{
"Introduction": {
"Background": {
"text": "At the close of World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia, a parliamentarian democracy. During the interwar years, having rejected a federal system, the new country's predominantly Czech leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the increasingly strident demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Slovaks, the Sudeten Germans, and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). On the eve of World War II, Nazi Germany occupied the territory that today comprises Czechia, and Slovakia became an independent state allied with Germany. After the war, a reunited but truncated Czechoslovakia (less Ruthenia) fell within the Soviet sphere of influence when the pro-Soviet Communist party staged a coup in February 1948. In 1968, an invasion by fellow Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create \"socialism with a human face,\" ushering in a period of repression known as \"normalization.\" The peaceful \"Velvet Revolution\" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a nonviolent \"velvet divorce\" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. The country formally added the short-form name Czechia in 2016, while also continuing to use the full form name, the Czech Republic."
}
},
"Geography": {
"Location": {
"text": "Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria"
},
"Geographic coordinates": {
"text": "49 45 N, 15 30 E"
},
"Map references": {
"text": "Europe"
},
"Area": {
"total": {
"text": "78,867 sq km"
},
"land": {
"text": "77,247 sq km"
},
"water": {
"text": "1,620 sq km"
}
},
"Area - comparative": {
"text": "about two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than South Carolina"
},
"Land boundaries": {
"total": {
"text": "2,046 km"
},
"border countries": {
"text": "Austria 402 km; Germany 704 km; Poland 699 km; Slovakia 241 km"
}
},
"Coastline": {
"text": "0 km (landlocked)"
},
"Maritime claims": {
"text": "none (landlocked)"
},
"Climate": {
"text": "temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters"
},
"Terrain": {
"text": "Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country"
},
"Elevation": {
"highest point": {
"text": "Snezka 1,602 m"
},
"lowest point": {
"text": "Labe (Elbe) River 115 m"
},
"mean elevation": {
"text": "433 m"
}
},
"Natural resources": {
"text": "hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber, arable land"
},
"Land use": {
"agricultural land": {
"text": "54.8% (2018 est.)"
},
"agricultural land: arable land": {
"text": "arable land: 41% (2018 est.)"
},
"agricultural land: permanent crops": {
"text": "permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)"
},
"agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
"text": "permanent pasture: 12.8% (2018 est.)"
},
"forest": {
"text": "34.4% (2018 est.)"
},
"other": {
"text": "10.8% (2018 est.)"
}
},
"Irrigated land": {
"text": "320 sq km (2012)"
},
"Major rivers (by length in km)": {
"text": "Danube (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Elbe river source (shared with Germany [m]) - 1,252 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
},
"Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
"text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)"
},
"Population distribution": {
"text": "a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations"
},
"Natural hazards": {
"text": "flooding"
},
"Geography - note": {
"text": "note 1: 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
note 2: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deep"
},
"Map description": {
"text": "
Czechia map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries.
" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "10,705,384 (2022 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Czech(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Czech" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Czech 57.3%, Moravian 3.4%, other 7.7%, unspecified 31.6% (2021 est.)", "note": "note: includes only persons with one ethnicity" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "Czech (official) 88.4%, Slovak 1.5%, other 2.6%, unspecified 7.2% (2021 est.)" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "Czechia is a prosperous market economy that boasts one of the highest GDP growth rates and lowest unemployment levels in the EU, but its dependence on exports makes economic growth vulnerable to contractions in external demand. Czechia’s exports comprise some 80% of GDP and largely consist of automobiles, the country’s single largest industry. Czechia acceded to the EU in 2004 but has yet to join the euro-zone. While the flexible koruna helps Czechia weather external shocks, it was one of the world’s strongest performing currencies in 2017, appreciating approximately 16% relative to the US dollar after the central bank (Czech National Bank - CNB) ended its cap on the currency’s value in early April 2017, which it had maintained since November 2013. The CNB hiked rates in August and November 2017 - the first rate changes in nine years - to address rising inflationary pressures brought by strong economic growth and a tight labor market.
