What is the form of government in the Czech Republic. The best time to visit. The history of the formation of states on the land of the Czech Republic

The president
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus
Jan Fischer Territory
Total
% water surface 114th in the world
78,866 km²
2 Population
Total ()
Density 79th in the world
10 403 100 people
129 people/km² GDP
total()
Per capita 41st in the world
211.698 billion
20 606 Currency Czech crown
(CZK, code 203) Internet domain Telephone code +420 Timezone UTC+1

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 the internal and foreign policy, as well as other members of the government cabinet on the proposal 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

Building 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 influence grows in the country catholic church, German feudal lords and the patriciate of cities, 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, 15% of the population spoke Czech, and the possibility of taking one of the Slavic languages, in particular the Russian literary language, was considered as a literary language). Czech 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 in the modern Czech language of many archaisms, in contrast to the living spoken language. The spoken language is divided 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 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 by 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 territory 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).

How independent organization The Cheka, after the division of the Czechoslovak Red Cross, 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)

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, 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. A single ticket for all types of trips is valid for a certain time and is purchased at numerous kiosks.

Almost everything in the Czech Republic 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 walks on a significantly reduced schedule with increased 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 an international driver's license from their clients - 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- it's 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 holiday 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 relatively reasonable prices buy branded items (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 mall 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 the famous Giacomo Casanova spent his last days.

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 noteworthy are the Museum of Modern Art in Prague and the 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 on fresh air, but also live on farms, farming and caring for horses, which are bred here in large numbers.

An area of interest in this respect 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.

The Czech Republic is a fairly 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 robberies also occur at train stations in Prague and large cities, as well as in tourist areas.

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 easiest and cheapest way to communicate in the Czech Republic is by telephones. 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 ones. mountainous areas. 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.

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 keep most monuments of history in 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 apart Karlovy Vary. Here, with the help 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. Many famous personalities, including European monarchs, have improved their health in Karlovy Vary over the centuries. Among other medical resorts, the most popular Marianske Lazne And Podebrady.

Well, the third business card Czech Republic - beer. There are countless varieties of this foamy drink in the Czech Republic. In addition to well-known brands, 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 slightly cooler and more likely get caught in the rain. But prices during this period are lower. July and August, in terms of weather - quite right time to visit the Czech Republic. But during these months, most Czechs go on vacation. Many of local residents spend it as domestic tourists, which significantly increases the congestion of tourist facilities. From the second half of October to the beginning of April, many palaces, museums and entertainment facilities are winding down their work. However, in major tourist centers such 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. most popular ski resorts in the Czech Republic are Spindlerov Mlyn, Harrachov, Dog under the snow. best time for winter holiday in the Czech Republic - January and February, a slightly less successful choice - 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. A fairly large area is occupied by ponds for breeding fish.

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

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.

Story

As a consequence of the collapse of this state after the First World War, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rus united and formed the independent Republic of 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.

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 of the 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.

Population

The building of the Consulate General in St. Petersburg

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, 15% of the population spoke Czech, and the possibility of taking one of the Slavic languages, in particular the Russian literary language, was considered as a 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. The spoken language is divided into several groups of dialects: Czech, Middle Moravian and East Moravian.

The Czech Republic is one of the densely populated states. The average population density 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.

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 CHKK provides assistance and support to the medical service of the 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).

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

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a small state in Central Europe. This is one of the most distinctive and attractive countries for tourists in the European Union with rich history, many interesting sights, castles and cultural monuments. The Czech Republic borders Poland in the north, Germany in the west and northwest, Slovakia in the east, and Austria in the south. It is a parliamentary republic. The official language is Czech.

What comes to mind when we talk about the Czech Republic? These are the Gothic spiers of Prague and Prague streets, this is the ancient Charles Bridge across the Vltava, these are hundreds of castles and churches in cozy old towns, this is excellent beer and tasty food. All this is true, but there is something else. The Czech Republic is an atmosphere of calm and silence, the cordiality and unhurriedness of the locals, the regularity of life, beautiful natural landscapes: leisurely rivers, fields and picturesque wooded hills. Interestingly, the country is also one of the safest in Europe and has one of the lowest levels of corruption.

The country is located almost in the center of the former Austria-Hungary - in the past it was one of the largest and most powerful states in Europe. Czech Republic occupies historical areas- Moravia, Bohemia and part of Silesia. The stormy past has left a colossal historical heritage, and low prices for food and hotels make the Czech Republic one of the cheapest countries for tourists in Europe.

