The Czech Republic
General information
- the CR is situated in Central Europe (it is said "in the heart of Europe")
- the Capital is Prague; largest cities are Brno, Ostrava, Plzeň
- the official language is Czech
- the currency is Czech Crown
- the flag consists of a white and a red stripe and a blue triangle; the Czech anthem is the song "Where my home is" by J.K. Tyl
- the Czech emblem is a coat of arms divided into quarters. In the first and fourth is a silver, twotailed rampant lion with a golden crow. In the second and third fields there is the Moravian and Silesian eagle.
International Organizations
The CR joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1999. In 2004 the CR joined the EU.
Land and Climate
Our country is divided into three historical parts: Bohemia in the west, Moravia in the south-east and Silesia in the north-east.
It is an inland country. Here we can find valleys, lowland, high grounds (The Central Bohemian Highland), mountain ranges, but moorlands and swamps as well.
The CR is surrounded by four countries: Germany in the west, Poland in the north, Slovakia in the east and Austria in the south. The CR has a humid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers.
Rivers and Lakes
The longest river is the Vltava (there are many dams: Lipno, Slapy, Orlík), which springs in the Šumava and flows into the Labe river, which is another important river, our most important river for shipping. Other important rivers: Odra, Morava.
Mountains, Mountain Ranges
- the highest mountain is Sněžka (1602 m) in the Giant (Krkonoše) Mountains on the border between Bohemia and Poland. Our nearest mountains are the Ore Mountains in north-west Bohemia. Other mountains are the Eagle Mountains, the Jizerské Mountains and the Jeseníky.
Political system
- the Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. The head of the state is the President (his seat and residence is in Prague Castle) and since 2013 is elected directly.
- the head of Government is the Prime Minister (appointed by the President). The Prime Minister appoints the members of his cabinet (the real Government)
- the parliament: has two chambers:
- the lower house = Chamber of Deputies - with 200 deputies who are elected for four years
- the upper house = Senate with 81 senators who are elected for six years
- both chambers are elected by citizens; elections are usually held every 4 years
People
- the population is about 10.5 million inhabitants; next to Czech people there are also these minorities: Slovaks, Poles, Germans, Romanies, Russians, Ukrainians
- eating and drinking is very popular in the CR; roast pork, sauerkraut and dumplings (together with the traditional Czech beer) is our traditional meal
- Czech people like spending their weekends in their country houses or cottages
Industries
- metallurgy in Ostrava, chemical industry in Ústí nad Labem, Neratovice; breweries in Plzeň, České Budějovice, Prague; textile, clothes and leather industry, mechanical engineering, glass, jewelleries, porcelain, pencil manufacturing
Natural resources: there are mainly deposits of brown, black coal and iron ore.
Agriculture:
Grain, sugar beet, maize, hop, sunflower, fruit, vegetable, oats (the Labe River Lowlands, the River Morava valleys), barley, sugar beet, wheat (in the higher altitude), potatoes are grown in the highlands
History
Beginning in the 4th century B.C., Celtic tribes settled in the region, followed by Germanic and Slavic Tribes. The country began to form in the 9th century with the creation of Great Moravia. After its fall, the Czech state emerged with help from the Premyslids. The kingdom of Bohemia was important and powerful in the region, but conflicts like the Hussite Wars in the 15th century and the 30 Years War (the 17th century) hurt it. Under the reign of the Habsburgs it became part of the Empire of Austria-Hungary.
This empire collapsed after WWI, and together with its Slovak neighbours, the Czech formed a new country, which was occupied by the Germans. After the war (WWII) Czechoslovakia fell under the influence of the Soviet Union. The country remained a Communist state until the peaceful “velvet revolution” in 1989. The Czechs and Slovaks split, and in 1993 the country we call the Czech Republic was put on the map.
Places of interest
Very famous is the West Bohemian Triangle of spa towns: Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně. They like to stroll in parks and towns and drink the mineral water from healing springs.
The landscape of South Bohemia is full of ponds (Rožmber the largest). But the towns are interesting too: Český Krumlov with its castle and many beautiful Gothic and Renaissance houses, České Budějovice with its famous beer Budweiser, Písek with its oldest Czech stone bridge, Tábor – historical Hussite town. This region is also famous for its marvellous castles.
The Šumava Mountains are visited in summer (for hiking and cycling trips) and of course in winter too (for cross country and down-hill skiing).
South Moravia is popular with its wine cellars. You can visit the Moravian Karst with underground caves, the underground river the Punkva and the Macocha Abbys (the deepest the in our country). Brno, the “capital of Moravia”, is known for its trade fares and exhibitions. In North Moravia we can find the agricultural region Haná, university town Olomouc, industrial town Ostrava and the Jeseníky and Beskydy Mountains attractive for both summer and winter holidays.
However, the most famous skiing resorts are in the Giant (Krkonoše) Mountains.
There are twelve world heritage sites in the Czech Republic are inscribed on the list of UNESCO, so they are really worth seeing:
Brno – The Tugendhat Villa built in functionalist style
Holašovice – a traditional Czech village with “South Bohemian Folk” Baroque buildings
Kroměříž – gardens and castle
Kutná Hora – gothic Church of St. Barbora
Lednice-Valtice Area – a huge park with baroque and neo-gothic chateaux
Litomyšl – renaissance arcade castle with sgrafitto facades
Olomouc – Holy trinity Column
Praha – historical downtown
Telč – historical downtown
Třebíč – the Jewish Quarter and Basilica of St. Procopius
Žďár nad Sázavou – curch of St. Nepomuk at Zelená Hora