Since coming to power in 2014, the new government has undertaken some reforms to try to reduce corruption, attract investment, and improve social welfare programs, which could help increase the government’s revenues and improve living conditions for Czechs. The government introduced in December 2016 an online tax reporting system intended to reduce tax evasion and increase revenues. The government also plans to remove labor market rigidities to improve the business climate, bring procurement procedures in line with EU best practices, and boost wages. The country's low unemployment rate has led to steady increases in salaries, and the government is facing pressure from businesses to allow greater migration of qualified workers, at least from Ukraine and neighboring Central European countries.
Long-term challenges include dealing with a rapidly aging population, a shortage of skilled workers, a lagging education system, funding an unsustainable pension and health care system, and diversifying away from manufacturing and toward a more high-tech, services-based, knowledge economy.
" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": { "text": "$409.97 billion (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$434.31 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018": { "text": "$424.48 billion (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2019": { "text": "2.27% (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2018": { "text": "3.18% (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2017": { "text": "5.35% (2017 est.)" } }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2020": { "text": "$38,300 (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$40,700 (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$39,900 (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$250.631 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": { "text": "2.8% (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018": { "text": "2.1% (2018 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "2.4% (2017 est.)" } }, "Credit ratings": { "Fitch rating": { "text": "AA- (2018)" }, "Moody's rating": { "text": "Aa3 (2019)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "AA- (2011)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "2.3% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "36.9% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "60.8% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "47.4% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "19.2% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "24.7% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "1.1% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "79.9% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-72.3% (2017 est.)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "wheat, sugar beet, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, maize, pork, triticale, poultry" }, "Industries": { "text": "motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "7.5% (2017 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "5.222 million (2020 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "2.8%" }, "industry": { "text": "38%" }, "services": { "text": "59.2% (2015)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2019": { "text": "2.8% (2019 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2018": { "text": "3.18% (2018 est.)" } }, "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { "total": { "text": "8%" }, "male": { "text": "7.2%" }, "female": { "text": "9.2% (2020 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "10.1% (2018 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017": { "text": "24.9 (2017 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014": { "text": "25.1 (2014)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "4.1%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "21.7% (2015 est.)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "87.37 billion (2017 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "83.92 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "34.7% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "36.8% of GDP (2016 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "40.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2019": { "text": "-$678 million (2019 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2018": { "text": "$1.259 billion (2018 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2020": { "text": "$174.92 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2019": { "text": "$186.54 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2018": { "text": "$191.69 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Germany 31%, Slovakia 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2019)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "cars and vehicle parts, computers, broadcasting equipment, office machinery/parts, seating (2019)" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2020": { "text": "$157.95 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2019": { "text": "$171.43 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2018": { "text": "$176.78 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "Germany 27%, China 12%, Poland 9%, Slovakia 5% (2019)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "broadcasting equipment, cars and vehicle parts, office machinery/parts, computers, packaged medicines (2019)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017": { "text": "$148 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016": { "text": "$85.73 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2019": { "text": "$191.871 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Debt - external 2018": { "text": "$200.197 billion (2018 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "koruny (CZK) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "21.76636 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "23.0629 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "22.71439 (2018 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2014": { "text": "24.599 (2014 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2013": { "text": "20.758 (2013 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "22.485 million kW (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "60.814 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "23.521 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "13.368 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "4.117 billion kWh (2020 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "47% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "nuclear": { "text": "37.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "0.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "4.