Topic: Photos of French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Topic: Introduction
Background: In February 2007, the Iles Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). The Southern Lands are now divided into five administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic islands, Ile Saint-Paul and Ile Amsterdam; the fourth, Iles Eparses, consists of five scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is the Antarctic portion, which consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. Ile Amsterdam: Discovered but not named in 1522 by the Spanish, the island subsequently received the appellation of Nieuw Amsterdam from a Dutchman; it was claimed by France in 1843. A short-lived attempt at cattle farming began in 1871. A French meteorological station established on the island in 1949 is still in use.; Ile Saint Paul: Claimed by France since 1893, the island was a fishing industry center from 1843 to 1914. In 1928, a spiny lobster cannery was established, but when the company went bankrupt in 1931, seven workers were abandoned. Only two survived until 1934 when rescue finally arrived.; Iles Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau, Iles Crozet is divided into two main groups: L'Occidental (the West), which includes Ile aux Cochons, Ilots des Apotres, Ile des Pingouins, and the reefs Brisants de l'Heroine; and L'Oriental (the East), which includes Ile d'Est and Ile de la Possession (the largest island of the Crozets). Discovered and claimed by France in 1772, the islands were used for seal hunting and as a base for whaling. Originally administered as a dependency of Madagascar, they became part of the TAAF in 1955.; Iles Kerguelen: This island group, discovered in 1772, consists of one large island (Ile Kerguelen) and about 300 smaller islands. A permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists resides at the main base at Port-aux-Francais.; Adelie Land: The only non-insular district of the TAAF is the Antarctic claim known as "Adelie Land." The US Government does not recognize it as a French dependency.; Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide.; Europa Island: This heavily wooded island has been a French possession since 1897; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.; Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.; Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th-century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station.; Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station.In February 2007, the Iles Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). The Southern Lands are now divided into five administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic islands, Ile Saint-Paul and Ile Amsterdam; the fourth, Iles Eparses, consists of five scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is the Antarctic portion, which consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.Ile Amsterdam: Discovered but not named in 1522 by the Spanish, the island subsequently received the appellation of Nieuw Amsterdam from a Dutchman; it was claimed by France in 1843. A short-lived attempt at cattle farming began in 1871. A French meteorological station established on the island in 1949 is still in use.;Ile Saint Paul: Claimed by France since 1893, the island was a fishing industry center from 1843 to 1914. In 1928, a spiny lobster cannery was established, but when the company went bankrupt in 1931, seven workers were abandoned. Only two survived until 1934 when rescue finally arrived.;Iles Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau, Iles Crozet is divided into two main groups: L'Occidental (the West), which includes Ile aux Cochons, Ilots des Apotres, Ile des Pingouins, and the reefs Brisants de l'Heroine; and L'Oriental (the East), which includes Ile d'Est and Ile de la Possession (the largest island of the Crozets). Discovered and claimed by France in 1772, the islands were used for seal hunting and as a base for whaling. Originally administered as a dependency of Madagascar, they became part of the TAAF in 1955.;Iles Kerguelen: This island group, discovered in 1772, consists of one large island (Ile Kerguelen) and about 300 smaller islands. A permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists resides at the main base at Port-aux-Francais.;Adelie Land: The only non-insular district of the TAAF is the Antarctic claim known as "Adelie Land." The US Government does not recognize it as a French dependency.;Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide.;Europa Island: This heavily wooded island has been a French possession since 1897; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.;Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.;Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th-century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station.;Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: southeast and east of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, some near Madagascar and others about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"
Geographic coordinates: Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E; Iles Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E; Iles Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E; Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E; Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 11 30 S, 47 20 E; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 EIle Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E; Iles Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E; Iles Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E; Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E; Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 11 30 S, 47 20 E; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 E
Map references: Antarctic RegionAfrica
Area: Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 55 sq km; land - 55 sq km; water - 0 sq km
 Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 7 sq km; land - 7 sq km; water - 0 sq km
 Iles Crozet: total - 352 sq km; land - 352 sq km; water - 0 sq km
 Iles Kerguelen: total - 7,215 sq km; land - 7,215 sq km; water - 0 sq km
 Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km; water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon)
 Europa Island (Iles Eparses): total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km
 Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km
 Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0 sq km
 Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km
 note: excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
Area - comparative: Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, DC; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, DC; Iles Kerguelen: slightly larger than Delaware; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC; Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DCIle Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, DC; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, DC; Iles Kerguelen: slightly larger than Delaware; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC; Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 28 km
 Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul):
 Iles Kerguelen: 2,800 km
 Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km
 Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22.2 km
 Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km
 Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 24.1 km
 Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 3.7 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen and Iles Eparses (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands); Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity; Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy; Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy; Iles Eparses: tropicalIle Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity; Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy; Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy; Iles Eparses: tropical
Terrain: Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs; Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands; Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with peninsulas stretching off its coasts; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon; Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamountIle Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs; Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands; Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with peninsulas stretching off its coasts; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon; Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount
Elevation: highest point: Mont de la Dives on Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 867 m

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest points throughout the French Southern and Antarctic Lands: unnamed location on Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 272 m; Pic Marion-Dufresne in Iles Crozet 1090 m; Mont Ross in Iles Kerguelen 1850 m; unnamed location on Bassas de India (Iles Eparses) 2.4 m;24 unnamed location on Europa Island (Iles Eparses) 24 m; unnamed location on Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) 12 m; unnamed location on Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) 10 m; unnamed location on Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) 7 m
Natural resources: fish, crayfish, note, Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) have guano, phosphates, and coconuts

note - in the 1950's and 1960's, several species of trout were introduced to Iles Kerguelen of which two, Brown trout and Brook trout, survived to establish wild populations; reindeer were also introduced to Iles Kerguelen in 1956 as a source of fresh meat for whaling crews, the herd today, one of two in the Southern Hemisphere, is estimated to number around 4,000
Natural hazards: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefsvolcanism: Reunion Island - Piton de la Fournaise (2,632 m), which has erupted many times in recent years including 2010, 2015, and 2017, is one of the world's most active volcanoes; although rare, eruptions outside the volcano's caldera could threaten nearby citiesIle Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefsvolcanism: Reunion Island - Piton de la Fournaise (2,632 m), which has erupted many times in recent years including 2010, 2015, and 2017, is one of the world's most active volcanoes; although rare, eruptions outside the volcano's caldera could threaten nearby cities
Geography - note: islands' component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian OceanBassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll is a circular reef atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano; Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles; Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)islands' component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian OceanBassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll is a circular reef atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano; Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles; Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)
Map description: French Southern and Antarctic Lands map showing the many scattered Indian Ocean islands that make up French territory in the South Pacific Ocean. The French Antarctic claim is not shown.French Southern and Antarctic Lands map showing the many scattered Indian Ocean islands that make up French territory in the South Pacific Ocean. The French Antarctic claim is not shown.

