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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.cz

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

295,677 (2004)

Internet users [time series]

2.7 million (2003)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly vigorous domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

3.626 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

9,708,700 (2003)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Budget [time series]

revenues: $39.31 billion expenditures: $45.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Czech koruna (CZK)

Current account balance [time series]

$-5.73 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$36.28 billion (2004 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

25.4 (1996)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$2.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in 2000-04 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the availability of credit cards and mortgages increases. Current account deficits of around 5% of GDP are beginning to decline as demand for Czech products in the European Union increases. Inflation is under control. Recent accession to the EU gives further impetus and direction to structural reform. In early 2004 the government passed increases in the Value Added Tax (VAT) and tightened eligibility for social benefits with the intention to bring the public finance gap down to 4% of GDP by 2006, but more difficult pension and healthcare reforms will have to wait until after the next elections. Privatization of the state-owned telecommunications firm Cesky Telecom is scheduled to take place in 2005. Intensified restructuring among large enterprises, improvements in the financial sector, and effective use of available EU funds should strengthen output growth.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

55.33 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports [time series]

20.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports [time series]

9.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production [time series]

71.75 billion kWh (2002)

Exchange rates [time series]

koruny per US dollar - 25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 32.739 (2002), 38.035 (2001), 38.598 (2000)

Exports [time series]

$66.51 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

machinery and transport equipment 52%, chemicals 5%, raw materials and fuel 9% (2003)

Exports - partners [time series]

Germany 36.1%, Slovakia 8.4%, Austria 6%, Poland 5.3%, UK 4.7%, France 4.7%, Italy 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$172.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 3.4% industry: 39.3% services: 57.3% (2004 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2004 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3.7% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Imports [time series]

$68.19 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)

Imports - partners [time series]

Germany 31.7%, Slovakia 5.4%, Italy 5.3%, China 5.2%, Poland 4.8%, France 4.8%, Russia 4.1% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.7% (2004 est.)

Industries [time series]

metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

29% of GDP (2004 est.)

Labor force [time series]

5.25 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 4%, industry 38%, services 58% (2002 est.)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

9.892 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

1 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

9.521 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

3.057 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption [time series]

175,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

192,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

7,419 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

17.25 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line [time series]

Public debt [time series]

33.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$32.78 billion (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

10.6% (2004 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 78,866 sq km land: 77,276 sq km water: 1,590 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate [time series]

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

49 45 N, 15 30 E

Geography - note [time series]

landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

Irrigated land [time series]

240 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,881 km border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 39.8% permanent crops: 3.05% other: 57.15% (2001)

Location [time series]

Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

flooding

Natural resources [time series]

hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Terrain [time series]

Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Capital [time series]

Prague

Constitution [time series]

ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Czech Republic conventional short form: Czech Republic local long form: Ceska Republika local short form: Ceska Republika

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CABANISS embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663 FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003) note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years; parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two inconclusive elections in January 2003 head of government: Prime Minister Jiri PAROUBEK (since 25 April 2005), Deputy Prime Ministers Zdenek SKROMACH (since 4 August 2004), Martin JAHN (since 4 August 2004), Pavel NEMEC (since 4 August 2004), Milan SIMONOVSKY (since 4 August 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive; next election to be held January 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February 2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Legal system [time series]

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 5-6 November and 12-13 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ODS 37, KDU-CSL 14, Open Democracy 13, CSSD 7, Caucus Open Democracy 7, independents 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 30.2%, ODS 24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU coalition 14.3%, other minor 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS 57, KSCM 41, KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU 10, independent 1

National holiday [time series]

Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Caucus SNK [Josef ZOSER]; Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Miroslav KALOUSEK, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Jirina NOVAKOVA, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National Social Party of CSNS [Jaroslav ROVNY, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Stanislav GROSS, acting chairman]; European Democrats [Jan KASL]; Freedom Union-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Hana Marvanova, chairwoman]; Open Democracy [Sona PAUKRTOVA, chairwoman]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Bohemian and Moravian Trade Union Confederation [Milan STECH]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 2,414,728 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 1,996,631 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males: 66,583 (2005 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command, Support and Training Forces Command (2005)

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$2.17 billion (2004)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

2.02% (2004)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; military service transformed into a fully professional, all-volunteer force no longer dependent on conscription beginning in January 2004 (2005)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 14.7% (male 773,028/female 731,833) 15-64 years: 71.1% (male 3,651,018/female 3,627,006) 65 years and over: 14.2% (male 565,374/female 892,879) (2005 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

9.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

less than 10 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

2,500 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 3.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Languages [time series]

Czech

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 76.02 years male: 72.74 years female: 79.49 years (2005 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: NA total population: 99.9% (1999 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Median age [time series]

total: 38.97 years male: 37.2 years female: 40.82 years (2005 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech

Net migration rate [time series]

0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population [time series]

10,241,138 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.05% (2005 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1945 as German property; individual Sudeten Germans seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime

Transportation

Airports [time series]

120 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 76 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 48 (2004 est.)

Heliports [time series]

2 (2004 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 127,204 km paved: 127,204 km (including 518 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Merchant marine [time series]

registered in other countries: 3

Pipelines [time series]

gas 7,020 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2004)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Railways [time series]

total: 9,543 km standard gauge: 9,421 km 1.435-m gauge (2,893 km electrified) narrow gauge: 122 km 0.760-m gauge (23 km electrified) (2004)

Waterways [time series]

664 km (on Elbe, Vltava, and Oder rivers) (2004)

Czechia