Czechia - CZ - CZE - CZE - Europe

Last updated: April 16, 2024

Czechia Images

The Prague Gate in the town square of Melnik dates from 1500 when the portal was part of an old medieval fortress. Today its lower floor is a café.
A view of Prague as seen from Castle Hill. The famous Charles Bridge over the Vltava (Moldau) River may be seen in the center of the image.
The bustling, pedestrian-friendly Charles Bridge as viewed from the tower on the Stare Mesto (Old Town) side of the structure. The bridge is 516 m long and almost 10 m wide and rests on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. Thirty statues of saints decorate the bridge avenue; most were originally erected between 1683 and 1714, but then replaced with replicas beginning in 1965. The originals are currently housed in the National Museum.
View of the Charles Bridge in Prague as seen from the Mala Strana (Lesser Quarter) Bridge Tower.
A riverside view of Charles Bridge in Prague showing the ice guards that protect the pillars.
A view of Hradcany, the Castle District, and St. Vitus Cathedral from across the Vltava River in Prague.
The Hradcany (Castle District) in Prague; its two most prominent features are St. Vitus Cathedral (upper right) and Prague Castle (the long white building, which is one of the largest castles in the world).
Entrance to Prague Castle on Hradczany.
A view of a section of the Old Town Square in Prague. The medieval astronomical clock on the Old Town City Hall dates to 1410. In the background is Tyn Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Prague, whose construction began in the 14th century.
The Church of Our Lady before Tyn (also known as the Tyn Cathedral) overlooks Old Town Square in Prague.
The Gothic Powder Tower in Prague, dating to 1475, is at the site of an 11th century gate - one of the city's 13 medieval gates. Originally connected - via a small bridge - to the royal palace, it eventually lost its importance and by the 17th century was being used to store gunpowder, hence its name.
The Gothic Powder Tower in Prague, built in 1475, is at the site of an 11th century gate - one of the city's 13 original gates.
Some of the many spires that decorate old Prague.
The Municipal House (Obecni Dum) is a national cultural landmark and the premier Art Noveau building in Prague. Opened in 1912 on Republic Square, it houses a concert hall and an elegant French restaurant. Shown is the large exedra under the main cupola of the building with its colorful glass mosaic depicting The Apotheosis of Prague.
Art Nouveau architecture in Prague.
The spa town of Karlovy Vary, situated in the mountainous region of western Bohemia, is the site of numerous hot springs and is the most visited spa town in Czechia. It forms the largest spa complex in Europe, and in 2021 became one of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage Sites making up the "Great Spa Towns of Europe."
Square in the lovely spa town of Karlovy Vary, famed for its hot springs.
The town of Stramberk in the eastern Czech region of Moravia, as seen from the town's medieval hilltop tower.
The town of Melnik lies some 35 km (22 mi) north of Prague - at the confluence of the Labe and Vltava rivers - in the agricultural region of the Czech Republic. The town's strategic location allows it to serve as one of the largest river ports in the country.
A closer look at the terraced gardens before Melnik. In the background, the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul faces Melnik castle.
The Prague Gate in the town square of Melnik dates from 1500 when the portal was part of an old medieval fortress. Today its lower floor is a café.
A view of Prague as seen from Castle Hill. The famous Charles Bridge over the Vltava (Moldau) River may be seen in the center of the image.

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Czechia Factbook Data

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Bijan SABET (since 15 February 2023)

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/

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.68% (male 808,583/female 763,540)

15-64 years: 64.18% (male 3,514,664/female 3,356,764)

65 years and over: 21.13% (2023 est.) (male 954,139/female 1,308,552)

This is the population pyramid for Czechia. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.

For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.

Geographic coordinates

49 45 N, 15 30 E

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Heliports

82 (2024)

Natural hazards

flooding

Area - comparative

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

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

Military service age and obligation

18-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2004 (2023)

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

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.

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

Population below poverty line

10.2% (2021 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4%

highest 10%: 22.5% (2020 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Exports - commodities

cars and vehicle parts, computers, broadcasting equipment, office machinery and parts, insulated wiring (2021)

Exports - partners

Germany 31%, Slovakia 7%, Poland 6%, France 5% (2019)

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)

Agricultural products

wheat, sugar beet, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, maize, pork, triticale, poultry

Military and security forces

Czech Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Forces, Cyber Forces, Special Forces (2024)

Budget

revenues: $103.838 billion (2019 est.)

expenditures: $103.167 billion (2019 est.)

