All about the Czech Republic. Czech Republic Czech Republic how to spell the country correctly

strong>When is the best time to go to the Czech Republic?

Yes, at least when. In the Czech Republic, the season is all year round, this is what distinguishes a city holiday from a beach holiday. In winter, Christmas (December 25) is especially beautiful, like in a fairy tale, houses are decorated, everything is illuminated, bright and colorful. In spring it begins to turn green and bloom. Easter (in April) is just as beautiful as Christmas.

Vysehrad Fortress located on a hill, distant from the center of Prague to the south. Here you can not only see a wonderful panorama overlooking the river, but also admire the architectural structures. Vysehrad is rightfully considered the first center of the Czech state, which was erected in the 10th century.

Vysehrad Fortress

Old Town Square in Prague is the center of the historical part of Prague (Stare Mesto). On the square you can see its main attractions and the facades of houses of various architectural styles - Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo. Old Town Square is mentioned in the 13th century, when a market was located on its territory.

The Old Town Hall, where the Astronomical Clock is installed, like a magnet at noon, attracting thousands of eyes to show a unique performance.

Prague Zoo. Its multiplying collection includes 2,900 animals from all over the world. The zoo's territory is 62 hectares, of which 49 are occupied by spacious enclosures. You need to set aside the whole day for the zoo. Many animals and birds are kept without cages, including monkeys!

Technical Museum in Prague . Consists of three floors. It will be very interesting for children and men. The first floor is dedicated to automobiles, from first to modern, and there is also a steam train. Bicycles and motorcycles are displayed on the second floor. The very first bicycle was wooden and without pedals. On the third floor there are diving suits for the ocean. Airplanes and airships hang between the floors. All exhibits are original and life-size, of course.

Prague Castle - residence of Czech princes, kings and Roman emperors. Currently, the president's offices are located here. For more than 1,100 years, Prague Castle has been the center of the Czech state. Having survived the glory and splendor of the royal court, periods of prosperity and decline, it is now considered the largest palace complex in Europe.

The Charles Bridge . It is impossible to visit Prague without walking along the Charles Bridge. The length of the bridge is 520 meters, and the history begins in 1380. The pedestrian bridge is decorated with ancient statues. There are many street artists on the bridge offering their work and ready to paint your portrait.

On the left is the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle on the horizon.

Karlovy Vary - the presence of several dozen mineral springs.

Medieval castles , castles, castles - they are just everywhere, on the hills, in villages, small towns.

Special rules of conduct in public places

There are no special features. The only thing is that in a bar/restaurant other guests can be seated at your table, but this is also the case in other European countries.

Features of car rental in the Czech Republic

An international license is required to drive. The traffic is on the right. But I wouldn’t recommend a car specifically for Prague: there is nowhere to park, there are a lot of pedestrians, all the attractions are concentrated in the center, you can get around everything on foot (there are a lot of walking tours offered). A friend of mine said about Prague that he had never walked so much in his life. If you drive around the suburbs, then, of course, you cannot do without a car. Transport in Prague is very developed, especially trams, they are just like spaceships.

The metro consists of two lines. Public transport runs 24 hours a day. There is a timetable at each stop. The movement strictly follows the schedule, no hour-long wait, maximum 5 minutes (at night 15 minutes). There are three types of travel cards: for 30 minutes, 1 hour and for the whole day. I still have the phrase “Pshishka instagram Namesti Republik” spinning in my head, which means the next stop is Republic Square, where we lived.

Large shopping centers in resort towns of the Czech Republic

All year round, the Fashion Arena outlet on the outskirts of the Czech capital offers discounts on fashionable clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry, household goods and even sweets. A free bus runs to it from the Depo Hostivař metro station every half hour.

In the old pedestrian part of the Czech capital on Republic Square is the largest shopping center in Prague, the Palladium. It occupies all five floors of the ancient building, including underground ones. More than two hundred shops, boutiques, dozens of restaurants and cafes are ready to welcome guests of Prague and residents of the Czech capital.

Globus is a large shopping center popular with both residents and guests of Karlovy Vary. The store is located about 20 minutes from the city center. You can get here by city bus No. 1, which runs every 30 minutes.

National dishes of the Czech Republic

Soups are prepared in different ways and served in a loaf of bread. You need to eat quickly, otherwise the broth will be absorbed into the bread.

Dumplings made from regular or potato flour. Cook strictly by steaming, then cut and serve as a side dish. Dumplings complement meat dishes with thick sauce; they are dipped in it and then eaten. There are many recipes for dumplings; they often add fillings, such as liver, onion, meat or even cabbage. Fruits are placed in sweet ones, cheese and sugar are sprinkled on top.

Boar's knee(pork knee) is a Czech brand. The drumstick is first soaked in a beer marinade, then boiled, and smoked over a fire right before serving. It is a very filling dish, and one person usually cannot eat it. We took it twice and didn’t finish it both times, it was too much. But the crust is so crispy, just mmm, I had to grab a piece from my opponent with a fork.

Czech Republic - the most detailed information about the country with photos. Sights, cities of the Czech Republic, climate, geography, population and culture.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a small state in Central Europe. This is one of the most distinctive and attractive countries of the European Union for tourists with a rich history, many interesting sights, castles and cultural monuments. The Czech Republic borders on Poland in the north, Germany in the west and northwest, Slovakia in the east, and Austria in the south. It is a parliamentary republic. The official language is Czech.

What comes to mind when we talk about the Czech Republic? These are the Gothic spiers of Prague and Prague streets, this is the ancient Charles Bridge across the Vltava, these are hundreds of castles and churches in cozy old towns, this is excellent beer and delicious food. All this is true, but there is something more. The Czech Republic is an atmosphere of calm and silence, the cordiality and unhurriedness of the local people, the pace of life, beautiful natural landscapes: leisurely rivers, fields and picturesque wooded hills. Interestingly, the country is also one of the safest in Europe and has one of the lowest levels of corruption.

The country is located almost in the center of the former Austria-Hungary - in the past it was one of the largest and most powerful states in Europe. The Czech Republic occupies the historical regions of Moravia, Bohemia and part of Silesia. The turbulent past has left a colossal historical legacy, and low prices for food and hotels make the Czech Republic one of the cheapest countries in Europe for tourists.

Helpful information

1. The official language is Czech.
2. Currency - Czech crown.
3. Visa - Schengen.
4. The capital is Prague.
5. Population - 10.5 million people.
6. Area - 78.9 thousand square meters. km
7. The standard of living is high.
8. In the Czech Republic, Central European time is UTC +1.
9. Driving in the Czech Republic is on the right. The speed limit in populated areas is 50 km, outside the city - 90 km, on highways - 130 km. When driving on motorways, you need to buy a vignette. The consumption of alcohol by drivers is strictly prohibited. Car headlights should always be on. From November to the end of March, all cars must be driven on winter tires.
10. High season - May, July, August. Low - January, February.
11. Stores are open from 9.00 to 17.00 on weekdays. In large cities, shops are open until 20.00 and even on weekends. Shopping centers and large supermarkets are open from 9.00 to 21.00. Museums and attractions are often closed on Sundays.
12. The kitchen in restaurants and cafes is usually open until 21.00 - 22.00. Tips are not included in the bill and amount to 5-10% of the bill.

Geography and nature

Despite its small size, the Czech Republic is a geographically diverse country. Here you can find mountains and hills covered with forests, fields and plains. The country is landlocked. The western and eastern parts are mostly hilly and mountainous. The central one is predominantly hilly plain. The highest peak is Mount Snezka (1602 m).

Several fairly large rivers flow through the territory of the Czech Republic - the Vltava, Odra, Laba, Morava. The nature of the Czech Republic is very picturesque - hills and low mountains covered with deciduous and coniferous forests interspersed with agricultural land. Castles and fortresses rise on high hills and cliffs - a legacy of the past. Roe deer and deer graze in the fields, running away as soon as you stop.

Best time to visit

The Czech Republic can be visited all year round. The most comfortable time is from May to September. Atmospheric in the Czech Republic during the Christmas holidays. The low season lasts from January to March.

Climate

The climate of the Czech Republic is moderate, with warm but not hot summers and fairly mild winters. The four seasons are clearly defined. Spring is cool with an average temperature of 8-12 degrees. Precipitation is 150-200 mm. Summer is warm with a fairly comfortable temperature of 15-20 degrees. Hot weather doesn't happen often. But it gets cold often. Therefore, when visiting the Czech Republic in summer, we recommend taking light jackets with you. The most precipitation falls in summer. Autumn is quite warm with an average temperature of about 10 degrees. Winter lasts from December to February. The temperature is kept around zero degrees. There are both thaws and frosts.

Winter in the mountains of the Czech Republic

Story

The historical name of the Czech Republic is Bohemia. This territory includes several historical regions - Bohemia, Moravia and part of Silesia.

Human settlements on the territory of the Czech Republic existed back in the Stone Age. At the beginning of our era, Germanic tribes lived here. The Slavs came to these lands in the 6th century. There is a well-known legend about three Slavic brother leaders - Ruse, Lyakh and Czech. Each of them became the founder of the people. Although the etymology of the name of the country and people still causes controversy among scientists.

The unification of the Czech Slavs and the creation of the Czech state dates back to the 9th-10th century. Initially the center was Budec. In the 10th century, the center of the state moved towards modern Prague. At this time, the Vysehrad fortress and Prague Castle were founded. Czechs were baptized in the 9th century.

The Czech Principality gained independence under the first Přemyslids. From the 11th to the 14th centuries, the Czech Republic was under the rule of the Frankish emperors. In 1241, the united Czech army successfully repelled the Mongol invasion.

The main flourishing of the Czech Republic and Prague in the Middle Ages occurred during the time of the legendary King Charles IV. Karl not only expanded the Czech lands, but also developed agriculture and winemaking, began construction of the famous bridge across the Vltava in Prague, founded the University, Karlstejn Castle, St. Vita. Charles also issued a law on succession to the throne - when the eldest son inherits the throne. A woman can become head of state only if there are no male descendants.