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "tide and wave": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "geothermal": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "production": { "text": "33.806 million metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "37.212 million metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "1.885 million metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "3.795 million metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "2.927 billion metric tons (2019 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "6,300 bbl/day (2021 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "219,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate exports": { "text": "400 barrels/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate imports": { "text": "150,200 barrels/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "15 million barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "177,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "52,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "83,860 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "189.185 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "8,815,133,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "7,590,318,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "3.964 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "99.533 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "57.268 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "25.526 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from consumed natural gas": { "text": "16.739 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2019": { "text": "161.972 million Btu/person (2019 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "1,335,224 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "12 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "12,999,812 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "121 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "the telecom market has attracted investment from among the key regional telcos, including Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica, and Vodafone, as also investors such as PPF Group; O2 Czech Republic remains the dominant telco in all segments, though there is effective competition, particularly in the mobile sector; telcos in the Czech Republic have become multi-service providers, offering a full range of fixed and mobile services; O2 CR has struggled to improve revenue growth in recent years, and in response it has transitioned itself to face market challenges; among the changes was its reorganization into separate business divisions and the spinning off of CETIN as a separate unit to manage the fixed and mobile networks while also operating as a national wholesale network provider; CETIN’s owner, PPF Group, in early 2021 considered an IPO for CETIN; the mobile sector is concentrated among the three MNOs, despite the regulator having made efforts to facilitate the entry of a new market player by providing spectrum at the multi-band auction held in November 2020; the auction has enabled the licensees to expand the reach of their 5G networks; this process has also been assisted by them closing down 3G networks and refarming spectrum for 5G and LTE use. (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "roughly 12 fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants and mobile telephone usage of about 121 per 100 inhabitants (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2019)" }, "note": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services" }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "22 TV stations operate nationally, with 17 of them in private hands; publicly operated Czech Television has 5 national channels; throughout the country, there are some 350 TV channels in operation, many through cable, satellite, and IPTV subscription services; 63 radio broadcasters are registered, operating over 80 radio stations, including 7 multiregional radio stations or networks; publicly operated broadcaster Czech Radio operates 4 national, 14 regional, and 4 Internet stations; both Czech Radio and Czech Television are partially financed through a license fee (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".cz" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "9,323,428 (July 2022 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "86.8% (July 2022 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "3,845,426 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "36 (2020 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "4 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "48" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "5,727,200 (2018)" }, "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "25.23 million (2018) mt-km" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "OK" }, "Airports": { "total": { "text": "128 (2021)" } }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "total": { "text": "41" }, "over 3,047 m": { "text": "2" }, "2,438 to 3,047 m": { "text": "9" }, "1,524 to 2,437 m": { "text": "12" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "2" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "16 (2021)" } }, "Airports - with unpaved runways": { "total": { "text": "87" }, "1,524 to 2,437 m": { "text": "1" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "25" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "61 (2021)" } }, "Heliports": { "text": "1 (2021)" }, "Pipelines": { "text": "7,160 km gas, 675 km oil, 94 km refined products (2016)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "9,408 km (2017)" }, "standard gauge": { "text": "9,385 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (3,218 km electrified)" }, "narrow gauge": { "text": "23 km (2017) 0.760-m gauge" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "55,744 km (2019) (includes urban and category I, II, III roads)" }, "paved": { "text": "55,744 km (2019) (includes 1,252 km of expressways)" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "664 km (2010) (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals)" }, "Ports and terminals": { "river port(s)": { "text": "Prague (Vltava)" }, "note": "Decin, Usti nad Labem (Elbe)" } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Czech Armed Forces: Land Forces; Air Forces; Cyber Forces; Special Forces (2022)" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "1.3% of GDP (2020)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "1.2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $4.05 billion)" }, "Military Expenditures 2018": { "text": "1.1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $3.8 billion)" }, "Military Expenditures 2017": { "text": "1% of GDP (2017) (approximately $3.4 billion)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "approximately 26,000 active personnel (20,000 Army; 6,000 Air Force) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Czech military has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern equipment, mostly of Western European origin; since 2010, the leading suppliers of military equipment to Czechia have been Austria and Spain; Czechia has a considerable domestic defense industry; during the Cold War, Czechoslovakia was a major supplier of tanks, armored personnel carriers, military trucks, and trainer aircraft (2021)", "note": "note: in 2019, Czechia announced a modernization plan to acquire more equipment that was compliant with NATO standards, including aircraft from the US and armored vehicles from Germany and Sweden, as well as domestically-produced arms" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished 2004 (2021)", "note": "note: as of 2019, women comprised about 13% of the military's full-time personnel" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "up to 130 Lithuania (NATO); 130 Slovakia (NATO) (2022)", "note": "note: in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries have sent additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Czechia joined NATO in 1999; Czechia, Hungary, and Poland were invited to begin accession talks at NATO's Madrid Summit in 1997, and in March 1999 they became the first former members of the Warsaw Pact to join the Alliance" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "none
" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "431,462 (Ukraine) (as of 13 September 2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "1,498 (mid-year 2021)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "manufacture of methamphetamine continues to be mostly based on pseudoephedrine from Poland or Turkey.
" } } }