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The World Factbook 2002

         
  Czech Republic  
Flag of Czech Republic
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  Introduction
  Geography
  People
  Government
  Economy
  Communications
  Transportation
  Military
  Transnational Issues

In general, information available as of 1 January 2002
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2002.


This page was last updated on 1 January 2002


Map of Czech Republic

Legend: Definition Definition Field Listing Field Listing
   Introduction    Czech Republic
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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    Czech Republic
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Central Europe, southeast of Germany
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
49 45 N, 15 30 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing
total: 78,866 sq km
water: 1,590 sq km
land: 77,276 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1,881 km
border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
none (landlocked)
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 40%
permanent crops: 3%
other: 57% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
240 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
flooding
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, 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
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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    Czech Republic
Population:
Definition Field Listing
10,256,760 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 15.7% (male 828,273; female 786,617)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 3,605,766; female 3,603,058)
65 years and over: 14% (male 551,852; female 881,194) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.07% (2002 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing
9.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing
10.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing
5.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing
total population: 74.95 years
female: 78.65 years (2002 est.)
male: 71.46 years
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.04% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing
2,200 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing
less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Czech(s)
adjective: Czech
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
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)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Czech
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: NA
total population: 99.9% (1999 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
   Government    Czech Republic
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czech Republic
local short form: Ceska Republika
local long form: Ceska Republika
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Prague
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
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
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
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
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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 22 July 1998), Pavel RYCHETSKY (since 22 July 1998), Jan KAVAN (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:
Definition Field Listing
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)
elections: Senate - last held 12 and 19 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); 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 - KDU-CSL 28, ODS 22, CSSD 15, ODA 7, US 4, KSCM 3, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 32.3%, ODS 27.7%, KSCM 11%, KDU-CSL 9.0%, US 8.6%; seats by party - CSSD 74, ODS 63, KSCM 24, KDU-CSL 20, US 18, CSNS 1
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Cyril SVOBODA, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Michael ZANTOVSKY, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Vaclav KLAUS, 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 [Jan SULA, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Milos ZEMAN, chairman]; Democratic Union or DEU [Ratibor MAJZLIK, chairman]; Freedom Union or US [Hana MARVANOVA, chairman]; Quad Coalition [Karel KUHNL, chairman] (includes KDU-CSL, US, ODA, DEU); Republicans of Miroslav SLADEK or RMS [Miroslav SLADEK, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions [Richard FALBR]
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
telephone: [1] (202) 363-6315
chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON
embassy: Trziste 15, 118 #01 Prague 1
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663
FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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)
   Economy    Czech Republic
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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. Moves to complete banking, telecommunications, and energy privatization will add to foreign investment, while intensified restructuring among large enterprises and banks and improvements in the financial sector should strengthen output growth.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing
purchasing power parity - $147.9 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
3.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing
purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 5%
industry: 41%
services: 54% (2000)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 4.3%
highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
26 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing
4.7% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing
5.203 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture 5%, industry 40%, services 55% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing
8.5% (2001 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $16.7 billion
expenditures: $18 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
7.2% (2001)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing
69.589 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source:
Definition Field Listing
fossil fuel: 77.75%
hydro: 2.5%
other: 1.2% (2000)
nuclear: 18.55%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing
54.701 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
18.74 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
8.725 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry
Exports:
Definition Field Listing
$32.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and transport equipment 44%, intermediate manufactures 25%, chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7% (2000)
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 40.4%, Slovakia 7.7%, Austria 6.0%, Poland 5.4%, UK 4.3% (2000)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing
$37.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and transport equipment 40%, intermediate manufactures 21%, raw materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11% (2000)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 26.7%, Russia 6.4%, Slovakia 6.0%, Italy 5.2%, Austria 4.9% (2000)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing
$24.6 billion (2001)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$NA
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
Czech koruna (CZK)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
CZK
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
koruny per US dollar - 36.325 (January 2002), 38.035 (2001), 38.598 (2000), 34.569 (1999), 32.281 (1998), 31.698 (1997)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Czech Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing
3.869 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing
4.346 million (2000)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
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: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)
Radios:
Definition Field Listing
3,159,134 (December 2000)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)
Televisions:
Definition Field Listing
3,405,834 (December 2000)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.cz
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Definition Field Listing
more than 300 (2000)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing
1.1 million (2001)
   Transportation    Czech Republic
Railways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 9,444 km
standard gauge: 9,350 km 1.435-m gauge (2,843 km electrified; 1,929 km double-track)
narrow gauge: 94 km 0.760-m gauge (2000 est.)
Highways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 55,432 km
paved: 55,432 km (including 499 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing
303 km
note: (the Labe (Elbe) is the principal river) (2000)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
natural gas 3,550 km (2000)
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
121 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 44
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 17 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 77
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 48 (2001)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2001)
   Military    Czech Republic
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial Defense Force
Military manpower - military age:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 2,637,128 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 2,012,779 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males: 69,393 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Definition Field Listing
$1,190,200,000 (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing
2.1% (FY01)
   Transnational Issues    Czech Republic
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918; individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II; Austria has minor dispute with Czech Republic over the Temelin nuclear power plant and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
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

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002


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