The development of the Czech Republic was suspended in the 15th century. This process and loss of independence was provoked by the Hussite movement, which arose at the beginning of the 15th century. Despite the fact that Jan Hus (one of their leaders) was burned as a heretic, the Hussite War broke out. After it, first came the time of monarchless rule. Later, the Czech state lost its independence and became part of the Habsburg possessions. The Czech Republic remained under their control until 1918.

After the end of the First World War, the country gained independence. A new state is formed - Czechoslovakia. Masaryk becomes the first president. Czechoslovakia existed until 1993.

In 1939, the country was occupied by German troops. Liberated in 1945 by the Red Army. After the war, the Czech Republic was part of the socialist camp under the influence of the USSR.

In 1989, after the Velvet Revolution, Soviet troops left the Czech Republic. In 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two independent states. Since 1999, the Czech Republic has joined NATO, and since 2004 - the EU.

Administrative division

The Czech Republic consists of a capital and 13 regions. The regions are divided into districts (okres) and statutory cities (district centers).

• Central Bohemia - includes the capital - Prague, Kutna Hora.
• Western Bohemia (Pilsen and) is a wooded and mountainous area, picturesque nature, resorts and excellent beer.
• Northern Bohemia (Liberec and Ústí nad Labem) is a mountainous and industrial region.
• Eastern Bohemia (Hradec Králové and Pardubice) - the Krkonose mountain range and the highest peak in the Czech Republic - Mount Snezka.
• Southern Bohemia (Ceske Budejovice) - hills and forests, the upper reaches of the Vltava.
• North Moravia (Ostrava and) is an industrial region. Although you can find beautiful nature and interesting sights here.
• South Moravia (Brno) - hills and forests, agricultural land and wine production. These are the warmest regions of the Czech Republic.

Population

The population of the Czech Republic is more than 10 million people. Considering the area of ​​the country, it can be classified as densely populated. About 95% of the population are ethnic Czechs. Large diasporas are Ukrainians, Russians, Slovaks, Vietnamese, Germans.

The official language is Czech, which belongs to the West Slavic group of languages. Czechs can easily understand Slovaks and vice versa. Also, the Czech language has common roots and words with other Slavic languages ​​- Russian, Polish, Ukrainian. The Czech language has a large number of colorful words: lepidlo - glue, letushka - flight attendant, letadlo - airplane. The stress is almost always on the first syllable.

The Czechs themselves are calm, welcoming, polite people. They respect traditions, are reasonable and unhurried.

Transport

Located almost in the center of Europe, the Czech Republic has good transport accessibility.

International airports are located in Prague (the largest in the country), Brno, Ostrava, Karlovy Vary and Pardubice.

The main means of transportation around the country are trains, buses and cars. It is worth noting that the condition and quality of roads in the Czech Republic lags behind neighboring Austria and Germany. Although the country has highways that connect major cities and neighboring countries and pass near Prague, Pilsen, Brno and Ostrava.

Accommodation

Accommodation in the Czech Republic is much cheaper than, for example, in Germany and Austria. A double room in a three-star hotel with breakfast can be found for 30-50 euros even in Prague. Of course, it all depends on the location of the hotel (logically, the closer to the center, the more expensive), season, etc. Large cities usually have a wide range of accommodation options, from hostels to luxury hotels. It is better to take care of accommodation in high season in advance. Rooms in Czech hotels are usually quite clean and very simple.

Kitchen

Czech cuisine is very high in calories. Traditional dishes: voles (various soups), chesnechka (garlic soup), boar's knee (pork), meat dishes (mainly pork, beef, chicken, duck) with dumplings, fish dishes (carp), fried cheese (Hermelin), seasonal vegetables (greens), potatoes (bramborak) and, of course, beer. In restaurants, food is usually prepared until 21.00-22.00. Tips are not included in the bill. If you liked the food and service, you can leave 5-10% of the bill.

Beer is the special pride of the Czech Republic and its main drink. It is one of the best in the world here. At the same time, beer is often the cheapest drink and often cheaper than Coca-Cola. Beer brands such as Krusovice, Budweiser, Pilsner, Radegast, Bernard, Gambrinus are brewed here. There are also a huge number of small breweries. Beer is usually differentiated into light (light) and dark (tmave). Dark beer has a richer taste.

Cities of the Czech Republic

The most popular and beautiful city in the Czech Republic is the capital - Prague. It is often called the “city of a hundred spiers” and “golden”. Prague is located almost in the center of the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the country. The historical center of the city is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and such sights as Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town Square and Tyn Temple, Vysehrad are real symbols of the country.

Brno

Second in importance and size is the capital of Moravia - Brno, which has a compact and beautiful old town and has long competed with Prague economically and culturally.

Nearby is the student town of Olomouc, which is often called “little Prague”. The city has wonderful architecture and many interesting sights (one of them is included in the UNESCO list).

To the north is the industrial capital of the Czech Republic and one of its largest cities - Ostrava.

Not far from Prague is the small town of Kutná Hora with several famous attractions (ossuary, St. Barbara's Cathedral).

In the west, the famous Czech resort Karlovy Vary stands out. And in the northwest is Liberec.

The main city in the south is České Budejovice, with a wonderful old center. Not far from it is one of the most beautiful towns in the Czech Republic, the old town of which is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Sights of the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a country rich in sights and monuments of history and culture. Despite their turbulent past, the Czechs managed to preserve their historical heritage.

Listing the interesting sights of the Czech Republic could take a whole book, so we will limit ourselves to the most iconic ones.

In Prague, the most famous landmarks are Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town Square and Vysehrad.

In Kutna Hora, UNESCO sites: the beautiful Gothic Cathedral of St. Barbarians and the gloomy Ossuary.

In Olomouc - this is one of the most significant monuments of the Czech Baroque, the Column of the Holy Trinity.

One big attraction is the town of Cesky Krumlov in the south of the Czech Republic.

Among the natural beauties, the Bohemian Paradise Nature Reserve, the Krkonose and Šumava National Park, and the Macocha Gorge occupy a prominent place.

There are many beautiful castles on the territory of Chekhov. Here, almost every ancient town has mighty fortresses or romantic ruins. Many castles are well preserved and can tell us a lot about the history and culture of the past.

• Prague Castle
• Karlstein
• Pernstein
• Loket
• Hluboka nad Vltavou
• Blatna
• Bouzov
• Orlik nad Vltavou
• Zvikov
• Kokorzhin
• Křivoklat
• Miller
• Mikulov

The number of foreign tourists who come to the Czech Republic is increasing every year. Many tourists who have visited the Czech Republic once return there again and again. People fall in love with this country at first sight, and this love can last a lifetime. Tourists come to the Czech Republic for unique historical and architectural monuments, magnificent nature, real Czech beer, balneological and ski resorts.

Geography of the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is located in Central Europe. In the east, the Czech Republic borders on Slovakia, in the west on Germany, on the south on Austria, and on the north on Poland. The total area of ​​this country is 78,866 square meters. km, and the total length of the state border is 2,310 km.

In the west of the country in Bohemia there are low mountains - the Giant Mountains, which are structurally part of the Sudetenland massif. It is in the Giant Mountains that the highest Czech peak is located - Mount Snezka (1,602 m). In the east of the country in Moravia, the area is hilly with low mountains.

Several large rivers flow through the territory of the Czech Republic - the Elbe, Vltava, Morava, and Odra. Some Czech rivers are an important part of the local national parks Krkonoše, Šumava, Podja, and “Czech Switzerland”.

Capital

The capital of the Czech Republic is Prague, which is now home to about 1.3 million people. Archaeologists believe that the first Slavic settlement on the territory of modern Prague appeared in the 6th century AD.

Official language

The official language in the Czech Republic is Czech, which belongs to the subgroup of West Slavic languages.

Religion

About 30% of the Czech population are Catholics (Roman Catholic Church). Another 2% of Czechs are Protestants, and more than 32% of the Czech population do not believe in God.

Government structure of the Czech Republic

According to the 1990 Constitution, the Czech Republic is a parliamentary republic in which the President is the formal head of state, but his powers are significantly limited. The Prime Minister has significant powers, however, he is appointed by the President and approved by Parliament.

Legislative power belongs to the bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Poslanecká sněmovna (200 deputies) and the Senate (81 people).

Until 2013, the President of the Czech Republic was elected by the country's Parliament, but now this happens by universal popular vote.

Climate and weather

The climate in the Czech Republic is temperate continental with fairly hot summers and cold snowy winters. In the west of the country the average annual air temperature is +7C, and in southern Moravia - +9C. In Prague in July the air temperature can reach +33C, and in the west of the country in February it can drop to -17C.

There is a lot of snow in the Czech mountains in winter, which guarantees a long ski season.

Average air temperature in the Czech Republic:

• January - -3C
• February - -2C
• March - +3C<
• April - +8C
• May - +13C
• June - +16C
• July - +18C
• August - +17C
• September - +14C
• October - +8C
• November - +3C
• December - -1C

Rivers and lakes

Several large rivers flow through the territory of the Czech Republic - the Elbe, Vltava, Morava, and Odra. In addition, there are many natural small lakes in the Czech Republic, as well as about 150 artificial lakes.

Story

Around the 4th century BC. Celtic tribes settled on the territory of modern Czech Republic, but after several centuries they were displaced by Germanic tribes. The Slavs appeared in the Czech Republic at the end of the 5th century AD.

In the 9th century, the heyday of the Czech Republic began, which was associated with the reign of the Přemyslid dynasty. The Czech state managed to actually maintain independence, although it was a vassal of the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1085, the Czech prince Vratislav was granted the right to use the royal title by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. However, the independence of the Kingdom of Bohemia was declared only in 1212.

From 1419 to 1436, the religious Hussite wars continued in the Czech Republic, as a result of which the Hussite religion was recognized by Catholics as one of the religions in this country.

