Česká republika Czech Republic
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Pravda vítězí"  (Czech) "Truth prevails"
Anthem: Kde domov můj? (in English: Where is My Home?)
Location of the  Czech Republic  (orange) – on the European continent  (camel & white) – in the European Union  (camel)                  [Legend]
Capital (and largest city)		Prague 50°05′N, 14°28′E
Official languages		Czech
Demonym		Czech
Government		Parliamentary republic
-	President	Václav Klaus
-	Prime Minister	Mirek Topolánek
Independence		(formed 9th century)
-	from Austria-Hungary	October 28, 1918
-	Czechoslovakia dissolved	January 1, 1993
EU accession		May 1, 2004
Area
-	Total	78,866 km² (117th) 30,450 sq mi
-	Water (%)	2
Population
-	20081 estimate	10,403,136 (78th)
-	2001 census	10,230,060
-	Density	132/km² (77th) 341/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 IMF estimate
-	Total	$248. The flag of the Czech Republic is the same as the flag of the former Czechoslovakia. The Coat of Arms of the Czech Republic (Státní znak České republiky displays the three historical regions which make up the nation A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Kde domov můj? (in English: Where is my home?) was written by the composer František Škroup and the playwright Josef Kajetán Tyl as a part English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The majority of the 104 million inhabitants of the Czech Republic are ethnically and linguistically Czech (95% Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Czechs (Češi ˈt͡ʃɛʃɪ archaic Čechové) are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A parliamentary republic or parliamentary constitutional republic is a form of a Republic which operates under a Parliamentary system of government The President of the Czech Republic is the Head of state of the Czech Republic. Václav Klaus (ˈvaːtslaf ˈklaʊ̯s born 19 June 1941) is the second President of the Czech Republic (since 2003 reelected 2008 and a former This is a list of Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic. See also List of rulers of Bohemia List of Presidents Mirek Topolánek (ˈmɪrɛk ˈtopolaːnɛk (born May 15, 1956 in Vsetín, Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic) is the current Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on January 1 1993, saw Czechoslovakia split into two separate countries the Czech Republic New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in A Member State of the European Union is any one of the twenty-seven sovereign Nation states that have acceded the European Union (EU since its De facto Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic 902 billion (39th²)
-	Per capita	$24,236 (36th)
GDP (nominal)		2007 IMF estimate
-	Total	$175. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic 309 billion (39th)
-	Per capita	$17,070 (36th)
Gini (1996)		25. PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 4 (low) (5th)
HDI (2005)		▲ 0. This is a list of countries or dependencies by Income inequality metrics, including Gini coefficients according to the United Nations (UN and the The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 891 (high) (32nd)
Currency		Czech koruna (CZK)
Time zone		CET (UTC+1)
-	Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Internet TLD		.cz³
Calling code		+4204
1	March 31, 2008 (See Population changes - 1st quarter of 2008). This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Daylight saving time ( DST Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
2	Rank based on 2005 IMF data.
3	Also .eu, shared with other European Union member states. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in
4	Shared code 42 with Slovakia until 1997. Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million

The Czech Republic (IPA: /ˈtʃɛk riˈpʌblɨk/) (Czech: Česká republika (help·info), short form in Czech: Česko, IPA: [ʧɛsko]), is a landlocked country in Central Europe and a member state of the European Union. Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The country has borders with Poland to the north, Germany to the northwest and southwest, Austria to the south, and Slovakia to the east. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million The capital and largest city is Prague (Czech: Praha), a major tourist destination. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel The country is composed of the historic regions of Bohemia and Moravia, as well as parts of Silesia. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Moravia (Morava; Morawy Moravie Moravia is a historical region in central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, one of the former Czech lands. Czech Silesia (České Slezsko is one of the three Czech lands and a section of the Silesian historical region

The Czech lands were under Habsburg rule from 1526, later becoming part of the Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary. The " Czech lands " (České země is an auxiliary term used mainly to describe the combination of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. The independent republic of Czechoslovakia was created in 1918, following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire after World War I. Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All After the Munich Agreement, German occupation of Czechoslovakia and the consequent disillusion with the Western response and liberation of major part of Czechoslovakia by the Red Army, the Communist party gained the majority in 1946 elections. The Munich Agreement (Mnichovská dohoda Mníchovská dohoda Münchner Abkommen Accords de Munich was an agreement regarding the Sudetenland, which were areas along borders Following the Anschluss of Nazi Germany and Austria in March 1938 Nazi leader Adolf Hitler 's next target for annexation was Czechoslovakia Western betrayal or Yalta betrayal are popular terms in many Central European countries especially in Poland and the Czech Republic which refers The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Following a coup in 1948, Czechoslovakia became a Communist-ruled state. Prague Spring of 1968, an attempt at reformation of the Communist regime, ended by invasion of armies of Warsaw Pact countries which didn't leave until after the 1989 Velvet Revolution. The Prague Spring ( Czech: Pražské jaro, Slovak: Pražská jar) was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during The Warsaw Pact (see Nomenclature) was an organization of Communist states in Central and Eastern Europe. The " Velvet Revolution " (sametová revoluce nežná revolúcia ( November 16 &ndash December 29 1989) refers to a non-violent On January 1, 1993 the country peacefully split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on January 1 1993, saw Czechoslovakia split into two separate countries the Czech Republic Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million

The Czech Republic made economic reforms such as massive privatization and flat tax. Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the Public sector (government to the Private sector (business A flat tax (short for flat rate tax is a Tax system with a constant tax rate Annual gross domestic product growth has recently been around 6%. The country is the first former member of the Comecon to achieve the status of a developed country (2006) according to the World Bank. The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e ^[1] The Czech Republic also ranks best compared to the former Comecon countries in the Human Development Index. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP ^[2]

