Czech Republic :: Europe
Introduction
Background:
At the close of World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. 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. In 1968, an invasion by 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 added the short-form name Czechia in 2016, while continuing to use the full form name, Czech Republic.
Geography
Location:
Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria
Geographic coordinates:
49 45 N, 15 30 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total:
78,867 sq km
land:
77,247 sq km
water:
1,620 sq km
country comparison to the world: 116
Area - comparative:
about two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total:
2,143 km
border countries (4):
Austria 402 km, Germany 704 km, Poland 796 km, Slovakia 241 km
Coastline:
0 km
(landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
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
Elevation:
mean elevation:
433 m
lowest point:
Labe (Elbe) River 115 m
highest point:
Snezka 1,602 m
Natural resources:
hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber, arable land
Land use:
agricultural land:
54.8%
(2011 est.)
arable land:
41%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent crops:
1%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent pasture:
12.8%
(2011 est.)
forest:
34.4%
(2011 est.)
other:
10.8%
(2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
320 sq km
(2012)
Population distribution:
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations
Natural hazards:
flooding
Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; land pollution caused by industry, mining, and agriculture
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, 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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
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
People and Society
Population:
10,702,498
(July 2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Nationality:
noun:
Czech(s)
adjective:
Czech
Ethnic groups:
Czech 64.3%, Moravian 5%, Slovak 1.4%, other 1.8%, unspecified 27.5%
(2011 est.)
Languages:
Czech (official) 95.4%, Slovak 1.6%, other 3%
(2011 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 10.4%, Protestant (includes Czech Brethren and Hussite) 1.1%, other and unspecified 54%, none 34.5%
(2011 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
15.17%
(male 834,447/female 789,328)
15-24 years:
9.2%
(male 508,329/female 475,846)
25-54 years:
43.29%
(male 2,382,899/female 2,249,774)
55-64 years:
12.12%
(male 636,357/female 660,748)
65 years and over:
20.23%
(male 907,255/female 1,257,515)
(2020 est.)
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:
56
youth dependency ratio:
24.6
elderly dependency ratio:
31.4
potential support ratio:
3.2
(2020 est.)
Median age:
total:
43.3 years
male:
42 years
female:
44.7 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Population growth rate:
0.06%
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Birth rate:
8.9 births/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
Death rate:
10.7 deaths/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Net migration rate:
2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Population distribution:
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations
Urbanization:
urban population:
74.1% of total population
(2020)
rate of urbanization:
0.21% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
1.306 million PRAGUE (capital)
(2020)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years:
1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.72 male(s)/female
total population:
0.97 male(s)/female
(2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
28.4 years
(2018 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
3 deaths/100,000 live births
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
Infant mortality rate:
total:
2.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
2.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
79.3 years
male:
76.3 years
female:
82.4 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Total fertility rate:
1.48 children born/woman
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban:
100% of population
rural:
100% of population
total:
100% of population
unimproved:
urban:
0% of population
rural:
0% of population
total:
0% of population
(2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure:
7.2%
(2017)
Physicians density:
4.07 physicians/1,000 population
(2017)
Hospital bed density:
6.6 beds/1,000 population
(2017)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban:
100% of population
rural:
100% of population
total:
100% of population
unimproved:
urban:
0% of population
rural:
0% of population
total:
0% of population
(2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
<.1%
(2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,400
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<100
(2018 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
26%
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 46
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP
(2017)
country comparison to the world: 100
Literacy:
definition:
NA
total population:
99%
male:
99%
female:
99%
(2011)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:
16 years
male:
16 years
female:
17 years
(2018)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:
6.7%
male:
6.4%
female:
7.2%
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Government
Country name:
conventional long form:
Czech Republic
conventional short form:
Czechia
local long form:
Ceska republika
local short form:
Cesko
etymology:
name derives from the Czechs, a West Slavic tribe who rose to prominence in the late 9th century A.D.; the country officially adopted the English short-form name of Czechia on 1 July 2016
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name:
Prague
geographic coordinates:
50 05 N, 14 28 E
time difference:
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: the name may derive from an old Slavic root "praga" or "prah", meaning "ford", and refer to the city's origin at a crossing point of the Vltava (Moldau) River
Administrative divisions:
13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky (Karlovy Vary), Kralovehradecky (Hradec Kralove), Liberecky (Liberec), Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky (Olomouc), Pardubicky (Pardubice), Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky (Usti), Vysocina (Highlands), Zlinsky (Zlin)
Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia); note - although 1 January is the day the Czech Republic came into being, the Czechs commemorate 28 October 1918, the day the former Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as their independence day
National holiday:
Czechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918)
Constitution:
history:
previous 1960; latest ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993
amendments:
passage requires at least three-fifths concurrence of members present in both houses of Parliament; amended several times, last in 2013
Legal system:
new civil code enacted in 2014, replacing civil code of 1964 - based on former Austro-Hungarian civil codes and socialist theory - and reintroducing former Czech legal terminology
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Czechia
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Milos ZEMAN (since 8 March 2013)
head of government:
Prime Minister Andrej BABIS (since 13 December 2017); First Deputy Prime Minister Jan HAMACEK (since 27 June 2018), Deputy Prime Minister Alena SCHILLEROVA (since 30 April 2019)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections/appointments:
president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); elections last held on 12-13 January 2018 with a runoff on 26-27 January 2018 (next to be held in January 2023); prime minister appointed by the president for a 4-year term
election results:
Milos ZEMAN reelected president in the second round; percent of vote - Milos ZEMAN (SPO) 51.4%, Jiri DRAHOS (independent) 48.6%
Legislative branch:
description:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of: Senate or Senat (81 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members directly elected in 14 multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote with a 5% threshold required to fill a seat; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held in 2 rounds on 2-3 and 9-10 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2022) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 20-21 October 2017 (next to be held by October 2021)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - STAN 19, ODS 18, KDU-CSL 12, ANO 5, TOP 09 5, CSSD 3, SEN 21 3, Pirates 2, SZ 1, minor parties with one seat each 9, independents 4 ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ANO 29.6%, ODS 11.3%, Pirates 10.8%, SPD 10.6%, KSCM 7.8%, CSSD 7.3%, KDU-CSL 5.8%, TOP 09 5.3%, STAN 5.2%, other 6.3%; seats by party - ANO 78, ODS 25, Pirates 22, SPD 22, CSSD 15, KSCM 15, KDU-CSL 10, TOP 09 7, STAN 6; composition - men 155, women 45, percent of women 24%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.6%
Judicial branch:
highest courts:
Supreme Court (organized into Civil Law and Commercial Division, and Criminal Division each with a court chief justice, vice justice, and several judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 15 justices); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 36 judges, including the court president and vice president, and organized into 6-, 7-, and 9-member chambers)
judge selection and term of office:
Supreme Court judges proposed by the Chamber of Deputies and appointed by the president; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed for 10-year, renewable terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the president of the Court; unlimited terms
subordinate courts:
High Court; regional and district courts
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Pavel BELOBRADEK] ++ Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Petr FIALA] ++ Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP] ++ Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jan HAMACEK] ++ Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD [Tomio OKAMURA] ++ Green Party or SZ [Petr STEPANEK] ++ Mayors and Independents or STAN [Petr GAZDIK] ++ Movement of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO [Andrej BABIS] ++ Party of Civic Rights or SPO [Lubomir NECAS] ++ Pirate Party or Pirates [Ivan BARTOS] ++ Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09 [Jiri POSPISIL]
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Hynek KMONICEK (since 24 April 2017)
chancery:
3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 274-9100
FAX:
[1] (202) 966-8540
consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Stephen B. KING (since 6 December 2017)
telephone:
[420] 257 022 000
embassy:
Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1 - Mala Strana
mailing address:
use embassy street address
FAX:
[420] 257 022 809
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
note: combines the white and red colors of Bohemia with blue from the arms of Moravia; is identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia
National symbol(s):
silver (or white), double-tailed, rampant lion; national colors: white, red, blue
National anthem:
name:
"Kde domov muj?" (Where is My Home?)
lyrics/music:
Josef Kajetan TYL/Frantisek Jan SKROUP
note: adopted 1993; the anthem was originally written as incidental music to the play "Fidlovacka" (1834), it soon became very popular as an unofficial anthem of the Czech nation; its first verse served as the official Czechoslovak anthem beginning in 1918, while the second verse (Slovak) was dropped after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993
Economy
Economic overview:
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.
GDP real growth rate:
2.27%
(2019 est.)
3.18%
(2018 est.)
5.35%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8%
(2019 est.)
2.1%
(2018 est.)
2.4%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Credit ratings:
Fitch rating:
AA-
(2018)
Moody's rating:
Aa3
(2019)
Standard & Poors rating:
AA-
(2011)
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real:
$385.685 billion
(2019 est.)
$377.134 billion
(2018 est.)
$365.566 billion
(2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$250.631 billion
(2019 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,816
(2019 est.)
$25,300
(2018 est.)
$24,581
(2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
country comparison to the world: 61
Gross national saving:
26.9% of GDP
(2017 est.)
27.5% of GDP
(2016 est.)
28.2% of GDP
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:
2.3%
(2017 est.)
industry:
36.9%
(2017 est.)
services:
60.8%
(2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:
47.4%
(2017 est.)
government consumption:
19.2%
(2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital:
24.7%
(2017 est.)
investment in inventories:
1.1%
(2017 est.)
exports of goods and services:
79.9%
(2017 est.)
imports of goods and services:
-72.3%
(2017 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores:
76.3
(2020)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry
Industries:
motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Labor force:
5.222 million
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:
2.8%
industry:
38%
services:
59.2%
(2015)
Unemployment rate:
2.8%
(2019 est.)