Since 1526, the Habsburgs became kings of the Czech Republic, and thus this country became part of the Holy Roman Empire. By the way, the Czech Republic was part of Austria until 1918.

After the end of the First World War in October 1918, a single state was formed from the Czech Republic and Slovakia - Czechoslovakia.

As a result, the so-called In the Munich Agreement of 1939, Czechoslovakia was occupied by German troops. The Germans turned the Czech Republic into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

After the end of World War II, socialist Czechoslovakia was formed. In 1968, the Warsaw Pact countries were forced to send troops into Czechoslovakia to support the socialist system there.

In November 1989, the so-called The Velvet Revolution, which removed the Communist Party from power. Vaclav Havel became the President of Czechoslovakia.

On January 1, 1993, two new independent states appeared on the political map of the world - Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

In 1999, the Czech Republic became a member of the NATO military bloc, and in 2004 it was admitted to the EU.

Czech culture

Czechs are proud of their traditions, and carefully pass them on from generation to generation. Thus, in one of the Moravian villages of Vlchnov, the “Ride of Kings” holiday is still held every year, during which local boys and teenagers ride horses decorated with multi-colored ribbons throughout the area. At the same time, the riders themselves are dressed in traditional folk costumes. The boy king is guarded by two bodyguards with sabers.

The fact is that in the Middle Ages, local princes often traveled to Moravia (and in the vicinity of the village of Vlčnovo), who were real kings for the peasants.

Czechs love to celebrate Walpurgis Night (from April 30 to May 1). Czechs sometimes call this holiday “Witch Burning Night.” Of course, no one has burned witches in the Czech Republic for many centuries. Nowadays, to maintain this ancient custom, Czechs set fire to brooms and throw them into the air (to see how witches used to fly in the air).

Czechs believe that at midnight on May 1st, treasures can be found. However, at this time the forces of evil are capable of harming a person. Therefore, treasure seekers on the night of May 1 need to have a fern leaf on their head (on their face).

Czech cuisine

In recent years, the Czech Republic has begun to pay more attention to healthy eating and various new recipes. However, traditional Czech food recipes are still very popular in the Czech Republic.

• “bramborová polevka” - potato soup;
• “zelná polevka” - sauerkraut soup;
• “kuřecí polevka” - chicken noodle soup;
• “hovězí guláš s knedlíkem” - beef goulash with dumplings;
• “pečené kuře s brambory” - fried chicken with potatoes;
• “knedlíky” - dumplings are made with a variety of fillings;
• “jablečný závin” - apple strudel;
• Medovník" - cake with honey.

The traditional Czech alcoholic drink is beer. As in some other European countries, beer in the Czech Republic began to be brewed in the early Middle Ages in monasteries. Now Czech beer is famous throughout the world.

Sights of the Czech Republic

For lovers of attractions, the Czech Republic is an ideal country. There are many different attractions in the Czech Republic, and it is difficult for us to choose the best of them. However, in our opinion, the top ten best attractions in the Czech Republic include the following:

Cities and resorts of the Czech Republic

The largest cities in the Czech Republic are Brno, Pilsen, Ostrava, and, of course, Prague.

The Czech Republic is known for its ski resorts with well-developed skiing infrastructure. The most popular Czech ski resorts are Harrachov, Jablonec nad Jizerou, Rokytnice nad Jizerou, Spindleruv Mlyn, Pec pod Snezkou, Hruby Jesenik, Velke Losiny, Bozi Dar, and Liberec. Thanks to the large amount of snow, the ski season in the Czech Republic lasts from December to April.

Tourists come to the Czech Republic not only to admire the sights of this country and ski at local ski resorts. There are a large number of mineral springs in the Czech Republic, and, as a result, tourists also come to this country very often for balneological resorts. Karlovy Vary has a reputation as a world-class balneological resort.

Other popular Czech balneological resorts are Marianske Lazne, Františkové Lazne, Jáchymov, Teplice, Luhačovice, and Poděbrady.

Souvenirs/shopping

Official country name: Czech Republic

National flag: stripes of white and red with a blue triangle.

National holiday- October 28 - withdrawal from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the founding of the independent state of the Czech Republic.

Capital of the Czech Republic - Prague, with a population of more than 1,250,000 people.

Largest cities in the Czech Republic:

• Brno - about 390,000 inhabitants;
• Ostrava - about 330,000 inhabitants;
• Pilsen - about 175,000 inhabitants;
• Olomouc - about 106,000 inhabitants;
• Ústí nad Labem - about 106,000 inhabitants;
• Liberec - about 104,000 inhabitants.

Population of the Czech Republic - about 11 million people.
National composition - 81.3% Czechs, 13.7% residents of Moravia and Silesia, 3.1% Slovaks, 0.6% Poles, 0.5% Germans, 0.3% Gypsies, 0.2% Hungarians.
Official language: Czech, which belongs to a group of West Slavic languages ​​related to Russian.
Territory: 78,864 sq. km
Geographically, the Czech Republic is located in the central part of the European continent. Between the cities of Pilsen and Cheb there is even a granite obelisk with the inscription “Center of Europe”.
It borders: in the north - with Poland, in the east - with Slovakia, in the south - with Austria and in the west - with Germany.
The Czech Republic includes the historical regions of Moravia, Bohemia and Silesia, which are distinguished by their unusually beautiful landscape. Low mountain ranges stretch along all the borders of the Czech Republic.
The largest river in the Czech Republic is the Vltava, which is 440 km long.
Administrative division - 73 regions and 4 municipalities.
The country has a long and rich history.
The first Czech state arose already at the end of the 9th century, when the process of unification of Slavic tribes began on the territory of the Czech Republic. Despite its rather turbulent history, often associated with wars, both medieval and modern, about 2,500 ancient castles and towns have survived to this day in the Czech Republic.
According to its political structure, the Czech Republic is a parliamentary republic. The highest official in the Czech Republic is the President of the Republic, elected by parliament for a term of 5 years (since February 1993 - Vaclav Havel, re-elected in 1998, next elections in 2003).
The President approves the composition of the Czech government proposed by the Chamber of Deputies.
The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.
Both chambers are directly elected by the people.
Deputies are elected for 4 years, and senators for 6 years, while every 2 years 1/3 of the senators are re-elected.
Citizens of the Czech Republic over 18 years of age have the right to vote. Citizens of the Czech Republic from 21 years of age have the right to be elected to parliament, and from 40 years of age to the Senate.
In populated areas, elections of local councils (representative bodies) and elders (in large populated areas they are called “primators”) are also held every 4 years.
The highest executive body is the government. The head of government is the Prime Minister (currently Milos Zeman).
In 1995, the Czech Republic became a member of the international organization for economic cooperation and development.
Since the autumn of 1997, active preparations have been underway for accession to the European Union.
On March 12, 1999, the Czech Republic joined NATO.

Czech Republic\Geography

The Czech Republic is located in the very center of Central Europe.
In the north it borders with Poland (border length 658 km), in the north and west with Germany (border length 646 km), in the south - with Austria (border length 362 km), in the east - with Slovakia (border length 214 km .).
The total length of the border is 1,880 km.
The total area of ​​the country is about 80,000 square meters. km.
The country's territory includes the historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, characterized by a varied landscape.
Low mountain ranges stretch along almost all the borders of the Czech Republic. The Giant Mountains extend for 40 km. across Bohemia, creating a natural border between the Czech Republic and Poland. The highest peak is Snezka (1602 m). Several other peaks exceed 1500 m.
In the north and northwest, the Ore Mountains represent a natural border.
The second highest mountain range in the Czech Republic is Hrubý Jesenik, the highest point being Praded Peak (1491 m), located in northern Moravia.
The third highest mountain range in the Czech Republic is Šumava, the highest point is Plechy Peak (1373 m). Šumava extends for 125 km. into southwestern Bohemia and creates a natural border with Germany.
Inside this peculiar ring there are two large lowlands - the Polabskaya in the northwest and the Morava River valley (part of the Middle Danube Plain) in the southeast. Between them is the low (up to 836 m) Bohemian-Moravian Upland.
Main rivers: Vltava (length 440 km), Morava, Laba (Elbe), Oder.
The Czech Republic is not very rich in mineral resources. On its territory there are reserves of coal, various types of clay used for the production of ceramics and bricks, as well as reserves of building stone, deposits of semi-precious stones (garnets, agates). Deposits of glass sands, used in the manufacture of famous Czech glass and crystal, are of great importance.
In the depths of the country there is a large amount of medicinal mineral waters, which became the reason for the development of resorts.
Climate
The climate of the Czech Republic is temperate continental, and the continental nature of the climate intensifies in the easterly direction.
The ruggedness of the relief has a significant influence on the climate of individual regions. The differences in summer temperatures are especially great. So, if in the Danube and Potis lowlands the average July temperature reaches 20 degrees, then in the elevated regions of the Czech Massif it does not exceed 13-15 degrees.
The average January temperature drops to - 7-8 degrees in the mountains; on the plains and hills it is - 2-4 degrees.
In general, in most parts of the country, precipitation falls annually from 500 to 700 mm. precipitation.
Vegetable world
The mountains are dominated by coniferous-forested vegetation. On flat terrain, deciduous forests of oak, beech, ash, and maple are more common.
Animal world
Among the representatives of the relatively poor fauna one can distinguish the brown bear, fox, wild boar, wolf, and chamois.

