The origin of the state: On January 1,1993 by the division of the Czech
and Slovak Federal Republic
System of government: Republic led by a president
Executive power: President (five-year term of office), prime minister
Legislative power: Two-chamber Parliament -
Chamber of Deputies (200 members, elected for a period
of 4 years), Senate (81 members, elected for a period
of 6 years)
Type of government: Parliamentary republic
National anthem: "Where is My Home?", music: František Škroup (1834), lyrics: Josef Kajetán Tyl (1834)
State flag: The Czech Republic has a flag which features traditional
Slavonic colours - white and red (the colours derived from
the Czech national coat of arms), blue - a reference
to the field of the Moravian coat of arms)
National coat of arms: The large coat of arms contains the emblems of the
historical lands of the Czech Crown - a traditional heraldic rampant lion (Bohemia), a checquered eagle (Moravia) and the Silesian eagle
Area:
78 866 sq km2
Geographical location:
an inland country in central Europe, 50°00´N latitude,
15°00´ E longitude
Connecting line between the northernmost and the southernmost point:
278 km
Connecting line between the easternmost and the westernmost point:
493 km
Time zone:
GMT + 1/GMT + 2 (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time)
Membership in international organizations:
EU (since May 1, 2004), United Nations, NATO, OECD
State border: total length of 2,290.4 km, Austria 466.1 km, Germany 810.7 km, Poland 761.8 km, Slovakia 251.8 km
Administrative division (according to area in sq km):
14 regions - Central Bohemian Region 11,014, South Bohemian Region 10,056, Plzeň Region 7,560, South Moravian Region 7,067, Vysočina Region 6,925, Moravian-Silesian Region 5,555, Ústí nad Labem Region 5,335, Olomouc Region 5,139, Hradec Králové Region 4,757, Pardubice Region 4,519, Zlín Region 3,965, Karlovy Vary Region 3,315, Liberec Region 3,163, Capital City of Prague 496
Population: 10 213 480 (as of June 30, 2004)
Density of population: 129.4 inhabitants per sq km
Capital city: Prague
Population of the capital: 1 166 491 (as of June 30, 2004)
Regional capitals (according to the number of inhabitants as of January 1, 2004): Brno (369 559), Ostrava (313 088), Plzeň (164 180), Olomouc (101 268), Liberec (97 770), České Budějovice (95 245), Hradec Králové (95 195), Ústí nad Labem (94 105), Pardubice (88 741), Zlín (79 177), Karlovy Vary (51 807), Jihlava (50 100)
Main languages: Czech (96%), Slovak (2%), German, Polish, Romany (2%)
Ethnic composition:: Czechs (94%, including Moravians and Silesians), Slovaks (1,9%), Poles (0,5%), Germans (0,4%), Romanies (0,4%), Hungarians, Ukrainians, Russians, Greeks and others
Important telephone numbers: Ambulance:155
Police:158
Fire brigade:150
City Police:156
Infomation regarding telephone numbers: 1180
Eurotel Assistance: 1188
Information about transport: By air:
information about arrivals and departures -
Prague Ruzyně airport , tel.: 220 113 314, www.csl.cz
By rail: Central telephone information of Czech Railways -
tel.: 221 111 121, www.cd.cz
By road: : bus transport - Central Information Office -
tel.: 900 119 041, 900 149 044, 900 144 444,
www.vlak-bus.cz
motor transport aABA road assistance service - tel.:1240
ÚAMK road assistance service - tel.: 1230
State and Public Holidays January 1st New Year´s Day, Day of the Revival of Independent Czech State,
Variable Easter Monday,
May 1st May Day (Labour Day),
May 8th Day of Liberation from Fascism (1945),
July 5th Day of Slav Missionaries Cyril and Methodius,
July 6th Master John Huss (1415),
September 28th Day of Czech Statehood,
October 28th Foundation of Independent
Czechoslovak State (1918),
November 17th Day of the Fight for Freedom
and Democracy,
December 24th Christmas Eve,
December 25th Christmas Day,
December 26th Boxing Day
UNESCO Sights:
In the Czech Republic there are twelve protected areas registered in the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
The Czech Republic can offer foreign visitors a wealth of scenic beauties and attractions located in its magnificent towns, which have no equal elsewhere, as well as treasures of architecture set in its unique natural environment with a great deal of sensitivity. All this and far more combines to make Czechia an extraordinarily attractive country from the viewpoint of tourism. Prague, the seat of the kings of Bohemia and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire in the past, has been a crossroads of cultural influences and a showcase of architecture that is admired practically by the entire world. The multi-cultural character of Czech towns, country residences and spa centres has always inspired visitors as well as the inhabitants of this country. Czechia has already managed to overcome the negative repercussions of the historical development of the latter half of the 20th century and become an equal partner in the sphere of the tourist industry. The country contributes to the creation and the enhancement of the cultural image of Europe and I recommed warmly that everyone who has the possibility should try to become acquainted with the splendid cultural heritage of the Czech Republic.
Ramiro Cibrian
Head of the European Commission Delegation
in the Czech Republic, 2002
System of government: Republic led by a president
State flag: The Czech Republic has a flag which features traditional
Slavonic colours - white and red (the colours derived from
the Czech national coat of arms), blue - a reference
to the field of the Moravian coat of arms)
National coat of arms: The large coat of arms contains the emblems of the
historical lands of the Czech Crown - a traditional heraldic rampant lion (Bohemia), a checquered eagle (Moravia) and the Silesian eagle