Topic: People and Society
Population: no indigenous inhabitants

Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but has a meteorological station
Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but is frequently visited by fishermen and has a scientific research cabin for short stays
 Iles Crozet: uninhabited except for 18 to 30 people staffing the Alfred Faure research station on Ile del la Possession
 Iles Kerguelen: 50 to 100 scientists are located at the main base at Port-aux-Francais on Ile Kerguelen
 Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): uninhabitable
 Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists
 Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): uninhabited, except for visits by scientists
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA

15-24 years: NA

25-54 years: NA

55-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: NA

youth dependency ratio: NA

elderly dependency ratio: NA

potential support ratio: NA
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA
Current Health Expenditure: NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: NA

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: introduction of foreign species on Iles Crozet has caused severe damage to the original ecosystem; overfishing of Patagonian toothfish around Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen
Climate: Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity; Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy; Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy; Iles Eparses: tropicalIle Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity; Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy; Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy; Iles Eparses: tropical

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands

local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

abbreviation: TAAF

etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the territories' affiliation and location in the Southern Hemisphere
Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1955
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 administrative districts named Iles Crozet, Iles Eparses, Iles Kerguelen, Ile Saint-Paul et Ile Amsterdam; the fifth district is the "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Citizenship: see France
Executive branch: chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Charles GIUSTI (since 12 October 2020)
International organization participation: UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
National anthem: note: as a territory of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)note: as a territory of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations, military bases, and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Topic: Communications
Internet country code: .tf
Communications - note: has one or more meteorological stations on each possession

Topic: Transportation
Airports: total: 4 (2021)
Merchant marine: total: 2

by type: other 2 (2021)
Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Topic: Military and Security
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US; Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): ; claimed by Madagascar; the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands); ; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): ; claimed by MauritiusFrench claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US; Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): ; claimed by Madagascar; the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands); ; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): ; claimed by Mauritius


Topic: Photos of Czechia

Topic: Introduction
Background: At the close of World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia, a parliamentarian democracy. During the interwar years, having rejected a federal system, the new country's predominantly Czech leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the increasingly strident demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Slovaks, the Sudeten Germans, and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). On the eve of World War II, Nazi Germany occupied the territory that today comprises Czechia, and Slovakia became an independent state allied with Germany. After the war, a reunited but truncated Czechoslovakia (less Ruthenia) fell within the Soviet sphere of influence when the pro-Soviet Communist party staged a coup in February 1948. In 1968, an invasion by fellow Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create "socialism with a human face," ushering in a period of repression known as "normalization." The peaceful "Velvet Revolution" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a nonviolent "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. The country formally added the short-form name Czechia in 2016, while also continuing to use the full form name, the Czech Republic.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria
Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 78,867 sq km

land: 77,247 sq km

water: 1,620 sq km
Area - comparative: about two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km

border countries (4): Austria 402 km; Germany 704 km; Poland 699 km; Slovakia 241 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country
Elevation: highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

lowest point: Labe (Elbe) River 115 m

mean elevation: 433 m
Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 54.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 41% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 12.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 34.4% (2018 est.)

other: 10.8% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 320 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km): Danube (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Elbe river source (shared with Germany [m]) - 1,252 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations
Natural hazards: flooding
Geography - note: note 1: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

note 2: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deep
Map description: Czechia map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries.Czechia map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 10,705,384 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Czech(s)

adjective: Czech
Ethnic groups: Czech 57.3%, Moravian 3.4%, other 7.7%, unspecified 31.6% (2021 est.)

note: includes only persons with one ethnicity
Languages: Czech (official) 88.4%, Slovak 1.5%, other 2.6%, unspecified 7.2% (2021 est.)

major-language sample(s):
World Fackbook, nepostradatelný zdroj základních informací. (Czech)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note: includes only persons with one mother tongue
Religions: Roman Catholic 7.4%, Evangelical United Brethren Church 0.3%, Czechoslovak Hussite Church 0.2%, believers unaffiliated with a religious society 90.7%, none 50.5%, unspecified 31.8% (2021 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.17% (male 834,447/female 789,328)

15-24 years: 9.2% (male 508,329/female 475,846)

25-54 years: 43.29% (male 2,382,899/female 2,249,774)

55-64 years: 12.12% (male 636,357/female 660,748)

65 years and over: 20.23% (2020 est.) (male 907,255/female 1,257,515)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 56

youth dependency ratio: 24.6

elderly dependency ratio: 31.4

potential support ratio: 3.2 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 43.3 years

male: 42 years

female: 44.7 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.02% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 8.59 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 10.74 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations
Urbanization: urban population: 74.4% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.318 million PRAGUE (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.19 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.14 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 28.5 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.73 years

male: 76.8 years

female: 82.82 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 99.9% of population

rural: 99.8% of population

total: 99.9% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population

rural: 0.2% of population

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 7.8% (2019)
Physicians density: 4.12 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density: 6.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: (2018 est.) <.1%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,400 (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2018 est.) <100
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 26% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: 4.3% of GDP (2018)
Literacy: definition: NA

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2011)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 8%

male: 7.2%

female: 9.2% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; land pollution caused by industry, mining, and agriculture
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 15.15 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 102.22 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 13.11 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Land use: agricultural land: 54.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 41% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 12.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 34.4% (2018 est.)

other: 10.8% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 74.4% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.17% of GDP (2017 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.337 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 850,935 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.5% (2015 est.)
Major rivers (by length in km): Danube (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Elbe river source (shared with Germany [m]) - 1,252 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 616.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 967.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 46.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 13.15 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Czech Republic

conventional short form: Czechia

local long form: Ceska republika

local short form: Cesko

etymology: name derives from the Czechs, a West Slavic tribe who rose to prominence in the late 9th century A.D.; the country officially adopted the English short-form name of Czechia on 1 July 2016
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Prague

geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: the name may derive from an old Slavic root "praga" or "prah", meaning "ford", and refer to the city's origin at a crossing point of the Vltava (Moldau) River
Administrative divisions: 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky (Karlovy Vary), Kralovehradecky (Hradec Kralove), Liberecky (Liberec), Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky (Olomouc), Pardubicky (Pardubice), Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky (Usti), Vysocina (Highlands), Zlinsky (Zlin)
Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia); note - although 1 January is the day the Czech Republic came into being, the Czechs commemorate 28 October 1918, the day the former Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as their independence day
National holiday: Czechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918)
Constitution: history: previous 1960; latest ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993

amendments: passage requires at least three-fifths concurrence of members present in both houses of Parliament; amended several times, last in 2021
Legal system: new civil code enacted in 2014, replacing civil code of 1964 - based on former Austro-Hungarian civil codes and socialist theory - and reintroducing former Czech legal terminology
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Czechia

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Milos ZEMAN (since 8 March 2013)

head of government: Prime Minister Petr FIALA (since 17 December 2021); First Deputy Prime Minister Vit RAKUSAN (since 17 December 2021), Deputy Prime Ministers Marian JURECKA, Ivan BARTOS, Vlastimil VALEK (all since 17 December 2021)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); elections last held on 12-13 January 2018 with a runoff on 26-27 January 2018 (next to be held in January 2023); prime minister appointed by the president for a 4-year term

election results:
2018: Milos ZEMAN reelected president in the second round; percent of vote - Milos ZEMAN (SPO) 51.4%, Jiri DRAHOS (independent) 48.6%