Czech Republic\Public administration

The Czech Republic is a presidential republic.
The head of state is the president (since February 1993 - Vaclav Havel, re-elected in 1998).
The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The President is elected for a term of five years by a joint session of both houses of Parliament. Continuous tenure as President of the Czech Republic can be no more than two consecutive terms.
He has the right to veto any decree passed by parliament, with the exception of constitutional decrees.
Legislative power belongs to the Parliament, which consists of 2 chambers - the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Parliament approves all decrees that are in force on the territory of the Czech Republic, authorizes the most important acts of the state such as declaring war or approving the deployment of foreign armies on Czech territory.
The Chamber of Deputies has 200 representatives who are elected for a term of four years. The President may dissolve the Chamber of Deputies in cases specified by the constitution.
The Senate consists of 81 senators who are elected to six-year terms. One third of the Senate is re-elected every two years. The Senate cannot be dissolved. Elections to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are held by closed ballots based on general, equal and direct voting.
The Chamber of Deputies is elected on the basis of proportional representation. Political parties must receive at least five percent of the popular vote to win seats in the House.
The Senate is elected by majority vote. All citizens of the Czech Republic who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote.
Candidates for the Chamber of Deputies must be at least 21 years old, while candidates for the Senate must be at least 40 years old.
The highest executive body is the government. It consists of the Prime Minister and ministers coordinating the activities of ministries and central bodies of public administration throughout the state. The government has exclusive legislative initiative within the state budget.
There are more than 80 political parties and movements in the country. There are more than 200 youth organizations.
The Supreme Audit Organization is an independent control agency that implements the use of state property and the implementation of the state budget. This organization reviews the way the state budget of the Czech Republic is created and used.
The Czech National Bank is the central State Bank of the Czech Republic. The main goal of the bank is to preserve and stabilize the purchasing power of the currency and, in fulfilling this goal, the bank does not depend on the Cabinet of the Czech Government. The president and executive bodies of the bank are appointed by the head of state.
The Constitutional Court is founded to protect constitutional rights. The court consists of 15 judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate for a term of ten years.
The Supreme Court is the highest legal authority on all matters within the jurisdiction of the courts.

Czech Republic\Population

The population of the Czech Republic at the beginning of 2001 is about 10,272,000 people, which is 0.08% less than in the previous year.

Average life expectancy in 2000 was:

• for men - 71 years old,
• for women - 78 years.

The infant mortality rate is 5.6%, 1% less than in 1999, which is one of the lowest levels in Europe.

By ethnic composition:

• Czechs - 81.2%,
• Moravians - 13.2%,
• Slovaks - 3.1%,
• Poles - 0.6%,
• Germans - 0.5%,
• Silesians - 0.4%,
• gypsies - 0.3%,
• Hungarians - 0.2%,
• other ethnic groups - 0.5%.

Population density - 130 people. per sq. km.

The working-age population is 5,389,000 people, the unemployment rate is 9%.

33.1% of the working population is employed in industry, 6.9% in agriculture, 9.1% in construction, 7.2% in the transport sector, and 43.7% in the service sector.

The most common languages ​​are Czech and Slovak, which belong to the Western Slavic language group.

75% of the population lives in cities, including:

• in Prague - about 1,300,000,
• in Brno - 390,000,
• in Ostrava - 330,000,
• in Pilsen - 175,000.

In recent years, immigration from the republics of the former Soviet Union has become a big problem for the Czech Republic. Moreover, the bulk of those arriving are illegal immigrants. Their number, according to various estimates, is about 3-4% of the general population. This influx of immigrants, who compete with the native population in the labor market, and the growth of organized crime associated with immigrants, led to a tightening of the state's immigration policy.
In 1999, a new law on the stay of foreigners in the Czech Republic was adopted (came into force on January 1, 2000), according to which, in particular, a foreigner can receive a permanent residence permit in the Czech Republic after 10 years of residence in the country upon fulfillment of a number of conditions. In addition, it contains a number of other fairly strict restrictions on the stay of foreigners. This law caused a negative reaction from the European Commission of Human Rights.
Currently, the Czech Parliament has prepared amendments to this law, which will somewhat soften the requirements for travelers to the country. They will come into force in mid-2001.

Czech Republic\Religion

The Czech Republic is a secular republic.
The history of the Czech Republic as an independent state is dramatic. It lost its sovereignty for a long time as a result of joining stronger states that imposed their religion on it, which ultimately led to the fact that the Czech Republic is the most atheistic state in Europe. According to a survey by the world's largest sociological service, Gallup International, 55% of the Czech population does not consider itself a member of any Church. The Czech Republic ranks 2nd in the world and 1st in Europe in terms of the share of atheists out of 60 countries where the survey was conducted.
27.1% of Czech residents, according to a 1991 pan-European survey, trust the church - this is the lowest figure among all European countries (and almost half as much as in neighboring Slovakia).
The main denomination in terms of the number of believers is the Catholic Church - 86.6% of the total number of believers.
Catholicism finally took shape as a creed after the division of churches in 1054. The Catholic Church is strictly centralized, has a single center in the Vatican State, a single head - the Pope, a strict church hierarchy and discipline. Catholics recognize (unlike Protestants) as the source of their doctrine not only the Holy Scripture, but also the Holy Tradition, which in Catholicism (unlike Orthodoxy) includes the decrees of the ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church and the judgments of the popes. The clergy in Catholicism takes a vow of celibacy. A feature of Catholicism is also the veneration of the Mother of God, the recognition of the dogmas of her immaculate conception and bodily ascension, and the addition of the filioque to the creed (from the Latin Filioque - “and from the son”). An addition made in the 7th century by the Western Christian Church to the Christian Creed of the 4th century in the dogma of the Trinity: the procession of the Holy Spirit not only from God the Father, but also from the Son. The Filioque was not accepted by the Orthodox Church, which later served as one of the reasons for the division of churches. Thus, the Catholic Church maintains that the Holy Spirit comes from “the Father and the Son.” The Orthodox Church believes that the Holy Spirit carries out the will of only God the Father, the dogma of purgatory.
The second largest number of believers is Protestantism - 11.1% of the total number of believers.
Of these, about 7%, according to the latest data, belong to the Hussites, Evangelical Reformers - 4%, Lutherans - 0.1%.
Protestantism is a collection of numerous and independent churches and sects, connected only by their origin. The emergence of Protestantism is associated with the Reformation, a powerful anti-Catholic movement in the 16th century in Europe. In 1526, the Speyer Reichstag, at the request of the German Lutheran princes, adopted a resolution on the right of everyone to choose a religion for themselves and their subjects. The Second Reichstag of Speyr in 1529 overturned this decree. In response, there was a protest from the five princes and a number of imperial cities, from which the term “Protestantism” comes. Protestantism shares Christian ideas about the existence of God, his trinity, the immortality of the soul, hell and heaven, however, rejecting the Catholic idea of ​​purgatory. At the same time, Protestantism put forward three new principles: salvation by personal faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the exclusive authority of the Holy Scriptures. The clergyman is deprived of the right to confess and absolve sins; he is accountable to the Protestant community. In Protestantism, many sacraments have been abolished (with the exception of baptism and communion), and celibacy is absent. Houses of worship have been cleared of altars, icons, statues, and bells. There are no monasteries or monasticism. Worship in Protestantism is simplified as much as possible and reduced to preaching, prayer and singing psalms and hymns in the native language. The Bible is recognized as the only source of doctrine, and sacred tradition is rejected.
A feature of the religious life of the Czech Republic is the Czech Reformed Church (Hussite). Supporters of the Reformation in the Czech Republic and Slovenia in the 1st half of the 15th century were participants in the Hussite movement and followers of Jan Hus and other popular preachers.
It was formed as an independent confession in 1920 after a break with the Pope. In 1920, Rome was adamant in condemning Jan Hus and his teachings, which served as a signal for the formation of the Hussite church immediately after Czechoslovakia gained independence. Now many Czech Catholics are coming to the conclusion that it is necessary to canonize Hus in order to preserve and increase the influence of the Catholic Church.
The Czech Orthodox Church, to which 1.7% of the total number of believers belongs, is part of the Churches of Ecumenical Orthodoxy (Ecumenical Orthodoxy is a collection of local Churches that have the same dogmas and a similar canonical structure, recognize each other’s sacraments and are in communion), founded on the territory of the Czech Republic (in Moravia) in 863 through the work of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius. After their death, Orthodoxy remained only within the Mukachevo diocese, but in 1649 this diocese also entered into a union with the Catholic Church. Only in 1920, thanks to the Serbian initiative, Orthodox parishes of Serbian jurisdiction again arose in the Carpathians. After World War II, they turned to the Moscow Patriarchate for help and were organized first into an exarchate, and from 1951 into the Autocephalous (independent) Czechoslovak Orthodox Church.
Orthodoxy arose on the territory of the Byzantine Empire. Initially, it did not have a church center, since the church power of Byzantium was concentrated in the hands of four patriarchs: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. As the Byzantine Empire collapsed, each of the ruling patriarchs headed an independent (autocephalous) Orthodox Church. The most important postulates of the Orthodox faith are the dogmas of the trinity of God, the incarnation of God, the atonement, the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. It is believed that dogmas are not subject to change and clarification, not only in content, but also in form. Orthodoxy is characterized by a complex, detailed cult. Worship services are longer than in other Christian denominations and include a large number of rituals. The main worship service in Orthodoxy is the liturgy. The main holiday is Easter. Worship services are conducted in national languages; Some faiths also use dead languages. The clergy in Orthodoxy is divided into white (married parish priests) and black (monastics who take a vow of celibacy). There are male and female monasteries. Only a monk can become a bishop.

