Czechia

Czech RepublicCeska Republika

parliamentary democracy

Czechia as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 110 fields, one of 33 editions from 1993 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPrague
Position49 45 N, 15 30 E
Area78,866 sq km
LocationCentral Europe, southeast of Germany
2000

Every edition of Czechia

Populationas each edition published it
10.27 million July 2000 est. · 10.39m in 1993
Population growth% a year
-0.08% 2000 est. · 0.16% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 38.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
74.51 years 2000 est. · 72.64 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.18 children per woman 2000 est. · 1.85 in 1993
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
5.63 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 9.7 in 1993
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$11,700 1999 est. · $7,300 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-0.5% 1999 est. · -5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

Central Europe, southeast of Germany

18 fields

Land useshare of 78,866 sq km

arable land 41%permanent crops 2%permanent pastures 11%forests and woodland 34%other 12% (1993 est.)irrigated 240 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
78,866sq km
land: 77,276 sq kmwater: 1,590 sq kmslightly smaller than South Carolina
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Highest point
1,602m
Snezkalowest point: Elbe River 115 m
Land boundaries
1,881km
border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km

Location

Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates

49 45 N, 15 30 E

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

Natural resources

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

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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

People

15 fields
Population
10,272,179
(July 2000 est.)growth rate: -0.08% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth
9.1Death
10.87Net migration
0.95

Ethnic groups(March 1991)

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% (March 1991)

Religions

atheist 39.8%Roman Catholic 39.2%Protestant 4.6%Orthodox 3%other 13.4%
Literacy
99.9%
(1999 est.)definition: NAmale: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:
16% (male 866,754; female 823,795)
15-64 years:
70% (male 3,579,454; female 3,577,919)
65 years and over:
14% (male 547,462; female 876,795) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.62 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

5.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
74.51 years
male:
71.01 years
female:
78.22 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.18 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Czech(s)
adjective:
Czech

Government

Parliamentary democracy; President Vaclav HAVEL (since 2 February 1993); Prime Minister Milos ZEMAN (since 17 July 1998)

19 fields

Senate, 200 seats, elected 13-14 and 20-21 November 1998one dot, one seat

CSSD 74ODS 63KDU-CSL 20US 19KCSM 24

Country name

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Capital

Prague

Administrative divisions

73 districts (okresi, singular - okres) and 4 municipalities* (mesta, singular - mesto); Benesov, Beroun, Blansko, Breclav, Brno*, Brno-Venkov, Bruntal, Ceske Budejovice, Ceska Lipa, Cesky Krumlov, Cheb, Chomutov, Chrudim, Decin, Domazlice, Frydek-Mistek, Havlickuv Brod, Hodonin, Hradec Kralove, Jablonec nad Nisou, Jesenik, Jicin, Jihlava, Jindrichuv Hradec, Karlovy Vary, Karvina, Kladno, Klatovy, Kolin, Kromeriz, Kutna Hora, Liberec, Litomerice, Louny, Melnik, Mlada Boleslav, Most, Nachod, Novy Jicin, Nymburk, Olomouc, Opava, Ostrava*, Pardubice, Pelhrimov, Pisek, Plzen*, Plzen-Jih, Plzen-Sever, Prachatice, Praha*, Praha-Vychod, Praha Zapad, Prerov, Pribram, Prostejov, Rakovnik, Rokycany, Rychnov nad Kneznou, Semily, Sokolov, Strakonice, Sumperk, Svitavy, Tabor, Tachov, Teplice, Trebic, Trutnov, Uherske Hradiste, Usti nad Labem, Usti nad Orlici, Vsetin, Vyskov, Zdar nad Sazavou, Zlin, Znojmo

Independence

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech and Slovak Republics)

National holiday

National Liberation Day, 8 May; Founding of the Republic, 28 October

Constitution

ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Vaclav HAVEL (since 2 February 1993)
head of government:
  • Prime Minister Milos ZEMAN (since 17 July 1998);
  • Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir SPIDLA (since 17 July 1998), Pavel RYCHETSKY (since 17 July 1998), Pavel MERTLIK (since 17 July 1998), Jan KAZAN (since 8 December 1999)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections:
  • president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
  • election last held 20 January 1998 (next to be held NA January 2003);
  • prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Vaclav HAVEL reelected president; Vaclav HAVEL received 47 of 81 votes in the Senate and 99 out of 200 votes in the Chamber of Deputies (second round of voting)

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve staggered two-, four-, and six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
  • Senate - last held 13-14 and 20-21 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000 - to replace/reelect 20 senators serving two-year terms);
  • Chamber of Deputies - last held 19-20 June 1998 (next to be held by NA June 2002)
election results:
  • Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - CSSD 23, ODS 25, KDU-CSL 16, KCSM 4, ODA 7, US 4, DEU 1, independent 1;
  • Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - CSSD 74, ODS 63, KDU-CSL 20, US 19, KCSM 24

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for life;
  • Constitutional Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for life

Political parties and leaders

  • Assembly for the Republic or SPR-RSC [Miroslav SLADEK, chairman];
  • Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Jan KASAL, chairman];
  • Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Daniel KROUPA, chairman];
  • Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Vaclav KLAUS, chairman];
  • Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman];
  • Czech Social Democrats or CSSD [Milos ZEMAN, chairman];
  • Democratic Union or DEU [Ratibor MAJZLIK, chairman];
  • Freedom Union or US [Karel KUEHUL, acting chairman];
  • Quad Coalition [Richard FALBR, chairman] (includes KDU-CSL, US, ODA, DEU)

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • "Thanks, Now Go";
  • Impulse 99;
  • Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Alexsandr VONDRA
chancery:
3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 363-6315
FAX:
[1] (202) 966-8540
consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador John SHATTUCK
embassy:
Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[420] (2) 5753-0663
FAX:
[420] (2) 5753-0583

Flag description

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

Economy

Political and financial crises in 1997 shattered the Czech Republic's image as one of the most stable and prosperous of post-Communist states.