2013: Milos ZEMAN elected president; percent of vote - Milos ZEMAN (SPO) 54.8%, Karel SCHWARZENBERG (TOP 09) 45.2%
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of:
Senate or Senat (81 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years)

Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members directly elected in 14 multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote with a 5% threshold required to fill a seat; members serve 4-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held in 2 rounds on 2-3 and 9-10 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2022)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 8-9 October 2021 (next to be held by October 2025)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - STAN 19, ODS 18, KDU-CSL 12, ANO 5, TOP 09 5, CSSD 3, SEN 21 3, Pirates 2, SZ 1, minor parties with one seat each 9, independents 4; composition (as of October 2021) - men 69, women 12, percent of women 14.8%
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party – SPOLU 27.8%, Action of Dissatisfied Persons 27.1%, Pirates and Mayors 15.6%, Freedom and Direct Democracy 9.6%, other 19.9%; seats by party - Action of Dissatisfied Persons 72, SPOLU 71, Pirates and Mayors 37, Freedom and Direct Democracy 20; composition (as of October 2021) - men 154, women 46, percent of women 23%; note - total Parliament percent of women 26%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court (organized into Civil Law and Commercial Division, and Criminal Division each with a court chief justice, vice justice, and several judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 15 justices); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 36 judges, including the court president and vice president, and organized into 6-, 7-, and 9-member chambers)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges proposed by the Chamber of Deputies and appointed by the president; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed for 10-year, renewable terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the president of the Court; unlimited terms

subordinate courts: High Court; regional and district courts
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Marian JURECKA]
Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Petr FIALA]
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Katerina KONECNA]
Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Michal SMARDA]
Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD [Tomio OKAMURA]
Free Bloc or VB [Jana VOLFOVA]
Mayors and Independents or STAN [Vit RAKUSAN]
Movement of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO [Andrej BABIS]
Oath or Prisaha [Robert SLACHTA]
Pirate Party or Pirates [Ivan BARTOS]
Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09 [Marketa PEKAROVA ADAMOVA]
Tricolor Freedomites Freeholders or TSS [Zuzana MAJEROVA ZAHRADNIKOVA]
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hynek KMONICEK (since 24 April 2017)

chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Lane NW, Washington, DC 20008-3803

telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100

FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540

email address and website:
washington@embassy.mzv.cz

https://www.mzv.cz/washington/

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jennifer BACHUS (since January 2020)

embassy: Trziste 15, 118 01 Praha 1 - Mala Strana

mailing address: 5630 Prague Place, Washington DC  20521-5630

telephone: [420] 257-022-000

FAX: [420] 257-022-809

email address and website:
ACSPrg@state.gov

https://cz.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

note: combines the white and red colors of Bohemia with blue from the arms of Moravia; is identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia
National symbol(s): silver (or white), double-tailed, rampant lion; national colors: white, red, blue
National anthem: name: "Kde domov muj?" (Where is My Home?)

lyrics/music: Josef Kajetan TYL/Frantisek Jan SKROUP

note: adopted 1993; the anthem was originally written as incidental music to the play "Fidlovacka" (1834), it soon became very popular as an unofficial anthem of the Czech nation; its first verse served as the official Czechoslovak anthem beginning in 1918, while the second verse (Slovak) was dropped after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 16 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Prague; Historic Telč; Historic Český Krumlov; Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape; Historic Kutná Hora; Holy Trinity Column, Olomouc; Karlovy Vary Spa

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Czechia is a prosperous market economy that boasts one of the highest GDP growth rates and lowest unemployment levels in the EU, but its dependence on exports makes economic growth vulnerable to contractions in external demand. Czechia’s exports comprise some 80% of GDP and largely consist of automobiles, the country’s single largest industry. Czechia acceded to the EU in 2004 but has yet to join the euro-zone. While the flexible koruna helps Czechia weather external shocks, it was one of the world’s strongest performing currencies in 2017, appreciating approximately 16% relative to the US dollar after the central bank (Czech National Bank - CNB) ended its cap on the currency’s value in early April 2017, which it had maintained since November 2013. The CNB hiked rates in August and November 2017 - the first rate changes in nine years - to address rising inflationary pressures brought by strong economic growth and a tight labor market.   Since coming to power in 2014, the new government has undertaken some reforms to try to reduce corruption, attract investment, and improve social welfare programs, which could help increase the government’s revenues and improve living conditions for Czechs. The government introduced in December 2016 an online tax reporting system intended to reduce tax evasion and increase revenues. The government also plans to remove labor market rigidities to improve the business climate, bring procurement procedures in line with EU best practices, and boost wages. The country's low unemployment rate has led to steady increases in salaries, and the government is facing pressure from businesses to allow greater migration of qualified workers, at least from Ukraine and neighboring Central European countries.   Long-term challenges include dealing with a rapidly aging population, a shortage of skilled workers, a lagging education system, funding an unsustainable pension and health care system, and diversifying away from manufacturing and toward a more high-tech, services-based, knowledge economy.Czechia is a prosperous market economy that boasts one of the highest GDP growth rates and lowest unemployment levels in the EU, but its dependence on exports makes economic growth vulnerable to contractions in external demand. Czechia’s exports comprise some 80% of GDP and largely consist of automobiles, the country’s single largest industry. Czechia acceded to the EU in 2004 but has yet to join the euro-zone. While the flexible koruna helps Czechia weather external shocks, it was one of the world’s strongest performing currencies in 2017, appreciating approximately 16% relative to the US dollar after the central bank (Czech National Bank - CNB) ended its cap on the currency’s value in early April 2017, which it had maintained since November 2013. The CNB hiked rates in August and November 2017 - the first rate changes in nine years - to address rising inflationary pressures brought by strong economic growth and a tight labor market. Since coming to power in 2014, the new government has undertaken some reforms to try to reduce corruption, attract investment, and improve social welfare programs, which could help increase the government’s revenues and improve living conditions for Czechs. The government introduced in December 2016 an online tax reporting system intended to reduce tax evasion and increase revenues. The government also plans to remove labor market rigidities to improve the business climate, bring procurement procedures in line with EU best practices, and boost wages. The country's low unemployment rate has led to steady increases in salaries, and the government is facing pressure from businesses to allow greater migration of qualified workers, at least from Ukraine and neighboring Central European countries. Long-term challenges include dealing with a rapidly aging population, a shortage of skilled workers, a lagging education system, funding an unsustainable pension and health care system, and diversifying away from manufacturing and toward a more high-tech, services-based, knowledge economy.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $409.97 billion (2020 est.)

$434.31 billion (2019 est.)

$424.48 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 2.27% (2019 est.)

3.18% (2018 est.)

