National name:
Ceska Republika
Government
Parliamentary democracy
Geography
The Czech Republic’s central European landscape is dominated by the Bohemian Massif, which rises to heights of 3,000 ft (900 m) above sea level. This ring of mountains encircles a large elevated basin, the Bohemian Plateau. The principal rivers are the Elbe and the Vltava.
Historical Background
Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro- Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. 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. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.
Capital
Prague
Government
Parliamentary republic
Language
German,Greek
Religion
59% of the country is agnostic, atheist or irreligious, 26.8% is Roman Catholic and 2.5% is Protestant
Area
Total 78,866 km2 (116th) 30,450 sq mi
Population
5 November 2010 estimate 10,674,947 (78th) 2001 census 10,230,060 Density 133/km2 (77th)341/sq mi
Currency
Czech koruna (CZK)
GDP
Total $258,959 billion Per capita $24,832
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