The Czech Republic is a pluralist multi-party parliamentary representative democracy. A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives President Václav Klaus is the current head of state. President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. Václav Klaus (ˈvaːtslaf ˈklaʊ̯s born 19 June 1941) is the second President of the Czech Republic (since 2003 reelected 2008 and a former The Prime Minister is the head of government (currently Mirek Topolánek). This is a list of Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic. See also List of rulers of Bohemia List of Presidents This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State Mirek Topolánek (ˈmɪrɛk ˈtopolaːnɛk (born May 15, 1956 in Vsetín, Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic) is the current The Parliament has two chambers — the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic (Poslanecká sněmovna Parlamentu České republiky abbr The Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic (Senát Parlamentu České republiky usually referred to as Senát, is the upper chamber of the Parliament of the The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. The North Atlantic Treaty The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in It is also a member of the OECD, the Council of Europe and the Visegrád Group. The Council of Europe (Conseil de l'Europe is the oldest International organisation working towards European integration, being founded in 1949 The Visegrad Group, also called the Visegrad Four or V4, is an alliance of four Central European states &ndash the Czech Republic,

Name

See also: Names of the Czech Republic and Czech lands

After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the Czech portion found itself without a common single-word name in English. More than a decade after the split of Czechoslovakia into Slovakia and the Czech Republic, the latter continues to be known by several competing names in The " Czech lands " (České země is an auxiliary term used mainly to describe the combination of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States 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 become widely used--though other languages have single-word names, e. g. Tschechien in German, and Czechy in Polish. The official website of the Czech Republic (www.czech.cz) run by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not use the name Czechia as of 2005. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Its Czech equivalent is Česko. Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the

History

Prague Castle

Karlštejn

Tábor

Main articles: History of Czechoslovakia and History of the Czech lands

Archaeologists have found evidence of prehistoric human settlement in the area dating back to the Neolithic era. Prague Castle (Pražský hrad is a Castle in Prague where the Czech kings Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia See other locations named Karlštejn. Karlštejn (Karlstein is a large Gothic Castle founded in the 14th century This is an article on the city of Tábor in the Czech Republic. With the collapse of the Habsburg monarchy at the end of World War I, the independent country of Czechoslovakia ( Slovak: Česko-Slovensko Czech The history of the Czech lands includes the following periods Prehistory (700 000 BC &ndash 400 BC Celts (400 BC &ndash 8 BC &ndash Boii The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos In the classical era, from the 3rd century BC Celtic migrations, the Boii (see Bohemia) and later in the 1st century Germanic tribes of Marcomanni and Quadi settled there. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Boii ( Latin plural singular Boius; Greek) is the Roman name of an ancient Celtic tribe, attested at various Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the The 1st century was the Century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Julian calendar. Marcomanni were a Germanic tribe, probably related to the Buri, Suebi or Suevi Quadi were a smaller Germanic tribe, about which little definitive information is known During the Migration Period around the 5th century, many Germanic tribes moved westwards and southwards out of Central Europe. The Migration Period, also called Barbarian Invasions, or sometimes Völkerwanderung ( German for "wandering of peoples" is the English name 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). The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians (Carpaţi Czech, Polish and Slovak: Karpaty; Ukrainian: Карпати The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads with a Turkic core of aristocracy The Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan. The Bulgars (also Bolgars or proto-Bulgarians) were a seminomadic people probably of Turkic descent originally from Central Asia, Hungarians (or Magyars, magyarok are an Ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary. Following in the Germans' wake, they moved southwards 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 7th century is the period from 601 to 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Samo (died 658 was a Frankish merchant from the "Senonian country" ( Senonago) probably modern Sens, France. The Moravian principality arose in the 8th century (see Great Moravia). Great Moravia (see Name section was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe from the 9th century to the early 10th century The Bohemian or Czech state emerged in the late 9th century when it was unified by the Přemyslid dynasty. The history of the Czech lands includes the following periods Prehistory (700 000 BC &ndash 400 BC Celts (400 BC &ndash 8 BC &ndash Boii The Přemyslids ( Czech: Přemyslovci, Polish: Przemyślidzi, German: Premysliden) were a Czech royal dynasty which The kingdom of Bohemia was a significant regional power during the Middle Ages. A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the It was part of the Holy Roman Empire during the entire existence of this confederation. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in

Religious conflicts such as the 15th century Hussite Wars and the 17th century Thirty Years' War had a devastating effect on the local population. The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1420 For the Mauritanian Thirty Years' War see Char Bouba war. For the band see The 30 Years War. From the 16th 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. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries.