5.35% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $38,300 (2020 est.)

$40,700 (2019 est.)

$39,900 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $250.631 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2019 est.)

2.1% (2018 est.)

2.4% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: AA- (2018)

Moody's rating: Aa3 (2019)

Standard & Poors rating: AA- (2011)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 2.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 36.9% (2017 est.)

services: 60.8% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 47.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 19.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 24.7% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 79.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -72.3% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: wheat, sugar beet, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, maize, pork, triticale, poultry
Industries: motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments
Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 5.222 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 38%

services: 59.2% (2015)
Unemployment rate: 2.8% (2019 est.)

3.18% (2018 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 8%

male: 7.2%

female: 9.2% (2020 est.)
Population below poverty line: 10.1% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 24.9 (2017 est.)

25.1 (2014)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1%

highest 10%: 21.7% (2015 est.)
Budget: revenues: 87.37 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 83.92 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): 1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 34.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

36.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 40.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$678 million (2019 est.)

$1.259 billion (2018 est.)
Exports: $174.92 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$186.54 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$191.69 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Germany 31%, Slovakia 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, computers, broadcasting equipment, office machinery/parts, seating (2019)
Imports: $157.95 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$171.43 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$176.78 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: Germany 27%, China 12%, Poland 9%, Slovakia 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: broadcasting equipment, cars and vehicle parts, office machinery/parts, computers, packaged medicines (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $148 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$85.73 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $191.871 billion (2019 est.)

$200.197 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: koruny (CZK) per US dollar -

21.76636 (2020 est.)

23.0629 (2019 est.)

22.71439 (2018 est.)

24.599 (2014 est.)

20.758 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - production: 77.39 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 62.34 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 24.79 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 13.82 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 21.63 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 60% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 5% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 2,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 446 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 155,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 15 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 177,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 213,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 52,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 83,860 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production: 229.4 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 8.721 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 8.891 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1,335,224 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 12,999,812 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Czechia has a sophisticated telecom market with a developed telephone and Internet service attracting European investment; mobile sector showing steady growth through regulatory support for competition; licensees expanding reach of 5G and LTE networks; mobile penetration among the highest in the EU; operators extended fiber to an additional 143 rural zones in 2020 and commit to extending fiber to one million premises by 2027; its top import is broadcasting equipment from China (2020)

domestic: roughly 12 fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants and mobile telephone usage of about 121 per 100 inhabitants (2020)

international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: 22 TV stations operate nationally, with 17 of them in private hands; publicly operated Czech Television has 5 national channels; throughout the country, there are some 350 TV channels in operation, many through cable, satellite, and IPTV subscription services; 63 radio broadcasters are registered, operating over 80 radio stations, including 7 multiregional radio stations or networks; publicly operated broadcaster Czech Radio operates 4 national, 14 regional, and 4 Internet stations; both Czech Radio and Czech Television are partially financed through a license fee (2019)
Internet country code: .cz
Internet users: total: 8,665,265 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 81% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 3,845,426 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 48

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 5,727,200 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 25.23 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OK
Airports: total: 128 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 41

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 16 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 87

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 25

under 914 m: 61 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 7,160 km gas, 675 km oil, 94 km refined products (2016)
Railways: total: 9,408 km (2017)

standard gauge: 9,385 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (3,218 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 23 km (2017) 0.760-m gauge
Roadways: total: 55,744 km (2019) (includes urban and category I, II, III roads)

paved: 55,744 km (2019) (includes 1,252 km of expressways)
Waterways: 664 km (2010) (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals)
Ports and terminals: river port(s): Prague (Vltava)

Decin, Usti nad Labem (Elbe)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Czech Armed Forces: Land Forces; Air Forces; Cyber Forces; Special Forces (2022)
Military expenditures: 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.3% of GDP (2020)

1.2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $4.05 billion)

1.1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $3.8 billion)

1% of GDP (2017) (approximately $3.4 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: the Czech military has approximately 26,000 active personnel (20,000 Army; 6,000 Air Force) (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Czech military has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern equipment, mostly of Western European origin; since 2010, the leading suppliers of military equipment to Czechia are Austria and Spain (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished 2004 (2021)

note - as of 2019, women comprised about 13% of the military's full-time personnel
Military deployments: up to 130 Lithuania (NATO) (2022)

note - NATO troop deployment numbers in eastern Europe are as of February 2022; in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries have sent additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe
Military - note: Czechia joined NATO in 1999; Czechia, Hungary, and Poland were invited to begin accession talks at NATO's Madrid Summit in 1997, and in March 1999 they became the first former members of the Warsaw Pact to join the Alliance

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: nonenone
Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons: 1,498 (mid-year 2021)
Illicit drugs: manufacture of methamphetamine continues to be mostly based on pseudoephedrine from  Poland or Turkey.  manufacture of methamphetamine continues to be mostly based on pseudoephedrine from  Poland or Turkey.


This entry provides estimates of military and security services personnel strengths. The numbers are based on a wide-range of publicly available information. Unless otherwise noted, military estimates focus on the major services (army, navy, air force, and where applicable, gendarmeries) and do not account for activated reservists or delineate military service members assigned to joint staffs or defense ministries.This entry provides estimates of military and security services personnel strengths. The numbers are based on a wide-range of publicly available information. Unless otherwise noted, military estimates focus on the major services (army, navy, air force, and where applicable, gendarmeries) and do not account for activated reservists or delineate military service members assigned to joint staffs or defense ministries.

Topic: Afghanistannot available; in early 2022, the Taliban announced intentions to form a military of approximately 110,000 personnel; prior to August 2021, the ANDSF had approximately 300,000 personnel (180,000 Ministry of Defense; 120,000 Ministry of Interior) (2022)

Topic: Albaniainformation varies; approximately 8,000 total active duty personnel (6,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 500 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Algeriaapproximately 140,000 ANP personnel (120,000 Army; 6,000 Navy; 14,000 Air Force); approximately 130,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 200,000 General Directorate of National Security (2021)

Topic: Angolaapproximately 101,000 active troops (95,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force); est. 10,000 Rapid Reaction Police (2021)

Topic: Antigua and Barbudathe Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (ABDF) has approximately 200 active personnel (2021)

Topic: Argentinainformation varies; approximately 78,000 active duty personnel (45,000 Army; 18,000 Navy (includes about 3,000 marines); 15,000 Air Force); est. 20,000 Gendarmerie (2021)

Topic: Armeniaapproximately 45,000 active troops (42,000 ground; 3,000 air/defense) (2021)

Topic: Australiathe Australian Defense Force has approximately 59,000 total active troops (29,000 Army; 15,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Austriathe Austrian Armed Forces have approximately 25,000 total active duty personnel (20,000 Army; 5,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Azerbaijaninformation varies; approximately 65,000 total active troops (55,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force); approximately 15,000 Ministry of Internal Affairs troops (2021)

Topic: Bahamas, Thethe Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) has approximately 1,500 total personnel (2021)

