Czech Republic

Hradčany The capital and largest city is Prague (Praha). The country is composed of the historic regions of Bohemia and Moravia, as well as parts of Silesia. The Czech Republic has been a member of NATO since 1999 and of the EU since 2004. It is one from the founders of Visegrád group and Central European Initiatives.

History

Karlštejn The Bohemian or Czech state emerged in the late 9th century, when it was unified by the Přemyslid dynasty. The kingdom of Bohemia was a significant regional power during the middle ages. It was part of the Holy Roman Empire during the entire existence of that confederation. The 14th century, particularly the reign of Charles IV (1342–1378), is considered as the Golden Age of Czech history. Of great significance that time was the founding of Charles Univerity in Prague in 1348.

Big issue in Bohemian history were religious conflicts, such as the 15th century Hussite Wars and the 17th century Thirty Years War. They had a devastating effect on the local population. By the end of Thirty Years War came Bohemia under Habsburg control. 18th and 19th century were in the sign of rebirth of the czech nation which combined mostly cultural and technical progess.

Kralický Sněžník The independent Republic of Czechoslovakia was formed in 1918, following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire after World War I. After 20 years of democracy came the Munich Agreement followed by the German occupation of Czechoslovakia which was the evening of World Was II. In 1948 Communist party took the power after they won plurality (38%) in the 1946 elections. There was an increasing dissatisfaction with governmental structures which culminated in attempts to reform the communist regime in more democratic society. The events, known as the Prague Spring of 1968, ended with an invasion by the armies of the Warsaw Pact countries; the troops remained in the country until the 1989 Velvet Revolution, when the communist regime collapsed. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved into its constituent states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It came „the wild 90´s“ and the transition period to democratic state.

Same other informations

Martinic palace – place of the closure ceremony
  • Important rivers: Elbe (Labe), Moldau (Vltava), Morava river, Oder river (Odra)
  • Highest mountains: Krkonoše
  • The highest point in the country: Sněžka at 1,602 m
  • The Czech republic is inland country but has own Moldauhafen in the middle of the Hamburg Docks (according to Article 363 of the Treaty of Versailles). – The territory reverts to Germany in 2028.
  • Population is more than 10 mil. inhabitants.
  • The most numerous national minorities are: Slovaks, Poles, Germans, Ukrainians, Vietnamese, Hungarians, Russians and Romani
  • The Jewish population of Bohemia and Moravia, 118,000 according to the 1930 census, was virtually annihilated by the Nazis during the Holocaust. There were approximately 4,000 Jews in the Czech Republic in 2005.
Plzeň
  • The Czech Republic, along with Estonia, has one of the least religious populations in all of Europe. According to the 2001 census, 59% of the country is agnostic, atheist, a non-believer or a non-organized believer. (26.8% is Roman Catholic and 2.5% is Protestant).
  • Škoda Auto is the largest car manufacturer in Central Europe. In 2007, 630,032 cars were sold worldwide, a record for the company.
  • The Czechs are known also for the highest rate of beer consumption in the world (156 l/each person incl. Babies); traditional beers: Budějovický budvar, Pilsner Urquel, Kozel
  • Czech cuisine is marked by a strong emphasis on meat dishes. Pork is quite common; beef and chicken are also popular. Goose, duck, rabbit and wild game are served. Fish is rare, with the occasional exception of fresh trout and carp, which is served at Christmas.
  • Kofola is a non-alcoholic Czech soft drink, somewhat similar in look and taste to Coca/cola.
  • National sport: Ice hockey (1998 won Olympic games in Nagano, world championships 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005) and football.

Political system

Štamberk The Czech Republic is a pluralist multi-party parliamentary representativa demoracy, with the Prime Minister as head of government. The Parliament (Parlament České republiky) is bicameral, with the Chamber of Deputies (200 members) and the Senate (81 members).

The President is elected by a joint session of the parliament for a five-year term, with no more than two consecutive terms. The president is a formal head of state with limited specific powers, most importantly to return bills to the parliament, nominate Constitutiona court judges for the Senate's approval and dissolve the parliament under certain special and unusual circumstances. He also appoints the prime minister, as well the other members of the cabinet on a proposal by the prime minister.

The Prime Minister is the head of government and wields considerable powers, including the right to set the agenda for most foreign and domestic policy, mobilize the parliamentary majority and choose government ministers.

The members of the Chamber of Deputies are elected for a four year term by proportional representation, with a 5% election threshold. There are 14 voting districts, identical to the country's admi­nistrative regions.