Czech Republic

Background: After World War II, 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 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. Now a member of NATO, the Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a development that poses both opportunities and risks.
Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany. Area: Total: 78,866 sq km, water: 1,590 sq km, land: 77,276 sq km. Area - comparative: Slightly smaller than South Carolina. Land boundaries: Total: 1,881 km, border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km. Coastline: 0 km (landlocked).
Climate and Terrain: Climate: Temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country. Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Elbe River 115 m, highest point: Snezka 1,602 m . Natural resources: Hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber
People: Population: 10,256,760. Ethnic groups: Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5%. Religions: Atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%. Languages: Czech.
Government: Government type: Parliamentary democracy. Capital: Prague. Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia).
Economy overview: Basically one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states, the Czech Republic has been recovering from recession since mid-1999. Growth in 2000-01 was led by exports to the EU, especially Germany, and foreign investment, while domestic demand is reviving. Uncomfortably high fiscal and current account deficits could be future problems. Unemployment is gradually declining as job creation continues in the rebounding economy; inflation is up to 4.7% but still moderate. The EU put the Czech Republic just behind Poland and Hungary in preparations for accession, which will give further impetus and direction to structural reform. GDP - composition by sector: Agriculture: 5%, industry: 41%, services: 54%.
Statistics: Telephones - main lines in use: 3.869 million. Telephones - mobile cellular: 4.346 million. Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 304. Radios: 3,159,134. Television broadcast stations: 150. Televisions: 3,405,834. Internet users: 1.1 million. Railways: Total: 9,444 km. Highways: Total: paved: 55,432 km, unpaved: 0 km. Airports: 121, with paved runways: 44, with unpaved runways: 77. Heliports: 1.