Topic: Bahraininformation varies; approximately 10,000 active personnel (7,500 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,500 Air Force); est. 3,000 National Guard (2021)

Topic: Bangladeshinformation varies; approximately 165,000 total active personnel (135,000 Army; 15,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Barbadosthe Barbados Defense Force (BDF) has approximately 600 active personnel (2021)

Topic: Belarusapproximately 45,000 active duty troops; information on the individual services varies, but probably includes about 25,000 Army, 15,000 Air/Air Defense, and 5,000 Special Operations forces (2021)

Topic: Belgiumthe Belgian Armed Forces have approximately 26,000 active duty personnel (11,000 Land Component; 1,500 Marine Component; 5,000 Air Force Component; 1,500 Medical Service; 7,000 other, including joint staff, support, and training schools) (2021)

Topic: Belizethe Belize Defense Force (BDF) has approximately 1,300 active personnel; approximately 300 Belize Coast Guard (2021)

Topic: Beninthe Benin Armed Forces (FAB) are comprised of approximately 7,000 active duty troops; est. 5,000 Republican Police (2021)

Topic: Bermudathe Royal Bermuda Regiment has about 350 troops (2021)

Topic: Bhutanthe Royal Bhutan Army has an estimated 8,000 personnel (2021)

Topic: Boliviainformation varies widely; approximately 40,000 active troops (28,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force); note - a considerable portion of the Navy personnel are marines and naval police; approximately 40,000 National Police (2021)

Topic: Bosnia and Herzegovinathe Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina have approximately 9,000 active duty personnel (2021)

Topic: Botswanathe Botswana Defense Force (BDF) has approximately 9,000 active personnel (2021)

Topic: Brazilthe Brazilian Armed Forces have approximately 360,000 active personnel (220,000 Army; 70,000 Navy; 70,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Bruneiapproximately 6,500 total active troops (4,500 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Bulgariaapproximately 30,000 active duty personnel (16,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force; 3,000 other, joint staff, support) (2021)

Topic: Burkina Fasoapproximately 12,000 personnel (7,000 Army; 500 Air Force; 4,500 National Gendarmerie) (2021)

Topic: Burmaestimates vary widely, from approximately 300,000 to as many as 400,000 total active duty personnel (2021)

Topic: Burundiapproximately 25,000 active duty troops, the majority of which are ground forces (2021)

Topic: Cabo Verdeapproximately 1,200 personnel including about 100 in the Coast Guard (2021)

Topic: Cambodiainformation varies; approximately 100,000 total active troops including about 3,000 Navy and 1,000 Air Force; est. 10,000 Gendarmerie (2021)

Topic: Camerooninformation varies widely; approximately 40,000 active duty troops; (25,000 ground forces, including the BIR and Presidential Guard; 2,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 12,000 Gendarmerie) (2021)

Topic: Canadaapproximately 70,000 total active personnel (23,000 Army; 12,000 Navy; 12,000 Air Force; 23,000 other) (2021)

note - the Army also has 19,000 part-time, volunteer soldiers in the Reserve Force, including about 5,500 Rangers

Topic: Central African Republicinformation varies; approximately 10,000 active troops, including an air component of about 200 and up to 2,000 Gendarmerie; approximately 2,000 Mixed Special Security Units (2021)

Topic: Chadlimited and varied information; approximately 30,000 active personnel (20-25,000 Ground Forces; 300 Air Force; 5-10,000 General Direction of the Security Services of State Institutions); approximately 5,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 3,000 National Nomadic Guard of Chad (2021)

Topic: Chileapproximately 75,000 active armed forces personnel (45,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 Carabineros (2021)

Topic: Chinainformation varies; approximately 2 million total active duty troops (approximately 1 million Ground; 250,000 Navy/Marines; 350-400,000 Air Force; 120,000 Rocket Forces; 150-175,000 Strategic Support Forces); estimated 600-650,000 People’s Armed Police (2021)

Topic: Colombiaestimates vary; approximately 260,000 total active troops (200,000 Army; 45,000 Navy, including about 20,000 marines; 14,000 Air Force); approximately 185,000 Colombian National Police (2021)

Topic: ComorosComoran Defense Force has an estimated 600 personnel; est. 500 Comoran Federal Police (2021)

Topic: Congo, Democratic Republic of thelimited and widely varied information; approximately 100,000 active troops (mostly Army, but includes several thousand Navy and Air Force personnel, as well as about 10,000 Republican Guard; note -  Navy personnel includes naval infantry) (2021)

Topic: Congo, Republic of thethe Congolese Armed Forces (FAC) have approximately 12,000 active duty troops (8,000 Army; 800 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 Gendarmerie) (2021)

Topic: Costa Rica12,500 Public Force personnel; approximately 500-600 Air, 500-600 Coast Guard, and 300-400 Border Police personnel (2022)

Topic: Cote d'Ivoireapproximately 25,000 active troops (23,000 Army, including about 2,000 Special Forces; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force); est. 5-10,000 Gendarmerie (2021)

Topic: Croatiathe Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia have approximately 15,000 active duty personnel (10,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air force; 2,000 joint/other) (2021)

Topic: Cubalimited available information; estimated 50,000 active personnel (approximately 40,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Cyprusthe Cypriot National Guard has approximately 15,000 total active duty personnel (2021)

Topic: Czechiathe Czech military has approximately 26,000 active personnel (20,000 Army; 6,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Denmarkthe Danish military has approximately 17,000 active duty personnel (9,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force; 2,000 other) (2021)

Topic: Djiboutithe Djibouti Armed Forces (FAD) have approximately 10,500 active troops (8,000 Army; 250 Naval; 250 Air; 2,000 Gendarmerie) (2021)

Topic: Dominican Republicinformation varies; approximately 60,000 active personnel (30,000 Army; 13,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force); approximately 30,000 National Police (2021)

Topic: Ecuadorthe Ecuadorian Armed Forces have approximately 40,000 active personnel (25,000 Army; 9,000 Navy; 6,000 Air Force) (2022)

Topic: Egyptinformation varies; approximately 450,000 total active personnel (325,000 Army; 18,000 Navy; 30,000 Air Force; 75,000 Air Defense Command); approximately 300,000 Central Security Forces (2021)

Topic: El Salvadorapproximately 21,000 active troops (17,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2021)

note - in 2021, El Salvador announced intentions to double the size of the military, although no time frame was given

Topic: Equatorial Guineaapproximately 1,400 active duty troops; approximately 3-400 Gendarmerie (2021)

Topic: Eritrealimited available information; estimated 150,000-200,000 personnel, including about 2,000 in the naval and air forces (2021)

Topic: Estoniathe Estonian Defense Forces have approximately 6,500 active duty personnel (2021)

Topic: Eswatiniapproximately 3,000 active personnel (2021)

Topic: Ethiopiainformation varies; prior to the 2020-21 Tigray conflict, approximately 150,000 active duty troops, including about 3,000 Air Force personnel (no personnel numbers available for the newly-established Navy) (2021)