Štramberk

From Independence to World War 2

Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I, the independent republic of Czechoslovakia was created in 1918. Štramberk (ˈʃtrambɛrk Stramberg is a small town in the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic, next to Kopřivnice. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. 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. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Moravia (Morava; Morawy Moravie Moravia is a historical region in central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, one of the former Czech lands. Etymology One theory claims that the name Silesia is derived from the Silingi, who were most likely a Vandalic (East Germanic people Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Carpathian Ruthenia, aka Transcarpathian Ruthenia, Rusinko Subcarpathian Rus, Subcarpathia ( Rusyn and Ukrainian The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as Hungarians (or Magyars, magyarok are an Ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary. The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. ^[3] Although Czechoslovakia was a unitary state, it provided what was at the time rather extensive rights to its minorities. A unitary state is a State whose three Organs of state are governed Constitutionally as one single unit with one Constitutionally created 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 1938 Munich Agreement. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately DrJur Konrad Ernst Eduard Henlein ( May 6, 1898 - May 10, 1945) was the most important pro- Nazi politician in Czechoslovakia The Sudeten German Party (in German Sudetendeutsche Partei, abbreviation SdP) was created by Konrad Henlein under the name Sudetendeutsche Heimatfront See also History of Czechoslovakia (1918–1938 From 1918 to 1938 several million ethnic Germans lived in Czechoslovakia as their home was Sudetenland ( Czech and Polish: Sudety) is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the western regions of The Munich Agreement (Mnichovská dohoda Mníchovská dohoda Münchner Abkommen Accords de Munich was an agreement regarding the Sudetenland, which were areas along borders Poland occupied Polish inhabited areas around Český Těšín. Český Těšín ( Czeski Cieszyn, Tschechisch-Teschen is a town in the Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Hungary gained parts of Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rus as a result of the First Vienna Award in November 1938. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic The First Vienna Award was the result of the First Vienna Arbitration ( November 2, 1938) which took place at Vienna 's Belvedere

Český Krumlov

Kutná Hora

Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rus gained greater autonomy, with the state renamed to "Czecho-Slovakia" (The Second Republic; see Occupation of Czechoslovakia). Český Krumlov ( pronounced; Krummau an der Moldau or Böhmisch Krummau; Kru' m' au variant is used sometimes Crumlaw is a small City Kutná Hora ( pronounced; medieval Czech: Hory Kutné; Kuttenberg is a City in the Czech Republic in the Central Bohemian Region Slovakia seceded 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 of Bohemia and Moravia (Reichsprotektorat Böhmen und Mähren Protektorát Čechy a Morava was the majority ethnic-Czech Protectorate which The Protectorate was proclaimed part of the Third Reich, and President and Prime Minister were subordinate to the Nazi Reichsprotektor ("imperial protector"). Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Protector, sometimes spelled protecter, is used as a title or part of various historical titles of heads of state and others in authority 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. Carpatho-Ukraine (Карпатська Україна Karpats’ka Ukrayina) was an autonomous region within Czechoslovakia from late 1938 to March 15 Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Approximately 390,000 Czechoslovak citizens, including 83,000 Jews, were killed or executed, and hundreds of thousands of others were sent to prisons and concentration camps or as forced labour. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people commonly in large groups without trial A Nazi concentration camp existed at Terezin to the north of Prague. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German For the Nazi concentration camp see Theresienstadt concentration camp. 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. Czech resistance to Nazi occupation during World War II is a scarcely documented subject by and large a result of little formal resistance and an effective German Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( 7 March 1904 &ndash 4 June 1942) was an SS - Obergruppenführer, chief Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Czechoslovak government-in-exile and its army fighting against the Germans were acknowledged by Allies (Czechoslovak troops fought in Great Britain, North Africa, Middle East and Soviet Union). Following the Anschluss of Nazi Germany and Austria in March 1938 Nazi leader Adolf Hitler 's next target for annexation was Czechoslovakia See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The occupation ended on 9 May 1945 with the arrival of Soviet and American armies and the Prague uprising. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For the events of Spring 1968 see Prague Spring The Prague uprising ( Czech: Pražské povstání was an attempt by the Czech resistance

In 1945-46 almost the entire German minority of Czechoslovakia, about 2. 7 million people, were expelled to Germany and Austria. The expulsion of Germans after World War II was the Forced migration and Ethnic cleansing of German nationals ( Reichsdeutsche) and ethnic Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich During this time, thousands of Germans were held in prisons, detention camps, and used as 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. Following a Soviet-organised referendum, the Subcarpathian Rus has never returned under Czechoslovak rule and became part of the Ukrainian SSR, as the Zakarpattia Oblast in 1946. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or the Ukrainian SSR was one of the 15 constituent republics that made up the Former Soviet Union from its Zakarpattia Oblast (Закарпатська область translit

Communist era

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). The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak Komunistická strana Československa (KSČ was a political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between The Munich Agreement (Mnichovská dohoda Mníchovská dohoda Münchner Abkommen Accords de Munich was an agreement regarding the Sudetenland, which were areas along borders The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 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 National Front (in Czech: Národní fronta, in Slovak: Národný front) was the coalition of parties which headed the re-established 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. People's Militias (in Czech Lidové milice, in Slovak Ľudové milície) was a Paramilitary organisation of Communist Party of

For the next forty-one years, Czechoslovakia was a Communist state within the eastern bloc (see Czechoslovakia: 1948-1989). Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based During the Cold War, the term Communist Bloc (or Soviet Bloc) was used to refer to the Soviet Union and countries it either controlled or that were Stalinization (1948&ndash1963 Following the coup d'état of February 1948, when the Communists definitively took power in Czechoslovakia the country was declared a People's This period was marked by a variety of social developments. The Communist government completely nationalized the means of production and established a command economy. Nationalization, also spelled nationalisation, is the act of taking an industry or assets into the Public ownership of a national government Means Of Production is a compilation of Aim 's early 12" and EP releases recorded between 1995 and 1998 A planned economy or directed economy is an Economic system in which the Government or Workers' councils manages the Economy. The economy grew rapidly during the 1950s and 1960s, but slowed down in the 1970s with increasing problems during the 1980s. The political climate was highly repressive during the 1950s (including numerous show trials), but became more open and tolerant in the 1960s, culminating in Alexander Dubček's leadership in the 1968 Prague Spring that tried to create "socialism with a human face" and perhaps even introduce political pluralism. The term show trial is a pejorative description of a type of highly Public trial. Alexander Dubček (November 27 1921 – November 7 1992 was a Slovak politician and briefly leader of Czechoslovakia (1968-1969 famous for his attempt to reform The Prague Spring ( Czech: Pražské jaro, Slovak: Pražská jar) was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution Pluralism is in the general sense the acknowledgment of diversity This was forcibly ended by 21 August 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Warsaw Pact (see Nomenclature) was an organization of Communist states in Central and Eastern Europe. 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.

