Czech Republic is the correct name of the country. Tours to the Czech Republic. Shopping in the Czech Republic

Story

The Czech lands have been known since the end of the 9th century, when they were united by the Přemyslids. The Kingdom of Bohemia had considerable power, but religious conflicts (the Hussite Wars in the 15th century and the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century) devastated it. It later came under the influence of the Habsburgs and became part of Austria-Hungary.

Due to the collapse of this state after the First World War, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rus united and formed independent republic Czechoslovakia in 1918. This country had a large enough ethnic German minority that was the reason for the disbandment of Czechoslovakia when Germany secured the annexation of the Sudetenland as a result of the Munich Agreement of 1938, which led to the secession of Slovakia. The remaining Czech state was occupied by Germany in the (Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia).

Sights of the Czech Republic

Main article: Sights of the Czech Republic

Political structure

Main article: Political structure of the Czech Republic

According to the Constitution, the Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. The head of state (president) is indirectly elected every five years by parliament. The President is given special powers: to propose judges to the Constitutional Court, to dissolve parliament under certain conditions, to veto laws. He also appoints the prime minister, who sets the direction of domestic and foreign policy, as well as other members of the government cabinet on the advice of the prime minister.

Among all the post-communist states, the Czech Republic has one of the most stable and successful economic systems. Its basis is industry (mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and electronics, chemistry, food industry and ferrous metallurgy) and the service sector. The share of agriculture and forestry, as well as the mining industry, is insignificant and continues to decrease.

The monetary unit of the Czech Republic is the kroon (1 kroon = 100 hellers), which has been fully convertible since 1995. Unlike almost all other post-communist countries, the Czech Republic managed to avoid hyperinflation and sharp devaluations. national currency. After some weakening of the crown in the late 90s. to date, its rate relative to the main world currencies has increased markedly.

Following the initial difficulties caused by the collapse of the CMEA, the division of the country and the change in the structure of the economy, and the subsequent growth of the Czech economy in 1997-1998. experienced a certain crisis, from which it began to emerge only from mid-1999. The result was an increase in foreign debt and a jump in unemployment. The crisis phenomena were overcome by increasing exports to market economy countries, primarily the European Union (and within its framework - Germany), attracting foreign investment and increasing domestic consumption. After joining the EU in May 2004, the economic growth of the Czech Republic accelerated markedly and, despite the largely populist economic policies of several governments of the Social Democrats, reached 6-7% per year. The share of industry in GDP, which reached 62% by 1990, having decreased by half at first, is now growing and reaches 38%, which is a rather rare occurrence among developed countries. Ferrous metallurgy and the military industry have lost their importance due to the automotive and electrical industries, thanks to the development of which the Czech Republic has had a positive foreign trade balance since 2004, despite the rapid rise in prices for imported energy carriers (oil and gas). In terms of foreign trade per capita, the country is one of the leaders, ahead of such countries as Japan, Great Britain, France or Italy.

Population

The building of the Consulate General in St. Petersburg

The basis of the population of the Czech Republic (95%) are ethnic Czechs and speakers of the Czech language, belonging to the group of West Slavic languages. Foreigners make up about 4% of the country's population. Among immigrants, the largest diaspora in the Czech Republic is Ukrainians, who at the end of 2007 lived in the country 126,500. In second place are Slovaks (67,880), many of whom, after the separation in 1993, remained in the Czech Republic and make up approximately 2% of the population. On the third - citizens of Vietnam (51,000). They are followed by citizens of Russia (23,300) and Poland (20,600). Other ethnic groups include Germans, Gypsies, Hungarians and Jews. The border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia is open to citizens of the former Czechoslovakia.

According to the language, the Czechs belong to the West Slavic peoples. The language of central Bohemia was put at the basis of the early works of Czech writing of the 13th-14th centuries. But as the influence in the country of the Catholic Church, German feudal lords and the patriciate of cities increased, the Czech language began to be subjected to oppression in favor of the German and Latin languages. But during the period of the Hussite wars, literacy and the literary Czech language became widespread among the masses. Then came the two-century decline of Czech culture under the rule of the Habsburgs, who pursued a policy of Germanizing the subject Slavic peoples (by the middle of the 19th century, Czech 15% of the population spoke, the possibility of taking one of the Slavic languages, in particular the Russian literary language). The Czech language began to revive only at the end of the 18th century, its basis was the literary language of the 16th century, which explains the presence of many archaisms in the modern Czech language, in contrast to the living spoken language. Colloquial It is subdivided into several groups of dialects: Czech, Middle Moravian and East Moravian.

The Czech Republic is one of the densely populated states. Average density The population is 130 people. per 1 sq. km. The distribution of the population on the territory of the republic is relatively even. The most densely populated are the areas of large urban agglomerations - Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Pilsen (up to 250 people per 1 sq. km). The regions of Cesky Krumlov and Prachatice have the minimum population density (about 37 people per 1 sq. km). As of 1991, there were 5,479 settlements in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic belongs to highly urbanized countries: about 71% of the population lives in cities and towns, while more than 50% live in cities with a population of over 20 thousand inhabitants, the share of the rural population continues to decline. The only metropolis in the Czech Republic is Prague, which has a permanent population of 1,188,000 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2006; the population of Prague has been slowly decreasing since 1985). As of 2006, the Czech Republic has 5 cities with a population of more than 100,000 inhabitants (Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Pilsen, Olomouc), 17 cities with a population of more than 50,000 inhabitants, and 44 cities with a population of more than 20,000 inhabitants.

The total population of the Czech Republic, having reached a post-war maximum in 1991 - 10,302 thousand people - then slowly decreased until 2003, when it amounted to just over 10,200 thousand people, but since then there has been a slight increase to 10,280 thousand pers. - mainly due to an increase in the flow of migrants (primarily from Ukraine, Slovakia, Vietnam, Russia, Poland and the countries of the former Yugoslavia). Natural population growth was negative in the period 1994-2005, in 2006 there is some positive growth due to an increase in the birth rate and a decrease in mortality. At the same time, the level of female fertility is still deeply insufficient for the reproduction of the population (about 1.2 children per 1 woman of reproductive age). In recent years, the Czech Republic has become one of the states with the lowest level of infant mortality (less than 4 per 1,000 births). Since 1990, there has been a steady decline in the number of abortions and induced abortions in the Czech Republic.

Most of the population - 71.2% - is in the productive age (from 15 to 65 years), while 14.4% of Czech citizens are under 15 years old, and 14.5% are over 65 years old. In the productive age, the number of men slightly exceeds the number of women, but in the post-productive age, women noticeably prevail (for every two women there is one man). The average age of the population of the Czech Republic is 39.3 years (women - 41.1 years, men - 37.5 years). Average life expectancy is 72.9 years for men and 79.7 years for women (as of 2006).

The majority of the adult population is married, although the proportion of singles is relatively high, with one in five men and one in eight women unmarried. Currently, men marry at 28 years old, women - at 26 years old, which is close to the European trend (for comparison: in 1993 these figures were 23 and 19 years, respectively). The first child appears in the family most often within 6 months after the wedding. Czech families are characterized by a high divorce rate. Currently, almost every second marriage ends in divorce, as a result of which almost 80% of all children under the age of 15 live in single-parent families. The average family size has decreased over the past 30 years from 3.5 to 2.2 people.

The economically active population is 51.5% of the total. A specific feature of the Czech Republic among other countries is the high level of employment of women, who make up about 48% of the total economically active population. Most women work in the service industries - health care, education, trade and catering. Most women work out of economic necessity in order to maintain the family's standard of living. The unemployment rate is 7.3% (November 2006), which is more than in 1990-1997. (3-5%), but noticeably less than in 1999-2004. (up to 10.5%).

A significant part of Czechs lives outside the Czech Republic - in Austria, Germany, USA, Canada, Australia and other countries. This is the result of economic migration in search of work, which took on noticeable proportions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and political emigration after the political upheaval of 1948 and the occupation of 1968.

Illiteracy in the Czech Republic is practically absent (occasionally found among older Roma). A high level of literacy was typical of Czechs even during the First Republic (1918-1938): at that time, about 95% of all residents had a basic education. In recent years, the level of education has increased markedly. Every third economically active resident of the Czech Republic has completed secondary education (corresponding to the level of 12-13 years of education), and every tenth citizen of the Czech Republic has or is receiving higher education. A typical worker has at least a secondary vocational training. The high qualification of Czech workers is one of the main advantages of the Czech economy. So far, the country lags behind the most developed European countries in terms of the proportion of the population with completed secondary and higher education.

culture

Orlik Castle

Main article: Culture of the Czech Republic

• Famous people of the Czech Republic
• Music of the Czech Republic
• Cinema of the Czech Republic
• Literature of the Czech Republic

Humanitarian organizations

Czech Red Cross(Czech. Český červený kříž, English Czech Red Cross)

The Czech Red Cross (ČKK) is a humanitarian organization operating throughout the Czech Republic. In its activities, the ChKK concentrates on humanitarian issues and the provision of medical and social assistance to the population.

