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Background:
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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. Now a member of NATO, the
Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets,
a development that poses both opportunities and risks. In
December 2002, the Czech Republic was invited to join the
European Union (EU). It is expected that the Czech Republic
will accede to the EU in 2004.
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Location:
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Central Europe,
southeast of Germany |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total:
78,866 sq km
water: 1,590 sq km
land: 77,276 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than South Carolina |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,881 km
border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km,
Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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temperate; cool
summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters |
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Terrain:
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Bohemia in the
west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus
surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of
very hilly country |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Elbe River 115 m
highest point: Snezka 1,602 m |
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Natural resources:
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hard coal, soft
coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber |
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Land use:
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arable land:
40%
permanent crops: 3.04%
other: 56.96% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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240 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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flooding |
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Environment - current issues:
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air and water
pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern
Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain
damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code
should improve domestic pollution |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked;
strategically located astride some of oldest and most
significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a
traditional military corridor between the North European Plain
and the Danube in central Europe |
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Population:
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10,246,178 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
15% (male 789,987; female 748,476)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 3,643,574; female 3,622,276)
65 years and over: 14.1% (male 557,496; female 884,369)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
38.6 years
male: 36.9 years
female: 40.5 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.05% (2004
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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9.1 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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10.54
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.97 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
3.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.32 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 75.78 years
male: 72.52 years
female: 79.24 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.1%
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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500 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 10
(2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Czech(s)
adjective: Czech |
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Ethnic groups:
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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) |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%, atheist
39.8% |
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Languages:
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Czech |
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Literacy:
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definition:
NA
total population: 99.9% (1999 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA% |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czech Republic
local short form: Ceska Republika
local long form: Ceska Republika |
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Government type:
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parliamentary
democracy |
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Capital:
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Prague |
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Administrative divisions:
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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*, Stredocesky Kraj,
Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj |
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Independence:
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1 January 1993
(Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) |
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National holiday:
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Czech Founding
Day, 28 October (1918) |
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Constitution:
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ratified 16
December 1992; effective 1 January 1993 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age;
universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)
note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL
stepped down from office on 2 February 2003 having served
exactly 10 years; parliament finally elected a successor on 28
February 2003 after two inconclusive elections in January 2003
head of government: Prime Minister Vladimir SPIDLA
(since 12 July 2002), Deputy Prime Ministers Bohuslav SOBOTKA
(since 20 August 2003), Cyril SVOBODA (since July 2002),
Stanislav GROSS (since July 2002), Petr MARES (since July
2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28
February 2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes
(third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a
five-year term; last successful election held 28 February 2003
(after earlier elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were
inconclusive; next election to be held NA January 2008); prime
minister appointed by the president |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year
terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of
Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - ODS 26, KDU-CSL 14, CSSD 11, US 9, KSCM
3, independents 18; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by
party - CSSD 30.2%, ODS 24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU
coalition 14.3%, other minor 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70,
ODS 58, KSCM 41, KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU 10
elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 25-26
October and 1-2 November 2002 (next to be held NA November
2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 14-15 June 2002 (next
to be held by NA June 2006) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court;
Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are
appointed by the president for a 10-year term |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Christian and
Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Miroslav
KALOUSEK, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Michael
ZANTOVSKY, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek
TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of
Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech
National Social Party of CSNS [Jaroslav ROVNY, chairman];
Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Vladimir SPIDLA,
chairman]; Freedom Union-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Petr
MARES, chairman] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Bohemian and
Moravian Trade Union Confederation [Milan STECH] |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT (observer),
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (new
member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington,
DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador William J. CABANISS
embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663
FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583 |
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Economy - overview:
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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 2000-03 was supported by exports to the EU,
primarily to Germany, and a near doubling of foreign direct
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. High
current account deficits - averaging around 5% of GDP in the
last several years - could be a persistent problem. Inflation
is under control. 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
privatization will encourage additional foreign investment,
while intensified restructuring among large enterprises and
banks, and improvements in the financial sector, should
strengthen output growth. Nonetheless, revival in the European
economies remains essential to stepped-up growth. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $160.5 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.5% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $15,700 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
3.8%
industry: 41%
services: 55.2% (2001) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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0% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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5.203 million
(1999 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 5%,
industry 35%, services 60% (2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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10.5% (2003) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$16.7 billion
expenditures: $18 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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metallurgy,
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5.7% (2003) |
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Electricity - production:
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70.04 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
76.1%
hydro: 2.9%
other: 1% (2001)
nuclear: 20% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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55.6 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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18.92 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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9.38 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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7,419 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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175,700 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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26,670 bbl/day
(2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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192,300 bbl/day
(2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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17.25 million bbl
(1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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160 million cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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9.892 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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1 million cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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9.521 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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3.057 billion cu
m (1 January 2002) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, potatoes,
sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry |
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Exports:
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$46.77 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery and
transport equipment 44%, intermediate manufactures 25%,
chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7% (2000) |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 36.6%,
Slovakia 7.7%, UK 5.8%, Austria 5.6%, Poland 4.7%, France
4.7%, Italy 4.1% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$50.4 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
transport equipment 40%, intermediate manufactures 21%, raw
materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11% (2000) |
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Imports - partners:
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Germany 32.9%,
Italy 5.5%, Slovakia 5.3%, France 4.9%, China 4.7%, Russia
4.6%, Austria 4.4%, Poland 4.1% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$28.2 billion
(2003) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$108 million; EU
structural adjustment funds (2002) |
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Currency:
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Czech koruna (CZK) |
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Currency code:
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CZK |
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Exchange rates:
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koruny per US
dollar - 28.21 (2003), 32.74 (2002), 38.04 (2001), 38.6
(2000), 34.57 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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3,675,500 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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9.2 million
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: privatization 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
domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper
subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital
Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and
other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable
and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 420; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions),
1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 31, FM 304,
shortwave 17 (2000) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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150 (plus 1,434
repeaters) (2000) |
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Internet country code:
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.cz |
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Internet hosts:
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226,429 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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2.6 million
(2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
9,462 km
standard gauge: 9,363 km 1.435-m gauge (1,745 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
55,408 km
paved: 55,408 km (including 499 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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303 km
note: the Labe (Elbe) is the principal river (2000) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 7,020 km; oil
547 km; refined products 94 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Decin, Prague,
Usti nad Labem |
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Airports:
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120 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 44
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 17 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 76
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 48 (2003 est.) |
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Heliports:
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2 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Czech Army:
Ground Forces, Air Forces, Special Forces |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 2,623,386 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 2,003,748 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
67,195 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$1,190.2 million
(FY01) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.1% (FY01) |
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Disputes - international:
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Liechtenstein's
royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the
Czech Republic confiscated in 1918; individual Sudeten Germans
seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with
their expulsion after World War II; Austria has minor dispute
with Czech Republic over the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant |
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Illicit drugs:
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transshipment
point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for
Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of
synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to
money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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