Modern era

In November 1989, Czechoslovakia returned to democracy through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution". The " Velvet Revolution " (sametová revoluce nežná revolúcia ( November 16 &ndash December 29 1989) refers to a non-violent However, Slovak national aspirations strengthened until on January 1, 1993, the country peacefully split into the independent Czech Republic and Slovakia. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on January 1 1993, saw Czechoslovakia split into two separate countries the Czech Republic Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Both countries went through economic reforms and privatisations, with the intention of creating a market economy. Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the Public sector (government to the Private sector (business A market economy is a realized Social system based on the Division of labour in which the prices of Goods and Services are determined in a

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 Visegrad Group, also called the Visegrad Four or V4, is an alliance of four Central European states &ndash the Czech Republic, The Czech Republic joined NATO on March 12, 1999 and the European Union on May 1, 2004. The North Atlantic Treaty Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

Geography

General map of the Czech Republic

Labe near Děčín

Map of the Czech Republic showing cities and main towns

Moravian-Silesian Beskids

Main article: Geography of the Czech Republic

See also: Protected Areas of the Czech Republic

The Czech landscape is quite varied. The Elbe ( die Elbe Low German: de Ilv) is one of the major Rivers of Central Europe. Děčín ('ɟɛtʃiːn Tetschen is a large City in the north of the Czech Republic The Moravian-Silesian Beskids ( Czech:) is a mountain range in the Czech Republic with a small part reaching to Slovakia. The Czech landscape is quite varied Bohemia to the west consists of a basin drained by the Elbe (Czech Labe) and Vltava rivers surrounded by mostly low mountains In the Czech Republic there exist 6 types of Particularly Protected Areas (zvláště chráněná území on the nationwide level Bohemia to the west consists of a basin, drained by the Elbe (Czech: Labe) and the Vltava rivers, and surrounded by mostly low mountains such as the Krkonoše range of the Sudetes. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the The Elbe ( die Elbe Low German: de Ilv) is one of the major Rivers of Central Europe. Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the The Vltava ( Moldau is the longest River in the Czech Republic, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, The Karkonosze ( Polish) or Krkonoše ( Czech) also known as the Giant Mountains (Riesengebirge is a Mountain range in the The Sudetes (suˈdiːtiːz is a Mountain range in Central Europe. The highest point in the country, Sněžka, at 1,602 m (5,262 ft), is located here. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Moravia, the eastern part of the country, is also quite hilly. Moravia (Morava; Morawy Moravie Moravia is a historical region in central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, one of the former Czech lands. It is drained mainly by the Morava River, but it also contains the source of the Oder (Czech: Odra) River. The Morava (March is a River in Central Europe. It is the most important river of Moravia, which derives its name from it The Oder (known in Czech and Polish as Odra) is a River in Central Europe. Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the Water from the landlocked Czech Republic flows to three different seas: the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Black Sea. The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Czech Republic also leases the Moldauhafen, a 30,000-square-metre (7. Moldauhafen ( Vltava port is a lot in the port of Hamburg, Germany, which has been leased in 1929 pursuant to the Treaty of M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here 4-acre) lot 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 acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U In Real estate, a lot is a tract or parcel of Land owned or meant to be owned by some Owner (s Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. The territory reverts to Germany in 2028.

Phytogeographically, the Czech Republic belongs to the Central European province of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. Phytogeography, also called geobotany is the branch of Biogeography that is concerned with the geographic distribution of Plant Species, or more generally Vaccinium vitis-idaea 20060824 003jpg|thumb|right| Vaccinium vitis-idaea ]]Alnus-viridis Rhododendron-palustreJPG|thumb|right| Rhododendron tomentosum ]]The Boreal Kingdom or Holarctic Kingdom ( Holarctis) is a Floristic kingdom According to the WWF, the territory of the Czech Republic can be subdivided into four ecoregions: the Central European mixed forests, Pannonian mixed forests, Western European broadleaf forests and Carpathian montane conifer forests. An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " This Palaearctic Ecoregion covers a large area in Western Europe (France Austria and Germany with in particular Massif Central, Jura, Central German

Weather and climate

The Czech Republic has a temperate, continental climate with relatively hot summers and cold, cloudy winters, usually with snow. Continental climate is a Climate that is characterized by Winter Temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of Snow cover each Year Most rains are during the summer. The temperature difference between summers and winters is relatively high due to its landlocked geographical position.

Even within the Czech Republic, temperatures vary greatly depending on the elevation. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. In general, at higher altitudes the temperatures decrease and precipitation increases. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric Another important factor is the distribution of the mountains. Therefore the climate is quite varied.

At the highest peak (Sněžka, 1,602 m/5,260 ft) the average temperature is only −0. 4 °C (31 °F), whereas in the lowlands of South Moravia, the average temperature is as high as 10 °C (50 °F). South Moravian Region ( Czech: Jihomoravský kraj) is an administrative unit ( Czech: kraj) of the Czech Republic, located in the This also applies for the country's capital Prague, but this is due to urban factors. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic.

The coldest month is usually January followed by February and December. During these months there is usually snow in the mountains and sometimes in the major cities and lowlands. During March, April and May, the temperature usually increases rapidly and especially during April the temperature and weather tends to vary widely during the day. Spring is also characterized by high water levels in the rivers due to melting snow followed by floods at times.

