopted the English short-form name of Czechia on 1 July 2016

local long form

Ceska republika

local short form

Cesko

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Bijan SABET (since 15 February 2023)

email address and website

ACSPrg@state.govhttps://cz.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Trziste 15, 118 01 Praha 1 - Mala Strana

FAX

[420] 257-022-809

mailing address

5630 Prague Place, Washington DC  20521-5630

telephone

[420] 257-022-000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008-3803

chief of mission

Ambassador Miloslav STASEK (since 16 September 2022)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

washington@embassy.mzv.czhttps://www.mzv.cz/washington/

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 Petr PAVEL (since 9 March 2023)

election results

2023; 2nd Round Petr PAVEL 58.3%, Andrej BABIS 41.6%; 1st Round Petr PAVEL 35.4%, Andrej BABIS 35%, Danuse NERUDOVA 13.9%, Pavel FISCHER 6.8%2018: 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 27-28 January 2023 the second round and 13-14 January 2023 for the 1st round; prime minister appointed by the president for a 4-year term

head of government

Prime Minister Petr FIALA (since 17 December 2021); First Deputy Prime Minister Vit RAKUSAN (since 17 December 2021), Deputy Prime Ministers Marian JURECKA, Ivan BARTOS, Vlastimil VALEK (all since 17 December 2021)

Flag description

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

note

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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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 23, STAN 15, KDU-CSL 12, TOP 09 6, ANO 5, SEN 21 4, other 15, independent 1 Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party – SPOLU 27.8%, ANO 27.1%, Pirates and STAN 15.6%, SPD 9.6%, other 19.9%; seats by party - ANO 72, SPOLU 71, Pirates and STAN 37, SPD 20

elections

Senate - last held in 2 rounds on 23-24 September and 30 September and 1 October 2022 (next to be held in October 2024)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 8-9 October 2021 (next to be held by October 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Josef Kajetan TYL/Frantisek Jan SKROUP

name

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

note

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 heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Historic Prague; Historic Telč; Historic Český Krumlov; Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape; Historic Kutná Hora; Holy Trinity Column, Olomouc; Karlovy Vary Spa; Zatec and the Landscape of Saaz Hops

total World Heritage Sites

17 (all cultural)

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 [Marian JURECKA]Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Petr FIALA]Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Katerina KONECNA]Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Michal SMARDA]Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD [Tomio OKAMURA]Mayors and Independents or STAN [Vit RAKUSAN]Mayors for the Liberec Region [Martin PUTA]Action of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO (Akce nespokojených občanů) [Andrej BABIS]Party of Free Citizens Svobodni [Libor VONDRACEK]Pirate Party or Pirates [Ivan BARTOS]Senator 21 [Vaclav LASKA]Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09 [Marketa PEKAROVA ADAMOVA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

wheat, sugar beet, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, maize, pork, triticale, poultry

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

16.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$103.167 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$103.838 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AA- (2018)

Moody's rating

Aa3 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AA- (2011)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$898.074 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$4.967 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$2.282 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$200.197 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$191.871 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

high income, diversified EU economy; advanced services and automotive exporter; mostly intra-EU trader; low unemployment; usually maintains a positive trade balance; large investments in systems innovation and information technologies

Exchange rates

Currency

koruny (CZK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

23.376 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

21.73 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

22.932 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

23.21 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

21.678 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$186.545 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$172.837 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$204.785 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

cars and vehicle parts, computers, broadcasting equipment, office machinery and parts, insulated wiring (2021)

Exports - partners

Germany 31%, Slovakia 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2019)

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)

$250.631 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

25.3 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

21.7% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

4.1%

Imports

Imports 2019

$171.429 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$156.129 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$196.243 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

broadcasting equipment, cars and vehicle parts, office machinery/parts, computers, packaged medicines (2019)

Imports - partners

Germany 27%, China 12%, Poland 9%, Slovakia 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

3.3% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.85% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

3.16% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.84% (2021 est.)