Czech Republic \Politics

Until 1989, there were two ruling parties in Czechoslovakia: the Communist Party and the National Front.
On November 17, 1989, the Velvet Revolution began in Czechoslovakia when students gathered to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Jan Opletal, a student killed by the Nazis. The student demonstration led to the start of a strike, which in turn led to the founding of the Civic Forum, a social movement that united all opposition movements in Czechoslovakia. The future president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel, was at that moment the recognized leader of the dissident movement.
The "Civil Forum" became a political body that won the next elections. It became the basis for the formation of all the main political parties in today's Czech Republic.
On November 29, 1989, the Czechoslovak parliament abolished the constitutional article on the leading role of the Communist Party in society.
On January 1, 1993, the Czech Republic becomes an independent parliamentary republic.
The president in the Czech Republic is elected by parliament; only the person who receives a majority of votes in each chamber can become president.
On December 29, 1989, Vaclav Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia; in 1989-1993 he was president of the Czechoslovak Federation, and since 1993 of the Czech Republic.
Vaclav Havel - playwright, philosopher, dissident, was born on October 6, 1936 into one of the richest families of the first ("bourgeois") Czechoslovak Republic. In the early 60s, he became a well-known playwright in the theater community, performed in the samizdat press, and after 1968 he became one of the leaders of the dissident movement in Czechoslovakia. He was arrested several times and spent several years in prison. One of the creators of the platform for independent thinking - Charter 77, which was signed by 241 people.
There are currently two ruling parties in the Czech Republic: social democratic and civil democratic. In the 2000 elections. The Social Democratic Party has surpassed the Civic Democratic Party in popularity.
According to the Constitution, the Senate, the upper house of the Czech Parliament, does not control the activities of the government.
The majority of senatorial seats following the Senate elections in November 2000 belonged to the so-called “Coalition of Four” - a coalition of opposition parties - the Freedom Union, the Christian Democrats, the Civil Democratic Alliance and the Democratic Union.
As a result of the disappointment of some part of society in economic and democratic reforms, the Communist Party of the Czech Republic strengthened its position: in polls in the last months of 2000, it held the sympathy of 20% of the population.
The only parliamentary religious party - the Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party - has only 20 seats out of 200 in parliament, second even to the Communist Party, which is not particularly influential in the Czech Republic. The Christian Democrats maintain influence in the Czech Republic through their 1992 merger with the Czechoslovak People's Party, which existed from 1918 to 1938 and was part of the National Front from 1948 to 1989.
There is an Ecological Party in the Czech Republic, and its radical part is especially active. In addition to its annual struggle against the Temelín nuclear power plant, the largest demonstrations against transnational corporations in Eastern Europe took place, resulting in street clashes with the police.
Currently, there are more than 80 different parties and about 200 youth organizations in the Czech Republic.
Article 3 of the 1992 Constitution of the Czech Republic states that the “Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms” is part of the constitutional order of the Czech Republic.
The principle that allows everyone to do everything that is not prohibited by law is written down in Part 4 of Article 2 of the 1992 Czech Constitution.
In the Czech Republic, the law on lustration (the law on the crime of the communist regime) has been adopted and is in force. Czech President Vaclav Havel refused to sign the extension. However, this refusal was overcome by a qualified majority of the Czech parliament, after which the law came into force. In the years since the Velvet Revolution, there has not been a single case when a former functionary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia became a government official.
The European Commission concluded that Czech legislation is not in compliance with the so-called axis, that is, the set of European norms that act as “umbrella norms” in the countries of the European Union. One of the comments about the Czech Republic is the presence of a lustration law.
The results of a sociological study conducted by the Sofres-Factum agency in April 2000 showed that 53.5% of respondents voted for Havel's early resignation.
In 2002, elections of deputies to the House of Representatives of the Czech Parliament will take place.
The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Miloš Zeman, was born on September 28, 1944 in the city of Kolin. During the events of the Prague Spring of 1968, he joined the Communist Party headed by Dubcek; after the occupation of Czechoslovakia, he was expelled from it for his sharp criticism of the “normalization” regime. During the Velvet Revolution of 1989, he was active in the center-left wing of the Civil Forum. In 1990 he was elected to the Federal Assembly. In 1992, he joined the Czech Social Democratic Party and was re-elected to the Federal Assembly from this party. June 26, 1996 became

Czech Republic\Economy

Since the mid-nineteenth century, the Czech Republic has been one of the most industrialized countries in Europe. The leading industries were textiles, food, mining, metallurgy, and engineering. In 1861, the length of the railway network was about 700 km, and in the 90s it was already 4596 km. In 1869, the first Czech bank itself opened - Zivnostensky Bank.
In the twentieth century, the industrial development of the Czech Republic continued.
Mechanical engineering, metalworking, electrical engineering, chemical industry, as well as textile and clothing industry are the most developed industries in the Czech Republic.
The Czech Republic is considered the richest country in Central Europe, the most industrialized and with the smallest share of agriculture in its gross domestic product. According to 1997 data, GDP per capita in the Czech Republic was $5,050 (for comparison: in Hungary - 4,415, in Poland - $3,512). Among the post-communist states, the Czech Republic currently ranks second in terms of living standards after Slovenia.
The level of consumer prices in the Czech Republic in 2000 increased by 4% compared to 1999. Currently, the average family spends from its budget on: food - 21.3%, transport - 12.2%, rent - 10.8%, water, electricity, gas - 10.4%, recreation and culture - 9. 9%, alcoholic beverages - 9%, clothing and shoes - 6.7%, visiting restaurants and consumer services - 5.2%, home improvement - 5.2%, other household services - 5.1%, mail and telecommunications - 2%, maintaining health - 1.2%, education - 0.5%.
In the Czech Republic there are 358 cars per 1000 people.
About 500 thousand people are regular Internet users (the population of the Czech Republic is 10.2 million people).
Czech industry is equipped with modern equipment and a qualified workforce. However, in terms of growth rates, the Czech Republic is seriously behind Hungary and Poland and cannot count on joining the European Union with them in 2004. The average monthly salary in the Czech Republic as of March 2000 was 354 in US dollars (for comparison: in Slovenia - 881, in Croatia - 608, in Poland - 487). The unemployment rate in December 2000 was 8.8%.
After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, large-scale economic reforms were carried out in the country, which were based on voucher privatization of enterprises, attracting foreign investors, liberalization of prices and foreign trade, and devaluation of the Czech crown. As a result of the reforms, there was an increase in industrial production and an increase in the rate of investment. However, mistakes made during the reform process led to a significant decline in economic development and a decline in GDP.
In 1997, the growth of the Czech economy slowed down, and the country entered a period of stagnation, which it is currently experiencing.
To stabilize economic development, the leadership of the Czech Republic took a number of measures aimed at increasing industrial production, increasing the influx of investment and increasing exports. Thus, in April 1999, the government adopted an industrial plan to stabilize the situation at about ten vital enterprises in the country. The list of companies that had the opportunity to participate in the program included: Aliachem, SKD Рraha, Sрolana, Skoda Рlzen, Tatra, Vitkоvice, Zetor and ZРS Zlin.
A maximum favored nation regime has been created to increase investment in the Czech economy. Investors who allocate more than 10 million USD to industrial development are exempt from taxes for up to 10 years, receive grants in the amount of 100 USD for each created job, and have the right to duty-free import of equipment. Special benefits are provided for companies planning to make long-term investments. As a result, 47 thousand foreign companies operate in the republic.
In total investments in the Czech economy, the share of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries is 97%, EU member countries - 68% and G7 countries - 57%. According to experts, at the beginning of 2000 the volume of foreign direct investment directed into the Czech economy amounted to 15.5 billion USD. Thus, in 1997 they received 1.3 billion USD, in 1998 - 2.5 billion USD, in 1999 - 3.5 billion USD.
The largest investments were made in the sectors of transport and communications (24%), production of transport equipment (16%), consumer goods (13%), and construction (9%).
During the reforms, the indicator of gross financial formation to GNP in the Czech Republic reached 24%, while in EU countries this value is 20%.
The Czech banking system is based on the principles adopted in economically developed countries of the world. The Czech People's Bank (CNB) does not depend on government instructions, which has affected the effectiveness of the entire monetary policy in the country.
The foreign exchange reserves of the CNB in ​​1999 amounted to 12.4 billion US dollars.
Industry is the most developed and important sector in the Czech economy, accounting for 40% of national income. By the beginning of 1999, after the privatization program, the private sector of industry exceeded 80%. Stably operating enterprises include food industry enterprises (partners Danone and Nestle), electrical engineering (ETA company, partners Bosch and Moulinekh), paint and varnish (partners Union Carbide and BASF), household chemicals and detergents (partners Henkel and Proster & Gamble), aviation ( partners McDonnall Douglas), automotive (bus production - Karosa, partner Renault),
Skoda-Auto (bought by Volkswagen), the export of its products in 1999 increased by 45% compared to 1998. In addition, small sub-suppliers of the plant also improved the quality of their products. Currently, to implement plans to expand production, it is planned to build a plant worth 560 million USD to produce engines and transmissions that will be used not only in Skodas, but also in Volkswagen cars produced in other countries.
The share of agriculture in the Czech Republic's GNP is 4.5%, employing 5.5% of the population. Agriculture in the Czech Republic is a developed industry with a high level of automation and mechanization, fully meeting the country's basic needs for agricultural and livestock products and exporting products to the EU countries (37%), Slovakia (23) and the CIS (14%).
Measures to liberalize foreign trade and attract serious foreign investment have significantly improved the balance of foreign trade turnover and the structure of exports. Most of it falls on countries that are members of the European Union (63%, of which 43% are in Germany).
The trade deficit in 1999 was $2.6 billion, down $3.2 billion from 1996.
The improvement in the export structure was expressed, first of all, in an increase in the share of mechanical engineering products; in 1999 it amounted to 47%.
A fundamentally new article has appeared - the export of licenses and the construction abroad of industrial facilities based on them, for example: in Russia - the production of passenger cars under the license of the Skoda company, in Kazakhstan - the production of explosives for industrial and mining work, in Georgia - pharmaceuticals, in Ukraine - trams and trolleybuses, in China - turbines for hydro and thermal power plants.