The warmest month of the year is July, followed by August and June. On average, the summer temperatures are about 20 °C (68 °F) higher than during winter. Especially in the last decade, temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) are not unusual. Summer is also characterized by rain and storms.

Autumn generally begins in September, which is still relatively warm, but much drier. During October, temperatures usually fall back under 15° or 10°C (59° or 50°F) and deciduous trees begin to shed their leaves. Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including By the end of November, temperatures usually range around the freezing point.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the Czech Republic

Population

The vast majority of the inhabitants of the Czech Republic are Czechs (94. Czechs (Češi ˈt͡ʃɛʃɪ archaic Čechové) are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic 2%). Significant minorities include the Slovaks (1. } The Slovaks or Slovakians are a western Slavic People that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is 9%), Poles (0. The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. 5%), Vietnamese (0. 44%) Germans (0. The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as 4%), and Gypsies. The Romani people (singular Rom, plural Roma as a Noun; also known as Romanies or Roma people) are an ethnic group with origins ^[5]

According to the Interior Ministry of the Czech Republic, there were 392,087 foreigners legally residing in the country at the end of 2007, making up 3. 2% of the population, with the largest groups being Ukrainians, Slovaks and Vietnamese. ^[6]

Total fertility rate was low at 1. The total fertility rate ( TFR, sometimes also called the fertility rate, period total fertility rate (PTFR or total 44 children born/woman. In 2007, immigration increased population by nearly 1%.

Religion

The Czech Republic, along with Estonia, has one of the least religious populations in all of Europe. Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region According to the 2001 census, 59% of the country is agnostic, atheist, non-believer or no-organised believer, 26. Agnosticism ( Greek: α- a-, without + γνώσις gnōsis, knowledge after Gnosticism) is the philosophical view that the Atheism 8% Roman Catholic and 2. 5% Protestant. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. ^[7]

According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005,^[8] 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", the lowest rate of EU countries after Estonia with 16%. Eurobarometer is a series of surveys regularly performed on behalf of the European Commission since 1973 Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region ^[9]

Politics

Václav Havel, the first President of the Czech Republic. Václav Havel, GCB, CC, ( (born October 5, 1936) is a Czech Playwright Writer and Politician

Václav Klaus, current President of the Czech Republic. Václav Klaus (ˈvaːtslaf ˈklaʊ̯s born 19 June 1941) is the second President of the Czech Republic (since 2003 reelected 2008 and a former

Main article: 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. Politically the Czech Republic is a multi-party parliamentary representative democratic Republic. A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State The Parliament is bicameral, with the Chamber of Deputies (Czech: Poslanecká sněmovna) (200 members) and the Senate (81 members). The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic (Poslanecká sněmovna Parlamentu České republiky abbr Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the The Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic (Senát Parlamentu České republiky usually referred to as Senát, is the upper chamber of the Parliament of the

Foreign policy

A key goal in foreign policy has been European integration.

According to The Economist, the Czech Republic has earned a reputation for promoting human rights at every turn. The Economist is an English-language weekly news and International affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London Czech officials have pushed Europe's weight behind democrats everywhere from Myanmar to Belarus, Moldova and Cuba. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Czech foreign ministry has an entire unit devoted to helping dissidents in other countries. ^[10]

Czech Republic is motivated by its experience of Nazi and communist oppression. Also, the country's first post-communist president Václav Havel is ex-dissident writer, who has set moral example and has attracted ex-dissidents to key government positions. Václav Havel, GCB, CC, ( (born October 5, 1936) is a Czech Playwright Writer and Politician ^[10] For example, every March since 2003, when Fidel Castro locked up 75 political opponents, activists have set up a cage in Wenceslas Square representing a Cuban prison cell. Frequent prison uniform-wearing protesters have included names such as the foreign minister, the mayor of Prague and musical stars. ^[10] Some EU officials have been irritated by Czech Republic's activism in human rights. Czech Republic and other countries stressing human rights have been in conflicts with EU countries who favor closer ties with dictatorships. ^[10]

Armed forces

Main article: Military of the Czech Republic

The Czech armed forces consist of the Army and Air Force and of specialized support units. The Czech Armed Forces ( Czech: Armáda České republiky) consists of Land and Air Forces and of specialized support units The Czech Armed Forces ( Czech: Armáda České republiky) consists of Land and Air Forces and of specialized support units The Czech Air Force, ICAO code CEF is the Air force branch of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. In 2004, the Czech armed forces completely phased out conscription and transformed into a fully professional army and air force. The country has been a member of NATO since March 12, 1999. The North Atlantic Treaty Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Defence spending is around 1. 8% of GDP (2006).

Regions and districts

Main articles: Regions of the Czech Republic and Districts of the Czech Republic

Since 2000, the Czech Republic is divided into thirteen regions (Czech: kraje, singular kraj) and the capital city of Prague. Since January 1 2000 (according to Czech law # 129/2000 o krajích ( about Counties) replacing older paragraph 1/ 1993 in the Czech Constitution In 1960 Czechoslovakia was re-divided into Districts ( Okres, plural okresy) often without regard to traditional division and Since January 1 2000 (according to Czech law # 129/2000 o krajích ( about Counties) replacing older paragraph 1/ 1993 in the Czech Constitution Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. Each region has its own elected Regional Assembly (krajské zastupitelstvo) and hejtman (usually translated as hetman or "president"). Hetman (hejtman is the official title of the highest representative of a Czech Region, the highest administrative unit into which the Czech Republic is divided In Prague, their powers are executed by the city council and the mayor.

