czech republic - ir

CZECH REPUBLICVarun PandeyShreyas MeherAyush Gupta

What the person sitting in class and thinking about facts about the country wrote -

Czech republicSurrounded by Slovakia and Poland and AustriaMid Europe.Previously known as Bohemia.Capital is Prague.Member of FIFA.Their national football team captain is Tomas Rosiscky.Skoda is from here.Czech republic has legalised marijuana.Petr Cech is czech.Pilsner beer was founded here in a town called Pilsen.Adolf Hitler briefly lived here as an aspiring artist.Gave the concept of Christianity to Poland but czech is staunchly atheist.

What the person interviewing people found out -

Facts people gave us-

Bata is from Czech. Prague is the capital. (3 people told him this.)Petr Cech is from here.

What the person sitting in class, and researching found out about the country -

At the close of World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, having rejected a federal system, the new country's predominantly Czech leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the increas-ingly 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 the Czech Republic and Slovakia became an indepen-dent state allied with Germany. After the war, a reunited but truncated Czechoslovakia (less Ruthe-nia) fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by 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 Revolu-tion" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to demo-cratic 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.

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

Land boundaries:

total: 2,046 kmborder countries: Austria 402 km, Germany 704 km, Poland 699 km, Slovakia 241 km

Nationality: noun: Czech(s)adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups:

Czech 64.3%, Moravian 5%, Slovak 1.4%, other 1.8%, unspecified 27.5% (2011 est.)Languages:

Czech 95.4%, Slovak 1.6%, other 3% (2011 census)Religions:

Roman Catholic 10.4%, Protestant (includes Czech Brethren and Hussite) 1.1%, other and un-specified 54%, none 34.5% (2011 est.)

Population:

10,627,448 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 83

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.9% (male 812,503/female 769,849)15-24 years: 10.6% (male 576,304/female 547,765)25-54 years: 43.6% (male 2,377,962/female 2,256,989)55-64 years: 13.4% (male 687,155/female 735,277)65 years and over: 17.6% (male 766,402/female 1,097,242) (2014 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.17% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 182

Birth rate:

9.79 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 199

Death rate:

10.29 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 45

Net migration rate:

2.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 46

Urbanisation:

urban population: 73.4% of total population (2011)rate of urbanization: 0.24% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas - population:

PRAGUE (capital) 1.276 million (2011)

Country name: conventional long form: Czech Republicconventional short form: Czech Republiclocal long form: Ceska republikalocal short form: Cesko

Government type:

Parliamentary Democracy

Capital:

Prague

Economy - overview: The Czech Republic is a stable and prosperous market economy closely integrated with the EU, especially since the country's EU accession in 2004. The auto industry is the largest single indus-try, and, together with its upstream suppliers, accounts for nearly 24% of Czech manufacturing. The Czech Republic produced more than a million cars for the first time in 2010, over 80% of which were exported. While the conservative, inward-looking Czech financial system has remained rela-tively healthy, the small, open, export-driven Czech economy remains sensitive to changes in the economic performance of its main export markets, especially Germany. When Western Europe and Germany fell into recession in late 2008, demand for Czech goods plunged, leading to double digit drops in industrial production and exports. As a result, real GDP fell sharply in 2009. The economy slowly recovered in the second half of 2009 and registered weak growth in the next two years. In 2012, however, the economy fell into a recession again, due both to a slump in external demand and to the government’s austerity measures. The country pulled out of recession in the second half of 2013, and most analysts expect modest, but steady, growth through 2014. Foreign and domestic businesses alike voice concerns about corruption, especially in public procurement. Other long term challenges include dealing with a rapidly aging population, funding an unsustain-able pension and health care system, and diversifying away from manufacturing and toward a more high-tech, services-based, knowledge economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$285.6 billion (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 46$288.2 billion (2012 est.)$291.1 billion (2011 est.)note: data are in 2013 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$194.8 billion (2013 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.9% (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 204-1% (2012 est.)1.8% (2011 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$26,300 (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 56$26,500 (2012 est.)$28,300 (2011 est.)note: data are in 2013 US dollars

Gross national saving:

21.1% of GDP (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 7520.7% of GDP (2012 est.)21.2% of GDP (2011 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use:

household consumption: 45.1%government consumption: 18.3%investment in fixed capital: 27%investment in inventories: 0.1%exports of goods and services: 81.1%imports of goods and services: -71.5%(2013 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:

agriculture: 2.4%industry: 37.3%services: 60.3% (2012 est.)Agriculture - products:

wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

0.5% (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 155

Labor force:

5.304 million (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 71

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.6%industry: 37.4%services: 60% (2012)

Unemployment rate:

7.1% (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 747% (2012 est.)

Population below poverty line:

9.8% (2011 est.)

TRADE

Exports:

$161.4 billion (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 32$157 billion (2012 est.)

