Czech Republic

Czech Republic A landlocked country in central Europe, formerly part of CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

Physical

The Czech Republic comprises Bohemia and Moravia. It is bordered on the west by Germany, on the south by Austria, on the east by Slovakia, and on the north and east by Silesian Poland. The country lies in the headwater area of the main European watershed; the Labe-Vlatava (Moldau-Elba) river system flows in the Bohemian basin towards the North Sea, and the Odra (Oder) flows northwards towards the Baltic. Rich alluvial soils alongside river courses are characteristic.

Economy

The main mineral resources are brown coal, lignite, copper, and zinc, and large gold deposits have been found. Agriculturally, the country is to some extent reliant on imports, although wheat, barley, sugar beet, and hops are grown, and there is an extensive timber industry. Industry is in urgent need of modernization, and is hampered by the need to import energy, as the potential for hydroelectric power has not yet been exploited. Motor vehicles, glass, beer, ceramics, footwear, and textiles are the main exports.

History

The Czech Republic came into existence on 1 January 1993; it was, until then, part of Czechoslovakia, but an increasingly strong Slovakian independence movement led to plans to separate the two states. The separation process was set in motion in June 1992 and went so smoothly that it was referred to as the ‘velvet divorce’. Václav HAVEL, formerly President of Czechoslovakia, was elected President of the Czech Republic (1993). Economic progress has been slower than expected, despite the implementation of free-market reforms.

Capital:	Prague
Area:	78,864 sq km (30,442 sq miles)
Population:	10,302,000 (1998 est)
Currency:	1 koruna = 100 haléřů
Religions:	Roman Catholic 39.3%; non-religious 39.7%; Protestant 4.1%; Orthodox 0.2%; other 0.5%
Ethnic Groups:	Czech 94.0%; Slovak 4.1%; Hungarian 3.8%; other 1.7%
Languages:	Czech, Slovak (both official); Hungarian; Romany; other minority languages
International Organizations:	UN; CSCE; Council of Europe