Topic: Fijithe Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) have about 3,500 personnel (3,200 Land Force; 300 Maritime Command) (2021)

Topic: Finlandinformation varies; approximately 22,000 total active duty personnel (15,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2021)

note - the Army's wartime strength is about 180,000

Topic: Francethe French military has approximately 205,000 active duty troops (115,000 Army; 35,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force; 15,000 other, such as joint staffs, administration, logistics, procurement, medical service, etc.); approximately 100,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 75,000 National Guard (2021)

Topic: Gabonapproximately 6,500 active duty troops including the Republican Guard and Gendarmerie (2021)

Topic: Gambia, Theinformation varies; approximately 2,000 total active troops (2021)

Topic: Gaza Stripthe military wing of HAMAS has an estimated 20-25,000 fighters (2021)

Topic: Georgiainformation varies; approximately 30,000 troops, including active National Guard forces (2021)

Topic: Germanyapproximately 184,000 active duty personnel (63,500 Army; 16,500 Navy; 27,500 Air Force; 27,000 Joint Support Service; 20,000 Medical Service, 14,500 Cyber and Information Space Command; 15,000 other) (2021)

note - Germany in 2020 announced it planned to increase the size of the military to about 200,000 troops by 2025

Topic: Ghanaapproximately 14,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Greeceapproximately 120,000 active duty personnel (85,000 Army; 15,000 Navy; 20,000 Air Force); approximately 35,000 National Guard (2021)

Topic: Guatemalainformation varies; approximately 21,000 active personnel (19,000 Land Forces; 1,000 Naval Forces; 1,000 Air Forces); approximately 30,000 National Civil Police (2021)

Topic: GuineaGuinean National Armed Forces are comprised of approximately 12,000 active personnel
(9,000 Army; 400 Navy; 800 Air Force; 300 BASP; 1,500 Gendarmerie) (2021)

Topic: Guinea-Bissauapproximately 4,000 total active troops, including a few hundred air and naval personnel (2021)

Topic: Guyanainformation varies; approximately 4,000 active personnel (2021)

Topic: Haitithe FAdH has approximately 500 troops (the force is planned to eventually have around 5,000 personnel); approximately 16,000 National Police (2021)

Topic: Hondurasthe Honduran Armed Forces (FFAA) have approximately 16,000 active personnel (7,500 Army; 1,500 Navy, including about 1,000 marines; 2,000 Air Force; 5,000 Public Order Military Police); approximately 18,000 National Police (2021)

Topic: Hungarythe Hungarian Defense Forces have approximately 20,000 active duty troops (15,000 Army; 5,000 Air Force) (2021)

note - in 2017, Hungary announced plans to increase the number of active soldiers to around 37,000, but did not give a timeline

Topic: Icelandthe Icelandic Coast Guard has approximately 250 personnel (2021)

Topic: Indiainformation varies; approximately 1.45 million active personnel (est. 1.25 million Army; 65,000 Navy; 140,000 Air Force; 12,000 Coast Guard) (2021)

Topic: Indonesiaapproximately, 400,000 active duty troops (300,000 Army; 60,000 Navy, including about 20,000 marines; 30,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Iraninformation varies; approximately 550-600,000 total active personnel; approximately 400,000 Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (350,000 Ground Forces; 18,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force/Air Defense Forces); approximately 150-190,000 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (100-150,000 Ground Forces; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Aerospace Force; 5-15,000 Qods Force); est. 90,000 active Basij Paramilitary Forces (2021)

Topic: Iraqinformation varies; approximately 200,000 personnel under the Ministry of Defense (190,000 Army/Aviation Command/Special Forces; 5,000 Navy; 5,000 Air/Air Defense Forces); approximately 25,000 National-Level Security Forces (10,000 Iraqi Counterterrorism Service; 10,000 Presidential Brigades; 5,000 Prime Minister’s Special Forces Division); Ministry of Peshmerga: approximately 150,000-plus (45-50,000 Regional Guard Brigades; 40-45,000 Unit 70 Forces; 65-70,000 Unit 80 Forces); estimated 100-160,000 Popular Mobilization Forces (2021)

Topic: Irelandthe Irish Defense Forces have approximately 8,700 active duty personnel (7,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 700 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Israelapproximately 173,000 active personnel (130,000 Ground Forces; 9,000 Naval; 34,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Italyapproximately 175,000 active personnel (105,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 107,000 Carabinieri (2021)

Topic: Jamaicainformation varies; approximately 4,000 total active personnel (2021)

Topic: Japanthe Japanese Self Defense Force (JSDF) is comprised of approximately 244,000 active personnel (150,000 Ground; 45,000 Maritime; 45,000 Air; 4,000 Joint Forces); 14,000 Coast Guard (2021)

Topic: Jordanapproximately 90,000 active JAF personnel (77,000 Army; 500 Navy; 12,500 Air Force); approximately 15,000 Gendarmerie Forces (2021)

Topic: Kazakhstaninformation varies; approximately 40,000 active duty personnel (25,000 Land Forces; 3,000 Naval Forces; 12,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2021)

Topic: Kenya approximately 24,000 personnel (20,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 2,500 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Korea, Northwidely varied information and assessments; approximately 1.14 million active troops (950,000 Army; 120,000 Air Force; 60,000 Navy; 10,000 Strategic Missile Forces); est. 200,000 internal security forces (2021)

Topic: Korea, Souththe Republic of Korea Armed Forces have approximately 555,000 active duty personnel (420,000 Army; 70,000 Navy/Marines; 65,000 Air Force) (2021)

note - South Korea intends to reduce the size of its military to about 522,000 by 2022

Topic: Kosovothe Kosovo Security Force (KSF) has approximately 3,500 personnel; note - Kosovo plans for the KSF to eventually number around 5,000 troops (2021)

Topic: Kuwaitthe Kuwaiti Armed Forces have approximately 17,000 active personnel (12,500 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,500 Air Force); approximately 6,500 National Guard; note – Army figures include the Kuwait Emiri Guard Authority (estimated 500 personnel) and the 25th Commando Brigade (strength not available) (2021)

Topic: Kyrgyzstanthe Kyrgyz Armed Forces have approximately 12,000 active duty troops (8,500 Land Forces; 2,500 Air Force/Air Defense; 1,000 National Guard) (2021)

Topic: Laosinformation is limited and estimates vary; approximately 30,000 active duty troops (26,000 Army; 4,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Latviathe National Armed Forces of Latvia have approximately 6,500 active duty troops (5,500 Land Forces; 500 Naval Force/Coast Guard; 500 Air Force; note - some Land Forces are considered joint forces); 8,200 National Guard (2021)

Topic: Lebanonapproximately 80,000 active troops (77,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Lesothoapproximately 2,000 personnel (2021)

Topic: Liberiaapproximately 2,000 personnel (2021)

