Czech Republic

CZECH REPUBLIC
Varun Pandey
Shreyas Meher
Ayush Gupta
What the person sitting in class and thinking about facts about the
country wrote Czech republic
Surrounded by Slovakia and Poland and Austria
Mid Europe.
Previously known as Bohemia.
Capital is Prague.
Member of FIFA.
Their national football team captain is Tomas Rosiscky.
Skoda is from here.
Czech republic has legalised marijuana.
Petr Cech is czech.
Pilsner beer was founded here in a town called Pilsen.
Adolf Hitler briefly lived here as an aspiring artist.
Gave the concept of Christianity to Poland but czech is staunchly atheist.
What the person interviewing people found out Facts people gave usBata is from Czech.
Prague is the capital. (3 people told him this.)
Petr Cech is from here.
What the person sitting in class, and researching found out about
the country -
At the close of World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire
merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, having rejected a federal system, the
new country's predominantly Czech leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the
increasingly strident demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the
Slovaks, the Sudeten Germans, and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). On the eve of World War II, Nazi
Germany occupied the territory that today comprises the Czech Republic and Slovakia became an
independent state allied with Germany. After the war, a reunited but truncated Czechoslovakia (less
Ruthenia) 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 rule and create "socialism with a
human face," ushering in a period of repression known as "normalization." The peaceful "Velvet
Revolution" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to
democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a nonviolent
"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.
Location:
Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria
Land boundaries:
total: 2,046 km
border countries: Austria 402 km, Germany 704 km, Poland 699 km, Slovakia 241 km
Nationality:
noun: Czech(s)
adjective: Czech
Ethnic groups:
Czech 64.3%, Moravian 5%, Slovak 1.4%, other 1.8%, unspecified 27.5% (2011 est.)
Languages:
Czech 95.4%, Slovak 1.6%, other 3% (2011 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 10.4%, Protestant (includes Czech Brethren and Hussite) 1.1%, other and
unspecified 54%, none 34.5% (2011 est.)
Population:
10,627,448 (July 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.9% (male 812,503/female 769,849)
25-54 years: 43.6% (male 2,377,962/female 2,256,989)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 766,402/female 1,097,242) (2014 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.17% (2014 est.)
Birth rate:
9.79 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Death rate:
10.29 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Urbanisation:
urban population: 73.4% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 0.24% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
PRAGUE (capital) 1.276 million (2011)
Country name:
conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czech Republic
local long form: Ceska republika
local short form: Cesko

Government type:
Parliamentary Democracy
Capital:
Prague
Economy - overview:
The Czech Republic is a stable and prosperous market economy closely integrated with the EU,
especially since the country's EU accession in 2004. The auto industry is the largest single
industry, and, together with its upstream suppliers, accounts for nearly 24% of Czech
manufacturing. The Czech Republic produced more than a million cars for the first time in 2010,
over 80% of which were exported. While the conservative, inward-looking Czech financial system
has remained relatively healthy, the small, open, export-driven Czech economy remains sensitive
to changes in the economic performance of its main export markets, especially Germany. When
Western Europe and Germany fell into recession in late 2008, demand for Czech goods plunged,
leading to double digit drops in industrial production and exports. As a result, real GDP fell sharply
in 2009. The economy slowly recovered in the second half of 2009 and registered weak growth in
the next two years. In 2012, however, the economy fell into a recession again, due both to a slump
in external demand and to the governments austerity measures. The country pulled out of
recession in the second half of 2013, and most analysts expect modest, but steady, growth through
2014. Foreign and domestic businesses alike voice concerns about corruption, especially in public
procurement. Other long term challenges include dealing with a rapidly aging population, funding
an unsustainable pension and health care system, and diversifying away from manufacturing and
toward a more high-tech, services-based, knowledge economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$285.6 billion (2013 est.)
$288.2 billion (2012 est.)
$291.1 billion (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$194.8 billion (2013 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-0.9% (2013 est.)

-1% (2012 est.)
1.8% (2011 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$26,300 (2013 est.)
$26,500 (2012 est.)
$28,300 (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
Gross national saving:
21.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
20.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
21.2% of GDP (2011 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 45.1%
government consumption: 18.3%
investment in fixed capital: 27%
investment in inventories: 0.1%
exports of goods and services: 81.1%
imports of goods and services: -71.5%
(2013 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 37.3%
services: 60.3% (2012 est.)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry
Industries:
motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments
Industrial production growth rate:

0.5% (2013 est.)
Labor force:
5.304 million (2013 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.6%
industry: 37.4%
services: 60% (2012)
Unemployment rate:
7.1% (2013 est.)
7% (2012 est.)
Population below poverty line:
9.8% (2011 est.)
TRADE
Exports:
$161.4 billion (2013 est.)
$157 billion (2012 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuel, chemicals
Exports - partners:
Germany 31.8%, Slovakia 9.1%, Poland 6.1%, France 5.1%, UK 4.9%, Austria 4.7% (2012)
Imports:
$143.4 billion (2013 est.)