Exports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuel, chemicals

Exports - partners:

Germany 31.8%, Slovakia 9.1%, Poland 6.1%, France 5.1%, UK 4.9%, Austria 4.7% (2012)

Imports:

$143.4 billion (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 32$141.4 billion (2012 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Germany 29.5%, Poland 7.7%, Slovakia 7.4%, China 6.3%, Netherlands 5.8%, Russia 5.3%, Aus-tria 4.3% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$56.22 billion (31 December 2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 35$44.88 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Debt - external:

$102.1 billion (30 September 2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 46$101.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:


Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:


MILITARY STRENGTH

Military branches: Army of the Czech Republic (Armada Ceske Republiky): Joint Forces Command (Spolocene Sily; includes Land Forces (Pozemni Sily) and Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily)) (2013)

Military service age and obligation:

18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,506,826females age 16-49: 2,407,634 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 2,072,267females age 16-49: 1,988,839 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 49,999female: 47,501 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.08% of GDP (2013)country comparison to the world: 951.13% of GDP (2012)1.15% of GDP (2011)1.13% of GDP (2010)

Climate

The Czech Republic as a landlocked country has moderate climate with four seasons correspond-ing to the temperate climate zone. The climate varies among the various regions of the Czech Re-public, and throughout year. The average temperature in January, the coldest winter month is -4 °C. Summer weather can be very warm with temperatures around 24 °C in July. A nice time of the year to visit the Czech Republic is spring (mid-May to mid-June) and fall (September to mid-Octo-ber), when the weather can be quite pleasant, although it can also be unpredictable.

History

The first evidence of a Czech state dates back to the early Middle Ages. A kingdom was estab-lished in the Czech Lands in the 13th century and its significance peaked in the 14th century under the rule of Charles IV, the Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor. He established a University in Prague in 1348. After 1620, the Czech Lands became part of Austria and part of the Austro-Hun-garian Empire after 1867.Following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the First World War, the Czechs and Slo-vaks declared independence in 1918 and Czechoslovakia was established as a sovereign country. During the 1920s and 1930s, Czechoslovakia ranked among the ten most developed countries in the world. After Hitler's occupation of the country in 1938, Czechoslovakia was split into the Protec-torate of Bohemia and Moravia, and the Slovak state. Czechoslovak statehood was restored after the Second World War, which ended in 1945, but with a territorial loss. The most eastern part, Transcarpathian Ukraine, was annexed by the Soviet Union. The Communist Party won the 1946 parliamentary elections in Czechoslovakia. This resulted in a change of regime and brought the country under the international communist movement, led by the Soviet Union.November 1989 was a turning point in the history of the country. Under pressure from the citizens, the socialist regime handed over power during the so-called Velvet Revolution, initiated by stu-dents and intellectuals. Free parliamentary elections in June 1990 confirmed the course of demo-cratic development. The unitary state became a federation and the new name of the country was the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.At the end of 1992 Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both countries went through economic reforms and privatisations, and this process was largely successful. From 1991, the Czech Republic, originally as part of Czechoslovakia and now in its own right, has been a member of the Visegrad Group and from 1995, the OECD. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. It held the Presidency of the European Union for the first half of 2009.

System of GovernmentThe Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. Every citizen over the age of 18 has the right to vote. The highest executive authority is the president, who is the formal head of state and is elected jointly by both houses of parliament for a term of five years. The supreme legislative body is the Parliament, which consists of the House of Deputies, the lower house of the legislature, and the Senate, which is the upper house. The supreme executive body is the government. The prime minister heads the government and is appointed by the president of the republic. The president also appoints other cabinet members based on the prime minister's recommendations.

RELATIONS WITH LIBYA

The Czech Republic imposed sanctions on Libya in 1997 under a United Nations resolution follow-ing the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. This was lifted in 2006 by Czech President Václav Klaus.

Libya had an embassy in Prague, although this closed in 2007. In 2008 the country opened a con-sulate general in the same city.

Alongside Italy, the Czech Republic supported Muammar Gaddafi in the Libyan Civil War towards the beginning of the conflict.

Following the death of Gaddafi in October 2011, the Czech Republic took a different stance and looked to move forward with an improved relationship between the two countries.

In 2013 Libyan judges were sent to the Czech town of Kroměříž for a five-day training programme in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme.

RELATIONS WITH KOSOVO

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008 and Czech Republic recog-nised it on 21 May 2008. The Czech Republic opened an embassy in Pristina on 16 July 2008.

When Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008, the Czech government initially declared that they would not immediately recognise Kosovo as an independent state, in-stead the Czech Republic would wait for the European Union to come up with a common stance towards the declaration. It became clear shortly afterwards that the EU would have no common stand on recognition of Kosovo due to objections from members such as Spain, Romania, Greece, and Slovakia. Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg then announced that the Czech Republic would take a wait and see approach; they would observe how many nations recognise Kosovo, and the way in which the Kosovo government behaves.