Topic: Libyaestimates not available

Topic: Lithuaniathe Lithuanian Armed Forces have approximately 16,500 active duty personnel (13,000 Army, including about 5,000 National Defense Voluntary Forces; 500 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 other, including special operations forces, logistics support, training, etc); est. 11,000 Riflemen Union (2021)

Topic: Luxembourgthe Luxembourg Army has approximately 800 active personnel (2021)

Topic: Madagascarapproximately 13,000 personnel (12,000 Army; 500 Navy; 500 Air Force); est. 10,000 Gendarmerie (2021)

Topic: Malawiinformation varies; approximately 8,000 total personnel (including about 200 air and 200 marine forces) (2021)

Topic: Malaysiathe Malaysian Armed Forces have approximately 115,000 active duty troops (80,000 Army; 18,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Maldivesthe Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) has approximately 2,500 personnel (2021)

Topic: Maliinformation varies; approximately 16,000 active personnel (15,000 Army; 1,000 Air Force); estimated 10,000 Gendarmerie and National Guard (2021)

Topic: Maltaapproximately 2,000 active duty personnel (2021)

Topic: Mauritaniaapproximately 16,000 active personnel (15,000 Army; 700 Navy; 300 Air Force); est. 3,000 Gendarmerie; est. 2,000 National Guard (2021)

Topic: Mauritiusapproximately 1,700 Special Mobile Force; approximately 800 National Coast Guard (2021)

Topic: Mexicoinformation varies; approximately 218,000 armed forces personnel (160,000 Army; 8,000 Air Force; 50,000 Navy, including about 20,000 marines); approximately 110,000 National Guard (2022)

Topic: Moldovaapproximately 6,000 active troops (2021)

Topic: Mongoliaestimates vary; approximately 9,000 active duty troops (2021)

Topic: Montenegroapproximately 2,000 total active duty troops (2021)

Topic: Moroccoapproximately 200,000 active personnel (175,000 Army; 10,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force); est. 25,000 Gendarmerie (2021)

Topic: Mozambiqueinformation limited and varied; approximately 12,000 personnel (11,000 Army; 200 Navy; 800 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Namibiainformation varies; approximately 12,500 personnel (11,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 500 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Nepalapproximately 95,000 active troops (including a small air wing of about 500 personnel) (2021)

Topic: Netherlandsthe Royal Netherlands Armed Forces have approximately 40,000 active duty personnel (20,000 Army; 7,500 Navy; 6,500 Air Force; 6,000 Constabulary) (2021)

note - the Navy includes about 2,300 marines

Topic: New Zealandthe New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) has about 9,600 active duty troops (4,700 Army; 2,300 Navy; 2,600 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Nicaraguaapproximately 12,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 800 Navy; 1,200 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Nigerinformation varies; approximately 10,000 active troops (est. 6,000 Army; 200 Air Force; 4,000 Gendarmerie); est. 3,000 National Guard (2021)

Topic: Nigeriainformation varies; approximately 135,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 20,000 Navy/Coast Guard; 15,000 Air Force); est. 80,000 Security and Civil Defense Corps (2021)

Topic: North Macedoniathe Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARSM) has approximately 6,000 active duty personnel (2021)

Topic: Norwaythe Norwegian Armed Forces have approximately 23,000 active personnel (8,500 Army; 3,500 Navy; 3,500 Air Force; 7,500 other, including special operations, cyber, joint staff, intelligence, logistics support, active Home Guard, etc.); 40,000 Home Guard (2021)

Topic: Omanapproximately 40,000 total active troops (25,000 Army, 5,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force; 5,000 Royal Guard) (2021)

Topic: Pakistaninformation varies; approximately 625,000 active personnel (550,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 45,000 Air Force); approximately 150,000 paramilitary (2021)

Topic: Panamaapproximately 20,000 National Police; 4,000 National Border Service; 3,000 National Air-Naval Service (2021)

Topic: Papua New Guineathe Papau New Guinea Defense Force has approximately 3,000 active duty troops, including a land element of about 2,500 (2021)

Topic: Paraguaythe Armed Forces of Paraguay have approximately 15,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 3,500 Navy; 1,500 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Peruinformation varies; approximately 95,000 active personnel (60,000 Army; 25,000 Navy, including about 4,000 naval infantry and 1,000 Coast Guard; 10,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Philippinesthe Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have approximately 120,000 active duty personnel (80,000 Army; 25,000 Navy, including about 9,000 marines; 15,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Polandapproximately 120,000 total active duty personnel (approximately 60,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force; 3,500 Special Forces; 7,500 joint service; 25,000 Territorial Defense Forces) (2021)

note - in June 2019, the Polish Government approved a plan to increase the size of the military over a period of 10 years to over 200,000 troops, including doubling the size of the Territorial Defense Forces

Topic: Portugalthe Portuguese Armed Forces have approximately 27,000 active duty personnel (14,000 Army; 7,000 Navy, inc about 1,000 marines; 6,000 Air Force); 24,500 National Republican Guard (military personnel) (2021)

Topic: Qatarinformation varies; approximately 15,000 active personnel (10,000 Land Force, including Emiri Guard; 3,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Romaniathe Romanian Armed Forces have approximately 67,000 active duty personnel (50,000 Land Forces; 7,000 Naval Forces; 10,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Russiainformation varies; approximately 850,000 total active duty troops (300,000 Ground Troops; 40,000 Airborne Troops; 150,000 Navy; 160,000 Aerospace Forces; 70,000 Strategic Rocket Forces; approximately 20,000 special operations forces; approximately 100,000 other uniformed personnel (command and control, cyber, support, logistics, security, etc.); estimated 200-250,000 Federal National Guard Troops (2021)

Topic: Rwandathe Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) has approximately 33,000 active personnel (32,000 Army; 1,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Saint Kitts and Nevisthe SKNDF has approximately 400 personnel (2021)

Topic: Sao Tome and Principethe FASTP has approximately 400-500 personnel (2021)

Topic: Saudi Arabiathe Saudi military forces have about 225,000 active troops; approximately 125,000 under the Ministry of Defense (75,000 Land Forces; 15,000 Naval Forces; 35,000 Air Force/Air Defense/Strategic Missile Forces) and approximately 100,000 in the Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG) (2021)

note - SANG also has an irregular force (Fowj), primarily Bedouin tribal volunteers, with a total strength of approximately 25,000 men

Topic: Senegalapproximately 19,000 active personnel (12,000 Army; 1,000 Navy/Coast Guard; 1,000 Air Force; 5,000 National Gendarmerie) (2021)

Topic: Serbiainformation varies; approximately 25,000 active duty troops (15,000 Land Forces; 5,000 Air/Air Defense; 5,000 other) (2021)

Topic: Seychellesthe Seychelles People’s Defense Forces (SPDF) have approximately 500 personnel (2021)

Topic: Sierra Leonethe Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) have approximately 9,000 personnel, mostly ground forces (2021)

