Basic Facts about the Czech Republic
Area:
78 864 sq km (30 449 sq miles)
Population:
10.9 mil. (2023)
Capital:
Prague (in Czech Praha, 1.38 mil. inhabitants (2024))
Currency:
1 Czech crown - CZK (česká koruna - Kč) = 100 hellers (haléř)
banknotes: 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 crowns
coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 crowns
Rate:
1 USD = app. 24 CZK
1 EUR = app. 25 CZK
1 GBP = app. 30 CZK
Time Zone:
Central European Time (GMT+1 hr)
Telephone country code:
+420
Electric power:
Voltage: 230 V
Frequency: 50 Hz
Plug: Type E electrical outlet (two round pins spaced 19mm apart, with a hole for the socket's male grounding pin)
- will also accept Type C plugs
Official language:
Czech (belonging to a branch of Western-Slavonic languages as well as Polish, Slovak and Sorbian)
Biggest cities:
1. Prague (Praha),
2. Brno (centre of Moravia),
3. Ostrava (centre of Silesia),
4. Plzeň (Pilsen)
Neighbouring countries:
Poland (Polska - PL),
Germany (Deutschland - D),
Austria (Österreich - A) and
Slovakia (Slovensko - SK)
National Anthem:
Where Is My Home? (Kde domov můj? - 1834);
music: František Škroup,
words: Josef Kajetán Tyl
National tree:
linden-tree (lime-tree, in Latin Tilia, in Czech lípa)
Main rivers:
the Vltava (Moldau – 430 km),
the Elbe (Labe – 1154 km, in Bohemia 370 km),
the Morava (353 km)
Highest mountain:
in Bohemia: Sněžka – (1602 m) in the Giant Mountains (Krkonoše);
in Moravia: Praděd – (1492 m) in the Jeseníky Mountains
Political system:
parliamentary republic
Head of state:
President – 5-year-term:
Petr Pavel (* 1961 Planá, since 2023, independent)
Head of goverment:
Prime minister – 4-year-term:
Petr Fiala (* 1964 Brno, since 2021, ODS)
Main political parties (in alphabetical order):
* ANO
* KDU-ČSL – Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People´s Party (Křesťanská a demokratická unie - Československá strana lidová)
* KSČM – Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (Komunistická strana Čech a Moravy)
* Pirates - Czech Pirate Party (Česká pirátská strana)
* SOCDEM – Social Democraticy (Sociální demokracie)
* ODS – Civic Democratic Party (Občanská demokratická strana)
* SPD – Freedom and Direct Democracy (Svoboda a přímá demokracie)
* STAN – Mayors and Independents (Starostové a nezávislí)
* TOP 09
Administration:
14 regions (kraje), 205 municipalities with extended authority
Religion (according to the National census in 2001):
- Roman Catholic (7 %),
- Protestant (0.5 %),
- believers of other churches, agnostics, no religion or not specified (92.5 %)
Useful words:
- Dobrý den! (literally good day!) = Good morning! Good afternoon!
- Dobrý večer! = Good evening!
- Dobrou noc! = Good night!
- Na shledanou! = Good bye!
- Děkuji! = Thank you!
- Díky! = Thanks!
- Prosím! = Please!
- Ano = yes
- Ne = no
- Nevím = I don´t know
- Nerozumím = I don´t understand
- Promiňte! = Excuse me!
- Kde je...? = Where is...?
- Pivo = Beer
- Víno = wine
- Voda = water
Public holidays:
- 01/ 01.01. - New Year; Day of the Renewal of the Independent Czech State (1993)
- 02/ Good Friday
- 03/ Easter Monday
- 04/ 01.05. - Labour day
- 05/ 08.05. - Day of Liberation (1945)
- 06/ 05.07. - Day of Slavonic Missionaries SS Cyril and Methodius (863)
- 07/ 06.07. - Day of Jan Hus´ (John Huss) Burning to Death (1415)
- 08/ 28.09. - Day of Czech Stateness (St. Wenceslas´ Day, 935)
- 09/ 28.10. - Day of the Establishment of the Independent Czechoslovak State (1918)
- 10/ 17.11. - Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy (1989)
- 11/ 24.12. - Christmas Eve
- 12/ 25.12. - Christmas Day
- 13/ 26.12. - St. Stephen´s Day