Prior to the 17 February declaration, the Czech Social Democratic Party and Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia signaled their opposition to recognizing any unilateral declaration by Kosovo. Shortly after the declaration they stayed true to their pre-declaration words, with the two parties proclaiming a similarity between Kosovo's declaration and the 1938 Munich Agreement. President Václav Klaus also sympathised with the Serbian side, saying that the Czech Republic "must take into account the traditional friendly relations between the Czech and Serbian nations" and that the Serbian nation "has always sided with us in time of difficult historic trials".

Meanwhile, early supporters of recognising Kosovo as an independent state included Alexandr Vondra, the Minister of European Affairs. Vondra predicted that the Czech government would eventually recognise Kosovo, saying "It is sort of like dancing on eggshells, it is like handling a powder keg. In situations like this, I think it is better to be really careful. We will wait, we will evalu-ate the situation; there is no hurry. It will certainly not happen this week but let's be realists – we certainly won't wait for six months." Both Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg eventually declared their support for recognizing Kosovo. Topolánek tried to get recognition through the cabinet of the Czech government just prior to the NATO summit in Bucharest. However, his attempt was unsuccessful because a significant part of the governing Civic Democratic Party opposed recognition.

According to an opinion poll published in early April 2008, 53% of a polled population believed that the independence declaration against Serbia's wishes would have negative consequences for sta-bility in the Balkans, while 67% of them did not think that independence would help normalise rela-tions between Serbs and Albanians in the slightest bit, but will rather exacerbate them further. Fi-nally, 36% opposed Kosovo's unilateral independence declaration, 34% supported it, while the re-maining 30% were undecided.

Encouraged by the results of the May 2008 parliamentary elections in Serbia in which the For a European Serbia coalition did much better than expected, previously skeptical ministers of the Czech government reconsidered their positions and began to support recognition of Kosovo. It is important to note that the For a European Serbia coalition is opposed to the unilateral declaration by the Kosovo government, however it also wants Serbia to join the EU. After three months of de-bate, on 21 May the Czech Republic recognised Kosovo as an independent nation because recog-nition will strengthen "the overall stability in the region" the government said.

After the recognition was announced by the Czech government, Serbia responded by recalling its ambassador from Prague. This was not an unusual move as, in an act of protest, Serbia had pulled all of their ambassadors from nations which recognized Kosovo. Before the Serbian ambassador left Prague, he met with President Václav Klaus. After the meeting Klaus said that he was espe-cially alarmed by the words of Serbian Ambassador Vladimir Vereš that Serbs had not taken it per-sonally when Kosovo was recognised by countries such as Finland and the Netherlands, but that they were hurt by the action of the Czech government. Klaus also said that he felt ashamed be-cause of the Czech government's decision. As regards the opposition, their members still insisted that the recognition "is a shame and a violation of international law". Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, while admitting the decision is unpopular in some quarters, defended the govern-ment's decision by saying that independent Kosovo was a reality and Czech diplomacy would now be able to pursue active policies not only toward Kosovo, but also toward Serbia.

A month after recognising Kosovo as an independent state, this was still a hot political issue and the government was still advocating their decision from the opposers' critique. On 16 July 2008 the Czech government upgraded their liaison office in Pristina to an embassy led by a chargé d'af-faires. Belgrade also announced that its ambassadors will return to the EU countries that recog-nised Kosovo. The ambassador to the Czech Republic returned on 3 August 2008.

According to a poll published in July 2008, 30% of the polled population agreed with the govern-ment's decision to recognise independent Kosovo, 31% opposed it, and 39% were undecided.

In March 2009, Vice President of the Czech parliament Vojtěch Filip stated that, after voting down the Czech minority government, the possibility arises of reexamining Prague's decision to recog-nize Kosovo's unilateral proclamation of independence. The now deposed Czech government had acknowledged Kosovo's independence despite the opposing viewpoints of the majority of parlia-mentary groups and the Czech's President, which is why there is a possibility of reexamining the disputable decision, the Vice President told a Frankfurt daily paper. Filip said that he will initiate the withdrawal of recognition of Kosovo, which is, according to him, legally possible because the pro-cedure of its full recognition in Czech has not yet been formally completed. However, on March 31, 2009, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Re-public, Zuzana Opletalová, denied any such "de-recognition" moves and reiterated the official Czech position that the recognition of Kosovo is a finished and irreversible act.

2013The newly elected Czech President Miloš Zeman has an even more critical approach to Kosovo's independence than his predecessor; he announced maintaining the position that no Czech em-bassy shall be opened in Pristina, but that the Czech liaison officer shall be withdrawn. He stands for the Czech revocation of recognition of independence and has called Kosovo.

MilitaryThe Czech Republic currently has 411 troops serving in Kosovo as peacekeepers in the NATO led Kosovo Force.

czech republic - ir

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