Czech Republic\Education

The Czech Republic is famous for its high level of education.
Preschool education of children in the Czech Republic begins in a developed network of kindergartens. Children are accepted into kindergartens from the age of 3. The fee for their maintenance depends on its affiliation (state, departmental, private) and on the area where the kindergarten is located.
Education in public schools is free.
Primary school educates children from 7 to 10 years old.
From 11 to 19 years of age they receive secondary education in gymnasiums or, if desired, after graduating from high school, from 16 to 19 years of age they receive specialized secondary education in colleges.
When entering a Czech lyceum, gymnasium or college, you must pass entrance exams.
Upon completion of studies in lyceums, gymnasiums and colleges, it is necessary to pass a matriculation exam. At the same time, this gives the right to enter a university or other higher education institution.
After completing primary school, 52% of students continue their education in gymnasiums and colleges, and 48% go to secondary school.
Starting from the middle grades, all subjects studied are divided into compulsory and elective, that is, studied at the choice of the students themselves.
Schools are divided into regular, general education and specialized, with in-depth study of mathematics, physics, foreign languages, physical education, and music.
There are several paid international schools where instruction is conducted in English, the curriculum in them is fully consistent with the programs of Western countries (England, USA), and upon completion of such a school the student receives a Western-style diploma.
About 7.2% of Czechs receive university education.
Higher education in the country is paid, but the fee is rather symbolic - about $100 per year.
Since January 1, 1999, studying in Czech at universities has become free.
Higher education in the Czech Republic is divided into two main types: university and non-university.
University education includes bachelor's, master's, doctorate degrees, while non-university education mainly takes students up to the bachelor's degree.
A bachelor's degree is intended for those who seek to obtain a so-called “short-term education” - the duration of study in this case is 3-4 years. Upon completion, a bachelor's degree is awarded - this is the necessary basic knowledge.
Master's studies last for 5-6 years depending on the specialty.
The third level of education - doctorate - is intended for individual creative activity and scientific research. It corresponds to our postgraduate program and here you can obtain a candidate and doctorate degree by passing certain disciplines and defending a dissertation.
There are about two dozen universities and more than a hundred institutes in the Czech Republic.
One of the most famous is Charles University, which was the first higher education institution in Central Europe. It was founded in 1348 by the Czech King and Roman Emperor Charles IV. The university became famous for the fact that master Jan Hus taught there, world-famous writers Karel Capek and Franz Kafka came from its walls, professor of philosophy T.G. Massarik and professor of sociology E. Benes, who later became presidents of the Czech Republic, taught there.
Charles University has 16 faculties: 3 theological, legal, medical, pharmaceutical, philosophical, natural history, physics and mathematics, pedagogy, social sciences, physical education and sports.
There are full-time, evening and correspondence departments, a department for foreign students, preparatory courses, postgraduate and doctoral studies.
To enter the university, you must have a certificate of secondary education and successfully pass the entrance exams. A three-year course of study provides a bachelor's degree and the opportunity to begin professional activity. To obtain a master's degree, you need to study for 5 years and defend a thesis.
The oldest universities in the country include: the University of Olomouk, founded in 1573; Czech Technical University, which traces its ancestry to the Engineering School established in 1707, which laid the foundation for the development of higher technical education in the Czech Republic.
Among economic universities, the most famous is the University of Economics in Prague.
Every major city in the Czech Republic has its own university, and they all have a high level of education.

Czech Republic \Medicine

The healthcare system and medicine in the Czech Republic has developed, just like in other European countries, and has a fairly long history.
Back in 1880, the First Congress of Czech doctors and natural scientists took place in Prague.

In the pre-war Czech Republic, as well as throughout Europe, the health care system was mainly private and paid. This did not stop her from making certain discoveries in the field of medicine.
As an example, we can cite the experiments of the Czech doctor J. Jansky, who in 1907 established that the blood serum of some people causes the accumulation of red blood cells in other people in a certain regular order, however, these experiments were forgotten and only in 1930 the discovery was recognized Austrian immunologist K. Landsteiner on the division of red blood cells into 3 groups.

After World War II, with the creation of the Czechoslovak Republic, the health care system was no different from the one we were used to under socialism: free medical care, a local doctor, symbolic prices for drugs in pharmacies, but, at the same time, not a very high level of medical care. services.
After the Velvet Revolution, dramatic changes took place. The health care system in the Czech Republic was reorganized and became non-state, but with state guarantees.

In the Czech Republic, medicine has again become paid, and medical institutions have been privatized.

However, the chosen insurance system with a network of health insurance companies is very expensive, as evidenced by the increase in healthcare costs in the Czech Republic.

The country has introduced a system of universal health insurance, according to which a patient who regularly pays insurance premiums does not have to worry about the cost of medical services and medications - the insurance company pays for him.

Entrepreneurs pay a percentage of their earnings, the owner of the enterprise pays for hired workers, and children and pensioners receive insurance from the state.

The cost of health insurance depends on gender and age. The largest contributions are set for 68-70 year olds.

For foreigners in the Czech Republic, emergency treatment and outpatient ambulance care are free. Any other inpatient care is covered.

For a foreigner in the Czech Republic, there are three options for receiving medical services:

1. Do not pay for insurance, but pay for each doctor visit and each medical procedure separately. At the same time, very simple services can require very significant amounts.
2. Contractual form of insurance. According to the health insurance contract, a foreigner has the right to receive basic medical care in a clinic and be treated in a hospital. His insurance provides him with discounts on the purchase of medicines; he has the opportunity, on doctor’s orders, to be treated at Czech resorts for a lower fee than uninsured spa visitors. The advantage of contractual insurance is a wide network of medical institutions in the Czech Republic.
3. The insurance system, compulsory for employment, is linked to the conclusion of wages and gives the right to health care equal to that of Czech citizens.

In the Czech Republic, the system of spa treatment has been historically developed.
Resorts in the Czech Republic are equipped with the latest diagnostic and treatment equipment, specialized in the treatment of specific diseases, and have a network of dietary canteens, cultural and public institutions.
Most spas in the Czech Republic are unique due to the use of the healing properties of mineral water springs, combined with the most modern physiotherapeutic equipment

Czech Republic\Culture

The oldest written monuments appeared in the Czech Republic in the second half of the 10th century, when it was part of the Great Moravian Empire. They are connected with the activities of the Slavic enlighteners Cyril and Methodius, who spread Slavic writing to the territory of the entire state. These are spiritual and fighting songs, such as “Lord, have mercy on us”, “St. Wenceslas”, etc.
Starting from the end of the 10th century, the Czech Republic was already part of the “Holy Roman Empire” and Latin became the only written language of the Czechs. The “Chronicle of Bohemia” by Cosmas of Prague (1045-1125) dates back to this period.
At the end of the 13th century, secular, “knightly” literature appeared (Alexandride), satirical and didactic genres related to city life developed (the drama “The Seller of Healing Ointments”, the dialogue “The Groom and the Schoolman”, etc.).
The flourishing of Czech literature in the 14th century was also facilitated by the opening of a university in Prague in 1348.
The end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th centuries are characterized by the influence of the Reformation movement on literature. At this time, new literary forms emerged: anti-Catholic sermons (Jan Hus, Jan Zhevlinsky); epistolary works (Jan Hus, Jan Zizka); poetic appeals (“Budisha Manuscript”). After the defeat of the radical wing of the Hussites (1434), the writer and thinker Peter Helczycki (1390-1460), author of the theological work “The Network of Faith,” spoke. An important event of this period was the beginning of printing in the Czech language (1468).
After the Czech Republic lost its independence (1620), the development of literature occurred under conditions of pressure on Czech culture from foreign nobility and the Roman Church. During this period, Czech literature was represented by emigrant writers. One of them is the humanist teacher Ya.A. Kolensky.
A new upsurge in Czech literature occurred at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries during the period of national revival. The genre of scientific and journalistic treatises has become widespread. A major role in Czech literature was played by works on the history of language and writing by philologists J. Dobrovsky (1753-1829), J. Jungmann (1773-1847), works by poets I. Tam (1765-1816) and etc.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the movement of romanticism was formed in Czech literature (J. Jungmann, J. Kollar, F.L. Chelakovsky, etc.). The French Revolution of 1830 and the Polish Uprising of 1830-1831 had a significant influence on Czech literature in the middle of this century. Critical realism, which reached its peak in the second half of the century, was reflected in the works of such writers as J. Neruda, V. Galek, S. Cech and others.
In 1890, the Czech Academy of Literature and Arts was founded.
The twentieth century was one of the most difficult periods in the history of the Czech Republic. The First World War, the creation of the Czechoslovak Republic, the Second World War, the formation of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, each of these events had an impact on the development of Czech literature, changing its styles and directions from decadence and symbolism to socialist realism. During this period, such famous writers and poets as J. Hasek, A. Sova, K. Chapek, M. Puymanova and others worked.
Fine art and architecture in the Czech Republic began their development in the Stone Age and Bronze Age (sculpture, ceramics, metal jewelry, etc.).
In the 10th century, Prague occupied the main place in the artistic life of the country, where the rotunda of St. Vitus was built in the Castle in the first half of the 10th century.
In the 10th - 12th centuries, Romanesque style architecture developed, and the Church of St. George was built. Book miniatures (manuscripts of “Humpold's Legend of St. Wenceslas” around 1000) and frescoes (depictions of sovereigns from the Przmyslid family in the chapel in Znojmo (1134)) are developing.
In the 13th - 14th centuries, with the growth of cities, the development of crafts and mining, the Gothic style was established in the art of the Czech Republic (Anezka Monastery (1230) and the Tin Church, in Prague, etc.).
In the middle of the 14th century, realistic trends began to develop, which were embodied in the work of the art school of P. Palerzh (1330-1399), he built the Charles Bridge and created a number of sculptures.
In the 15th century, late Gothic art was represented by B. Reith (1454-1536), the creator of the unique star vaults of the Vladislav Hall in Prague Castle.
The 16th century in the Czech Republic is the Renaissance. Art glassmaking is flourishing, and art collections are being collected.
In the 16th and 18th centuries, realistic painting developed - K. Shkret (1610-1674), engraving - W. Hollar (1607-1677). The Baroque style is represented in the architecture of K.I. Ditsenhofer (1690-1751), in sculpture - F.M. Brokov (1688-1731) and M.B. Brown (1684-1738). In painting - P.Brandl (1668-1735) and V.V.Reiner (1689-1743), etc. In 1799, the Academy of Arts was created.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, realism was represented in painting: A. Mahek (1775-1844), K. Manes (1828-1880), A. Kosarek (1830-1859), A. Bubak (1824 -1870), J. Manes (1820-1871), etc. An architectural achievement was the building of the National Theater in Prague, built in 1868-1883 by J. Zitek (1832-1909), based on Renaissance trends. F. Zhenishek (1849-1916), V. Brozhik (1851-1901), V. Ginais (1854-1925) took part in the picturesque decoration of the theater. Sculpture - J. Myslbek (1848-1922), etc.
At the end of the 19th century, the widespread development of Czech graphics began; M. Shvabinsky (1873-1962), J. Preisler (1872-1918) and others worked in this genre.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Art Nouveau style with the use of new designs became widespread in architecture - J. Koter (1871-1923), in painting - realism is present in the work of landscape painters: A. Slavichek (1861-1910), J. Uprk ( 1861-1940), compositional paintings - M. Iranek (1875-1911), etc. In sculpture - J. Sturs (1880-1925), B. Kafka (1878-1942), etc. The middle of the century is characterized by the development of such styles in architecture as constructivism and functionalism.
Czech musical culture developed on the basis of rich folk art. In the middle of the 11th century, festive folk round dances were accompanied by playing flutes and drums. In the 13th century, chronicles mention trumpets, kettledrums, zithers, and harps and psalteriums were also widely used.
A major role in the development of musical art in the Czech Republic belongs to the Faculty of Liberal Arts of the University of Prague. Starting from the second half of the 14th century, many outstanding Czech musicians studied there, among them Master Zavis (1360-1411) - the author of liturgical chants and the first Czech lyrical song that has reached modern times.
The era of the Hussite wars was a period of flowering of song creativity, which is distinguished by its original melody and rhythm.
In the 16th century, Czech polyphonic art developed, its prominent masters: J. T. Turnovsky, J. Richnovsky, J. S. Klatovsky and others.
After the loss of independence, the country was flooded with foreign musicians. The influence of foreign music is evident in the works of Czech composers from the 18th to 18th centuries. Among them, J.D. Zelenka (1679-1745), B. Chernogrsky (1684-1742) and others stand out.
In the 18th century, Czech composers mastered complex polyphonic vocal and instrumental genres and successfully worked in the symphony genre. Outstanding musicians of this period were: F.V. Michi (1694-1744), J. Stamitz (1717-1757), J. Mysliveček (1737-1781), etc.
The development of Czech music in the 19th century was facilitated by the opening of the Conservatory in Prague in 1811. The first opera in the Czech language, "Drotar", was written by F. Skroup (1801-1862). This period is marked by the work of world-famous classical composers: B. Smetana (1824-1884) and A. Dvorak (1841-1904). There were also major masters: Z. Fiebich (1850-1900), L. Janacek (1854-1928), J. Suk (1874-1935) and others.
The National Theater was opened in 1861, and the Czech Philharmonic in 1901.
In the 20th century, the traditions of great Czech musicians continued: V. Novak, J.B. Förster, V. Dobiash, Z. Blazek, J. Hanush and others.

