General background: After World War II, 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 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. Now a member of NATO, the Czech
Republic has moved toward integration in world markets,
a development that poses both opportunities and risks.
Area comparative: Slightly smaller than South
Carolina
Climate: Temperate; cool summers;
cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain: Bohemia
in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus
surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists
of very hilly country.
Population: 10,256,760 (July 2002 est.)
Ethnic groups: Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%,
Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%,
Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5% (1991)
Religions: Atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%,
Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%
Language: Czech
Government type: Parliamentary democracy
Capital: Prague
Legal system: 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
Economic overview: Basically one of the most
stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states,
the Czech Republic has been recovering from recession
since mid-1999. Growth in 2000-01 was led by exports
to the EU, especially Germany, and foreign investment,
while domestic demand is reviving. Uncomfortably high
fiscal and current account deficits could be future
problems. Unemployment is gradually declining as job
creation continues in the rebounding economy; inflation
is up to 4.7% but still moderate. The EU put the Czech
Republic just behind Poland and Hungary in preparations
for accession, which will give further impetus and direction
to structural reform. Moves to complete banking, telecommunications,
and energy privatisation will add to foreign investment,
while intensified restructuring among large enterprises
and banks and improvements in the financial sector should
strengthen output growth.
Communication/Telephone system: Privatisation 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.
Places of interest: While Prague shakes with
excitement, almost everything outside this astonishing
city is still off the beaten tourist track and unspoiled.
Travel tips:
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