Administrative divisions
13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha*, Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Age structure
0-14 years: 15% (male 789,987; female 748,476)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 3,643,574; female 3,622,276)
65 years and over: 14.1% (male 557,496; female 884,369) (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products
wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Airports
120 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways
total: 44
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 17 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 76
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 48 (2003 est.)

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

Area - comparative
slightly smaller than South Carolina

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.

Birth rate
9.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Budget
revenues: $33.25 billion
expenditures: $38.88 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Capital
Prague

Climate
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Coastline
0 km (landlocked)

Constitution
ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Country name
conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czech Republic
local short form: Ceska Republika
local long form: Ceska Republika

Currency
Czech koruna (CZK)

Currency code
CZK

Current account balance
$-5.57 billion (2003)

Death rate
10.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Debt - external
$28 billion (2003)

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CABANISS
embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663
FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100

Disputes - international
Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918; individual Sudeten Germans seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II; Austria has minor dispute with Czech Republic over the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant

Distribution of family income - Gini index
25.4 (1996)

Economic aid - recipient
$108 million; EU structural adjustment funds (2002)

Economy - overview
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 2000-03 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a near doubling of foreign direct investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the availability of credit cards and mortgages increases. High current account deficits - averaging around 5% of GDP in the last several years - could be a persistent problem. Inflation is under control. 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. Moves to complete banking, telecommunications, and energy privatization will encourage additional foreign investment, while intensified restructuring among large enterprises and banks, and improvements in the financial sector, should strengthen output growth. Nonetheless, revival in the European economies remains essential to stepped-up growth.

Electricity - consumption
55.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports
18.92 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports
9.38 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production
70.04 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 76.1%
hydro: 2.9%
other: 1% (2001)
nuclear: 20%

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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, 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
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

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% (1991)

Exchange rates
koruny per US dollar - 28.209 (2003), 32.7385 (2002), 38.0353 (2001), 38.5984 (2000), 34.5692 (1999)

Executive branch
chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)
note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years; parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two inconclusive elections in January 2003
head of government: Prime Minister Stanislav GROSS (since 26 July 2004), Deputy Prime Ministers Zdenek SKROMACH (since 4 August 2004), Martin JAHN (since 4 August 2004), Pavel NEMEC (since 4 August 2004); Milan SIMONOVSKY (since 4 August 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February 2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive; next election to be held NA January 2008); prime minister appointed by the president

Exports
$46.77 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment 44%, intermediate manufactures 25%, chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7% (2000)

Exports - partners
Germany 37.1%, Slovakia 8%, Austria 6.3%, UK 5.4%, Poland 4.8%, France 4.7%, Italy 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003 est.)

Fiscal year
calendar year

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

GDP
purchasing power parity - $161.1 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 35.5%
services: 61.4% (2003)

GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $15,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate
2.9% (2003 est.)

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

Government type
parliamentary democracy

Heliports
2 (2003 est.)

Highways
total: 55,408 km
paved: 55,408 km (including 499 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 10 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
500 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage shar
lowest 10%: 4.3%
highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

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

Imports
$50.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment 40%, intermediate manufactures 21%, raw materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11% (2000)

Imports - partners
Germany 32.6%, Italy 5.3%, China 5.2%, Slovakia 5.2%, France 4.9%, Russia 4.6%, Austria 4.3%, Poland 4.2% (2003 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate
3.3% (2003)

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

Infant mortality rate
total: 3.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)
0.1% (2003 est.)

International organization participation
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code
.cz

Internet hosts
295,677 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
more than 300 (2000)

Internet users
2.7 million (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)
26% of GDP (2003)

Irrigated land
240 sq km (1998 est.)

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

Labor force
5.25 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 5%, industry 35%, services 60% (2001 est.)

Land boundaries
total: 1,881 km
border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km

Land use
arable land: 39.8%
permanent crops: 3.05%
other: 57.15% (2001)

Languages
Czech

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)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODS 26, KDU-CSL 14, CSSD 11, US 9, KSCM 3, independents 18; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 30.2%, ODS 24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU coalition 14.3%, other minor 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS 58, KSCM 41, KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU 10
elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 25-26 October and 1-2 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by NA June 2006)

Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.78 years
male: 72.52 years
female: 79.24 years (2004 est.)

Literacy
definition: NA
total population: 99.9% (1999 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Location
Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Map references
Europe

Maritime claims
none (landlocked)

Median age
total: 38.6 years
male: 36.9 years
female: 40.5 years (2004 est.)

Military branches
Czech Army: Ground Forces, Air Forces, Special Forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure
$1,190.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP
2.1% (FY01)

Military manpower - availability
males age 15-49: 2,623,386 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service
males age 15-49: 2,003,748 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually
males: 67,195 (2004 est.)

National holiday
Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Nationality
noun: Czech(s)
adjective: Czech

Natural gas - consumption
9.892 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports
1 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports
9.521 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production
160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves
3.057 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Natural hazards
flooding

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

Net migration rate
0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption
175,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports
26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports
192,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production
7,419 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves
17.25 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Pipelines
gas 7,020 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders
Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Miroslav KALOUSEK, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Michael ZANTOVSKY, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National Social Party of CSNS [Jaroslav ROVNY, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Vladimir SPIDLA, chairman]; Freedom Union-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Petr MARES, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders
Bohemian and Moravian Trade Union Confederation [Milan STECH]

Population
10,246,178 (July 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line
NA

Population growth rate
-0.05% (2004 est.)

Ports and harbors
Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Public debt
29.7% of GDP (2003)

Radio broadcast stations
AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Radios
3,159,134 (December 2000)

Railways
total: 9,520 km
standard gauge: 9,421 km 1.435-m gauge (2,893 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)

Religions
Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%, atheist 39.8%

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold
$26.8 billion (2003)

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: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Suffrage
18 years of age; universal

Telephone system
general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly vigorous
domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems now being 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 - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Telephones - main lines in use
3.626 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular
9,708,700 (2003)

Television broadcast stations
150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Televisions
3,405,834 (December 2000)

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 fertility rate
1.18 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate
9.9% (2003)

Waterways
303 km
note: the Labe (Elbe) is the principal river (2000)