3.18%
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Population below poverty line:
9.7%
(2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
4.1%
highest 10%:
21.7%
(2015 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
87.37 billion
(2017 est.)
expenditures:
83.92 billion
(2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
40.5% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
1.6% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
Public debt:
34.7% of GDP
(2017 est.)
36.8% of GDP
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Current account balance:
-$678 million
(2019 est.)
$1.259 billion
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
Exports:
$229.578 billion
(2019 est.)
$226.887 billion
(2018 est.)
$218.794 billion
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Exports - partners:
Germany 32.8%, Slovakia 7.8%, Poland 6.1%, France 5.1%, UK 4.9%, Austria 4.4%, Italy 4.1%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, raw materials, fuel, chemicals
Imports:
$211.922 billion
(2019 est.)
$209.225 billion
(2018 est.)
$197.808 billion
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Germany 29.8%, Poland 9.1%, China 7.4%, Slovakia 5.8%, Netherlands 5.3%, Italy 4%
(2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$148 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$85.73 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Debt - external:
$205.2 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$138 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Exchange rates:
koruny (CZK) per US dollar -
21.76636
(2020 est.)
23.0629
(2019 est.)
22.71439
(2018 est.)
24.599
(2014 est.)
20.758
(2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access:
electrification - total population:
100%
(2020)
Electricity - production:
77.39 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Electricity - consumption:
62.34 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Electricity - exports:
24.79 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Electricity - imports:
13.82 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
21.63 million kW
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
60% of total installed capacity
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
19% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
5% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
16% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Crude oil - production:
2,000 bbl/day
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Crude oil - exports:
446 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Crude oil - imports:
155,900 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Crude oil - proved reserves:
15 million bbl
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Refined petroleum products - production:
177,500 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
213,700 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Refined petroleum products - exports:
52,200 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Refined petroleum products - imports:
83,860 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - production:
229.4 million cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Natural gas - consumption:
8.721 billion cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Natural gas - imports:
8.891 billion cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.964 billion cu m
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
115.8 million Mt
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:
1,473,846
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
13.78
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions:
13,213,279
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
123.54
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Telecommunication systems:
general assessment:
good telephone and Internet service; the Czech Republic has a sophisticated telecom market; mobile sector showing steady growth, but perhaps without enough competition, regulator makes progress for 5G services; the govt. trying to stimulate competition, improve end-users pricing and step up quality; strong growth in cable and fiber sectors; fixed wireless broadband remains strong, with penetration among the highest in the EU
(2020)
domestic:
14 per 100 fixed-line and mobile telephone usage increased to 124 per 100 mobile-cellular, the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population
(2019)
international:
country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar)
(2019)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media:
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:
.cz
Internet users:
total:
8,622,750
percent of population:
80.69%
(July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
total:
3,222,835
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
30
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Transportation
National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers:
4
(2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:
48
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
5,727,200
(2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
25.23 million
mt-km
(2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
OK
(2016)
Airports:
128
(2013)
country comparison to the world: 45
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
41
(2017)
over 3,047 m:
2
(2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m:
9
(2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m:
12
(2017)
914 to 1,523 m:
2
(2017)
under 914 m:
16
(2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total:
87
(2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
(2013)
914 to 1,523 m:
25
(2013)
under 914 m:
61
(2013)
Heliports:
1
(2013)
Pipelines:
7,160 km gas, 675 km oil, 94 km refined products
(2016)
Railways:
total:
9,408 km
(2017)
standard gauge:
9,385 km
1.435-m gauge (3,218 km electrified)
(2017)
narrow gauge:
23 km
0.760-m gauge
(2017)
country comparison to the world: 24
Roadways:
total:
55,744 km
(includes urban and category I, II, III roads)
(2019)
paved:
55,744 km
(includes 1,252 km of expressways)
(2019)
country comparison to the world: 82
Waterways:
664 km
(principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals)
(2010)
country comparison to the world: 76
Ports and terminals:
river port(s):
Prague (Vltava)
Decin, Usti nad Labem (Elbe)
Military and Security
Military and security forces:
Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces: Land Forces; Air Forces; Cyber Forces; Special Forces Directorate
(2020)
Military expenditures:
1.19% of GDP
(2019 est.)
1.13% of GDP
(2018)
1.04% of GDP
(2017)
0.96% of GDP
(2016)
1.03% of GDP
(2015)
country comparison to the world: 109
Military and security service personnel strengths:
the Czech military has approximately 25,000 active personnel (20,000 Army; 5,000 Air Force)
(2019)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:
the Czech military has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern equipment, mostly of European origin; since 2010, the leading suppliers of military equipment to Czechia are Austria and Spain
(2019 )
Military service age and obligation:
18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription
(2012)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
stateless persons:
1,394 (2019)
Illicit drugs:
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; significant consumer of ecstasy
