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Czech Flag
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9 - 16 centuries
Czech Kingdom
1600s - 1918
part of Habsburg Empire
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Geography Quick Facts
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Name:
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Czech
Republic (Česká republika)
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Regions:
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Bohemia
(Čechy), Moravia
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Area:
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78,864
sq km (30,450 sq miles)
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Bordering countries:
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Austria,
Germany, Poland,
Slovakia
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Capital:
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Praha
(Prague) - 1,214,000 inhabitants
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Major Cities:
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Brno
- 388,000
Ostrava - 327,000
Plzeň - 173,000
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Politics Quick Facts
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Government type:
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parliamentary
democracy
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President:
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Václav
Havel (no party)
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Prime Minister:
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Miloš
Zeman (ČSSD)
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Chairman of Parliament:
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Václav
Klaus (ODS)
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Leading Party:
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ČSSD
(Social Democratic Party) 32%
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Leading Opposition Party:
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ODS
(Civic Democratic Party) 27%
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1918 - 1938 Independent
state
- Czechoslovakia
1938
- 1945 Czech and Moravian Protectorate
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1948 - 1989 Czechoslovak Socialist Republic governed by Communist
Party
1989
uprising initiated by student demonstrations topples communist regime
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Demographic Quick Facts
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Population:
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10,000,000
people
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Language:
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Czech
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Nationalities:
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Czech
(94%), Slovak (2%), Romany/Gypsy (2-3%), Polish (0.6%), German
(0.5%)
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Religion:
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atheist
(40%), Roman Catholic (40%), Protestant (5%), other (16%)
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Life Expectancy:
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male
70.4 years
female 77.3 years
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Economy Quick Facts
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GDP:
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US$27,500
million
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Currency:
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Czech
Crown (Kč)
(app. US$1 = 30 Kč)
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Major Industries
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fuels,
ferrous metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles,
glass, textile, chemicals, armaments
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Agriculture:
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grains,
potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit, hogs, cattle, poultry, forest
products
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1993 - Slovakia breaks away from Czechoslovakia
since
1993 - Czech Republic
Czech
Crest
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