(Redirected from Czechia)
The 'Czech Republic' (officially , short form in , ) is a
landlocked country in
Central Europe and a member state of the
European Union. The country has borders with
Poland to the north,
Germany to the northwest and west,
Austria to the south, and
Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is
Prague (), a major
tourist destination. The country is composed of the historic regions of
Bohemia and
Moravia, as well as parts of
Silesia.
The
Czech lands were under
Habsburg rule from 1526, later becoming part of the
Austrian Empire and
Austria-Hungary. The independent republic of
Czechoslovakia was created in
1918, following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire after
World War I. After the
German occupation of Czechoslovakia, disillusion with the
Western response and occupation by the
Red Army, the
Communist party gained the majority in 1946 elections. Czechoslovakia was a Communist state from 1948 until the 1989
Velvet Revolution. On
1 January 1993, the country
peacefully split into the Czech and
Slovak republics.
The Czech Republic is a pluralist multi-party
parliamentary representative democracy.
President Václav Klaus is the current head of state. The
Prime Minister is the
head of government (currently
Mirek Topolánek). The Parliament has two chambers — the
Chamber of Deputies and the
Senate. The Czech Republic joined
NATO in 1999 and the
European Union in 2004. It is also a member of the
OECD, the
Visegrád group and the
Council of Europe.
Name
After the dissolution of
Czechoslovakia, the Czech part found itself without a common single-word name. In 1993, The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested the name 'Czechia' as an official alternative in all situations other than formal official documents and the full names of government institutions, however this has not caught on in
English usage. The official website of the Czech Republic (
www.czech.cz) run by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not use the name ''Czechia'' any longer
as of 2005. Its
Czech equivalent is ''Česko''.
History
Main articles: History of Czechoslovakia,
History of the Czech lands
Archaeologists have found evidence of prehistoric human settlement in the area dating back to the
Neolithic era. In the classical era, from the
3rd century BC Celtic migrations, the
Boii (see
Bohemia) and later in the
first century Germanic tribes of
Marcomanni and
Quadi settled there. During the
Migration Period around the
5th century, many Germanic tribes moved westward and southward out of Central Europe. In an equally significant migration,
Slavic people from the
Black Sea and
Carpathian regions settled in the area (a movement that was also stimulated by the onslaught of peoples from Siberia and Eastern Europe:
Huns,
Avars,
Bulgars and
Magyars). Following in the Germans' wake, they moved southward into Bohemia, Moravia, and some of present day Austria. During the
seventh century the Frankish merchant
Samo, supporting the Slavs fighting their Avar rulers, became the ruler of the first known Slav state in Central Europe. The Moravian principality arose in the eighth century (see
Great Moravia).
The
Bohemian or Czech state emerged in the late
9th century when it was unified by the
Přemyslid dynasty. The
kingdom of
Bohemia was a significant regional power during the Middle Ages. It was part of the
Holy Roman Empire during the entire existence of this confederation.
Religious conflicts such as the
15th century Hussite Wars and the
17th century Thirty Years' War had a devastating effect on the local population. From the sixteenth century, Bohemia came increasingly under
Habsburg control as the
Habsburgs became first the elected and then hereditary rulers of Bohemia. After the fall of the
Holy Roman Empire, Bohemia became part of
Austrian Empire and later of
Austria-Hungary.
Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire after
World War I, the independent republic of
Czechoslovakia was created in
1918. This new country incorporated regions of
Bohemia,
Moravia,
Silesia,
Slovakia and
Carpathian Ruthenia (known as Subcarpathian Rus at the time) with significant
German,
Hungarian,
Polish and
Ruthenian speaking minorities.
[1] Although Czechoslovakia was a
unitary state, it provided what was at the time rather extensive rights to its minorities. However, it did not grant its minorities any territorial political autonomy, which resulted in discontent and strong support among some of the minorities to break away from Czechoslovakia.
Adolf Hitler used the opportunity and, supported by
Konrad Henlein's
Sudeten German National Socialist Party, gained the
largely German speaking
Sudetenland through the
Munich Agreement. Poland occupied Polish inhabited areas around
Český Těšín.
Hungary gained parts of Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rus as a result of the
First Vienna Award in November 1938.
Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rus gained greater autonomy, with the state renamed to "Czecho-Slovakia" (The Second Republic; see
Occupation of Czechoslovakia). Slovakia seceeded in March
1939 and allied itself with Hitler's coalition. The remaining Czech territory was occupied by Germany, transformed it into the so-called
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. The Protectorate was proclaimed part of the Reich, and President and Prime Minister were subordinate to the Nazi ''
Reichsprotektor'' ("imperial protector"). Subcarpathian Rus declared independence as the Republic of
Carpatho-Ukraine on
15 March 1939 but was invaded by Hungary the same day and formally annexed on
16 March. Approximately 390,000 citizens, including 83,000 Jews, were killed or executed, and hundreds of thousands of others were sent to prisons and concentration camps or forced labour. A
Nazi concentration camp existed at
Terezin to the north of Prague. There was
Czech resistance to Nazi occupation both home and abroad, most notably with the assassination of leading Nazi leader
Reinhard Heydrich in Prague suburbs on May 27, 1942. The
Czechoslovak government-in-exile and its army fighting against the Germans were acknowledged by Allies (Czech troops fought in
Great Britain,
North Africa,
Middle East and
Soviet Union). The occupation ended on
9 May 1945 with the arrival of Soviet and American armies and the
Prague uprising.
In
1945-
1946 almost the entire German minority of Czechoslovakia, about 2.7 million people,
were expelled to
Germany and
Austria. During this time, thousands of Germans were held in prisons, detention camps, and used in forced labour. In the summer of 1945, there were several massacres. Only 250,000 Germans who had been active in the resistance against the Nazis or were necessary for the economy were not expelled, though many of them emigrated later. Subcarpathian Rus has never returned under Czechoslovak rule and became part of the
Ukrainian SSR, as the
Zakarpattia Oblast in 1946.
Czechoslovakia uneasily tried to play the role of a "bridge" between the West and East. However, the
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia rapidly increased in popularity, particularly because of a general disappointment with the West (due to the pre-war
Munich Agreement) and a favourable popular attitude towards the Soviet Union (due to the Soviets' role in liberating Czechoslovakia from German rule). In the 1946 elections, with 38% of the votes the Communists became the largest party in the Czechoslovak parliament. They formed a coalition government with other parties of the
National Front, and moved quickly to consolidate power. The decisive step took place in February 1948. During a series of events characterized by communists as a "revolution" and by anti-communists as a "takeover", the communist
People's Militias secured control of key locations in Prague, and a new, all-communist government was formed.
For the next forty-one years, Czechoslovakia was a
Communist state within the
eastern bloc (see ). This period was marked by a variety of social developments. The Communist government completely
nationalized the
means of production and established a
command economy. The economy grew rapidly during the 1950s and 60s, but slowed down in the 1970s with increasing problems during the 80s. The political climate was highly repressive during the 1950s (including numerous
show trials), but became more open and tolerant in the 1960s, culminating in the
Prague Spring that tried to create "
socialism with a human face" and perhaps even introduce political
pluralism. This was forcibly ended by
21 August 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion. From then until 1989, the political establishment returned to censorship of opposition, though using more "carrot" than "whip" policy to ensure the populace's passivity.
In November
1989, Czechoslovakia returned to democracy through a peaceful "
Velvet Revolution". However, Slovak national aspirations strengthened until on
January 1,
1993, the
country peacefully split into the independent Czech and
Slovak republics. Both countries went through economic reforms and
privatizations, with the intention of creating a
market economy.
From
1991 the Czech Republic (originally as part of Czechoslovakia, and now in its own right) has been a member of the
Visegrad Group and from
1995 of the
OECD. The Czech Republic joined
NATO on
March 12,
1999 and the
European Union on
May 1,
2004.
Geography
General map of the Czech Republic
Map of the Czech Republic showing cities and main towns
The Czech landscape is quite varied.
Bohemia to the west consists of a basin, drained by the
Elbe () and
Vltava rivers, and surrounded by mostly low mountains such as the
Krkonoše range of the
Sudeten Mountains. The highest point in the country, the
Sněžka, at 1,602
metres (5,256
ft), is located here.
Moravia, the eastern part of the country, is also quite hilly. It is drained mainly by the
Morava river, but it also contains the source of the
Oder () river. Water from the landlocked Czech Republic flows to three different seas: the
North Sea,
Baltic Sea and
Black Sea. The Czech Republic also possesses a 30,000 m²
exclave in the middle of the
Hamburg docks, which was awarded to Czechoslovakia by Article 363 of the
Treaty of Versailles to allow the landlocked country a place where goods transported downriver could be transferred to seagoing ships. The territory reverts to Germany in 2018.
Weather and climate
The Czech Republic has a temperate,
continental climate with relatively hot summers and cold, cloudy winters, usually with snow. Most rains are during the summer. The temperature difference between summers and winters is relatively high due to the geographical position - no access to sea.
Even within the Czech republic, temperatures vary a lot depending on the
altitude. In general, at higher altitudes the temperatures decrease and
precipitation increases. Another important factor is the distribution of the mountains. The climate therefore is very diverse.
At the highest peak (
Sněžka, 1602 m) the average temperature is only -0.4°C, whereas in the lowlands of
South Moravia, the average temperature is as high as 10°C and this also applies for the country capital
Prague, but this is due to urban factors.