Topic: Singaporeinformation varies; approximately 65,000 active duty troops (50,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Slovakiathe Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic have approximately 13,000 active duty personnel (6,000 Land Forces; 4,000 Air Forces; 3,000 other, including staff, special operations, and support forces) (2021)

Topic: Sloveniathe Slovenian Armed Forces have approximately 6,000 active duty troops (2021)

Topic: Somaliaestimates for the size of the Somali National Army (SNA) vary widely, from a low of about 10,000 to a high of some 25,000 due to inconsistent internal reporting and the ongoing attempts to integrate various militias (2021)

note(s) - in 2017, the Somali Government announced a plan for the SNA to eventually number about 18,000 troops; the same plan called for 32,000 federal and regional police; estimates for the number of militia forces operating in the country run as high as 50,000

Topic: South Africathe South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is comprised of approximately 75,000 personnel (40,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force; 8,000 Military Health Service; 10,000 other, including administrative, logistics, military police); 180,000 South African Police Service (2021)

Topic: South Sudanthe South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) has an estimated 150-200,000 active personnel, mostly ground forces with small contingents of air and riverine forces (2021)

note(s) - some active SSPDF personnel may be militia; the National Unified Forces will have about 80,000 troops from the SSPDF and armed opposition groups when it is formed

Topic: Spainthe Spanish Armed Forces have approximately 120,000 active duty troops (75,000 Army; 25,000 Navy, inc about 5,000 marines; 20,000 Air Force); 80,000 Guardia Civil (2021)

Topic: Sri Lankathe Sri Lankan military has approximately 250,000 total personnel (180,000 Army; 40,000 Navy; 30,000 Air Force); approximately 11,000 Special Task Force (2021)

Topic: Sudaninformation varies widely, ranging from about 100,000 to more than 200,000 active personnel, including approximately 5,000 combined Navy and Air Force; approximately 30-40,000 paramilitary Rapid Support Forces; approximately 20,000 Reserve Department (formerly the paramilitary Popular Defense Forces) (2021)

Topic: Surinamethe Suriname Army is comprised of approximately 2,000 active personnel (ground, air, naval, and military police) (2021)

Topic: Swedeninformation varies; approximately 16,000 active duty troops (7,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force; 3,000 other, including staff, logistics, support, medical, cyber, intelligence, etc); approximately 22,000 Home Guard (2021)

Topic: Switzerlandthe Swiss Armed Forces maintain a full-time professional cadre of about 4,000 personnel along with approximately 18-20,000 conscripts brought in annually for 18-23 weeks of training; approximately 120,000 reserve forces (2021)

Topic: Syriacurrent estimates not available; since the start of the civil war in 2011, the Syrian Armed Forces (SAF) have taken significant losses in personnel due to casualties and desertions; prior to the civil war, the SAF had approximately 300,000 active duty troops, including 200-225,000 Army, plus about 300,000 reserve forces (2021)

note - pro-government and pro-Iranian militias probably number in the tens of thousands

Topic: Taiwanthe Taiwan military has approximately 170,000 active duty troops (90,000 Army; 40,000 Navy, including approximately 10,000 marines; 40,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Tajikistanapproximately 9,500 active troops (8,000 Land and Mobile Forces; 1,500 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2021)

Topic: Tanzaniaapproximately 25,000 active personnel (21,000 Land Forces; 1,000 Naval Forces; 3,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Thailandestimates vary widely; approximately 300,000 active duty personnel (200,000 Army; 70,000 Navy; 30,000 Air Force); est. 20,000 Thai Rangers; est. 5,000 Internal Security Operations Command (2021)

Topic: Timor-Lesteapproximately 2,000 personnel (2021)

Topic: Togoapproximately 9,000 personnel, including about 8,000 Army (2021)

Topic: Tongathe Tonga Defense Services have approximately 500 personnel (2021)

Topic: Trinidad and Tobagoapproximately 4,500 TTDF personnel; approximately 7,000 TTPS personnel (2021)

Topic: Tunisiaapproximately 35,000 active personnel (25,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force); est. 10,000 National Guard (2021)

Topic: Turkeyapproximately 440,000 active duty personnel (345,000 Army; 45,000 Navy; 50,000 Air Force); approximately 150,000 Gendarmerie (2021)

Topic: Turkmenistaninformation varies; estimated 30,000 active troops (est. 25,000 National Army; 1,000 Navy; 4,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2021)

Topic: Ugandainformation varies; approximately 45-50,000 troops, including about 1,000-1,500 air and marine personnel; approximately 20,000 personnel in the Local Defense Units (2021)

note - in 2021, the Ugandan Government announced it would recruit another 10,000 Local Defense Units personnel

Topic: Ukraineapproximately 200,000 active troops (125,000 Army; 25,000 Airborne/Air Assault Forces; 2,000 Special Operations Forces; 10,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 National Guard (2021)

note - in early 2022, the Ukrainian Government announced plans to add 100,000 personnel to the armed forces over three years

Topic: United Arab Emiratesapproximately 65,000 total active personnel (45,000 Land Forces; 3,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force; 12,000 Presidential Guard) (2021)

Topic: United Kingdomthe British military has approximately 155,000 total active troops (85,000 Army, including about 4,000 Gurkhas; 35,000 Navy, including about 7,000 Royal Marines; 35,000 Air Force) (2021)

note - as of 2021, the military also had approximately 40-45,000 reserves on active duty

Topic: United Statesthe US Armed Forces have approximately 1.39 million active duty personnel (475,000 Army; 345,000 Navy; 335,000 Air Force/Space Force; 180,000 Marine Corps; 40,000 Coast Guard); 335,000 Army National Guard; 105,000 Air National Guard (2022)

Topic: Uruguayapproximately 22,000 active personnel (14,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2021)

Topic: Uzbekistaninformation varies; approximately 60,000 total active troops, including 10-15,000 Air Force (2021)

Topic: Venezuelainformation varies; approximately 125-150,000 active personnel, including about 25-30,000 National Guard; approximately 200-225,000 Bolivarian Militia (2021)

note - the Bolivarian Militia is comprised of armed civilians who receive periodic training in exchange for a small stipend

Topic: Vietnaminformation is limited and estimates vary; approximately 470,000 active duty troops (400,000 ground; 40,000 naval; 30,000 air); estimated 40,000 Border Defense Force and Coast Guard (2021)

Topic: West Bankthe Palestinian Authority Security Forces have approximately 30,000 active personnel (2021)

Topic: Worldestimated 20-25 million active duty military (2020)

Topic: Yemeninformation limited and widely varied; ROYG: up to 300,000 estimated military, paramilitary, and militia forces; UAE- and Saudi-backed forces: 150-200,000 estimated trained fighters; Huthis: up to 200,000 estimated fighters  (2021)

Topic: Zambiathe Zambia Defense Force (ZDF) has approximately 17,000 active troops (15,000 Army; 2,000 Air) (2021)

Topic: Zimbabweinformation varies; approximately 30,000 active duty troops, including about 4,000 serving in the Air Force (2021)


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