Czechia

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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.

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Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria

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49 45 N, 15 30 E

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Europe

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about two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than South Carolina

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0 km (landlocked)

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none (landlocked)

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temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

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Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

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hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber, arable land

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220 sq km (2022)

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Labe (Elbe) river source (shared with Germany [m]) - 1,252 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations

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flooding

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<strong>note 1:</strong> landlocked; strategically located on 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<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed freshwater cave at 519 m (1,703 ft); its survey is not complete, and it may be up to 800-1,200 m (2,625-3,937 ft) deep

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Czech 57.3%, Moravian 3.4%, other 7.7%, unspecified 31.6% (2021 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> includes only persons with one ethnicity

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<strong>note:</strong> includes only persons with one mother tongue

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Roman Catholic 7%, other believers belonging to a church or religious society 6% (includes Evangelical United Brethren Church and Czechoslovak Hussite Church), believers unaffiliated with a religious society 9.1%, none 47.8%, unspecified 30.1% (2021 est.)

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-0.02% (2025 est.)

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9.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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11.82 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations

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1.323 million PRAGUE (capital) (2023)

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28.5 years (2020 est.)

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3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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0.84 (2025 est.)

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4.35 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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6.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

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26% (2016)

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53.7% (2021 est.)

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air and water pollution (including acid rain) in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava; pollution from industry, mining, and agriculture

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temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

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15 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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13.15 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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parliamentary republic

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13 regions (<em>kraje</em>, singular - <em>kraj</em>) and 1 capital city* (<em>hlavni mesto</em>); 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)

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new civil code enacted in 2014, replacing civil code of 1964 based on former Austro-Hungarian civil codes and socialist theory&nbsp;

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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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18 years of age; universal

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Action of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO (<em lang="cs">Akce nespokojených občanů)<br></em>Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party or<em lang="cs"> KDU-ČSL</em><br>Civic Democratic Party or ODS<br>Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSČM<br>Czech Pirate Party or Piráti<br>ForMOST or ProMOST<br>Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD<br>Independents or NEZ<br>Mayors and Independents or STAN<br>Mayors for the Liberec Region or SLK<br>Přísaha<br>Senator 21 or SEN 21<br>Social Democracy SOCDEM<br>Svobodni<br>Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09<br>Tábor 2020 or T2020<br>United Democrats - Association of Independents or SD-SN

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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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

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<strong>note:</strong> 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

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Czechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

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<strong>description:</strong> two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side

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<strong>note:</strong> combines the white and red of Bohemia with blue from the arms of Moravia; identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia

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silver (or white) double-tailed rampant lion

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white, red, blue

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<p>high-income, diversified EU economy; manufacturing-oriented exporter led by automotive industry; moderate growth driven by household consumption and investments, despite negative contribution from net exports; tight labor market with low unemployment; gained energy independence from Russian oil in April 2025</p>

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$345.037 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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wheat, sugar beets, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, maize, triticale, pork, chicken (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments

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-1% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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5.541 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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10.2% (2021 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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12.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

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<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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Germany 29%, Slovakia 7%, Poland 6%, France 5%, UK 5% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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cars, vehicle parts/accessories, broadcasting equipment, computers, plastic products (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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Germany 22%, China 17%, Poland 8%, Slovakia 5%, Italy 4% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts/accessories, cars, plastic products, computers (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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22 national TV stations, with 17 privately owned; publicly operated Czech Television has 5 national channels; over 350 TV channels, many through cable, satellite, and IPTV subscription services; 63 radio broadcasters operate over 80 radio stations, including 7 multiregional radio stations or networks; publicly owned broadcaster Czech Radio operates 4 national, 14 regional, and 4 Internet stations; both Czech Radio and Czech Television are partly financed through a license fee (2019)

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.cz

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OK

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252 (2025)

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107 (2025)

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Czech Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Force, Special Forces (2025)

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approximately 28,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

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the Czech military has a mix of domestically produced, Soviet-era, and more recently acquired modern weapons and equipment from such suppliers as France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the US; its domestic defense industry produces such items as armored combat vehicles and light attack aircraft (2025)

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<strong>note 1:</strong> in 2019, Czechia announced a modernization plan to acquire more Western equipment that was compliant with NATO standards, including armored vehicles, fighter aircraft, and helicopters<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> during the Cold War, Czechoslovakia was a major producer of armored personnel carriers, military trucks, tanks, and trainer aircraft

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18-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2004 (2025)

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<strong>note: </strong>as of 2023, women comprised nearly 14% of the military's full-time personnel

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up to 130 Lithuania (NATO); 130 Slovakia (NATO) (2024)

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the Czech military is responsible for national and territorial defense, assisting civil authorities during natural disasters or other emergencies, boosting border security alongside the police, participating in international peacekeeping operations, and supporting its collective security commitments to the EU and NATO, both of which Czechia considers pillars of its national security strategy; Czechia is a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, contributes to UN peacekeeping operations, and actively participates in EU military and security missions under the EU Common Security and Defense Policy; the Czech military has been an active member of NATO since the country joined in 2009 and participates in a variety of NATO’s collective defense missions, including contributing to the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, Baltic Air Policing operations, rapid response forces, and operations in Kosovo; it also exercises regularly with NATO partners and maintains close bilateral ties to a number of militaries particularly partner members of the Visegrad Group (Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) and Germany<br><br>the military has commands for its land, air, cyber/information operations, and territorial forces, as well as a joint operations command and a separate special forces directorate; the Territorial Command is responsible for the active reserves and regional military commands that align with each of Czechia’s 13 regions and the capital, Prague (2025)