

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. 