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native_name = ''Česká republika'' | conventional_long_name = Czech Republic | common_name = Czech Republic | image_flag = Flag of the Czech Republic.svg | image_coat = Coat of arms of the Czech Republic.svg| image_map = LocationCzechRepublic.png | national_motto = : "Truth prevails")| national_anthem = '' Kde Domov Můj '' | official_languages = Czech | capital = Prague | latd=50|latm=05|latNS=N|longd=14|longm=28|longEW=E| largest_city = Prague | government_type= Republic | leader_titles = President Prime Minister | leader_names = Václav Klaus Jiří Paroubek | area_rank = 114th | area_magnitude = 1_E10 | area=78,866 | areami&2 = 30,450 | percent_water = 2.0% | population_estimate = 10,241,138 | population_estimate_year = 2005 | population_estimate_rank = 79th | population_census= 10,230,060 | population_census_year= 2001 | population_density = 130 | population_densitymi&2 = 337 | population_density_rank=58th | religion = Catholicism , Atheism | GDP_PPP_year=2005 | GDP_PPP = $198,976 million | GDP_PPP_rank = 41st | GDP_PPP_per_capita = $19,488 | GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 39th | HDI_year = 2003 | HDI = 0.874 | HDI_rank = 31st | HDI_category = high | sovereignty_type = Formation Independence | established_events = • Regained • Dismemberment | established_dates = 9th Century October 28 , 1918 January 1 , 1993 | currency = Czech Koruna | currency_code = CZK | time_zone= CET | utc_offset= +1 | time_zone_DST= CEST | utc_offset_DST= +2 | cctld= .cz | calling_code = 4201 | footnotes = 1 Shared code 42 with Slovakia until 1997 }} The Czech Republic ( attraction, is its capital and largest city. Other major cities include Brno , Ostrava , Zlín , Plzeň , Pardubice , Hradec Králové , České Budějovice , Liberec , Olomouc , and Ústí Nad Labem . The country is composed of two entire historic regions, Bohemia and Moravia , parts of Silesia and small sections of historic Lower Austria . Name The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs in equivalent ''Česko'' faced opposition of the Czech People as well, but now it seems to be quite settled down in the language. ''See Names Of The Czech Republic and Czech Lands .'' History See Also: History of the Czech lands Archaeologists have found evidence of prehistoric human settlement in the area dating back to the , Avars , Bulgars and Magyars ). Following in the Germans' wake, they moved southward into Bohemia, Moravia, and some of present day Austria. During the 7th 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 8th century (see under Great Moravia ). The Bohemian Or Czech State emerged in the late 9th Century when it was unified by the Přemyslids . The Kingdom of Bohemia was a significant local 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. Bohemia later came under Habsburg influence and became part of Austria-Hungary . Following the collapse of this empire after World War I , the independent republic of Czechoslovakia was created in 1918 . This new country contained large German , Hungarian and Polish minorities. Although Czechoslovakia was a democratic and liberal state guaranteeing and also implementing cultural and language rights to its minorities (schools in German language areas were entirely German), the centralistic state did not grant its minorities territorial political autonomy, which resulted in discontent and strong support among the minorities to break away from Czechoslovakia . Hitler used the opportunity and, supported by Konrad Henlein's Sudeten German Party, gained the majority German speaking Sudetenland through the Munich Agreement . Poland occupied majority Polish speaking areas around Cesky Tesin , while Slovakia gained greater autonomy, with the state being renamed to "Czecho-Slovakia". Eventually Slovakia broke away further in 1939 and the remaining Czech territory was occupied by Hitler who installed the so-called Protectorate Of Bohemia And Moravia , which was proclaimed part of the Reich and where the Protectorate President and Prime Minister were subordinate to the Nazi '' Reichsprotektor '' ('imperial protector'). Approximately 125,000 citizens, including 83,000 Jews, were killed, and hundreds of thousand of others were sent to prisons and concentration camps or forced labour. The Czechoslovak government-in-exile and its army fighting against Nazis were acknowledged by Allies. From 1945 to 1948 the Sudetenland was cleansed of ethnic Germans (under the so-called Beneš Decrees and the Treaty Of Potsdam ). About 3 million Germans, almost the entire German minority of pre-War Czechoslovakia, were expelled to Germany and Austria . As a consequence, hundreds of thousand of Germans were sent to prisons and concentration camps or forced labour. Official Czech figures state 15,000–30,000 deaths, the homeland registry of the Roman Catholic Church put the number of deaths at 295,000 whereas the German Ministry for Expulsion Affairs claims 267,000. Only a few Germans who had been active in the resistance or were required for economic reasons were allowed to stay, though many of them emigrated later due to the anti-German sentiment prevalent in post-war Czechoslovakia. In 1948, a reconstituted 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" during the Prague Spring . In 1989 , Czechoslovakia regained its political independence through a peaceful " Velvet Revolution ". On January 1 , 1993 , the country peacefully Split In Two , creating the independent Czech and Slovak republics. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union on May 1 , 2004 . Geography See Also: Geography of the Czech Republic The Czech landscape is quite varied; rivers, surrounded by mostly low mountains such as the Sudeten with its part Krkonoše , where one also finds the highest point in the country, the Sněžka at 1,602 Metre s (5,256 Ft ). , Baltic Sea and Black Sea . The local Climate is Temperate with warm summers and cold, cloudy, humid winters, typified by a mixture of maritime and continental influences. Demographics See Also: Demographics of the Czech Republic The majority of the inhabitants of the Czech Republic (95%) are ethnically Czech and speak Czech , a member of the Slavic Languages . Other ethnic groups include Slovaks , Germans , Roma , Hungarians , Ukrainians and Poles . After the 1993 division, some Slovaks remained in the Czech Republic and comprise roughly 2% of the current population. Politics See Also: Politics of the Czech Republic According to its Constitution , the Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy whose Head Of State is a President , indirectly elected every five years by the parliament. The president is also granted specific powers such as the right to nominate Constitutional Court judges, dissolve parliament under certain conditions, complete immunity, and enact a veto on legislation. He also appoints the Prime Minister , who sets the agenda for most foreign and domestic policy, as well the other members of the Cabinet on a proposal by the prime minister. The Czech Parliament (''Parlament'') is Bicameral , with a Chamber Of Deputies (''Poslanecká sněmovna'') and a Senate (''Senát''). The 200 Chamber delegates are elected for 4-year terms, on the basis of Proportional Representation . The 81 members of the Czech Senate serve for 6-year terms with one-third being elected every 2 years on the basis of two-round majority voting. The country's highest court of appeals is the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Court, which rules on constitutional issues, is appointed by the president, and its members serve 10-year terms. Military See Also: Military of the Czech Republic The Czech Armed Forces ( and of specialized support units. The country has been a member of NATO since 1999 . Military spending is around 1.8% of GDP (2005). Regions See Also: Regions of the Czech Republic
Economy See Also: Economy of the Czech Republic 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. Uncomfortably high fiscal and current account deficits could be future problems. Moves to complete Banking , Telecommunication s, 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 Czech government has expressed a desire to adopt the Euro currency in 2010, but the introduction of the currency is currently only in the early planning stages. Tourism The Czech economy gets a substantial amount of its income from tourism, and 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 visitng other parts of the country. 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 , Pernštejn and Český Krumlov . Away from the towns, areas such Český Ráj , Šumava and the Krkonoše mountains attract visitors seeking outdoor pursuits. The significance of the tourism industry on the country's economy cannot be underestimated; figures from 2001 revealed that 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 persons - over 2% of the population. {Link without Title} Culture
Religion Despite the very visible presence of Cathedral s and church buildings all over the country, the majority of Czechs (59%) are Agnostics or Atheists or without any dogmatic organization of belief, mostly as a consequence of the anti-religious policy during the communist era. Significant religious groups include Catholics (27%), Protestants (1.2%), and Czechoslovak Hussites (1%). According to the most recent Eurostat "Eurobarometer" poll, in 2005 Eurobarometer, http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf, only 19% of Czech citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 50% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 30% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force". This, according to the survey, would make Czechs second only to Estonians, as the least religious people in the 25-member European Union. International rankings
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