$141.4 billion (2012 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Germany 29.5%, Poland 7.7%, Slovakia 7.4%, China 6.3%, Netherlands 5.8%, Russia 5.3%,
Austria 4.3% (2012)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$56.22 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Debt - external:
$102.1 billion (30 September 2013 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
MILITARY STRENGTH
Military branches:
Army of the Czech Republic (Armada Ceske Republiky): Joint Forces Command (Spolocene Sily;
includes Land Forces (Pozemni Sily) and Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily)) (2013)
Military service age and obligation:

18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,506,826
females age 16-49: 2,407,634 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,072,267
females age 16-49: 1,988,839 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 49,999
female: 47,501 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.08% of GDP (2013)
1.13% of GDP (2012)
1.15% of GDP (2011)
1.13% of GDP (2010)
Climate
The Czech Republic as a landlocked country has moderate climate with four seasons
corresponding to the temperate climate zone. The climate varies among the various regions of the
Czech Republic, and throughout year. The average temperature in January, the coldest winter
month is -4 C. Summer weather can be very warm with temperatures around 24 C in July. A nice
time of the year to visit the Czech Republic is spring (mid-May to mid-June) and fall (September to
mid-October), when the weather can be quite pleasant, although it can also be unpredictable.
History
The first evidence of a Czech state dates back to the early Middle Ages. A kingdom was
established in the Czech Lands in the 13th century and its significance peaked in the 14th century
under the rule of Charles IV, the Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor. He established a University
in Prague in 1348. After 1620, the Czech Lands became part of Austria and part of the AustroHungarian Empire after 1867.
Following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the First World War, the Czechs and
Slovaks declared independence in 1918 and Czechoslovakia was established as a sovereign
country. During the 1920s and 1930s, Czechoslovakia ranked among the ten most developed
countries in the world. After Hitler's occupation of the country in 1938, Czechoslovakia was split
into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and the Slovak state. Czechoslovak statehood was
restored after the Second World War, which ended in 1945, but with a territorial loss. The most
eastern part, Transcarpathian Ukraine, was annexed by the Soviet Union. The Communist Party
won the 1946 parliamentary elections in Czechoslovakia. This resulted in a change of regime and
brought the country under the international communist movement, led by the Soviet Union.
November 1989 was a turning point in the history of the country. Under pressure from the citizens,
the socialist regime handed over power during the so-called Velvet Revolution, initiated by students
and intellectuals. Free parliamentary elections in June 1990 confirmed the course of democratic
development. The unitary state became a federation and the new name of the country was the
Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.
At the end of 1992 Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both countries went
through economic reforms and privatisations, and this process was largely successful. From 1991,
the Czech Republic, originally as part of Czechoslovakia and now in its own right, has been a
member of the Visegrad Group and from 1995, the OECD. The Czech Republic joined NATO in
1999 and the European Union in 2004. It held the Presidency of the European Union for the first
half of 2009.
System of Government
The Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. Every citizen over the age of 18 has the right to
vote. The highest executive authority is the president, who is the formal head of state and is elected
jointly by both houses of parliament for a term of five years. The supreme legislative body is the
Parliament, which consists of the House of Deputies, the lower house of the legislature, and the
Senate, which is the upper house. The supreme executive body is the government. The prime
minister heads the government and is appointed by the president of the republic. The president
also appoints other cabinet members based on the prime minister's recommendations.
RELATIONS WITH LIBYA

The Czech Republic imposed sanctions on Libya in 1997 under a United Nations resolution
following the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. This was lifted in 2006 by Czech President Vclav Klaus.
Libya had an embassy in Prague, although this closed in 2007. In 2008 the country opened a
consulate general in the same city.
Alongside Italy, the Czech Republic supported Muammar Gaddafi in the Libyan Civil War towards
the beginning of the conflict.
Following the death of Gaddafi in October 2011, the Czech Republic took a different stance and
looked to move forward with an improved relationship between the two countries.
In 2013 Libyan judges were sent to the Czech town of Krom for a five-day training programme
in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme.
RELATIONS WITH KOSOVO

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008 and Czech Republic
recognised it on 21 May 2008. The Czech Republic opened an embassy in Pristina on 16 July
2008.
When Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008, the Czech government
initially declared that they would not immediately recognise Kosovo as an independent state,
instead the Czech Republic would wait for the European Union to come up with a common stance
towards the declaration. It became clear shortly afterwards that the EU would have no common
stand on recognition of Kosovo due to objections from members such as Spain, Romania, Greece,
and Slovakia. Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg then announced that the Czech Republic
would take a wait and see approach; they would observe how many nations recognise Kosovo, and
the way in which the Kosovo government behaves.
Prior to the 17 February declaration, the Czech Social Democratic Party and Communist Party of
Bohemia and Moravia signaled their opposition to recognizing any unilateral declaration by Kosovo.
Shortly after the declaration they stayed true to their pre-declaration words, with the two parties
proclaiming a similarity between Kosovo's declaration and the 1938 Munich Agreement. President
Vclav Klaus also sympathised with the Serbian side, saying that the Czech Republic "must take
into account the traditional friendly relations between the Czech and Serbian nations" and that the
Serbian nation "has always sided with us in time of difficult historic trials".
Meanwhile, early supporters of recognising Kosovo as an independent state included Alexandr
Vondra, the Minister of European Affairs. Vondra predicted that the Czech government would
eventually recognise Kosovo, saying "It is sort of like dancing on eggshells, it is like handling a
powder keg. In situations like this, I think it is better to be really careful. We will wait, we will
evaluate the situation; there is no hurry. It will certainly not happen this week but let's be realists
we certainly won't wait for six months." Both Prime Minister Mirek Topolnek and Foreign Minister
Karel Schwarzenberg eventually declared their support for recognizing Kosovo. Topolnek tried to
get recognition through the cabinet of the Czech government just prior to the NATO summit in
Bucharest. However, his attempt was unsuccessful because a significant part of the governing
Civic Democratic Party opposed recognition.
According to an opinion poll published in early April 2008, 53% of a polled population believed that
the independence declaration against Serbia's wishes would have negative consequences for
stability in the Balkans, while 67% of them did not think that independence would help normalise
relations between Serbs and Albanians in the slightest bit, but will rather exacerbate them further.
Finally, 36% opposed Kosovo's unilateral independence declaration, 34% supported it, while the
remaining 30% were undecided.
Encouraged by the results of the May 2008 parliamentary elections in Serbia in which the For a
European Serbia coalition did much better than expected, previously skeptical ministers of the
Czech government reconsidered their positions and began to support recognition of Kosovo. It is
important to note that the For a European Serbia coalition is opposed to the unilateral declaration
by the Kosovo government, however it also wants Serbia to join the EU. After three months of
debate, on 21 May the Czech Republic recognised Kosovo as an independent nation because
recognition will strengthen "the overall stability in the region" the government said.
After the recognition was announced by the Czech government, Serbia responded by recalling its
ambassador from Prague. This was not an unusual move as, in an act of protest, Serbia had pulled
all of their ambassadors from nations which recognized Kosovo. Before the Serbian ambassador
left Prague, he met with President Vclav Klaus. After the meeting Klaus said that he was
especially alarmed by the words of Serbian Ambassador Vladimir Vere that Serbs had not taken it
personally when Kosovo was recognised by countries such as Finland and the Netherlands, but
that they were hurt by the action of the Czech government. Klaus also said that he felt ashamed
because of the Czech government's decision. As regards the opposition, their members still
insisted that the recognition "is a shame and a violation of international law". Foreign Minister Karel
Schwarzenberg, while admitting the decision is unpopular in some quarters, defended the
government's decision by saying that independent Kosovo was a reality and Czech diplomacy
would now be able to pursue active policies not only toward Kosovo, but also toward Serbia.
A month after recognising Kosovo as an independent state, this was still a hot political issue and
the government was still advocating their decision from the opposers' critique. On 16 July 2008 the
Czech government upgraded their liaison office in Pristina to an embassy led by a charg
d'affaires. Belgrade also announced that its ambassadors will return to the EU countries that
recognised Kosovo. The ambassador to the Czech Republic returned on 3 August 2008.
According to a poll published in July 2008, 30% of the polled population agreed with the
government's decision to recognise independent Kosovo, 31% opposed it, and 39% were
undecided.
In March 2009, Vice President of the Czech parliament Vojtch Filip stated that, after voting down
the Czech minority government, the possibility arises of reexamining Prague's decision to
recognize Kosovo's unilateral proclamation of independence. The now deposed Czech government
had acknowledged Kosovo's independence despite the opposing viewpoints of the majority of
parliamentary groups and the Czech's President, which is why there is a possibility of reexamining
the disputable decision, the Vice President told a Frankfurt daily paper. Filip said that he will initiate
the withdrawal of recognition of Kosovo, which is, according to him, legally possible because the
procedure of its full recognition in Czech has not yet been formally completed.
However, on March 31, 2009, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech
Republic, Zuzana Opletalov, denied any such "de-recognition" moves and reiterated the official
Czech position that the recognition of Kosovo is a finished and irreversible act.
2013
The newly elected Czech President Milo Zeman has an even more critical approach to Kosovo's
independence than his predecessor; he announced maintaining the position that no Czech
embassy shall be opened in Pristina, but that the Czech liaison officer shall be withdrawn. He
stands for the Czech revocation of recognition of independence and has called Kosovo.
Military
The Czech Republic currently has 411 troops serving in Kosovo as peacekeepers in the NATO led
Kosovo Force.

Czech Republic - IR

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local short form: Cesko

-0.9% (2013 est.)

Industrial production growth rate:

$143.4 billion (2013 est.)

Military service age and obligation:

RELATIONS WITH LIBYA

RELATIONS WITH KOSOVO

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