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

Imports - commodities

broadcasting equipment, cars and vehicle parts, office machinery/parts, computers, packaged medicines (2019)

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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

Exchange rates

koruny (CZK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
23.357 (2022 est.)
21.678 (2021 est.)
23.21 (2020 est.)
22.932 (2019 est.)
21.73 (2018 est.)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Petr PAVEL (since 9 March 2023)

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 13 to 14 January 2023 with a second round held from 27 to 28 January 2023; next election to be by January 2028; prime minister appointed by the president for a 4-year term

election results:
2023: Petr PAVEL elected in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Petr PAVEL (independent) 35.4%, Andrej BABIS (ANO) 35%, Danuse NERUDOVA (Mayors and Independents) 13.9%, Pavel FISCHER (independent) 6.8%; percent of vote in the second round - Petr PAVEL 58.3%, Andrej BABIS 41.6%

2018: Milos ZEMAN reelected president in the second round; percent of vote - Milos ZEMAN (SPO) 51.4%, Jiri DRAHOS (independent) 48.6%

Fiscal year

calendar year

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

Illicit drugs

main country of origin of methamphetamine in European markets; manufacture of methamphetamine continues to be mostly based on pseudoephedrine from Poland or Turkey

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

Industries

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): 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

Land boundaries

total: 2,046 km

border countries (4): Austria 402 km; Germany 704 km; Poland 699 km; Slovakia 241 km

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.)

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

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 on 23 to 24 September with a runoff from 30 September to 1 October 2022 (next to be held in October 2024)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 8 to 9 October 2021 (next to be held by October 2025)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition NA; - seats by party/coalition - ODS 23, STAN 15, KDU-CSL 12, TOP 09 6, ANO 5, SEN 21 4, other 15, independent 1; composition as of January 2024 - men 148, women 52, percent of women 26%
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party/coalition – SPOLU 27.8%, ANO 27.1%, Pirates and STAN 15.6%, SPD 9.6%, other 19.9%; seats by party/coalition - ANO 72, SPOLU 71, Pirates and STAN 37, SPD 20; composition as of January 2024 - men 15, women 6, percent of women 28.6%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.6%

Literacy

definition: NA

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (2011)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

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

National holiday

Czechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Nationality

noun: Czech(s)

adjective: Czech

Natural resources

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

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

Economic overview

high income, diversified EU economy; advanced services and automotive exporter; mostly intra-EU trader; low unemployment; usually maintains a positive trade balance; large investments in systems innovation and information technologies

Pipelines

7,160 km gas, 675 km oil, 94 km refined products (2016)

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]
Mayors and Independents or STAN [Vit RAKUSAN]
Mayors for the Liberec Region [Martin PUTA]
Action of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO (Akce nespokojených občanů) [Andrej BABIS]
Party of Free Citizens Svobodni [Libor VONDRACEK]
Pirate Party or Pirates [Ivan BARTOS]
Senator 21 [Vaclav LASKA]
Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09 [Marketa PEKAROVA ADAMOVA]

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Prague (Vltava)

Decin, Usti nad Labem (Elbe)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: the telecom market has attracted investment from among the key regional telcos; telcos in the Czech Republic have become multi-service providers, offering a full range of fixed and mobile services; this has enabled the reach of their 5G networks; this process has also been assisted by them closing down 3G networks and reforming spectrum for 5G and LTE use (2023)

domestic: roughly 12 fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants and mobile telephone usage of 125 per 100 inhabitants (2021)

international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2019)

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

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

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Irrigated land

220 sq km (2020)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Miloslav STASEK (since 16 September 2022)

chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street 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

Internet country code

.cz

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 381,400 (Ukraine) (as of 31 January 2024)

stateless persons: 1,625 (2022)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$290.528 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Credit ratings

Fitch rating: AA- (2018)

Moody's rating: Aa3 (2019)

Standard & Poors rating: AA- (2011)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Total renewable water resources

13.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2020)

Urbanization

urban population: 74.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

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)

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.)

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

This is an audio of the National Anthem for Czechia. The national anthem is generally a patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.

Major urban areas - population

1.323 million PRAGUE (capital) (2023)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Physicians density

4.15 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

6.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)

National symbol(s)

silver (or white), double-tailed, rampant lion; national colors: white, red, blue

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.5 years (2020 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

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.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 57.4

youth dependency ratio: 25.2

elderly dependency ratio: 32.2

potential support ratio: 3.1 (2021 est.)

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

Population distribution

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

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2021)

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

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.)

Ethnic groups

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

note: includes only persons with one ethnicity

Religions

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.)