Helpful information

The official language is Czech.
Currency - Czech crown.
Visa - Schengen.
The capital is Prague.
The population is 10.5 million people.
Area - 78.9 thousand square meters. km
The standard of living is high.
On the territory of the Czech Republic, the Central European time UTC +1 is valid.
Driving in the Czech Republic is on the right. Travel speed in settlements limited to 50 km, outside the city - 90 km, on motorways - 130 km. When driving on motorways, you need to buy a vignette. The consumption of alcohol by drivers is strictly prohibited. Car headlights should always be on. From November to the end of March, all cars must be driven on winter tires.
High season - May, July, August. Low - January, February.
Shops are open from 9.00 to 17.00 weekdays. In large cities, shops are open until 20.00 and even on weekends. Shopping centers and large supermarkets are open from 9.00 to 21.00. Museums and attractions are often closed on Sundays.
The kitchen in restaurants and cafes is usually open until 21.00 - 22.00. Tipping is not included in the bill and is 5-10% of the bill.

Geography and nature

Despite its small size, the Czech Republic is a geographically diverse country. Here you can find mountains and hills covered with forests, fields and plains. The country has no access to the sea. Western and East End mostly hilly and mountainous. Central - predominantly hilly plain. The highest peak is Mount Snezhka (1602 m).

Several enough flows flow through the territory of the Czech Republic. major rivers- Vltava, Odra, Laba, Morava. The nature of the Czech Republic is very picturesque - hills and low mountains, covered with deciduous and coniferous forests interspersed with agricultural land. Castles and fortresses rise on high hills and rocks - a legacy of the past. Roe deer and deer graze in the fields, running away as soon as they stop.

Best time to visit

The Czech Republic can be visited all year round. The most comfortable time is the period from May to September. Atmospheric in the Czech Republic for the Christmas holidays. Most low season lasts from January to March.

Climate

The climate of the Czech Republic is temperate, with warm but not hot summers and fairly mild winters. The four seasons are clearly defined. Spring is cool with average temperature 8-12 degrees. Precipitation falls 150-200 mm. Summer is warm with enough comfortable temperature at 15-20 degrees. Heat doesn't happen often. But it's often cold here. Therefore, when visiting the Czech Republic in the summer, we recommend taking light jackets with you. Most of the precipitation falls in summer. Autumn is quite warm with an average temperature of about 10 degrees. Winter lasts from December to February. The temperature is kept within zero degrees. There are both thaws and frosts.

Winter in the mountains of the Czech Republic

Story

The historical name of the Czech Republic is Bohemia. This territory includes several historical regions - Bohemia, Moravia and part of Silesia.

Human settlements on the territory of the Czech Republic existed as early as the Stone Age. At the beginning of our era, Germanic tribes lived here. The Slavs came to these lands in the 6th century. The legend of the three Slavic leaders-brothers - Ruse, Lyakh and Chekh is well known. Each of them became the founder of the people. Although the etymology of the name of the country and people is still controversial among scientists.

The unification of the Czech Slavs and the creation of the Czech state date back to the 9th-10th century. Initially, the center was Budec. In the 10th century, the center of the state moved towards modern Prague. At this time, the Vysehrad fortress and Prague Castle were founded. Czechs were baptized in the 9th century.

The Czech Principality gained its independence under the first Přemyslids. From the 11th to the 14th centuries, Bohemia was under the rule of the Frankish emperors. In 1241, the united Czech army successfully repulsed the invasion of the Mongols.

The main heyday of the Czech Republic and Prague in the Middle Ages came at the time of the legendary King Charles IV. Karl not only expanded the Czech lands, but also developed agriculture and winemaking, began construction famous bridge through the Vltava in Prague, founded the University, Karlštejn Castle, St. Vita. Charles also issued a law on succession to the throne - when the throne is inherited by the eldest son. A woman can become head of state only if there are no male descendants.

The development of the Czech Republic was suspended in the 15th century. This process and the loss of independence provoked the Hussite movement that arose at the beginning of the 15th century. Despite the fact that Jan Hus (one of their leaders) was burned as a heretic, the Hussite war broke out. After it, the time of monarchless rule first came. Later, the Czech state lost its independence and became part of the possessions of the Habsburgs. The Czech Republic remained under their control until 1918.

After the end of the First World War, the country gains independence. A new state is formed - Czechoslovakia. Masaryk becomes the first president. Czechoslovakia lasted until 1993.

In 1939 the country was occupied by German troops. Liberated in 1945 by the Red Army. After the war, the Czech Republic was part of the socialist camp under the influence of the USSR.

In 1989, after the Velvet Revolution, Soviet troops left the Czech Republic. In 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two independent states. Since 1999, the Czech Republic has been a member of NATO, and since 2004 - in the EU.

Administrative division

The Czech Republic consists of the capital and 13 regions. The krais are divided into districts (okres) and statutory cities (district centers).

Central Bohemia - includes the capital - Prague, Kutna Hora.
Western Bohemia (Pilsen and) - a wooded and mountainous area, picturesque nature, resorts and excellent beer.
North Bohemia(Liberec and Usti nad Labem) is a mountainous and industrial region.
Eastern Bohemia (Hradec Kralove and Pardubice) - the Krkonose mountain range and highest peak Czech Republic - Mount Snezhka.
South Bohemia(České Budějovice) - hills and forests, the upper reaches of the Vltava.
Northern Moravia (Ostrava and) is an industrial region. Although here you can find beautiful nature and interesting sights.
South Moravia (Brno) - hills and forests, agricultural land and winemaking. These are the warmest regions of the Czech Republic.