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. In 1960 Czechoslovakia was re-divided into Districts ( Okres, plural okresy) often without regard to traditional division and Okres ( Czech and Slovak term meaning "district" in English; from Old Slavic окрьсть - around refers to administrative entities in the ^[11]

Map of the Czech Republic with regions.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic possesses a developed,^[12] high-income^[13] economy with a GDP per capita of 82% of the European Union average. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. Central Bohemian Region (Středočeský kraj is an administrative unit (kraj of the Czech Republic, located in the central part of its historical region of Bohemia Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. South Bohemian Region ( Czech: Jihočeský kraj) is an administrative unit ( kraj) of the Czech Republic, located mostly in the České Budějovice (ˈtʃɛskɛː ˈbuɟɛjovɪtsɛ colloquially Budějce; Budweis or Böhmisch Budweis, often referred to simply as Budweis in Plzeň Region (Plzeňský kraj is an administrative unit ( kraj) in the western part of Bohemia in the Czech Republic. Karlovy Vary Region (Karlovarský kraj is an administrative unit (kraj of the Czech Republic, located in the westernmost part of its historical region of Bohemia Karlovy Vary ( pronounced, Karlsbad also known in English as Carlsbad) is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic Ústí nad Labem Region (Ústecký krajЮстекий Край is an administrative unit (kraj of the Czech Republic, located in the north-western part of its historical Ústí nad Labem ( pronounced; Aussig is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Ústí nad Labem Region. Liberec Region (Liberecký kraj is an administrative unit ( Czech: Kraj) of the Czech Republic, located in the northernmost part of its historical Liberec ( pronounced, Reichenberg Romany: Libertsis) has been since 1918 a City in Czechoslovakia, since 1993 in the Czech Republic Hradec Králové Region (Královéhradecký kraj is an administrative unit (kraj of the Czech Republic, located in the north-eastern part of its historical region of Hradec Králové ( pronounced, Königgrätz meaning Castle of the Queen) is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Hradec Králové Region Pardubice Region (Pardubický kraj is an administrative unit (kraj of the Czech Republic, located mainly in the eastern part of its historical region of Bohemia Pardubice ( pronounced; Pardubitz is the capital City of the Pardubice Region, Czech Republic, lying on the river Elbe, 104 km east Olomouc Region (Olomoucký kraj is an administrative unit (kraj of the Czech Republic, located in the north-western and central part of its historical region of Moravia Olomouc (ˈolomoʊ̯ts ( local Haná dialect Olomóc or Holomóc, German Olmütz, Polish Ołomuniec, Latin Moravian-Silesian Region (Moravskoslezský kraj or Moravo-Silesian Region, is an administrative unit ( kraj) of the Czech Republic, located in the Ostrava ( pronounced, Ostrau Ostrawa is the third largest city in the Czech Republic, however it is the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague South Moravian Region ( Czech: Jihomoravský kraj) is an administrative unit ( Czech: kraj) of the Czech Republic, located in the Brno ( IPA:; Brünn is the second-largest City in the Czech Republic. Zlín Region (Zlínský kraj is an administrative unit (kraj of the Czech Republic, located in the central-eastern part of the historical region of Moravia. This article is on the city See also Zlin aircraft brand Zlín (zliːn formerly Gottwaldov ('gotvaldof is a city in the Zlín Vysočina Region (ˈvɪsotʃɪna Czech: Kraj Vysočina - "vysočina" is Czech for "highlands" is an administrative unit (kraj of Jihlava ( pronounced; German Iglau) is a city in the Czech Republic. History See also Economy of Czechoslovakia Its strong industrial tradition dates to the 19th century when Bohemia and Moravia were the economic The term " first world " refers to countries that are capitalist, which are technologically advanced and whose One of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states, the Czech Republic has seen a growth of over 6% annually in the last three years. Recent growth has been led by exports to the European Union, especially Germany, and foreign investment, while domestic demand is reviving. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. However, the rate of corruption remains one of the highest among OECD countries.

The public budgets remain in deficit despite strong growth of the economy in recent years. However, the 2007 deficit has been 1. 58% GDP (according to EU accounting rules), far less than originally expected.

Most of the economy has been privatized, including banks and telecommunications. The current right-center government plans to continue with privatization, including the energy industry and the Prague airport. It has recently agreed to the sale of a 7% stake of the energy producer ČEZ, with the sale of the Budějovický Budvar brewery also mooted. CEZ Group ('Skupina ČEZ' is a conglomerate of 96 companies (including the parent company ČEZ a Budějovický Budvar is a Brewery in the Czech Republic that is best known for brewing a beer known as Budweiser Budvar in European Union Czechvar

The country has fully implemented the Schengen Agreement and therefore has abolished border controls with all of its neighbours (Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovakia) on December 21, 2007. The term Schengen Agreement is used for two agreements concluded among European states in 1985 and 1990 which deal with the abolition of systematic Border controls Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[14]

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. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e An exact date has not been set up, but the Finance Ministry described adoption by 2012 as realistic^[15] if public finance reform passes. However, the most recent draft of the euro adoption plan omits giving any date.

Education

The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks the Czech education as the 15th best in the world, being higher than the OECD average. ^[16]

Transport

Prague Airport is the main international airport. Ruzyně Airport serves Prague, Czech Republic. Located 10 km from the city centre the airport is a hub for Czech Airlines. Czech Republic has 46 airports, out of which two have over 3,047 meter runaways.

Energy

In 2005, according to the Czech Statistical Office, 65. 4% of electricity was produced in steam, combined, and combustion power plants (mostly coal); 30% in nuclear plants; and 4. Nuclear power is any Nuclear technology designed to extract usable Energy from atomic nuclei via controlled Nuclear reactions 6% from renewable sources, including hydropower. Russia (via pipelines through Ukraine) and, to a lesser extent, Norway (via pipelines through Germany) supply the Czech Republic with liquid and natural gas.

Communications

See also: Internet in the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has the most Wi-Fi subscribers in the European Union. Wireless Wi-Fi Because ADSL was very expensive for the average worker in its early days an enormous number of wireless ISPs (WISPs (based ^[17][18] By the beginning of 2008 there was over 800 mostly local WISPs^[19][20] with about 350 000 subscribers in 2007. Mobile internet is quite popular. Plans based on either GPRS, EDGE, UMTS or CDMA2000 are being offered by all three mobile phone operators (T-Mobile, Vodafone, Telefonica O2) and by a data-only wireless operator U:fon. General Packet Radio Service (GPRS is a Packet oriented Mobile Data Service available to users of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM and CDMA2000 is a hybrid 25G / 3G technology of mobile Telecommunications standards that use CDMA, a multiple access scheme for Digital T-Mobile is a Mobile network operator headquartered in Bonn, Germany. Vodafone is a Mobile network operator headquartered in Berkshire, England, UK. Telefónica SA, (,,,,) is a Spanish telecommunication company. Government-owned Český Telecom slowed down broadband penetration. At the beginning of 2004, local loop unbundling began, and alternative operators started to offer ADSL (and also SDSL). Local loop unbundling ( LLU) is the regulatory process of allowing multiple Telecommunications operators use of connections from the Telephone exchange 's This, and later privatisation of Cesky Telecom helped drive down prices. On July 1, 2006, Český Telecom was renamed to Telefónica O2 Czech Republic. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Telefónica O2 Czech Republic is the largest telecommunications company in the Czech Republic. As of January 2006, ADSL2+ is offered in many variants, both with data limit and without with speeds up to 10 Mbit/s. Cable internet is gaining popularity with its higher download speeds beginning at 2 Mbit/s up to 20 Mbit/s. The biggest ISP, UPC (which has bought another CATV internet provider Karneval in 2007) is providing its service in big cities (Prague, Brno, Ostrava)

Tourism

Tourists in Prague. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. Brno ( IPA:; Brünn is the second-largest City in the Czech Republic. Ostrava ( pronounced, Ostrau Ostrawa is the third largest city in the Czech Republic, however it is the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic.

Sněžka is the highest point in the Czech Republic.

Main article: Tourism in the Czech Republic

The Czech economy gets a substantial income from tourism: in 2001, the total earnings from tourism reached 118. The Czech Republic, and in particular the capital Prague, has become one of the major tourist destinations in Europe 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. ^[21]

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. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. ^[22] Most other cities in the country attract significant numbers of tourists, but the spa towns such as Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně are particularly popular holiday destinations. Karlovy Vary ( pronounced, Karlsbad also known in English as Carlsbad) is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic Mariánské Lázně (ˈmarɪjanskɛ ˈlazɲɛ Marienbad is a Spa town in the Carlsbad Region of the Czech Republic. Františkovy Lázně (ˈfrancɪʃkovɪ ˈlazɲɛ German Franzensbad) is a town in Cheb District of Karlovy Vary Region in the western Other popular tourist sites are the many castles and chateaux, such as those at Karlštejn, Konopiště and Český Krumlov. See other locations named Karlštejn. Karlštejn (Karlstein is a large Gothic Castle founded in the 14th century Konopiště is a Château ( Castle) located in the Czech Republic, about 50 km southeast of Prague, outside the city of Benešov. Český Krumlov ( pronounced; Krummau an der Moldau or Böhmisch Krummau; Kru' m' au variant is used sometimes Crumlaw is a small City Away from the towns, areas as Český ráj, Šumava and the Krkonoše Mountains attract visitors seeking outdoor pursuits. Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj is a protected landscape area located in the Czech Republic. The Bohemian Forest is a low Mountain range in Central Europe. The Karkonosze ( Polish) or Krkonoše ( Czech) also known as the Giant Mountains (Riesengebirge is a Mountain range in the

The country is also famous for its love of puppetry and marionettes. A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object — a Puppet — in real time to create the illusion of life A marionette is a Puppet controlled from above using strings a marionette's puppeteer is called a manipulator. The Pilsner style beer originated in western Bohemian city of Plzeň. Pilsner, sometimes pilsener or simply pils, is a Pale lager, developed in the 19th century in the city of Pilsen, Bohemia ( Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea

Culture

Cuisine

See also: Czech cuisine

Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (Roast pork with dumplings and cabbage)

Czech cuisine is marked by a strong emphasis on meat dishes. Czech cuisine has both influenced and been influenced by the cuisines of surrounding countries Pork is quite common, and beef and chicken are also popular. Goose, duck, rabbit and wild game are served. Fish is rare, with the occasional exception of fresh trout, and carp, which is served at Christmas. Carp is a common name for various Freshwater Fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large

Aside from Slivovitz, Czech beer and wine, Czechs also produce two uniquely Czech liquors, Fernet Stock and Becherovka. Slivovitz is a Distilled beverage made from Damson plums It is frequently called plum brandy If anyone else has a dictionary of some Slavic language Czech beer, Beer brewed in the Czech Republic, has a long and important history Many regions of the Czech Republic have large wine producing areas Fernet Stock is a herbal Bitters made in Plzeň - Božkov, Czech Republic and in Trieste, Italy. Becherovka is an herbal Bitters made in Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic, flavored with Anise seeds Cinnamon, and approximately Kofola is a non-alcoholic Czech soft drink somewhat similar in look and taste to Coca-Cola. Kofola is a carbonated Soft drink produced in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Soft drink is a beverage that does not contain Alcohol. Carbonated soft drinks are commonly known as soda soda pop pop, or Coca-Cola is a carbonated Soft drink sold in stores restaurants and Vending machines in more than 200 countries