Currently, the number of members of the ChKK reaches 70381 people working in 1712 local organizations.

The Czech Red Cross is the only internationally recognized National Red Cross Society in the Czech Republic that is recognized by the state. In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, the CRC provides assistance and support medical service armed forces.

The status of the ČKK and its objectives are regulated by the Law on the Protection of the Emblem and Name of the Czech Red Cross and on the Czechoslovak Red Cross (Act No. 126/1992).

On August 26, 1993, the ChKK was recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and on October 25, 1993 admitted to membership in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The Czech Red Cross continues the activities of its predecessors - the Patriotic Society for Aid of the Czechoslovak Kingdom (Czech. "Vlastenecký pomocný spolek pro Království české", English. "Patriotic Society for Aid in the Czech Kingdom.") (founded on September 5, 1868) and the Czechoslovak Red Cross (founded February 6, 1919).

As an independent organization of the ChKK, after the division of the Czechoslovak Red Cross, it was registered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic on June 10, 1993 (Ministerstvo vnitra ČR dne 10. 6. 1993 pod čj. VS / 1-20998 / 93-R)

Notes

Links

Information

• Official portal of the Czech Republic (Russian) (Czech) (English) (German) (French) (Spanish)
• Official portal of the Government of the Czech Republic (Czech)
• Official website of the President of the Czech Republic (Czech) (English)
• Official website of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic (Czech) (English)
• Official website of the Senate of the Czech Republic (Czech) (English)
• Train and bus timetables (Czech) (English) (German)
• Embassy of the Czech Republic in Moscow (Russian) (English)

About the Czech Republic

Czech, she is Czech Republic, one of the ten most visited countries in the world by tourists. And not in vain. If you set yourself the goal of visiting all the popular sights of this country, located in the very heart of Europe, a couple of lives may not be enough. Only the "pearl of the Czech Republic", its capital - Prague, will require you to spend at least one on yourself.

The Czech Republic has several visiting tourist cards. In the first place, we dare to put the richest architectural heritage of the most diverse eras and styles - Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Czech Baroque. In total, the country has about 2500 castles.

The Czech Republic managed to preserve most of the historical monuments during the Second World War, when many of them throughout Europe were destroyed during hostilities. There would be no happiness, but misfortune helped. Germany actually occupied the Czech Republic in the fall of 1938, a year before the start of the war. Without a single shot, with the tacit consent of France and Great Britain. In this regard, active hostilities bypassed the Czech Republic. During the liberation of the country in the spring of 1945, the Germans did not put up such fierce resistance as on the territory of Germany itself. Thereby, unique monuments architecture in the Czech Republic survived. Many of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Another business card of the Czech Republic - world famous medical resorts, among which stand out Karlovy Vary. Here, with the help of healing springs, people get rid of diseases of the digestive tract, liver, pancreas, dysfunction of the endocrine glands, obesity, diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Treatment includes a combination of drinking water from healing springs, taking baths and other procedures. In Karlovy Vary, many people have improved their health over the centuries. famous people including European monarchs. Among other medical resorts, the most popular Marianske Lazne And Podebrady.

Well, the third business card of the Czech Republic - beer. There are countless varieties of this foamy drink in the Czech Republic. In addition to well-known brands, in many small towns and villages brew their own unique beer. For amateurs - an immense battlefield with its own liver. Fortunately, there is where to improve your health - near Karlovy Vary.

In the rays of beer glory in the Czech Republic, its stronger relative is also warming up, flying off the assembly lines at the Jan Becher factory in the same Karlovy Vary. This is where the liqueur of the same name is produced. "Karlovy Vary Becherovka", which 200 years ago was conceived as a medicine to improve digestion (and they say that and as a remedy for cholera). Over time, this drink made from medicinal Karlovy Vary water, high-quality alcohol, sugar and a secret mixture of herbs and spices became the drink of European monarchs. Now it is more accessible - the plant pours 7 million liters per year and plans to increase the volume to 9 million. Pour in!

Best time for trips to the Czech Republic- May, June and September. April and October are a little cooler and more likely to get caught in the rain. But prices during this period are lower. July and August, in terms of weather, is a good time to visit the Czech Republic. But during these months, most Czechs go on vacation. Many of the locals spend it as domestic tourists, which greatly increases the congestion of tourist sites. From the second half of October to the beginning of April, many palaces, museums and entertainment facilities are winding down their work. However, in large tourist centers, such, for example, as Prague and Brno, there is never a shortage of attractions available to tourists.

In addition to the areas of tourism described above, winter tourism is actively developing in the Czech Republic and, in particular, ski vacation. There are many similar resorts in the Czech Republic. Some of them, despite being tied to winter sports, operate all year round. There are many international competitions. The most popular ski resorts in the Czech Republic are Spindlerov Mlyn, Harrachov, Dog under the snow. The best time for a winter holiday in the Czech Republic is January and February, a slightly less successful choice is December and March. Snow stays from November to April.

Location, geography

Czech- the country of Central Europe, its "heart". It occupies historical territories - Bohemia (in the west), Moravia (in the east) and part of Silesia (in the northeast). Between the cities of Pilsen and Cheb, in the west of the country, tourists are shown a granite obelisk with the inscription "Center of Europe".

Total area of ​​the Czech Republic: 78.87 thousand km 2.
The total length of the borders: 1880 km.
Bordered countries: with Poland (in the north) - 658 km, with Germany (in the west and northwest) - 646 km, with Austria (in the south) - 362 km, with Slovakia (in the east) - 214 km.

Most of the country is located on the Bohemian plateau. Mountains stretch along its edges, mainly in the north and east - Sudetenland, Giant Mountains And Carpathians. The highest point in the Czech Republic is located in the Sudeten Mountains - Mount Snowball(1602 m). In the northwest are ore mountains, in the west and southwest - Šumava And Czech forest.

The country has no access to the sea. But in the Czech Republic there are sources of rivers flowing into three seas - the Black, Baltic and North. The largest rivers in the country are Laba(she is Elbe), with inflow Vltava, in the west and north, Morava And Audra(she is Oder) in the east. In addition to natural reservoirs, rather large artificial lakes are used for recreation. The largest of them is Lake Lipno on the Vltava with an area of ​​4870 hectares. Enough large area occupy fish ponds.

The subsoil of the country is extremely rich mineral And thermal springs , which glorified the Czech Republic, thanks to its medical resorts.

The Czech Republic is one of the most forested countries in Europe. Approximately 30% of the country's territory is occupied by broad-leaved forests. On the slopes of the mountains, there are mainly coniferous forests.

A characteristic feature of the Czech Republic is the unity in the landscapes of mountains, caves, forests, rivers. To see and enjoy everything together in one set, you just need to choose a place to your liking.

Czechs are extremely careful about their nature. There are 3 in the country national parks and a large number of nature reserves.

Language

The official language in the Czech Republic is Czech. German, English, Russian and Slovak are fairly widely spoken. Czech and Russian languages ​​have a lot in common, which makes it easier for Czechs to communicate with Russian-speaking tourists.

Population, religion

Population of the Czech Republic- 10.4 million people (for 2008).

95% of the population - Czechs. Also Ukrainians, Slovaks, Vietnamese, Russians, Poles, Germans, Gypsies, Hungarians, Jews live in the country.

The largest cities in the Czech Republic: Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Pilsen, Olomouc.

About 40% of the Czech population are atheists. Among believers, the majority are Catholics (89%).

Time in the Czech Republic

1 hour GMT.
-1 hour in Kyiv.
-2 hours in Moscow.

At the end of October, the clock is moved back one hour, and at the end of March, one hour forward.

Electricity

Voltage: 220 V.
Frequency: 50 Hz.
Euro sockets.

Currency, money, cards in the Czech Republic

Currency of the Czech Republic - Czech Koruna (CZK).
The currency for the Czech crown is heller (Hal). One CZK = 100 Hal. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 crowns, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 crowns and 10, 20 and 50 hellers.

Official country name: Czech Republic

National flag: stripes of white and red with a blue triangle.

National holiday- October 28 - exit from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the foundation of an independent state of the Czech Republic.

Capital of the Czech Republic - Prague, with a population of over 1,250,000

The largest cities in the Czech Republic:

• Brno - about 390,000 inhabitants;
• Ostrava - about 330,000 inhabitants;
• Pilsen - about 175,000 inhabitants;
• Olomouc - about 106,000 inhabitants;
• Usti nad Labem - about 106,000 inhabitants;
• Liberec - about 104,000 inhabitants.

The population of the Czech Republic about 11 million people.
National composition- 81.3% Czechs, 13.7% inhabitants of Moravia and Silesia, 3.1% Slovaks, 0.6% Poles, 0.5% Germans, 0.3% Gypsies, 0.2% Hungarians.
Official language: Czech, belonging to the group of West Slavic languages ​​related to Russian.
Territory: 78,864 sq. km
Geographically, the Czech Republic is located in the central part of the European continent. Between the cities of Pilsen and Cheb, there is even a granite obelisk with the inscription "Center of Europe".
It borders: in the north - with Poland, in the east - with Slovakia, in the south - with Austria and in the west - with Germany.
The Czech Republic includes the historical regions of Moravia, Bohemia and Silesia, characterized by an unusually beautiful landscape. Low mountain ranges stretch along all the borders of the Czech Republic.
The largest river in the Czech Republic is the Vltava, which is 440 km long.
Administrative division - 73 regions and 4 municipalities.
The country has a long and rich history.
The first Czech state arose already at the end of the 9th century, when the process of unification of Slavic tribes began on the territory of the Czech Republic. Despite its rather turbulent history, often associated with both medieval and modern wars, about 2,500 ancient castles and towns have survived to this day in the Czech Republic.
Politically, the Czech Republic is a parliamentary republic. The highest official in the Czech Republic is the President of the Republic, elected by Parliament for a term of 5 years (since February 1993 - Vaclav Havel, re-elected in 1998, the next elections in 2003).
The President approves the composition of the Czech government proposed by the Chamber of Deputies.
The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.
Both chambers are directly elected by the people.
Deputies are elected for 4 years, and senators - for 6 years, while every 2 years 1/3 of the senators are re-elected.
Citizens of the Czech Republic over the age of 18 have the right to vote. Citizens of the Czech Republic from 21 years old - to the Parliament, and from 40 years old - to the Senate have the right to be elected.
In settlements, elections of local councils (representative bodies) and elders are also held every 4 years (in large settlements they are called "primators").
The highest executive body is the government. The head of government is the Prime Minister (currently Milos Zeman).
In 1995, the Czech Republic became a member of the International Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Since the autumn of 1997, active preparations have been underway for accession to the European Union.
On March 12, 1999, the Czech Republic joined NATO.

Czech Republic \Geography

The Czech Republic is located in the very center of Central Europe.
In the north it borders on Poland (the length of the border is 658 km), in the north and west on Germany (the length of the border is 646 km), in the south - on Austria (the length of the border is 362 km), in the east - on Slovakia (the length of the border is 214 km). .).
The total length of the border is 1,880 km.
The total area of ​​the country is about 80,000 sq. km.
The territory of the country includes the historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, which are distinguished by a diverse landscape.
Low mountain ranges stretch along almost all the borders of the Czech Republic. The Krkonoše stretches for 40 km. across the territory of Bohemia, creating natural border between the Czech Republic and Poland. The highest peak of Sniezka (1602 m). Several other peaks exceed 1500 m.
In the north and northwest, the natural boundary is the Ore Mountains.
Second highest Mountain chain in the Czech Republic - the Hrubý Jesenik, the highest point is Praděd Peak (1491 m), located in northern Moravia.
The third highest mountain range in the Czech Republic is the Šumava, the highest point is Plechy Peak (1373 m). Šumava stretches for 125 km. into southwestern Bohemia and creates a natural border with Germany.
Inside this peculiar ring there are two large lowlands - Polabskaya in the northwest and the valley of the Morava River (part of the Middle Danube Plain) - in the southeast. Between them is a low (up to 836 m) Bohemian-Moravian Upland.
Main rivers: Vltava (length 440 km.), Morava, Laba (Elbe), Oder.
The Czech Republic is not very rich in minerals. On its territory there are reserves of coal, various types of clay used for the production of ceramics, bricks, as well as reserves of building stone, deposits of semi-precious stones (garnets, agates). Of great importance are deposits of glass sands, which are used in the manufacture of the famous Czech glass and crystal.
In the depths of the country there is a large amount of medicinal mineral waters, which has led to the development of resorts.
Climate
The climate of the Czech Republic is temperate continental, and the continental character of the climate intensifies in an easterly direction.
The ruggedness of the relief has a significant impact on the climate of individual regions. The differences in summer temperatures are especially great. So, if in the Danubian and Potis lowlands the average July temperature reaches 20 degrees, then in the elevated areas of the Czech massif it does not exceed 13-15 degrees.
The average January temperature drops to -7-8 degrees in the mountains, on the plains and uplands it is -2-4 degrees.
In general, in most parts of the country falls annually from 500 to 700 mm. precipitation.
Vegetable world
Coniferous-wooded type of vegetation prevails in the mountains. On the flat terrain, deciduous forests of oak, beech, ash, and maple are more common.
Animal world
Among the representatives of the relatively poor fauna, one can single out a brown bear, a fox, a wild boar, a wolf, and a chamois.

Czech Republic \State Administration

The Czech Republic is a presidential republic.
The head of state is the president (since February 1993 - Vaclav Havel, re-elected in 1998).
The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The President is elected for a term of five years by a joint session of both Houses of Parliament. Continuous tenure as President of the Czech Republic can be no more than two consecutive terms.
He has the power to veto any decree passed by Parliament, with the exception of constitutional decrees.
Legislative power belongs to the Parliament, which consists of 2 chambers - the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Parliament approves all decrees valid on the territory of the Czech Republic, authorizes the most important acts of the state such as declaring war or approving the deployment of foreign armies on Czech territory.
The Chamber of Deputies has 200 representatives who are elected for a term of four years. The President may dissolve the Chamber of Deputies in cases specified by the constitution.
The Senate consists of 81 senators who are elected for six-year terms. One third of the Senate is re-elected every two years. The Senate cannot be dissolved. Elections to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are held by closed ballots on the basis of general, equal and direct voting.
The Chamber of Deputies is elected on the basis of proportional representation. Political parties must receive at least five percent of the popular vote to win seats in the House.
The Senate is elected by majority vote. All citizens of the Czech Republic over the age of 18 are eligible to vote.
Candidates for the Chamber of Deputies must be at least 21 years of age, while candidates for the Senate must be at least 40 years of age.
The highest executive body is the government. It consists of the Prime Minister and ministers who coordinate the activities of ministries and central bodies of state administration throughout the state. The government has an exclusive legislative initiative within the limits of the state budget.
There are more than 80 political parties and movements in the country. There are more than 200 youth organizations.
The Supreme Audit Organization is an independent control agency that implements the use of state property and the implementation of the state budget. This organization reviews the ways in which the state budget of the Czech Republic is created and used.
The Czech National Bank is the central state bank of the Czech Republic. The main goal of the bank is to maintain and stabilize the purchasing power of the currency and, in fulfilling this goal, the bank does not depend on the Cabinet of the Czech government. The president and executive bodies of the bank are appointed by the head of state.
The Constitutional Court is founded to protect constitutional rights. The Court consists of 15 judges appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate for ten years.
The Supreme Court is the highest legal body for all matters within the jurisdiction of the courts.

Czech Republic \Population

The population of the Czech Republic at the beginning of 2001 is about 10,272,000 people, which is 0.08% less than in the previous year.

Average life expectancy in 2000 was:

• for men - 71 years old,
• for women - 78 years.

The infant mortality rate is 5.6%, 1% less than in 1999, which is one of the lowest levels in Europe.

By ethnic composition:

• Czechs - 81.2%,
• Moravians - 13.2%,
• Slovaks - 3.1%,
• Poles - 0.6%,
• Germans - 0.5%,
• Silesians - 0.4%,
• gypsies - 0.3%,
• Hungarians - 0.2%,
• other ethnic groups - 0.5%.

Population density - 130 people. per sq. km.

The working-age population is 5,389,000 people, the unemployment rate is 9%.

33.1% of the able-bodied population is employed in industry, 6.9% in agriculture, 9.1% in construction, 7.2% in the transport sector, and 43.7% in the service sector.

The most widely spoken languages ​​are Czech and Slovak, which belong to the West Slavic language group.

75% of the population lives in cities, including:

• in Prague - about 1,300,000,
• in Brno - 390,000,
• in Ostrava - 330,000,
• to Pilsen - 175,000.

In recent years, immigration from the republics of the former Soviet Union has become a big problem for the Czech Republic. Moreover, the bulk of the visitors are illegal immigrants. According to various estimates, their number is about 3-4% of the main population. This influx of immigrants competing in the labor market with the native population, and the growth of immigrant-related organized crime, have led to a tightening of the state's immigration policy.
In 1999, a new law on the stay of foreigners in the Czech Republic was adopted (entered into force on January 1, 2000), according to which, in particular, a foreigner can obtain a permanent residence permit in the Czech Republic after 10 years of residence in the country upon fulfillment a range of conditions. In addition, it contains a number of other fairly stringent restrictions on the stay of foreigners. This law caused a negative reaction from the European Commission of Human Rights.
Currently, the Czech Parliament has prepared amendments to this law, which will somewhat soften the requirements for visitors to the country. They will come into effect in mid-2001.

Czech Republic \Religion

The Czech Republic is a secular republic.
The history of the Czech Republic as an independent state is dramatic. She lost her sovereignty for a long time as a result of becoming part of stronger states that imposed their religion on her, which ultimately led to the fact that the Czech Republic is the most atheistic state in Europe. According to a survey by the world's largest sociological service "Gallup International", 55% of the Czech population do not identify themselves with any Church. The Czech Republic ranks 2nd in the world and 1st in Europe in terms of the proportion of atheists out of 60 countries where the survey was conducted.
27.1% of the inhabitants of the Czech Republic, according to a pan-European survey in 1991, trust the church - this is the lowest figure among all countries in Europe (and almost twice as low as in neighboring Slovakia).
The main denomination in terms of the number of believers is the Catholic Church - 86.6% of the total number of believers.
Catholicism finally took shape as a creed after the separation of the churches in 1054. The Catholic Church is strictly centralized, has single center in the state of the Vatican, a single head - the Pope, a strict church hierarchy and discipline. Catholics recognize (unlike Protestants) as the source of doctrine not only Holy Scripture, but also Holy Tradition, which in Catholicism (unlike Orthodoxy) includes both the decrees of the ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church and the judgments of the popes. The clergy in Catholicism take a vow of celibacy (celibacy). A feature of Catholicism is also the veneration of the Mother of God, the recognition of the dogmas of her immaculate conception and bodily ascension, the addition of the filioque to the creed (from the Latin Filioque - "and from the son"). An addition made in the 7th century by the Western Christian Church to the Christian "Creed" of the 4th century, in the dogma of the Trinity: about the procession of the Holy Spirit not only from God the Father, but also from the Son. Filioque did not accept Orthodox Church, which later served as one of the reasons for the division of churches. Thus, the Catholic Church claims that the Holy Spirit proceeds from "the Father and the Son." The Orthodox Church believes that the Holy Spirit only fulfills the will of God the Father, the dogma of purgatory.
The second largest confession in the number of believers is Protestantism - 11.1% of the total number of believers.
Of these, about 7%, according to the latest data, belong to the Hussites, evangelical reformers - 4%, Lutherans - 0.1%.
Protestantism is a collection of numerous and independent churches and sects, connected only by their origin. The emergence of Protestantism is associated with the Reformation - a powerful anti-Catholic movement in the 16th century in Europe. In 1526, the Reichstag of Speyr, at the request of the German Lutheran princes, adopted a resolution on the right of everyone to choose a religion for themselves and their subjects. The Second Reichstag of Speyr in 1529 reversed this decree. In response, there was a protest from five princes and a number of imperial cities, from which the term "Protestantism" is derived. Protestantism shares Christian ideas about the existence of God, his trinity, about the immortality of the soul, hell and heaven, rejecting, however, the Catholic idea of ​​purgatory. At the same time, Protestantism put forward three new principles: salvation by personal faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the exclusive authority of Holy Scripture. A clergyman is deprived of the right to confess and forgive sins, he is accountable to the Protestant community. In Protestantism, many sacraments are abolished (with the exception of baptism and communion), there is no celibacy. Prayer houses have been freed from altars, icons, statues, and bells. There are no monasteries and monasticism. Worship in Protestantism is simplified as much as possible and reduced to preaching, prayer and singing psalms and hymns on mother tongue. The Bible is recognized as the only source of dogma, and sacred tradition is rejected.
A feature of the religious life of the Czech Republic is the Czech Reformed Church (Hussite). Supporters of the Reformation in the Czech Republic and Slovenia in the 1st half of the 15th century were members of the Hussite movement and followers of Jan Hus and other popular preachers.
As an independent denomination, it was formed in 1920 after a break with the Pope. In 1920, Rome was adamant in condemning Jan Hus and his teachings, which served as a signal for the formation of the Hussite church immediately after Czechoslovakia gained independence. Now many Czech Catholics are coming to the conclusion that it is necessary to canonize Hus in order to preserve and increase the influence of the Catholic Church.
The Czech Orthodox Church, to which 1.7% of the total number of believers belong, is part of the Churches of Ecumenical Orthodoxy (Ecumenical Orthodoxy is a collection of local Churches that have the same dogmas and a similar canonical structure, recognize the sacraments of each other and are in communion), founded on the territory of the Czech Republic (in Moravia) in 863 by the work of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius. After their death, Orthodoxy remained only within the Mukachevo diocese, but in 1649 this diocese also entered into a union with Catholic Church. Only in 1920, thanks to the Serbian initiative, Orthodox parishes under Serbian jurisdiction reappeared in the Carpathians. After World War II, they turned to the Moscow Patriarchate for help and were organized first into an exarchate, and from 1951 into the Autocephalous (independent) Czechoslovak Orthodox Church.
Orthodoxy arose on the territory of the Byzantine Empire. Initially, it did not have a church center, since the church power of Byzantium was concentrated in the hands of four patriarchs: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem. As the Byzantine Empire collapsed, each of the ruling patriarchs headed an independent (autocephalous) Orthodox Church. The most important postulates of Orthodox doctrine are the dogmas of the trinity of God, the incarnation, redemption, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. It is believed that dogmas are not subject to change and clarification, not only in content, but also in form. Orthodoxy is characterized by a complex, elaborate cult. Divine services are longer than in other Christian denominations, and include a large number of rituals. The main service in Orthodoxy is the liturgy. The main holiday is Easter. Divine services are conducted in national languages; some denominations also use dead languages. The clergy in Orthodoxy is divided into white (married parish priests) and black (monastics who take a vow of celibacy). There are male and female monasteries. Only a monk can become a bishop.

Czech Republic \Politics

Until 1989, there were two ruling pariahs in Czechoslovakia: the Communist Party and the National Front.
On November 17, 1989, the "Velvet Revolution" began in Czechoslovakia, when student youth gathered to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Jan Opletal, a student killed by the Nazis. The student demonstration led to the start of a strike, which in turn led to the founding of the "Civil Forum", a social movement that brought together all the opposition currents in Czechoslovakia. The future president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel, was at that moment the recognized leader of the dissident movement.
"Civil Forum" became a political body that won the next elections. It became the basis for the formation of all the main political parties of today's Czech Republic.
On November 29, 1989, the Czechoslovak Parliament abolished the article of the constitution on the leading role of the Communist Party in society.
On January 1, 1993, the Czech Republic becomes an independent parliamentary republic.
The president in the Czech Republic is elected by the parliament, and only the person who receives the most votes in each of the chambers can become president.
On December 29, 1989, Vaclav Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia, in 1989-1993 he was president of the Czechoslovak Federation, since 1993 - the Czech Republic.
Vaclav Havel - playwright, philosopher, dissident, was born on October 6, 1936 in one of the richest families of the first ("bourgeois") Czechoslovak Republic. In the early 60s, he became a well-known playwright in the theatrical environment, appeared in the samizdat press, and after 1968 became one of the leaders of the dissident movement in Czechoslovakia. He was repeatedly arrested and spent several years in prison. One of the founders of the platform of independent thinking - "Charter-77", which was signed by 241 people.
There are currently two ruling parties in the Czech Republic: the Social Democratic and the Civil Democratic. in the 2000 elections. The Social Democratic Party surpassed the Civic Democratic Party in popularity.
According to the Constitution, the Senate, the upper house of the Czech Parliament, does not control the activities of the government.
Most of the senatorial seats following the November 2000 Senate elections belong to the so-called "Coalition of Four" - a coalition of opposition parties - the Freedom Union, the Christian Democrats, the Civic Democratic Alliance and the Democratic Union.
As a result of the disappointment of some part of society in economic and democratic reforms, the Communist Party of the Czech Republic has strengthened its position: in the polls of the last months of 2000, it has the sympathy of 20% of the population.
The only parliamentary religious party, the Christian Democratic Union - the Czechoslovak People's Party, has only 20 seats out of 200 in parliament, behind even the not particularly influential Communist Party in the Czech Republic. The Christian Democrats maintain their influence in the Czech Republic through a merger in 1992 with the Czechoslovak People's Party, which existed in 1918-1938 and was part of the National Front in 1948-1989.
There is an Ecological Party in the Czech Republic, its radical part is especially active. In addition to her annual fight against the Temelin nuclear power plant, there were also the largest demonstrations in Eastern Europe against multinational corporations, which resulted in street clashes with the police.
Currently, there are more than 80 different parties and about 200 youth organizations in the Czech Republic.
Article 3 of the Czech Constitution of 1992 states that the "Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms" is part of the constitutional order of the Czech Republic.
The principle that allows everyone to do everything that is not prohibited by law is written in part 4 of article 2 of the 1992 Czech Constitution.
In the Czech Republic, a law on lustration (the law on crime under the communist regime) has been adopted and is in force. The extension of its validity refused to sign the President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Havel. However, this refusal was overcome by a qualified majority of the Czech parliament, after which the law came into force. In the years since the Velvet Revolution, there has not been a single case when a former functionary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia became a government official.
The European Commission concluded that Czech legislation is inconsistent with the so-called axis, that is, with the set of European norms that act as "umbrella norms" in the countries of the European Union. One of the comments to the Czech Republic is the existence of a law on lustration.
The results of a sociological survey conducted by the Sofres-Faktum agency in April 2000 showed that 53.5% of those polled voted for Havel's early resignation.
In 2002 elections of deputies of the House of Representatives of the Czech Parliament will take place.
Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman was born on September 28, 1944 in Kolin. During the events of the "Prague Spring" in 1968, he joined the Communist Party led by Dubcek, after the occupation of Czechoslovakia he was expelled from it for his sharp criticism of the "normalization" regime. During the Velvet Revolution of 1989, he was active in the center-left wing of the Civil Forum. In 1990 he was elected to the Federal Assembly. In 1992, he joined the CSDP and was re-elected a deputy of the Federal Assembly from this party. June 26, 1996 became

Czech Republic \Economy

Since the middle of the 19th century, the Czech Republic has been one of the most industrialized countries in Europe. The leading industries were textile, food, mining, metallurgical, machine-building. In 1861 the length railway network was about 700 km, and in the 90s already - 4596 km. In 1869, the first proper Czech bank was opened - Zivnostensky Bank.
In the twentieth century, the industrial development of the Czech Republic continued.
Mechanical engineering, metalworking, the electrical industry, the chemical industry, as well as the textile and clothing industry are the most developed industries in the Czech Republic.
The Czech Republic is considered the richest country in Central Europe, the most industrialized and with the smallest share of agriculture in its gross domestic product. According to 1997 data, per capita GDP in the Czech Republic was $5050 (for comparison: in Hungary - $4415, in Poland - $3512). Among the post-communist states, the Czech Republic currently ranks second in terms of living standards after Slovenia.
The level of consumer prices in the Czech Republic in 2000 increased by 4% compared to 1999. Currently, the average family spends from its budget on: food - 21.3%, transport - 12.2%, rent - 10.8%, water, electricity, gas - 10.4%, recreation and culture - 9, 9%, alcoholic beverages - 9%, clothing and footwear - 6.7%, visiting restaurants and household services - 5.2%, home improvement - 5.2%, other household services - 5.1%, post and telecommunications - 2%, maintaining health - 1.2%, education - 0.5%.
In the Czech Republic, there are 358 cars per 1,000 people.
About 500 thousand people are regular Internet users (the population of the Czech Republic is 10.2 million people).
Czech industry equipped with modern equipment and skilled workforce. However, in terms of growth rates, the Czech Republic is seriously behind Hungary and Poland and cannot expect to join the European Union with them in 2004. The average monthly salary in the Czech Republic as of March 2000 was 354 in US dollars (for comparison: in Slovenia - 881, in Croatia - 608, in Poland - 487). The unemployment rate in December 2000 was 8.8%.
After the "Velvet Revolution" of 1989, the country carried out large-scale economic reforms, which were based on voucher privatization of enterprises, attraction of foreign investors, liberalization of prices and foreign trade, devaluation of the Czech crown. As a result of the reforms, there has been an increase in industrial production, and the pace of investment has increased. However, the mistakes made in the process of reforms led to a significant decline in the development of the economy and a decline in GDP.
In 1997, the growth of the Czech economy slowed down, the country entered a period of stagnation, in which it is currently.
To stabilize the development of the economy, the leadership of the Czech Republic took a number of measures aimed at raising industrial production, increasing investment inflows and increasing exports. Thus, in April 1999, the government adopted an industrial plan to stabilize the situation at about ten vital enterprises of the country. The list of companies eligible to participate in the program included: Aliachem, CKD Praha, Spolana, Skoda Plzen, Tatra, Vitkovice, Zetor and ZPS Zlin.
A maximum favored nation regime has been created to increase investment in the Czech economy. Investors who allocate more than 10 million USD to the development of the industry are exempt from taxes for up to 10 years, receive grants in the amount of 100 USD for each created workplace, have the right to duty-free import of equipment. Special benefits are provided for companies intending to make long-term investments. As a result, 47,000 foreign companies operate in the republic.
In total investment in the Czech economy, the share of the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is 97%, EU member countries - 68% and G7 countries - 57%. According to experts, at the beginning of 2000, the volume of foreign direct investment in the Czech economy amounted to 15.5 billion USD. So, in 1997 they received 1.3 billion USD, in 1998 - 2.5 billion USD, in 1999 - 3.5 billion USD.
Most investments were directed to the transport and communications industry (24%), production of transport equipment (16%), consumer goods (13%), construction (9%).
During the reforms, the indicator of gross financial accumulation to GNP in the Czech Republic reached 24%, while in the EU countries this value is 20%.
The banking system of the Czech Republic is based on the principles adopted in the economically developed countries of the world. The Czech People's Bank (CNB) does not depend on the instructions of the government, which has affected the effectiveness of the entire monetary policy in the country.
The foreign exchange reserves of the CNB in ​​1999 amounted to 12.4 billion US dollars.
Industry is the most developed and important sector in the Czech economy, accounting for 40% of national income. By the beginning of 1999, after the privatization program, the private sector of industry exceeded 80%. Stably operating enterprises include food industry enterprises (partners Danone and Nestle), electrical engineering (ETA, partners Bosch and Moulinex), paint and varnish (partners Union carbide and BASF), household chemicals and detergents (partners Henkel and Proster & Gamble), aviation ( McDonnall Douglas partners), automotive (bus production - Karosa, Renault partner),
Skoda-Avto (purchased by Volkswagen), whose exports in 1999 increased by 45% compared to 1998. in addition, the small sub-suppliers of the plant also improved the quality of their products. At present, to implement plans to expand production, it is planned to build a plant worth 560 million USD to produce engines and transmissions that will be used not only in Skoda, but also in Volkswagen cars manufactured in other countries.
The share of agriculture in the GNP of the Czech Republic is 4.5%, 5.5% of the population is employed. Czech agriculture is a developed industry with a high level of automation and mechanization, fully meeting the country's basic needs for agricultural and livestock products and exporting products to the EU (37%), Slovakia (23) and the CIS (14%).
Measures to liberalize foreign trade and attract serious foreign investment have significantly improved the balance of foreign trade turnover and the structure of exports. Most of it is in the countries that are part of European Union(63%, of which 43% - to Germany).
The trade deficit in 1999 was $2.6 billion, $3.2 billion less than in 1996.
The improvement in the structure of exports was expressed, first of all, in an increase in the share of engineering products, in 1999 it amounted to 47%.
A fundamentally new article has appeared - the export of licenses and the construction of industrial facilities abroad based on them, for example: in Russia - the production of cars under the license of the Skoda company, in Kazakhstan - the production of explosives for industrial and mining, in Georgia - pharmaceuticals, in Ukraine - trams and trolleybuses, in China - turbines for hydro and thermal power plants.

Czech Republic \Education

The Czech Republic is famous for its high level of education.
Pre-school education of children in the Czech Republic begins in a developed network of kindergartens. Children are admitted to kindergartens from the age of 3. The fee for their maintenance depends on its affiliation (state, departmental, private) and on the area where the kindergarten is located.
Education in public schools is free.
Primary school caters for children from 7 to 10 years old.
From the age of 11 to 19 they receive secondary education in gymnasiums or, if they wish, after graduating from high school, from 16 to 19 they receive secondary specialized education in colleges.
When entering a Czech lyceum, gymnasium or college, you need to pass entrance exams.
Upon completion of studies in lyceums, gymnasiums and colleges, it is necessary to pass an exam for a matriculation certificate. At the same time, this gives the right to enter a university or other higher educational institution.
At the end of elementary school, 52% of students continue their education in gymnasiums and colleges, and 48% go to secondary school.
Starting from the middle classes, all subjects studied are divided into compulsory and optional, that is, studied at the choice of the students themselves.
Schools are divided into ordinary, general education and specialized, with in-depth study of mathematics, physics, foreign languages, physical education, music.
There are several paid international schools where education is conducted in English, the training program in them is fully consistent with the programs Western countries(England, USA), and after graduating from such a school, the student receives a Western-style diploma.
University education is received by about 7.2% of Czechs.
Higher education in the country is paid, but the fee is rather symbolic - about $100 a year.
Since January 1, 1999, teaching in the Czech language at universities has become free.
Higher education in the Czech Republic is divided into two main types: university and non-university.
University education includes bachelor's, master's, doctoral studies, while non-university education mainly takes students to the bachelor's degree.
Bachelor's degree is intended for those who seek to get the so-called "short-term education" - the term of study in this case is 3-4 years. Upon completion, a bachelor's degree is awarded - this is the necessary basic knowledge.
Education in the master's program lasts 5-6 years, depending on the specialty.
The third level of education - doctorate - is intended for individual creative activity and scientific research. It corresponds to our graduate school and here you can get the degree of candidate and doctor of science by passing certain disciplines and defending a dissertation.
There are about two dozen universities and over a hundred institutes in the Czech Republic.
One of the most famous - Charles University, was the first higher education institution in Central Europe. educational institution. It was founded in 1348 by the Czech king and Roman emperor Charles IV. The university became famous for the fact that Master Jan Hus taught there, world-famous writers Karel Capek and Franz Kafka came out of its walls, professor of philosophy T.G. Massaryk and professor of sociology E. Benesh, who later became presidents of the Czech Republic, taught there.
Charles University has 16 faculties: 3 theological, legal, medical, pharmaceutical, philosophical, natural history, physics and mathematics, pedagogy, social sciences, physical culture and sports.
There are daytime, evening and correspondence departments, a department for foreign students, preparatory courses, postgraduate and doctoral studies.
To enter the university, you must have a certificate of secondary education and successfully pass the entrance exams. A three-year course of study provides a bachelor's degree and the opportunity to start a professional career. To obtain a master's degree, you need to study for 5 years and defend a thesis.
The country's oldest universities include: the University of Olomouk, founded in 1573; Czech Technical University, leading its lineage from the School of Engineering, founded in 1707, which marked the beginning of the development of higher technical education in the Czech Republic.
Among the economic universities, the most famous is the Economic University in Prague.
Every major city in the Czech Republic has its own university, and they all have a high level of education.

Czech Republic \Medicine

The healthcare system and medicine in the Czech Republic has developed, as well as in other European countries, and has a fairly long history.
Back in 1880, the First Congress of Czech Physicians and Naturalists took place in Prague.

In the pre-war Czech Republic, as well as throughout Europe, the healthcare system was mostly private and paid. This did not prevent her from making certain discoveries in the field of medicine.
As an example, we can cite the experiments of the Czech doctor J. Jansky, who in 1907 found that the blood serum of some people causes the accumulation of red blood cells in other people in a certain regular order, however, these experiments were forgotten and only in 1930 was the discovery recognized Austrian immunologist K. Landsteiner about the division of red blood cells into 3 groups.

After the Second World War, with the creation of the Czechoslovak Republic, the healthcare system was no different from the one we were used to under socialism: free medical care, a local doctor, symbolic prices for medicines in pharmacies, but at the same time, not very high level of medical services.
After the "velvet revolution" cardinal changes took place. The healthcare system in the Czech Republic was reorganized and became non-state, but with state guarantees.

In the Czech Republic, medicine again became paid, medical institutions were privatized.

However, the selected insurance system with a network of health insurance companies is very expensive, as evidenced by the increase in healthcare costs in the Czech Republic.

The country has introduced a system of universal health insurance, according to which, a patient who regularly makes insurance premiums, does not worry about the cost of medical services and medicines - the insurance company pays for it.

Entrepreneurs pay a percentage of earnings, the owner of the enterprise pays for hired workers, and children and pensioners receive insurance from the state.

The cost of health insurance depends on gender and age. The largest contributions are set for 68-70 year olds.

For foreigners in the Czech Republic, emergency therapy and non-stationary ambulance are free of charge. Any other inpatient care is paid.

For a foreigner in the Czech Republic, there are three options for obtaining medical services:

1. Do not pay for insurance, but pay for each visit to the doctor and each medical procedure separately. At the same time, very simple services can require very significant amounts.
2. Contractual form of insurance. Under a health insurance contract, a foreigner has the right to receive basic medical care in the clinic and treated in the hospital. Under the insurance, he is provided with discounts when buying medicines, he has the opportunity to be treated at Czech spas by prescription of a doctor for a lower fee compared to uninsured spa guests. The advantage of contractual insurance is a wide network of medical institutions in the Czech Republic.
3. The system of insurance, which is compulsory for employment, is connected with the conclusion of wages and gives the right to medical care equal to that of Czech citizens.

In the Czech Republic, the system of spa treatment is historically developed.
The resorts of the Czech Republic are equipped with the latest diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, are specialized in the treatment of specific diseases, have a network of dietary canteens, cultural and public institutions.
Most of the Czech resorts are unique due to the use of the healing properties of the springs. mineral water, combined with the most modern physiotherapy equipment

Czech Republic \Culture

The oldest written monuments appeared in the Czech Republic in the second half of the 10th century, when it was part of the Great Moravian state. They are connected with the activities of the Slavic enlighteners Cyril and Methodius, who spread Slavic writing throughout the territory of the entire state. These are spiritual and martial songs, such as "Lord, have mercy on us", "Saint Wenceslas", etc.
Since the end of the tenth century, the Czech Republic was already part of the "Holy Roman Empire" and the only written language of the Czechs is Latin. The "Chronicle of Bohemia" by Cosmas of Prague (1045-1125) belongs to this period.
At the end of the 13th century, secular, “knightly” literature (“Alexandreida”) appeared, satirical and didactic genres related to the life of the city developed (the drama “The Seller of Healing Ointments”, the dialogue “The Groom and the Schoolboy”, etc.).
The flourishing of Czech literature in the 14th century was also facilitated by the opening of a university in Prague in 1348.
The end of the 14th - the beginning of the 15th centuries is characterized by the influence of the Reformation movement on literature. At this time, new literary forms appeared: anti-Catholic sermons (Jan Hus, Jan Zhevlinsky); epistolary works (Jan Hus, Jan Zizka); poetic appeals ("Budishinskaya manuscript"). After the defeat of the radical wing of the Hussites (1434), the writer and thinker Piotr Khelchitsky (1390-1460), the author of the theological work "The Web of Faith" comes forward. An important event of this period was the beginning of printing in the Czech language (1468).
After the loss of independence by the Czech Republic (1620), the development of literature took place under pressure on Czech culture from foreign nobility and the Roman Church. During this period, Czech literature is represented by émigré writers. One of them is a humanist teacher Ya.A.Kolensky.
A new upsurge in the literature of the Czech Republic came at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries during the period of national revival. The genre of scientific and journalistic treatises has become widespread. An important role in Czech literature was played by the works on the history of language and writing by the philologists J. Dobrovsky (1753-1829), J. Jungman (1773-1847), the works of the poets I. Tam (1765-1816) and others
At the beginning of the 19th century, a trend of romanticism was formed in Czech literature (J. Jungman, J. Kollar, F. L. Chelakovsky and others). The French Revolution of 1830 and the Polish uprising of 1830-1831 had a significant impact on Czech literature in the middle of this century. Critical realism, which flourished in the second half of the century, was reflected in the work of such writers as J. Neruda, V. Galek, S. Cech and others.
In 1890 the Czech Academy of Letters and Arts was founded.
The 20th century was one of the most difficult periods in the history of the Czech Republic. World War I, the creation of the Czechoslovak Republic, World War II, the formation of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, each of these events influenced the development of Czech literature, changing its styles and directions from decadence and symbolism to socialist realism. During this period, such famous writers and poets as J. Gashek, A. Sova, K. Chapek, M. Puimanova and others worked.
Fine arts and architecture of the Czech Republic began their development in the Stone Age and the Bronze Age (sculpture, ceramics, metal jewelry, etc.).
In the 10th century, Prague occupied the main place in the artistic life of the country, where in the first half of the 10th century the rotunda of St. Vitus was built in the Castle.
In the 10th - 12th centuries, Romanesque architecture developed, the church of St. George was built. Book miniatures (manuscripts "Humpold's legend of St. Wenceslas" around 1000) and frescoes (image of sovereigns from the Přmyslovich family in the chapel in Znojmo (1134) are being developed.
In the 13th - 14th centuries, with the growth of cities, the development of crafts and mining, the Gothic style was established in the art of the Czech Republic (Anezhki Monastery (1230) and the Tinsky Church, in Prague, etc.).
In the middle of the fourteenth century, realistic tendencies were developed, which were embodied in the work of the art school of P. Palerzh (1330-1399), he built the Charles Bridge and created a number of sculptures.
In the 15th century, late Gothic art was represented by B. Reit (1454-1536), the creator of the unique star vaults of the Vladislav Hall in the Prague Castle.
The 16th century in the Czech Republic is the Renaissance. Artistic glassmaking flourishes, art collections are collected.
In the 15th and 18th centuries, realistic painting developed - K. Shkret (1610-1674), engraving - V. Hollar (1607-1677). The Baroque style is represented in architecture by K.I. Ditzenhofer (1690-1751), in sculpture - by F.M. Brokov (1688-1731) and M.B. In painting - P. Brandl (1668-1735) and V.V. Reiner (1689-1743) and others. In 1799, the Academy of Arts was established.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, realism was represented in painting by: A. Mahek (1775-1844), K. Manes (1828-1880), A. Kosarek (1830-1859), A. Bubak (1824) -1870), J. Manes (1820-1871) and others. The building of the National Theater in Prague, built in 1868-1883 by J. Zitek (1832-1909), based on Renaissance tendencies, was an architectural achievement. F. Zhenishek (1849-1916), V. Brozhik (1851-1901), V. Ginais (1854-1925) took part in the scenic design of the theater. Sculpture - J. Myslbek (1848-1922) and others.
At the end of the 19th century, a wide development of Czech graphics began; M. Shvabinsky (1873-1962), J. Preisler (1872-1918) and others worked in this genre.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Art Nouveau style with the use of new structures was spreading in architecture - J. Koter (1871-1923), in painting - realism is present in the work of landscape painters: A. Slavicek (1861-1910), J. Uprk ( 1861-1940), compositional paintings - M.Iranek (1875-1911) and others. In sculpture - J.Shturs (1880-1925), B.Kafka (1878-1942) and others. The middle of the century is characterized by the development in architecture of such styles as constructivism and functionalism.
Czech musical culture developed on the basis of rich folk art. In the middle of the 11th century, festive folk dances were accompanied by playing flutes and drums. In the XIII century, trumpets, timpani, zithers are mentioned in the annals, harps and psalteriums were also widely used.
A major role in the development of musical art in the Czech Republic belongs to the Faculty of Liberal Arts of the University of Prague. Since the second half of the 14th century, many outstanding Czech musicians have studied there, among them Master Zawisz (1360-1411), the author of liturgical chants and the first Czech lyric song that has come down to modern times.
The era of the Hussite wars was the heyday of songwriting, which are distinguished by their original melody and rhythm.
In the 16th century, Czech polyphonic art developed, its prominent masters: J.T. Turnovsky, J. Rikhnovsky, J.S. Klatovsky and others.
After the loss of independence, the country was flooded with foreign musicians. In the work of Czech composers of the 15th - 18th centuries, the influence of foreign music is manifested. Among them stand out Ya.D.Zelenka (1679-1745), B.Chernogrsky (1684-1742) and others.
In the 18th century, Czech composers mastered complex polyphonic vocal and instrumental genres and successfully worked in the symphony genre. Outstanding musicians of this period were: F.W.Michi (1694-1744), J.Stamitz (1717-1757), J.Myslivechek (1737-1781) and others.
The development of Czech music in the 19th century was facilitated by the opening of a conservatory in Prague in 1811. The first opera in the Czech language, "Drotar", was written by F. Shkroup (1801-1862). This period was marked by the work of the world famous classical composers: B. Smetana (1824-1884) and A. Dvorak (1841-1904). Major masters were also: Z. Fibich (1850-1900), L. Janacek (1854-1928), J. Suk (1874-1935) and others.
Opened in 1861 national theater, in 1901 - the Czech Philharmonic.
In the 20th century, the traditions of great Czech musicians were continued by V.Novak, J.B. Foerster, V.Dobiash, Z.Blazhek, J.Hanush and others.

Czech Republic \Massmedia

There are 90 national and regional daily newspapers published in the Czech Republic.

The most popular daily newspapers include:

• Mlada Fronta Dnes(daily circulation - 425,000) - the largest independent national daily newspaper, formerly a youth newspaper, now has a modern style and is designed for a wide range of readers;
• Shine(daily circulation - 300,000) - published seven days a week, once a week a glossy magazine is published along with a newspaper;
• Pravo- former name Rude Pravo (daily circulation - 260000), formerly a publication of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, now strives to give an objective and independent interpretation of events, does not openly belong to any political party, but has a left-wing political bias and focuses on the discussion of social problems, has a reputation for being highly professional newspapers;
• Zemske noviny- formerly Ceske moravskoslezske Zemedelske Noviny (daily circulation - 160,000) - is the heir to the daily newspaper Zemedelske noviny (l945-1990), published as a national newspaper, but more designed for rural and provincial readers;
• Hospodarske noviny(daily circulation - 125000) - daily economic newspaper, tries to follow the style of economic daily newspapers such as the newspaper "Financial Times" or Handelsblatt;
• Lidove new(daily circulation - 80,000) - is an independent daily newspaper aimed at a liberal reader with a higher education, known as a dissident newspaper.

The political freedom established after 1989 caused a huge upsurge in all kinds of media that had previously been subject to censorship. Numerous new periodicals, radio stations, and television channels have emerged at the national and regional level.

The main periodicals of the Czech Republic have a very large share of foreign investors - mainly Switzerland and Germany, among which it is necessary to single out the Swiss syndicate "Ringier" and the German Passauer Neue Presse.

Along with daily newspapers, many weeklies are popular. Western influence is also evident here in their quality and design. The most widely read periodicals are weeklies like Kvety, Reflex, Tyden and Mlady Svet.

Two English weeklies are published in Prague: The Prague Post and The Central European Business Weekly. One glossy business magazine, La Tribune De Prague, is published in French and English. The Prager Zeitung is published in German.

They contain weekly news, features and analysis of economics, politics and culture in the Czech Republic, Eastern Europe and the European Union.

Radio and Television

The Czech Republic has both public and private television and radio broadcasting networks.

State-owned Radio Czech Republic and Czech Television are funded by the government.

Broadcasting licenses in the Czech Republic are issued by the Radio and Television Broadcasting Council. He is elected by parliament and is independent of the government.

So far, more than 70 broadcasting licenses have been issued by the Council, and about 150 radio stations are already operating in the Czech Republic.

The largest of them include:

• Radio KISS 98 World Cup;
• impulse;
• Radio Frekvence 1;
• Radio Evropa 2;
• BI - BI - SI (BBC World Service);
• Radio Free Europe (Radio Free Europe).

In the Czech Republic, 52 television licenses have also been granted. There are two public and two private television stations (Nova and Prima) broadcast throughout the Czech Republic.
In addition, there are 118 small TV stations in the country.

REFERENCE INFORMATION

Administrative division of the country

In November, elections to the regional parliaments will be held in the Czech Republic for the first time. The administrative division of the country is changing. Instead of 7 areas, 14 edges will appear. The Parliament adopted a package of laws that define the competence of the regions, allow the creation of regional legislative bodies.

Although formally the new division of the country is effective from January 1, in fact, it will come into force only after the elections of the regional parliaments and the formation of executive authorities.

Zemstvo reform stands on a solid legislative basis. A law was adopted on regions, communities, district administrations, on the capital Prague, on the competences of regional authorities, and on elections to regional parliaments.

The new government will initially have the right to form the regional policy in the field of education, health care, culture, transport, and in the social sphere. Significant expansion of the competencies of the new authorities will follow in 2003, when the existing regional administrations cease their work.

The composition of the regional parliaments will be elected for 4 years. This year, the elections will not concern only Prague (it is also an independent region). The composition of the Prague magistrate, elected the year before last, will work until 2002.

Zemstvo reform will cost the country about 5 billion crowns. What will change after the election of regional parliaments in 2000? The territory of the country will be divided into 14 regions. Each region will have a representative body consisting of 45-64 people, the council (9-11 people) will be at the head of the region, and the council will elect a hetman.

A 5% barrier is introduced for political parties in parliamentary elections. Residents of the region who have reached the age of 18 can become regional deputies.

It is curious that in those communities where at least a fifth of the inhabitants belong to any national minority, street names can be written in the language of the minority if at least half of the inhabitants belonging to the national minority so request.

The leaders of the regional authorities will be called Hetmans (Hejtman). In the state authorities in the Czech lands, the positions of hetmans existed for about 100 years from the middle of the last century. These were the leaders of the districts and they were appointed by the Ministry of the Interior.

The new hetmans will become leaders of local self-government. Their salaries are fixed. They are quite high. The hetman will receive 57,000 kroons per month, members of the regional council - 48,400 kroons.

New administrative division of the country (see map)

The Czech Republic has developed from three geographical regions - Moravia, Silesia, Bohemia. Bohemia is the largest region and, in turn, it is also customary to divide it into parts - Central, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western. The administrative division of the Czech Republic does not quite coincide with the geographical. Prague and its environs belong to Central Bohemia.
Each region has its own pearls, information about the most interesting of them you will see on the following pages.

Population of the country: 10.5 million people (90% Czechs, 3.7% Moravians (a sub-ethnic group of Czechs), 1.9% Slovaks)

Religion: 27% Catholic, 2% Protestant, 3% Orthodox

Official language: Czech

Currency unit: Czech crown

Flight time: Moscow-Prague (3 hours)

Visa: Need

Located in the western part of Eastern Europe, it has no access to the sea.

In the northeast it borders on Poland, in the east - on Slovakia, in the southeast - on Austria, in the west - on Germany.

The area of ​​the country is 78,866 km².

The climate of the Czech Republic is temperate, transitional from maritime to continental.

In summer, the average temperature in the center of the country fluctuates around +20°С, in mountainous regions - +18°С.

Winters are cool (the average January temperature is from 0 to -5°C) and quite wet - on average, up to 500 mm of precipitation falls per season (up to 700 mm per year).

Prague city transport consists of three metro lines, buses and trams.

Tickets must be punched immediately after entering the tram or bus or before entering the metro station. The fare in public transport is relatively low, even in Prague. single ticket all types of trips are valid for a certain time and are purchased at numerous kiosks.

In the Czech Republic, almost all large settlements have special night trams and buses, so there are usually no problems with moving. Interestingly, there is no control at the entrance to the salon, but there are teams of controllers.

On weekends, public transport runs on a significantly reduced schedule with extended intervals.

Rent a car in the Czech Republic can be drivers over 21 years of age with driving experience of two years. At the same time, in large offices, drivers under the age of 25 will have access to only low-cost small cars without any additional payments.

Those who plan to rent a car of a higher class will have to pay a "young driver fee". Local companies, as a rule, they do not require from their customers driver's license international standard - national rights will be enough to draw up a lease agreement.

Large companies refuse to issue a car to drivers without an IDP. In addition, in order to conclude a lease agreement, you will need international passport And bank card with sufficient funds to pay a deposit for the car.

Czech cuisine is a lot of meat, dough and calories. Main National dish- “baked boar knee” - pork knuckle, which is stewed in beer, and then baked or fried over an open fire, traditionally served with sweet mustard and dumplings. Dumplings - boiled meatballs made from dough or potatoes.

Popular sausages are "parks" with horseradish and mustard (the most popular local fast food), Czech zrazy (with bacon and green cucumber), "drowners" (fat sausages with spices), "svichkova on sour cream" (beef tenderloin baked in cream) , hot and cold meat rolls, "tatarak" (grated raw beef with egg yolk and spices, which is spread on croutons like a pate).

Poultry and fish are not so popular in the Czech Republic, but duck with stewed cabbage and baked carp with potato salad are a must on festive tables. You should definitely try the local soups. They are very thick, filling and easy to make.

The most famous soup - "vole" - is a liquid mashed potatoes with pieces of meat and vegetables. Also popular are soups with liver meatballs, vegetable soups with dumplings, spicy garlic soups, many varieties of soups with smoked meats, as well as the famous goulash soup. Soups are usually served with croutons or dumplings, sometimes in bread.

Czech pastries are interesting: “vanilla rolls” (bagels with vanilla and almonds), puff pastries, pies, waffles, cookies and cakes. The national drink is beer.

Sophisticated connoisseurs of beer can be advised to dine in restaurants near breweries (for example, the cities of Pilsen, Budjewice or Prague, the villages of Krusovice or Velkopopovice). There, beer is served "hot, hot" (but at the same time invariably cold), and to taste it is the nectar of the gods. Least.

Those who like it stronger will appreciate slivovitz (fermented plum juice with a strength of 45 to 75 °), Becherovka, Fernet (a Czech herbal liqueur, the recipe of which is kept secret), and the most daring - absinthe. Previously, Czech absinthe contained thujone (a drug), but the current legislation of the country prohibits this. Many Czech restaurants brew their own beers.

Shopping in the Czech Republic is one of the most budgetary by European standards, even if we are talking about the capital.

In Prague, you can buy branded items at relatively affordable prices (all boutiques are concentrated on Paris Street). More budget brands (and luxury ones too) can be found in shopping centers on Wenceslas Square. Here is a multi-storey Fashion House.

Another area for inexpensive shopping in Prague is Příkop. One of the famous shopping centers here is Myslbek Shopping Gallery, and the largest shopping complex in the center of Prague - Palladium. On Mostetska Street, you can buy handmade souvenirs, and curious old gizmos - on flea market on Kolbenova street.

Sales in the Czech Republic happen twice a year. There are no official start and end dates, each store reduces prices when it sees fit, but this usually happens in July and January. End-of-season discounts typically reach up to 80%, and year-round sales can be found in outlet stores. The most popular outlet in the Czech Republic is Fashion Arena on the outskirts of Prague, you can get to it by free bus from Depo Hostivar metro station.

In the Czech Republic, there are many medieval castles, beautiful cathedrals, museums, national parks and other interesting places.

Castles were built throughout the country, with the largest concentration in the central region and in the vicinity of Prague in particular. It is definitely worth visiting the Prague Castle, Cesky Sternberk, Karlstejn, Konopiste, Křivoklát and others. The Dobříš Palace in Kutná Hora has been perfectly preserved to this day, including the interior decoration of the halls, as well as the Brzeznice Castle with its ancient library and armory. In Melnik Castle, which belonged to the famous Lobkowitz family, you can visit the wine cellar and participate in tasting. Duchcov Castle is located in the north of Bohemia in the Baroque style. It was there that he spent his last days famous Giacomo Casanova.

Most of the museums in the Czech Republic are concentrated in Prague. The oldest of them - National Museum Czech Republic. It tells about the history of the formation of the Czech state, and its halls contain many archaeological finds, including ancient manuscripts. Curious exhibits can be seen at the National Technical Museum in Prague. The exposition tells about the development of high technologies in the world from vintage bicycles to modern photo and video equipment. In the city of Mlada Boleslav, the Škoda Museum has been opened, where you can learn a lot of interesting things about the history of this automobile plant, including how the first car produced in the Czech Republic looked like.

Also worth seeing is the Museum of Modern Art in Prague and Art Gallery in Karlovy Vary. The Czech Republic is a land of very beautiful nature, therefore, in recent years, eco and agro tourism has been developing here. For this, they usually go to East Bohemia. There you can not only spend time hiking in the fresh air, but also live on farms, doing agriculture and caring for horses, which are bred here in large numbers.

An interesting region in this regard is South Moravia. It is famous not only for its wines, but also for its folklore: unusual ornaments on houses, cheerful music, songs and dances. In many villages there still wear national costumes.

Czech Republic is quite safe European country with a Slavic soul.

Tourists need to follow basic safety rules, especially in the capital. In Prague and other cities there are a lot of police officers strictly keeping order. The most common crime in the capital of the Czech Republic is the theft of a handbag or wallet, and at railway stations in Prague and major cities, as well as in the tourist districts, robberies also occur.

Basically, this is done by gypsies, refugees and guest workers from Romania, Serbia and the former Soviet republics, so stay away from them if possible. Prostitution in the Czech Republic is legalized for adults. Light drugs are also allowed, but only possession, any sale and purchase transactions are prohibited.

In the Czech Republic, you can not smoke in public places, however, rather conditionally. If you are not disturbing anyone, then the police are unlikely to pay attention to you. But officially there is a fine of 1000 CZK for this, especially if someone complains about you. Prostitution in the Czech Republic is legal, but keeping brothels and pimping is not. You will be fined 1000 CZK if you throw garbage on the street. The Czechs follow the order zealously and treat it much more strictly than smoking.

With drinking alcohol in public places in this country, everything is also severe: a fine of up to 10,000 CZK.

end of April- Easter Monday;

These days, almost all enterprises and institutions are closed (on Christmas Eve - from lunch).

The most simple and cheap way communications in the Czech Republic - telephone boxes. They are located almost everywhere, they work mostly with special prepaid cards and allow you to make calls both within the country and abroad.

The networks of cellular operators cover almost the entire small territory of the Czech Republic, with the exception of some very remote mountainous regions. Roaming with locals is available to subscribers of major Russian operators.

In the Czech Republic, you can find many Internet cafes with high speed connections. Many hotels provide guests with free Wi-Fi access - sometimes right in the room, more often - in the lobby or restaurant.