Languages

Czech (official) 88.4%, Slovak 1.5%, other 2.6%, unspecified 7.2%

note: includes only persons with one mother tongue (2021 est.)

major-language sample(s):
World Factbook, nepostradatelný zdroj základních informací. (Czech)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Czech audio sample

Imports - partners

Germany 27%, China 12%, Poland 9%, Slovakia 5% (2019)

Disputes - international

none identified

Elevation

highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

lowest point: Labe (Elbe) River 115 m

mean elevation: 433 m

Current health expenditure

9.2% of GDP (2020)

Military - note

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

the military has commands for its land, air, cyber/information operations, and territorial forces, as well as a joint operations command and a special forces directorate; the principal combat forces under the Land Force Command include two mechanized brigades, an airborne regiment, and regiments of artillery, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare forces; the Air Force Command is responsible for securing Czech airspace and has about 30 Czech- and Swedish-made light multirole combat fighter aircraft organized in two squadrons, as well as small squadron of Soviet-era attack helicopters; 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 (2023)

Military deployments

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

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Czech military has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern equipment, mostly of Western European origin from such suppliers as Austria, Germany, and Spain; Czechia has a considerable domestic defense industry; during the Cold War, Czechoslovakia was a major producer of tanks, armored personnel carriers, military trucks, and trainer aircraft (2023)

note: in 2019, Czechia announced a modernization plan to acquire more Western equipment that was compliant with NATO standards, including aircraft and armored vehicles

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 30,000 active personnel (24,000 Army; 6,000 Air Force) (2023)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 630 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 700 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 40 million cubic meters (2020 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.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 16.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 14.34 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 102.22 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 13.11 megatons (2020 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Labe (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

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 17 (16 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Prague (c); Historic Telč (c); Historic Český Krumlov (c); Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape (c); Historic Kutná Hora (c); Holy Trinity Column, Olomouc (c); Karlovy Vary Spa (c); Zatec and the Landscape of Saaz Hops; Žatec and the Landscape of Saaz Hops (n)

Coal

production: 33.806 million metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 37.212 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 1.885 million metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 3.795 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 2.927 billion metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 47% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 37.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 4.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Natural gas

production: 189.185 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

consumption: 8,815,133,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2020 est.)

imports: 7,590,318,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 3.964 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 6,300 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 219,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 400 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 150,200 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 15 million barrels (2021 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.85 (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

48.4% (2023 est.)

Remittances

1.43% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.56% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

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

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 6 (2023)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 0

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 3.93GW (2023)

Percent of total electricity production: 36.7% (2021)

Percent of total energy produced: 38.3% (2021)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 0

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 1

global geoparks and regional networks: Bohemian Paradise (2023)

Labor force

5.373 million (2022 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 7.6% (2021 est.)

male: 6.9%

female: 8.7%

Net migration rate

3.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 43.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 42.5 years

female: 45.4 years

Debt - external

$191.871 billion (2019 est.)
$200.197 billion (2018 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$139.981 billion (2022 est.)
$173.618 billion (2021 est.)
$166.126 billion (2020 est.)

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

Waterways

664 km (2010) (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals)

Refined petroleum products - imports

83,860 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Public debt

34.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
36.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.74 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Military expenditures

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.3% of GDP (2022)
1.4% of GDP (2021)
1.3% of GDP (2020)
1.2% of GDP (2019)

Unemployment rate

2.22% (2022 est.)
2.8% (2021 est.)
2.55% (2020 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population

10,706,242 (2023 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Internet users

total: 9.13 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 83% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

99.533 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 57.268 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 25.526 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 16.739 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Area

total: 78,867 sq km

land: 77,247 sq km

water: 1,620 sq km

Taxes and other revenues

13.36% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$438.119 billion (2022 est.)
$428.052 billion (2021 est.)
$413.365 billion (2020 est.)

note: data in 2017 dollars

Roadways

total: 129,418 km (2022)

Airports

243 (2024)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 13,129,905 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2021 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

26.2 (2020 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

15.1% (2022 est.)
3.84% (2021 est.)
3.16% (2020 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Refined petroleum products - exports

52,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Current account balance

-$17.366 billion (2022 est.)
-$7.686 billion (2021 est.)
$4.967 billion (2020 est.)

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

Real GDP per capita

$41,100 (2022 est.)
$40,700 (2021 est.)
$38,600 (2020 est.)

note: data in 2017 dollars

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 3,845,426 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2020 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 30.7% (2020 est.)

male: 35% (2020 est.)

female: 26.4% (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

26% (2016)

Energy consumption per capita

161.972 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Death rate

12.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Birth rate

10 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 22.485 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 60.814 billion kWh (2020 est.)

exports: 23.521 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 13.368 billion kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 4.117 billion kWh (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Imports

$218.002 billion (2022 est.)
$197.515 billion (2021 est.)
$156.129 billion (2020 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports

$217.731 billion (2022 est.)
$205.626 billion (2021 est.)
$172.837 billion (2020 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1,214,380 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

177,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 12.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 6.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 2.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 3.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.3 years (2023 est.)

male: 75.1 years

female: 81.6 years

Real GDP growth rate

2.35% (2022 est.)
3.55% (2021 est.)
-5.5% (2020 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Industrial production growth rate

0.91% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Railways

total: 9,548 km (2020) 3,242 km electrified

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 2.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 36.9% (2017 est.)

services: 60.8% (2017 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.17% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue from coal

0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

0.1% (2023 est.)

Sources: