The Roma, often known as Gypsies,
are thought to be descendants of people who migrated from India
in the 15th century. In 1997, about 1,500 Roma from the Czech
Republic applied for refugee status in Canada.
Government Information
Chief
of State: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March
2003) Head of Government: Prime Minister
Jiri PAROUBEK (since 25 April 2005) Government Type: parliamentary
democracy
Population Demographics
Population:
10,235,455 (July 2006 est.) Languages: Czech Religion: Roman Catholic 26.8%,
Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated
59% (2001 census) Life Expectancy: 76.22
Overview: The Czech Republic
is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist
states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in 2000-05
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
took place in 2005. Intensified restructuring among
large enterprises, improvements in the financial sector,
and effective use of available EU funds should strengthen
output growth.
Exports: machinery and transport
equipment 52%, chemicals 5%, raw materials and fuel
9% (2003)
Import: machinery and transport
equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals
10% (2003)
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Geography
Information
Location:
Central Europe, southeast of Germany Area: total: 78,866 sq km
land: 77,276 sq km
water: 1,590 sq km
Background:
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.
Independence Day: 1 January
1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
Slovakia)
Capital City: Prague Administrative divisions: 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