31 fields
Real growth rate
-0.5%
(1999 est.)industrial production growth: -4% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate
9%
(1999 est.)
Labor force
5.203million
(1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1999 est.)

agriculture 5%industry 42%services 53% (1999 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

42%
Germany
34%
8%
Slovakia
6%
6%
Austria
6%
6%
Poland
Russia
6%
4%
France
5%
Exports $26.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999)Imports $29 billion (f.o.b., 1999)(1999)

Budget

Revenues
$16.4 billionExpenditures
$17.3 billion (1999)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 75.54%hydro 2.55%nuclear 20.37%other 1.54% (1998)
Electricity production
61.466 billion (1998)Electricity consumption
54.733 billion (1998)Electricity exports
10.8 billion (1998)Electricity imports
8.37 billion (1998)

Economy - overview

Political and financial crises in 1997 shattered the Czech Republic's image as one of the most stable and prosperous of post-Communist states. Delays in enterprise restructuring and failure to develop a well-functioning capital market played major roles in Czech economic troubles, which culminated in a currency crisis in May.

The currency was forced out of its fluctuation band as investors worried that the current account deficit, which reached nearly 8% of GDP in 1996, would become unsustainable. After expending $3 billion in vain to support the currency, the central bank let it float. The growing current account imbalance reflected a surge in domestic demand and poor export performance, as wage increases outpaced productivity.

The government was forced to introduce two austerity packages later in the spring which cut government spending by 2.5% of GDP. Growth dropped to 0.3% in 1997, -2.3% in 1998, and -0.5% in 1999. The basic transition problem continues to be too much direct and indirect government influence on the privatized economy.

The government established a restructuring agency in 1999 and launched a revitalization program - to spur the sale of firms to foreign companies. Key priorities include accelerating legislative convergence with EU norms, restructuring enterprises, and privatizing banks and utilities. The economy, fueled by increased export growth and investment, is expected to recover in 2000.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $120.8 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $11,700 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
4.6%
highest 10%:
23.5% (1993)

Labor force - by occupation

industry 32%, agriculture 5.6%, construction 8.7%, transport and communications 6.9%, services 46.8% (1997 est.)

Industries

fuels, ferrous metallurgy, machinery and equipment, coal, motor vehicles, glass, armaments

Agriculture - products

  • grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit;
  • pigs, cattle, poultry;
  • forest products

Exports

$26.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 41%, other manufactured goods 40%, chemicals 8%, raw materials and fuel 7% (1998)

Imports

$29 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 39%, other manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 12%, raw materials and fuels 10%, food 5% (1998)

Debt - external

$24.3 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$351.6 million (1995)

Currency

1 koruna (Kc) = 100 haleru

Exchange rates

koruny (Kcs) per US$1 - 35.630 (December 1999), 34.569 (1999), 32.281 (1998), 31.698 (1997), 27.145 (1996), 26.541 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
965,476
(1998)
Fixed lines
3,741,492
(1998)

Telephone system

domestic:
  • 70% 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:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat

Radio broadcast stations

AM 21, FM 199, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios

3,173,856 (December 1999)

Television broadcast stations

102 (of which 35 are low power stations), plus about 500 repeaters (1988)

Televisions

3,428,817 (December 1999)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

2
over 3,047 m
10
2,438 to 3,047 m
14
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
1
914 to 1,523 m
28
16
under 914 m
42
Paved 43Unpaved 71

Networkskm

Highways
127,693Railways
9,435Waterways
677
Highways: paved: 127,693 km (including 498 km of expressways) · unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 9,341 km 1.435-m standard gauge (2,946 km electrified at three voltages; 1,868 km double track) · narrow gauge: 94 km 0.760-m narrow gauge (1998) · Waterways: ; the Elbe (Labe) is the principal river

Railways

total:
9,435 km
standard gauge:
9,341 km 1.435-m standard gauge (2,946 km electrified at three voltages; 1,868 km double track)
narrow gauge:
94 km 0.760-m narrow gauge (1998)

Highways

total:
127,693 km
paved:
127,693 km (including 498 km of expressways)
unpaved:
0 km (1998 est.)

Waterways

677 km; the Elbe (Labe) is the principal river

Pipelines

natural gas 53,000 km (1998)

Ports and harbors

Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Airports

114 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Military

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense, Railroad Units

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense, Railroad Units

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,669,505 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,035,194 (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

  • Liechtenstein claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated from its royal family in 1918;
  • the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the communists seized power;
  • individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II;
  • agreement with Slovakia signed 24 November 1998 resolves issues of redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal land - approval by both parliaments is expected in 2000

Illicit drugs

  • major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe;
  • domestic consumption - especially of locally produced synthetic drugs - on the rise [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Central Intelligence Agency. “Czech Republic.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/czechia/2000.

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