Czech Republic\Massmedia

There are 90 national and regional daily newspapers published in the Czech Republic.

The most popular daily newspapers include:

• Mlada Fronta Dnes(daily circulation - 425,000) - the largest independent national daily newspaper, formerly a youth newspaper, now has a modern style and is designed for a wide range of readers;
• Shine(daily circulation - 300,000) - published seven days a week, once a week a glossy magazine is published along with a newspaper;
• Pravo- formerly Rude Pravo (daily circulation 260,000), formerly a publication of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, now strives to provide an objective and independent interpretation of events, does not openly belong to any political party, but has a left-wing political bias and focuses on the discussion of social problems, has a reputation for high professionalism newspapers;
• Zemske noviny- formerly Ceske moravskoslezske Zemedelske Noviny (daily circulation - 160,000) - is the heir to the daily newspaper Zemedelske noviny (l945-1990), published as a national newspaper, but more aimed at rural and provincial readers;
• Hospodarske noviny(daily circulation - 125,000) - an economic daily newspaper, trying to adhere to the style of economic daily newspapers such as the Financial Times or Handelsblatt;
• Lidove noviny(daily circulation - 80,000) - is an independent daily newspaper aimed at a liberal reader with a higher education, known as a dissident newspaper.

The political freedom that emerged after 1989 brought about a huge upswing in all forms of media that were previously censored. Many new periodicals, radio stations, and television channels have appeared at the national and regional level.

The main periodicals in the Czech Republic have a very large share of foreign investors - mainly Switzerland and Germany, among which it is necessary to highlight the Swiss syndicate "Ringier" and the German Passauer Neue Presse.

Along with daily newspapers, many weeklies are popular. Western influence is also evident here in their quality and design. The most widely read periodicals are weeklies such as Kvety, Reflex, Tyden and Mlady Svet.

Two English weeklies are published in Prague: The Prague Post and The Central European Business Weekly. One glossy business magazine, La Tribune De Prague, is published in French and English. Published in German by Prager Zeitung.

They contain weekly news, features and analysis of economics, politics and culture in the Czech Republic, Eastern Europe and the European Union.

Radio and Television

The Czech Republic has both public and private television and radio broadcasting networks.

The state-owned Radio Czech Republic and Czech Television are funded by the government.

The Radio and Television Broadcasting Council is responsible for issuing broadcasting licenses in the Czech Republic. He is elected by parliament and is independent of the government.

To date, the Council has issued more than 70 licenses for radio broadcasting, and there are already about 150 radio stations operating in the Czech Republic.

The largest of them include:

• Radio KISS 98 FM;
• Impuls;
• Radio Frekvence 1;
• Radio Europa 2;
• BI - BI - SI (BBC World Service);
• Radio Free Europe.

In the Czech Republic, 52 television licenses have also been granted. There are two public and two private television stations (Nova and Prima), which are broadcast throughout the Czech Republic.
In addition, there are 118 small television stations in the country.

REFERENCE INFORMATION

Administrative division of the country

In November, elections to regional parliaments will be held for the first time in the Czech Republic. The administrative division of the country is changing. Instead of 7 areas, there will be 14 edges. The parliament adopted a package of laws that define the competence of the territories and allow the creation of regional legislative bodies.

Although formally the new division of the country comes into force on January 1, in fact, it will come into force only after the elections of regional parliaments and the formation of executive authorities.

Zemstvo reform is on a solid legislative basis. The law on territories, communities, district administrations, on the capital Prague, on the competencies of regional authorities, on elections to regional parliaments was adopted.

The new government will initially have the right to formulate regional policy in the fields of education, health care, culture, transport, and the social sphere. A significant expansion of the competencies of the new authorities will follow in 2003, when the existing district administrations will cease to operate.

The composition of the regional parliaments will be elected for 4 years. This year the elections will not affect only Prague (it is also an independent region). The composition of the Prague magistrate elected the year before last will serve until 2002.

Zemstvo reform will cost the country approximately 5 billion crowns. What will change after the election of regional parliaments in 2000? The country's territory will be divided into 14 regions. Each region will have a representative body consisting of 45 - 64 people, at the head of the region there will be a council (9 - 11 people) and the council will elect a hetman.

A 5 percent barrier is introduced for political parties during parliamentary elections. Residents of the region who have reached 18 years of age can become regional deputies.

It is curious that in those communities where at least a fifth of the residents belong to a national minority, street names can be written in the minority language if at least half of the residents belonging to the national minority request it.

The leaders of the regional government will be called HEtmans (Hejtman). In government bodies in the Czech lands, the positions of hetmans existed for about 100 years from the middle of the last century. These were district leaders and were appointed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The new hetmans will become leaders of local government. Their salaries are set. They are quite tall. The hetman will receive 57,000 crowns per month, members of the regional council - 48,400 crowns.

New administrative division of the country (see map)

edge	Center	Area km sq	Population	Number of communities
Karlovy Vary	Karlovy Vary	3315	305086
Kralovegradecki	Hradec Kralove	4757	553827
Ustisky	Usti nad Labem	5335	825074
Liberecki	Liberec	3163	428974
Olomouc	Olomouc	5139	645804
Pilsen	Pilsen	7560	305 086
Prague	Prague		1 209 855
Central Czech	Prague	11014	1106738	1147
Pardubicki	Pardubice	4519	510 072
Ostravsky	Ostrava	5555	1 289 002
Budeevitsky	Ceske Budejovice	10056	626 897
Jihlavsky	Jihlava	6925	522 846
Brno	Brno	7067	1 141 172
Zlinsky	Zlín	3965	600 617

The Czech Republic is made up of three geographical regions - Moravia, Silesia, Bohemia. Bohemia is the largest region and, in turn, it is also customary to divide it into parts - Central, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western. The administrative division of the Czech Republic does not entirely coincide with the geographical one. Prague and its surroundings belong to Central Bohemia.
Each region has its own pearls, information about the most interesting of them you will see on the following pages

Parliamentary republic The president
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus
Ian Fisher Territory
Total
% water surface 114th in the world
78,866 km²
2 Population
Total ()
Density 79th in the world
10,403,100 people
129 people/km² GDP
Total()
Per capita 41st in the world
211.698 billion
20 606 Currency Czech crown
(CZK code 203) Internet domain Telephone code +420 Timezone UTC +1

Story

The Czech lands have been known since the end of the 9th century, when they were united by the Přemyslids. The Kingdom of Bohemia had considerable power, but religious conflicts (the Hussite Wars in the 15th century and the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century) devastated it. It later came under the influence of the Habsburgs and became part of Austria-Hungary.