The coldest month is usually January followed by February and December. During these months there is usually snow in the mountains and sometimes also in the major cities and lowlands, but this snow tends to melt very quickly and so most of the winter is just wet.
During March, April and May, the temperatures usually increase rapidly and especially during April the temperatures and weather tend to vary a lot during the day. Spring is also characterized by high water levels in the rivers due to the snow melting and there are often floods.
The warmest month of the year is July, followed by August and June. On average, the summer temperatures are about 20°C higher than during winter. Especially in the last decade, temperatures above 30°C are not unusual. Summer is also characterized by rains and storms.
Autumn usually begins in September, which is still relatively warm, but much drier. During October, temperatures usually fall back under 15 or 10°C and
deciduous trees begin to drop off leaves. By the end of November, temperatures usually range around the freezing point.
Demographics
Main articles: Demographics of the Czech Republic
Population
| Population of the Czech lands[2] |
|---|
| Year | Total | Change | Year | Total | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1857 | 7,016,531 | - | 1930 | 10,674,386 | 6.6% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1869 | 7,617,230 | 8.6% | 1950 | 8,896,133 | -16.7% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 8,222,013 | 7.9% | 1961 | 9,571,531 | 7.6% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 8,665,421 | 5.4% | 1970 | 9,807,697 | 2.5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 9,372,214 | 8.2% | 1980 | 10,291,927 | 4.9% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 10,078,637 | 7.5% | 1991 | 10,302,215 | 0.1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 10,009,587 | -0.7% | 2001 | 10,230,060 | -0.7% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The vast majority of the inhabitants of the Czech Republic are
Czechs (94.2%, out of which 3.7% claimed
Moravian ethnicity and 0.1%
Silesian in the 2001 census). The largest minorities are
Slovaks (1.9%),
Poles (0.5%),
Germans (0.4%), and
Roma people.
[3]
Religion
The Czech Republic, along with
Estonia, has one of the most non-religious populations in the European Union. According to the 2001 census, 59% of the country is
agnostic,
atheist, non-believer or no-organized believer, 26.8%
Roman Catholic and 2.5%
Protestant.
[4] According to a 2005
Eurobarometer poll, 30% of Czech respondents do not believe in God, spirit, or life forces. 50% believe in some sort of spirit or life force, and only 19% believe in God, the lowest rate of EU countries after
Estonia with 16%.
[5]
Politics
Main articles: Politics of the Czech Republic
Political system
The Czech Republic is a pluralist multi-party
parliamentary representative democracy, where the
Prime Minister is the
head of government. The Parliament is bicameral, with the
Chamber of Deputies () and the
Senate.
Military
Main articles: Military of the Czech Republic
The Czech Armed Forces consist of
Land and
Air Forces and of specialized support units. In 2004, the Czech military completely phased out conscription and transformed into a fully professional military force. The country has been a member of
NATO since
March 12 1999. Military spending is around 1.8% of
GDP (2006).
Regions and districts
Main articles: Regions of the Czech Republic,
Districts of the Czech Republic
Since 2000, the Czech Republic is divided into
thirteen regions (''kraje'', singular ''kraj'') and the Capital City of
Prague. Each region has its own elected Regional Assembly (''krajské zastupitelstvo'') and ''hejtman'' (usually translated as
hetman or "president"). In Prague, their powers are executed by the city council and the mayor of Prague.
The older seventy-six
districts (''okresy'', singular ''
okres'') including three 'statutory cities' (without Prague, which had special status) were disbanded in 1999 in an administrative reform; they remain as territorial division and seats of various branches of state administration.
[6]
Map of the Czech Republic with regions.
| (Lic. plate) | Region | Capital | Population (2004 est.) | Population (2007 est.) |
|---|
| A | Capital of Prague (Hlavní město Praha) | 1,170,571 | 1,194,407 |
| S | Central Bohemian Region (Středočeský kraj) | offices located in Prague (Praha) | 1,144,071 | 1,181,374 |
| C | South Bohemian Region (Jihočeský kraj) | České Budějovice | 625,712 | 630,487 |
| P | Plzeň Region (Plzeňský kraj) | Pilsen (Plzeň) | 549,618 | 555,491 |
| K | Karlovy Vary Region (Karlovarský kraj) | Karlovy Vary | 304,588 | 305,348 |
| U | Ústí nad Labem Region (Ústecký kraj) | Ústí nad Labem | 822,133 | 824,490 |
| L | Liberec Region (Liberecký kraj) | Liberec | 427,563 | 431,523 |
| H | Hradec Králové Region (Královéhradecký kraj) | Hradec Králové | 547,296 | 550,168 |
| E | Pardubice Region (Pardubický kraj) | Pardubice | 505,285 | 508,250 |
| M | Olomouc Region (Olomoucký kraj) | Olomouc | 635,126 | 640,248 |
| T | Moravian-Silesian Region (Moravskoslezský kraj) | Ostrava | 1,257,554 | 1,249,337 |
| B | South Moravian Region (Jihomoravský kraj) | Brno | 1,123,201 | 1,133,636 |
| Z | Zlín Region (Zlínský kraj) | Zlín | 590,706 | 589,897 |
| J | Vysočina Region (Vysočina) | Jihlava | 517,153 | 512,053 |
Economy
Main articles: Economy of the Czech Republic
General situation
50 CZK banknote
The Czech Republic possesses a developed
[7],
high-income[8] economy with a GDP per capita of around 80% of the European Union average. 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 2000-2001 was led by exports to the
European Union, especially
Germany, and foreign investment, while domestic demand is reviving. The rate of corruption remains one of the highest among
OECD countries.
Fiscal
deficit is becoming a problem, with the 2007 deficit estimate having been recently raised to 4.0% of GDP from 3.3% previously. A fiscal reform plan designed to cut the deficit to 3.0% (as required for
Euro adoption by the
Stability and Growth Pact) has been passed by the Lower House, and expects to see the deficit fall to 2.95% of GDP in 2008.
Moves to complete
banking,
telecommunications, and energy
privatisation will add to foreign investment, while intensified restructuring among large enterprises and banks and improvements in the financial sector should strengthen output growth. The government has recently agreed to the sale of a 7.0% stake of the energy producer
ČEZ, with the sale of the Budejovicky Budvar brewery also mooted.
The country is scheduled to fully implement the
Schengen Agreement and therefore abolish the border controls with all of its neighbours (Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovakia) as of
31 December 2007.
The last Czech government had expressed a desire to adopt the
euro in 2010, but the current government has postponed it due to budget deficits. An exact date has not been set up, but the Finance Ministry described adoption by
2012 as realistic
[9] if public finance reform passes. However, the most recent draft of the euro adoption plan omits giving any date.
Tourism
Main articles: Tourism in the Czech Republic
The Czech economy gets a substantial income from tourism: in 2001, the total earnings from tourism reached 118.13 billion
CZK, making up 5.5% of
GNP and 9.3% of overall export earnings. The industry employs more than 110,000 people - over 1% of the population.
[10]
There are several centres of tourist activity: The historic city of
Prague is the primary tourist attraction, and the city is also the most common point of entry for tourists visiting other parts of the country.
[11] Most other cities in the country attract significant numbers of tourists, but the spa towns such as
Karlovy Vary and
Mariánské Lázně are particularly popular holiday destinations. Other popular tourist sites are the many castles and chateaux, such as those at
Karlštejn,
Konopiště and
Český Krumlov. Away from the towns, areas as
Český Ráj,
Šumava and the
Krkonoše mountains attract visitors seeking outdoor pursuits.
The country is also famous for its love of
puppetry and
marionettes. The
Pilsner style
beer originated in Western Bohemian city of
Plzeň.
Sport
Main articles: Sport in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
International rankings
★
Human Development Index 2006: Rank 30th out of 177 countries
★
Index of Economic Freedom 2006: Rank 21st out of 57 countries
★
Reporters Without Borders world-wide press freedom index 2006: Rank 5th out of 168 countries
★
Global Competitiveness Report 2006: Rank 29th out of 125 countries
★ It was also ranked as the highest alcohol-consuming nation by
The Economist in
2006.
See also
References
1. Tab. 3 Národnost československých státních příslušníků podle žup a zemí k 15.2.1921
2. Czech Statistic Office
3. Zjišťování národnosti ve sčítání lidu, domů a bytů v období 1921 - 2001
4. Obyvatelstvo hlásící se k jednotlivým církvím a náboženským společnostem
5. Social values, Science and Technology
6. The death of the districts, Radio Prague 3 January 2003
7. Getting to know Czech Republic, from Czech.cz, the official site of the Czech Republic
8. World Bank 2007
9. Czech government adopts euro adoption plan
10. Promotion Strategy of the Czech Republic in 2004 - 2010
11. CZECH SIGHTS
★ ''Some of the material comes from the
CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.''
External links
Government
★
Czech Republic - Official Website
★
Czech Press Agency news
★
Government website
★
Portal of the Public Administration of Czech Republic
★
Senate website
★
Presidential website, click for a pop-up overview of English-language content
News
★
Czech Happenings - Czech News (formerly Czech Happenings, the oldest English language news about the Czech republic
★
Prague Daily Monitor - Czech news
★
The Prague Post - the Czech Republic's English-language newspaper
★
The Prague Tribune - the Czech Republic's English-language magazine
★ http://radio.cz/en/ - Website of the English service of
Radio Prague
★
Czech News- Czech.cz
Statistics
★
Economic & Social Data Ranking/ Czech Republic
Wikitravel
★ - guide to traveling to, from, and in the Czech Republic
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