Sport

Main article: Sport in the Czech Republic

See also: Czech Republic national football team

Sport plays a significant part in the life of many Czechs who are generally loyal supporters of their favourite teams or individuals. Sport plays a significant part in the life of many Czechs who are generally loyal supporters of their favourite teams or individuals The Czech national football team is the national football team of the Czech Republic controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic. Czechs (Češi ˈt͡ʃɛʃɪ archaic Čechové) are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic The two leading sports in the Czech Republic are football and ice hockey, both drawing the largest attention of both the media and supporters. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey, is a team Sport played on Ice. The many other sports with professional leagues and structures include basketball, volleyball, handball, athletics, floorball and others. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 active players (5 normal players and one 'libero' are separated by a net that is usually four feet Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, or Olympic handball) is a Team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six Floorball is an indoor Team sport that was developed in Sweden in the late 1970's Sport is a source of strong waves of patriotism, usually rising several days or weeks before an event and sinking several days after. Patriotism is commonly defined as love of and/or devotion to one's country The events considered the most important by Czech fans are: the Ice Hockey World Championship, Olympic Ice hockey tournament, the Euro, the football World Cup and qualification matches for such events. The Ice Hockey World Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA (the Union of European The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football In general, any international match of the Czech ice hockey or football national team draws attention, especially when played against a traditional rival: Germany in football; Russia, Sweden and Canada in ice hockey; and Slovakia in both. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million

Music

See also: Music of the Czech Republic

Music in the Czech Republic has roots both in high-culture opera and symphony and in the traditional music of Bohemia and Moravia. Music in the Czech Republic has roots both in high-culture Opera and symphony and in the Traditional music of Bohemia and Moravia. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto Traditional music is the term now used in the terminology of Grammy Awards for what used to be called " folk music " Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Moravia (Morava; Morawy Moravie Moravia is a historical region in central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, one of the former Czech lands. Cross-pollination and diversity are important aspects of Czech music: Composers were often influenced by traditional music; jazz and bluegrass music have become popular; pop music often consisted of English language hits sung in Czech.

Literature

See also: Czech literature

Czech literature is the literature of the historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and the Czech-speaking part of Silesia, (now part of the Czech Republic, formerly of Czechoslovakia). Czech literature is the Literature of the historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and the Czech-speaking part of Silesia, (now part of the Czech literature is the Literature of the historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and the Czech-speaking part of Silesia, (now part of the Literature is the Art of written works Literally translated the word means "acquaintance with letters" (from Latin littera letter Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Moravia (Morava; Morawy Moravie Moravia is a historical region in central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, one of the former Czech lands. Etymology One theory claims that the name Silesia is derived from the Silingi, who were most likely a Vandalic (East Germanic people Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This most often means literature written by Czechs, in the Czech language, although Old Church Slavonic, Latin, and German were also used, mostly in the early periods. Czechs (Češi ˈt͡ʃɛʃɪ archaic Čechové) are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the to make sure old Cyrillic letters are displayed properly (For example instead of just Ѣ write Ѣ Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Modern authors from the Czech territory who wrote in other languages (e. g. German) are generally considered separately, and their writing usually existed in parallel with Czech-language literature and did not interact with it. Thus Franz Kafka, for example, who wrote in German (though he also knew Czech rather well), falls within Austrian literature, though he lived his entire life in Bohemia. Austrian literature is the literature written in Austria which is mostly but not exclusively written in the German language.

Czech literature is divided into several main time periods: the Middle Ages; the Hussite period; the years of re-Catholicization and the baroque; the Enlightenment and Czech reawakening in the 19th century; the avantgarde of the interwar period; the years under Communism and the Prague Spring; and the literature of the post-Communist Czech Republic. Czech literature and culture played a major role on at least two occasions when Czech society lived under oppression and no political activity was possible. On both of these occasions, in the early 19th century and then again in the 1960s, the Czechs used their cultural and literary effort to create political freedom and to establish a confident, politically aware nation.

International rankings

• Human Development Index 2007: Rank 32nd out of 178 countries
• Index of Economic Freedom 2007: Rank 31st out of 157 countries
• Reporters Without Borders world-wide press freedom index 2007: Rank 14th out of 169 countries
• Global Competitiveness Report 2006: Rank 29th out of 125 countries
• Democracy Index (January 2007): Ranks 18th of 167 countries (a functioning democracy along with only 27 others)
• It was also ranked as the highest alcohol-consuming nation by The Economist in 2006. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP The Index of Economic Freedom is a series of 10 economic measurements created by the Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation to measure the degree of Economic freedom The Global Competitiveness Report is a yearly report published by the World Economic Forum. The Economist has in a study examined the state of Democracy in 167 countries and attempted to quantify this with an Economist Intelligence Unit Index of Democracy The Economist is an English-language weekly news and International affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London

See also

References

External links

• Czech Republic

Government

• Governmental website
• Presidential website
• Portal of the Public Administration

Parliament

• Chamber of Deputies
• Senate

News

• Czech News Agency news
• Prague Daily Monitor
• The Prague Tribune
• Radio Prague

Statistics

• Economic & Social Data Ranking

Travelling

• CzechTourism
• Czech Republic at Wikitravel