Fact File – The Czech Republic
Area: 30,450 square miles comprising Bohemia, Moravia and part of Silesia.
Neighbours: Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria.
Environment: The Czech Republic is landlocked. Its terrain consists of rolling plains, hills and plateaux, surrounded by low mountains. It has temperate, cool summers and cold, humid winters. There is considerable air and water pollution due its high industrial coal consumption.
Population: 10.1 million.
Life expectancy: 75 years.
Ethnic groups: Slavic(Czech, Slovak, Polish) 96%; others, including Gypsy, 4%.
Language: Czech.
Literacy: 99%.
Capital: Prague (1.2 million).
Urbanisation: 76%.
Economy: The mixed economy still struggles with the aftermath of communism in spite of foreign investment. Coal and fertile agricultural land are the countryâ”s richest assets. Exports include machinery, coal, iron, electricity and chemicals.
Religions: Secular and non-religious 59%; Roman Catholic 35%; Protestant 3%; others, including Orthodox, Muslim and cults, 3%.
Protestant denominations: Hussite, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, Lutheran, Congregational, Moravian Church of Czech Brethren, various Pentecostal and various Evangelical. The number of Reformed Evangelicals may be less than 1,000 believers.
History: Czechoslovakia gained freedom from Communism in the peaceful ‘velvet revolution’ of 1989. It split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, 10 years ago. The Czech Republic is a member of NATO and will join the European Union in 2004.