Population

The population of the Czech Republic is over 10 million people. Given the area of the country, it can be classified as densely populated. About 95% of the population are ethnic Czechs. Large diasporas - Ukrainians, Russians, Slovaks, Vietnamese, Germans.

The official language is Czech, which belongs to the West Slavic group of languages. Czechs can easily understand Slovaks and vice versa. Also, the Czech language has common roots and words with other Slavic languages - Russian, Polish, Ukrainian. The Czech language has a large number of colorful words: lepidlo - glue, letushka - stewardess, letadlo - plane. The stress is almost always on the first syllable.

The Czechs themselves are a calm, hospitable, polite people. They respect traditions, are reasonable and unhurried.

Transport

Located almost in the center of Europe, the Czech Republic has good transport accessibility.

International airports are located in Prague (the largest in the country), Brno, Ostrava, Karlovy Vary and Pardubice.

The main means of transportation in the country are trains, buses and cars. It should be noted that the condition and quality of roads in the Czech Republic lags behind neighboring Austria and Germany. Although the country has highways that connect major cities and neighboring countries and pass near Prague, Pilsen, Brno and Ostrava.

Accommodation

Accommodation in the Czech Republic is much cheaper than, for example, in Germany, Austria. A double room in a three-star hotel with breakfast can be found for 30-50 euros even in Prague. Of course, it all depends on the location of the hotel (it is logical that the closer to the center, the more expensive), the season, etc. Large cities usually have a wide range of accommodation options from a hostel to expensive hotels. It is better to take care of accommodation in the high season in advance. Rooms in Czech hotels are usually quite clean and very simple.

Kitchen

Czech cuisine is very high in calories. traditional dishes: voles (various soups), garlic (garlic soup), boar knee (pork), meat dishes(mainly pork, beef, chicken, duck) with dumplings, fish dishes (carp), fried cheese (Germelin), seasonal vegetables (greens), potatoes (bramborak) and, of course, beer. In restaurants, food is usually prepared until 21.00-22.00. Tips are not included in the bill. If you liked the food and service, then you can leave 5-10% of the bill.

Beer is a separate pride of the Czech Republic and its main drink. It is one of the best in the world here. At the same time, beer is often the cheapest drink and often cheaper than Coca-Cola. Beer brands such as Krusovice, Budweiser, Pilsner, Radegast, Bernard, Gambrinus are brewed here. There are also a huge number of small breweries. Beer is usually divided into light (light) and dark (tmawe). Dark beer has a richer taste.

Czech cities

most popular and beautiful city Czech Republic is the capital - Prague. Often it is called the "city of a hundred spiers" and "golden". Prague is located almost in the center of the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the country. The historic center of the city is listed world heritage UNESCO, and attractions such as Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town Square and Tyn Church, Vysehrad are real symbols of the country.

Brno

The second in importance and size is the capital of Moravia - Brno, which has a compact and beautiful old town and has long been competing with Prague in economic and cultural terms.

Nearby is the student city of Olomouc, often referred to as "Little Prague". The city has wonderful architecture and many interesting sights (one of them is included in the UNESCO list).

To the north is the industrial capital of the Czech Republic and one of its largest cities - Ostrava.

Not far from Prague is the small town of Kutná Hora with several famous sights (Kostnitsa, St. Barbara's Cathedral).

In the west, the famous Czech resort - Karlovy Vary - stands out. And in the northwest - Liberec.

The main city of the south is České Budějovice with a wonderful old center. Not far from it is one of the most beautiful towns in the Czech Republic - the old town of which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Sights of the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a country rich in sights and monuments of history and culture. Despite the turbulent past, the Czechs managed to preserve their historical heritage.

The enumeration of interesting sights of the Czech Republic can take up a whole book, so we will limit ourselves to the most iconic ones.

In Prague, the most famous sights are Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town Square and Vysehrad.

In Kutná Hora, UNESCO sites: the beautiful Gothic Cathedral of St. Barbarians and the gloomy Ossuary.

In Olomouc, this is one of the most significant monuments of the Czech Baroque, the column of the Holy Trinity.

One big attraction is the town of Cesky Krumlov in the south of the Czech Republic.

Of the natural beauties, a prominent place is occupied by the reserve Czech paradise, national park Krkonoše and Šumava, Macocha gorge.

On the territory of Chekhov there are many beautiful castles. Here, almost every ancient town rises mighty fortresses or romantic ruins. Many castles are perfectly preserved and can tell us a lot about the history and culture of the past.

Prague Castle
Karlstejn
Pernstein
Loket
Deep-over-Vltava
Blatna
Bouzov
Orlik-nad-Vltavou
Zvikov
Kokorzhin
Krivoklat
Miller
Mikulov