Following the collapse of this state after World War I, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia united to form the independent Republic of Czechoslovakia in 1918. The country had a large enough ethnic German minority that it was the reason for the dissolution of Czechoslovakia when Germany achieved annexation of the Sudetenland as a result of the 1938 Munich Agreement, leading to the secession of Slovakia. The remaining Czech state was occupied by Germany in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

Sights of the Czech Republic

Main article: Sights of the Czech Republic

Political structure

Main article: Political structure of the Czech Republic

According to the Constitution, the Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. The head of state (president) is indirectly elected every five years by parliament. The President is given special powers: to nominate judges for the Constitutional Court, to dissolve parliament under certain conditions, and to veto laws. He also appoints the Prime Minister, who sets the direction of domestic and foreign policy, as well as other members of the government cabinet on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Among all post-communist states, the Czech Republic has one of the most stable and successful economic systems. Its basis is industry (mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and electronics, chemistry, food industry and ferrous metallurgy) and the service sector. The share of agriculture, forestry, and mining is insignificant and continues to decline.

The monetary unit of the Czech Republic is the crown (1 crown = 100 hellers), which has been fully convertible since 1995. Unlike almost all other post-communist countries, the Czech Republic managed to avoid hyperinflation and sharp devaluations of the national currency. After some weakening of the crown in the late 90s. To date, its exchange rate relative to major world currencies has increased significantly.

Following the initial difficulties caused by the collapse of the CMEA, the division of the country and the change in the structure of the economy, and the subsequent growth of the Czech economy in 1997-1998. experienced a certain crisis, from which it began to emerge only from mid-1999. Its result was an increase in foreign debt and a jump in unemployment. The crisis was overcome by increasing exports to market economy countries, primarily the European Union (and within its framework, Germany), attracting foreign investment and increasing domestic consumption. After joining the EU in May 2004, the Czech Republic's economic growth accelerated noticeably and, despite the largely populist economic policies of several Social Democratic governments, reached 6-7% per year. The share of industry in GDP, which reached 62% by 1990, having initially decreased by half, is currently growing and reaches 38%, which is quite a rare phenomenon among developed countries. Ferrous metallurgy and the military industry have lost their importance due to the automotive and electrical industries, thanks to the development of which the Czech Republic has had a positive foreign trade balance since 2004, despite the rapid rise in prices for imported energy resources (oil and gas). In terms of foreign trade per capita, the country is one of the leaders, ahead of countries such as Japan, Great Britain, France or Italy.

Population

The building of the Consulate General in St. Petersburg

The bulk of the population of the Czech Republic (95%) is made up of ethnic Czechs and speakers of the Czech language, which belongs to the group of West Slavic languages. Foreigners make up about 4% of the country's population. Among immigrants, the largest diaspora in the Czech Republic are Ukrainians, of whom 126,500 lived in the country at the end of 2007. In second place are Slovaks (67,880), many of whom remained in the Czech Republic after the division in 1993 and make up approximately 2% of the population. In third are citizens of Vietnam (51,000). They are followed by citizens of Russia (23,300) and Poland (20,600). Other ethnic groups include Germans, Roma, Hungarians and Jews. The border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia is open to citizens of the former Czechoslovakia.

By language, the Czechs belong to the West Slavic peoples. The early works of Czech writing of the 13th-14th centuries were based on the language of central Bohemia. But as the influence of the Catholic Church, German feudal lords and the urban patriciate increased in the country, the Czech language began to be oppressed in favor of the German and Latin languages. But during the Hussite wars, literacy and the literary Czech language became widespread among the masses. Then came the two-century decline of Czech culture under the rule of the Habsburgs, who pursued a policy of Germanization of the subject Slavic peoples (by the middle of the 19th century, 15% of the population spoke Czech; the possibility of taking one of the Slavic languages, in particular the Russian literary language, was considered as a literary language). The Czech language began to revive only at the end of the 18th century; its basis was the literary language of the 16th century, which explains the presence of many archaisms in the modern Czech language, in contrast to the living spoken language. The spoken language is divided into several groups of dialects: Czech, Middle Moravian and East Moravian.

The Czech Republic is one of the most densely populated countries. The average population density is 130 people. per 1 sq. km. The distribution of the population on the territory of the republic is relatively even. The most densely populated areas are the areas of large urban agglomerations - Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Pilsen (up to 250 people per 1 sq. km). The areas of Cesky Krumlov and Prachatice have the lowest population density (about 37 people per 1 sq. km). As of 1991, there were 5,479 settlements in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is a highly urbanized country: about 71% of the population lives in cities and towns, while more than 50% live in cities with a population of over 20 thousand inhabitants; the share of the rural population continues to decline. The only metropolis in the Czech Republic is Prague, which has a permanent population of 1,188 thousand inhabitants (as of December 31, 2006; the population of Prague has been slowly decreasing since 1985). As of 2006, in the Czech Republic there are 5 cities with a population of more than 100,000 inhabitants (Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Pilsen, Olomouc), 17 cities with a population of more than 50,000 inhabitants and 44 with more than 20,000 inhabitants.

The total population of the Czech Republic, having reached a post-war maximum in 1991 - 10,302 thousand people - subsequently slowly decreased until 2003, when it amounted to just over 10,200 thousand people, but since then there has been a slight increase to 10,280 thousand people - mainly due to an increase in the flow of migrants (primarily from Ukraine, Slovakia, Vietnam, Russia, Poland and the countries of former Yugoslavia). Natural population growth was negative in the period 1994-2005; in 2006, some positive growth was observed due to an increase in the birth rate and a decrease in mortality. At the same time, the level of female fertility is still deeply insufficient for population reproduction (about 1.2 children per 1 woman of reproductive age). In recent years, the Czech Republic has become one of the countries with the lowest infant mortality rate (less than 4 people per 1000 births). Since 1990, the Czech Republic has seen a constant decrease in the number of abortions and cases of induced termination of pregnancy.

The majority of the population - 71.2% - is of productive age (from 15 to 65 years), while 14.4% of Czech citizens are under 15 years of age, and 14.5% are over 65 years of age. At the productive age, the number of men slightly exceeds the number of women, but in the post-productive age women significantly predominate (there is one man for every two women). The average age of the Czech population is 39.3 years (women - 41.1 years, men - 37.5 years). Average life expectancy is 72.9 years for men and 79.7 years for women (as of 2006).

Most of the adult population is married, although the proportion of unmarried people is relatively high: one in five men and one in eight women are unmarried. Currently, men get married at 28 years old, women - at 26 years old, which is approaching the European trend (for comparison: in 1993 these figures were 23 and 19 years old, respectively). The first child appears in a family most often 6 months after the wedding. Czech families are characterized by a high divorce rate. Currently, almost every second marriage ends in divorce, resulting in almost 80% of all children under the age of 15 living in single-parent families. The average family size has decreased over the past 30 years from 3.5 to 2.2 people.

The economically active population makes up 51.5% of the total. A specific feature of the Czech Republic among other countries is the high level of employment of women, who make up about 48% of the total economically active population. Most women work in service sectors - healthcare, education, trade and public catering. Most women work out of economic necessity in order to maintain the family's standard of living. The unemployment rate is 7.3% (November 2006), which is higher than in 1990-1997. (3-5%), but noticeably less than in 1999-2004. (up to 10.5%).

A significant part of Czechs live outside the Czech Republic - in Austria, Germany, the USA, Canada, Australia and other countries. This is the result of economic migration in search of work, which took on noticeable proportions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and political emigration after the political coup of 1948 and the occupation of 1968.

Illiteracy in the Czech Republic is practically non-existent (occasionally found among older Roma people). A high level of literacy was typical for Czechs even during the First Republic (1918-1938): at that time, about 95% of all residents had a basic education. In recent years, the level of education has increased significantly. Every third economically active resident of the Czech Republic has completed secondary education (corresponding to the level of 12-13 years of education), and every tenth citizen of the Czech Republic has or is receiving higher education. The typical worker has at least intermediate vocational training. The high qualifications of Czech workers is one of the main advantages of the Czech economy. So far, the country lags behind the most developed European countries in terms of the share of the population with completed secondary and higher education.

Culture

Orlik Castle

Main article: Czech culture

• Famous people of the Czech Republic
• Music of the Czech Republic
• Cinema of the Czech Republic
• Literature of the Czech Republic

Humanitarian organizations

Czech Red Cross(Czech: Český červený kříž, English: Czech Red Cross)

The Czech Red Cross (CRC) is a humanitarian organization operating throughout the Czech Republic. In its activities, the ChKK focuses on humanitarian issues and the provision of medical and social assistance to the population.

Currently, the number of CHKK members reaches 70,381 people working in 1,712 local organizations.

The Czech Red Cross is the only internationally recognized National Red Cross Society in the Czech Republic that is recognized by the state. In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, the CHKK provides assistance and support to the medical services of the armed forces.

The status of the CCK and its objectives are regulated by the Law on the Protection of the Emblem and Name of the Czech Red Cross and on the Czechoslovak Red Cross (Act No. 126/1992).

On August 26, 1993, the CCRC was recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and on October 25, 1993, accepted as a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The Czech Red Cross continues the activities of its predecessors - the Patriotic Society for Aid in the Czechoslovak Kingdom (founded on September 5, 1868) and the Czechoslovak Red Cross Cross (founded February 6, 1919).

As an independent organization of the Czechoslovak Red Cross, after the division of the Czechoslovak Red Cross, it was registered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic on June 10, 1993 (Ministerstvo vnitra ČR dne 10. 6. 1993 pod čj. VS/1-20998/93-R)

Notes

Links

Information

• Official portal of the Czech Republic (Russian) (Czech) (English) (German) (French) (Spanish)
• Official portal of the Government of the Czech Republic (Czech)
• Official website of the President of the Czech Republic (Czech) (English)
• Official website of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic (Czech) (English)
• Official website of the Senate of the Czech Republic (Czech) (English)
• Train and bus timetables (Czech) (English) (German)
• Embassy of the Czech Republic in Moscow (Russian) (English)