The Czech Republic on a world map
The Czech Republic is located in the Northern Hemisphere, approximately in the middle of the European Continent. Its neighbouring states are Germany (to the west), Poland (to the north), Slovakia (to the east, which together with the Czech Republic constituted Czechoslovakia until 1992) and Austria (to the south). read more...
Area size
With a total area of almost 79,000 square kilometres, the Czech Republic is a midsize European country. Its size is comparable to Austria or Ireland and would it fit inside France seven times. The country could fit 122 times within the area of the United States.
The Czech Republic makes up 2% of the European Union. The country comprises three historical lands - Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. Bohemia is the largest, and its size corresponds to Togo in Africa or the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. The area of Moravia is half the size of Bohemia, and the smallest land, Silesia, has an area of approximately 4,500 square kilometres. read more...
Economic system of the Czech Republic
The territory of the Czech Republic was one of the most economically developed parts of Europe at the beginning of the last century. It was the most industrial part of Austria-Hungary. After the establishment of an independent state in 1918, Czechoslovakia then ranked among the top developed states in the world. After the Second World War, and as a result of the social changes related to the rise of the communist regime, significant changes in the economy system were enforced. All industrial companies were nationalized and the economy started to be controlled centrally on the basis of a national economic plan. Within the Soviet bloc, the Czechoslovak economy system focused even more on the heavy-industry development, which was demanding in resources and energy. The traditional economical branches were suppressed, such as the glass industry, the food industry and the textile industry. The proportion of producing the means of production grew at the expense of consumer goods. After the fall of the communist regime in 1989, the Czech economy system was at the start again; previous competitors, who had not been affected by communism, were far ahead. In the years right after the revolution, the Czech economic system had to absorb all changes that had occurred on world markets; the changes were often very dramatic. Within the restitution system, businesses and land were returned to their previous owners; during the coupon privatization, a large majority of state companies were privatized. Some important companies were sold to foreign investors (Škoda Auto, Plzeň Brewery); some were bought by interested Czech parties (ČKD, Škoda Plzeň).
Currently, the Czech Republic ranks among the fastest-developing countries in the region and compensates for the delay that resulted from the historical development. It is important that the Czech Republic did not become just a workshop for foreign investors, but that the human potential allowed the country to create products of great added value.
Traditional Czech products
Glass, Porcelain
The glass-making industry and branded porcelain have a very long tradition in the Czech Republic. The product range is very broad, and specialties include lead crystal glass, cut glass and glass figurines.
Bohemian garnet
Bohemian garnet, which can only be found in Bohemia, has always maintained a unique position among other garnet stones due to its unique, fiery red colour and the light refraction.
Beer
Czech beer is one of the best-known beers worldwide. The biggest Czech brewers include Prazdroj, Pivovary Staropramen, Budvar, Bernard, PMS Přerov, Drinks Union and Starobrno. There are many other smaller, often family-run breweries in the Czech Republic, which are mostly operated in combination with a restaurant, where you can sample the local beer on the spot.
Other products: automobiles (Škoda), tramcars, military equipment (Radars), airplanes (Aero Vodochody), Petrof pianos, Baťa shoes, Prim watches etc.
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Agriculture
Czech agriculture has a long tradition, in spite of the Czech Republic being more of an industrial country. Thanks to the country's climatic conditions, many kinds of vegetables, fruits and livestock thrive here.
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Climate
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country located in moderate geographical latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. The climate of the Czech Republic is mild but variable locally and throughout the year.
The climate differs markedly among the various regions of the Czech Republic, depending on the height above sea level. Czech seasons are distinct. Summer (June through August), receives the highest temperatures and also the heaviest rainfall. The cold, bitter winter months of December, January and February often have temperatures reaching as low as -5°C (23°F) in the cities and -10°C (14°F) to -15°C (5°F) or even -30°C (-22°F) in the mountainous areas. They are tailor-made for skiing and other winter pursuits; the mountains receive about 130 days of snow a year, but other areas get coverage as well. Spring (late March to May) brings changeable, rainy weather and sometimes flooding. Autumn is also variable but temperatures can be as high as 20°C (68°F) in September.
Characteristics of the summer
If you love heat, the best time to visit the Czech Republic is July, when the average temperature is 20 °C warmer than in January. The hottest daily temperatures can be in excess of 30 °C. Days such as these can be pleasantly spent near the water, which truly heats to a suitable temperature for swimming in the second half of summer. Another way to escape the sultry summer heat is to take a trip to the mountains, where the average daily temperatures are just over 10 °C. The hottest months are also those with the most rainfall as the hot air brings the highest level of moisture to the Czech Republic.
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Czech Republic - Fast facts
Full Name: Czech Republic
Capital City: Prague (pop 1.2 million)
Other large cities: Plzeň, Brno, Liberec and Ostrava
Area: 78,866 sq km, 30,450 sq miles
Population: 10,235,455
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1
Languages: Czech (official)
Religion: 26.8% Roman Catholic, 2.1% Protestant, 3.3% Other, 8.89% Unspecified
Currency: CZK - Czech Koruna (Kč)
1 Euro = 27 CZK
1 USD = 21 CZK
Electricity: 220V 50Hz - European plug with two circular metal pins
Country Dialing Code: + 420
Basic Czech Phrases
YES = ANO ano
NO = NE ne
PLEASE = PROSÍM proseem
THANK YOU = DĚKUJI VAM dyekooyi vam
GOOD MORNING = DOBRÉ RÁNO dobrye rano
GOOD AFTERNOON = DOBRÉ ODPOLEDNE dobrye odpoledne
GOOD NIGHT = DOBROU NOC dobroh nots
HELLO = DOBRY' DEN dobree den
GOOD-BYE = NA SHLEDANOU nas-khledanow
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? = JAK SE JMENUJETE? yak se ymenooyete
MY NAME IS... = JMENUJI SE... ymenooyi se
HOW ARE YOU? = JAK SE MÁTE? jak se mahte
FINE THANKS, AND YOU? = DĚKUJI DOBRE, A VY? dyekooyi dobrzhe, a vi
I UNDERSTAND. = ROZUMÍM. Rozoomeem
I DON'T UNDERSTAND. = NEROZUMÍM. Nerozoomeem
DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH? = MLUVÍTE ANGLICKY? mlooveete anglitskee
I DON'T SPEAK (MUCH) CZECH. = NEMLUVÍM (MOC) ČESKY. nemlooveem (mots) chehskee
For complete information about the Czech Republic please visit www.czech.cz 