Labor force

5.266 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

10.1% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

36.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

34.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$437.437 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$413.365 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$428.016 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

3.03% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-5.5% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.54% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$41,000 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$38,600 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$40,700 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$149.856 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$166.126 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$173.618 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.34% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

2.01% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

2.55% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

2.89% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

8.7%

male

6.9%

total

7.6% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

57.268 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

16.739 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

25.526 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

99.533 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

37.212 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

1.885 million metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

3.795 million metric tons (2020 est.)

production

33.806 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

2.927 billion metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

60.814 billion kWh (2020 est.)

exports

23.521 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports

13.368 billion kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

22.485 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

4.117 billion kWh (2020 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

47% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

4.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

37.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

161.972 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

8,815,133,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2020 est.)

imports

7,590,318,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

production

189.185 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves

3.964 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

3.93GW (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

6 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

36.7% (2021)

Percent of total energy produced

38.3% (2021)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

400 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

150,200 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

15 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

219,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

6,300 bbl/day (2021 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

36 (2020 est.)

total

3,845,426 (2020 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 (2019)

Internet country code

.cz

Internet users

percent of population

83% (20201 est.)

total

9.13 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

roughly 12 fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants and mobile telephone usage of 125 per 100 inhabitants (2021)

general assessment

the telecom market has attracted investment from among the key regional telcos; telcos in the Czech Republic have become multi-service providers, offering a full range of fixed and mobile services; this has enabled the reach of their 5G networks; this process has also been assisted by them closing down 3G networks and reforming spectrum for 5G and LTE use (2023)

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

12 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1,294,806 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

125 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

13,129,905 (2021 est.)

Airports

128 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

41

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

87

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OK

Heliports

1 (2021)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

25.23 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

5,727,200 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

48

number of registered air carriers

4 (2020)

Pipelines

7,160 km gas, 675 km oil, 94 km refined products (2016)

Ports and terminals

note

Decin, Usti nad Labem (Elbe)

river port(s)

Prague (Vltava)

Railways

total

9,548 km (2020) 3,242 km electrified

Roadways

paved

55,744 km (2019) (includes 1,252 km of expressways)

total

55,744 km (2019) (includes urban and category I, II, III roads)

Waterways

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

Military - note

the Czech military is a professional force responsible for national and territorial defense, assisting civil authorities during natural disasters or other emergencies, boosting border security alongside the police, participating in international peacekeeping operations, and supporting its collective security commitments to the EU and NATO, both of which Czechia considers pillars of its national security strategy; Czechia is a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, contributes to UN peacekeeping operations, and actively participates in EU military and security missions under the EU Common Security and Defense Policy; the Czech military has been an active member of NATO since the country joined in 2009 and participates in a variety of NATO’s collective defense missions, including contributing to the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, Baltic Air Policing operations, and NATO’s rapid response forces; it also participates in NATO operations in Kosovo and exercises regularly with NATO partners; the Czech military also maintains close bilateral ties to a number of militaries, particularly partner members of the Visegrad Group (Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) and Germany the military has commands for its land, air, cyber/information operations, and territorial forces, as well as a joint operations command and a special forces directorate; the principal combat forces under the Land Force Command include two mechanized brigades, an airborne regiment, and regiments of artillery, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare forces; the Air Force Command is responsible for securing Czech airspace and has about 30 Czech- and Swedish-made light multirole combat fighter aircraft organized in two squadrons, as well as small squadron of Soviet-era attack helicopters; the Territorial Command is responsible for the active reserves and regional military commands that align with each of Czechia’s 13 regions and the capital, Prague (2023)

Military and security forces

Czech Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Forces, Cyber Forces, Special Forces (2023)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 27,000 active personnel (21,000 Army; 6,000 Air Force) (2023)

Military deployments

up to 130 Lithuania (NATO); 130 Slovakia (NATO) (2023)

note

note: in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries have sent additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Czech military has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern equipment, mostly of Western European origin from such suppliers as Austria, Germany, and Spain; Czechia has a considerable domestic defense industry; during the Cold War, Czechoslovakia was a major producer of tanks, armored personnel carriers, military trucks, and trainer aircraft (2023)

note

note: in 2019, Czechia announced a modernization plan to acquire more Western equipment that was compliant with NATO standards, including aircraft and armored vehicles

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

1.2% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.3% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.4% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2004 (2023)

note

note: as of 2020, women comprised about 13% of the military's full-time personnel

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

main country of origin of methamphetamine in European markets; manufacture of methamphetamine continues to be mostly based on pseudoephedrine from Poland or Turkey  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

370,815 (Ukraine) (as of 26 November 2023)

stateless persons

1,625 (2022)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

102.22 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

13.11 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

14.34 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

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-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

54.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 41% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 12.8% (2018 est.)

forest

34.4% (2018 est.)

other

10.8% (2018 est.)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Dunaj (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Labe (Elbe) river source (shared with Germany [m]) - 1,252 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.17% of GDP (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources

13.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

700 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

630 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

74.6% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

3.337 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

850,935 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

25.5% (2015 est.)