Czech Republic is a Central European country and borders Germany, Poland and Austria. The country was formerly part of Czechoslovakia, which in 1993 was divided peacefully into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech capital Prague is more than 1,000 years old and houses many historic buildings in various styles.
| Capital: | Prague |
| Biggest city: | Prague |
| State: | republic within the EU |
| Language: | Czech |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Surface: | 78 866 km² |
| Population: | 10.5 million (2013) |
| Population density: | 129 residents per km² |
| Life expectancy: | 77 years |
| Illiteracy: | 1% |
| Currency: | Czech krona (CZK) 1 krona = 0.38 kr |
| GDP per capita: | $ 24,800 (2010) |
| Time difference: | +0 hours |
| Electricity: | 220 V AC, 50Hz |
| National Day: | October 28 |
| Country area code: | 420 |
| 2-Letter country abbreviation: | CZ (See more abbreviations on Abbreviationfinder) |
| Business: | industry 47%, service sector 45%, agriculture 8% |
| Climate: | temperate; cold winters and hot, humid summers |
Czech beer is considered by many to be the best in the world. Czech beer is culture and it should be poured with emotion and preferably drunk on the spot. The Czechs are a beer-drinking people who on average pour in liters of beer per year and person.
The Czech Republic also produces mineral water from more than 900 natural sources (a world record), and wine is also produced in the southern parts of Moravia and part of Bohemia. The traditional Czech dishes include Svickova, which is beef roast with dumpling, and Vepro-knedlo-zelo, which contains pork, sauerkraut and dumpling.
WORLD HERITAGE
The following objects in the Czech Republic are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The year in which the item was added to the list is indicated in parentheses.
- Old Town of Český Krumlov (1992)
- Prague Historical Center (1992)
- The Old Town of Telč (1992)
- Pilgrimage Church Saint John of Nepomuk in Zelená Hora (1994)
- The Old Town of Kutná Hora (1995)
- Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape (1996)
- Byn Holasovice (1998)
- The castle and the park at Kroměříz (1998)
- Litomysl Castle (1999)
- The Trinity Pillar in Olomouc (2000)
- Tugendhatvillan in Brno (2001)
- Třebíč’s Jewish Quarter and St. Procope’s Basilica (2003)
ELECTRICAL OUTLET
Electricity and electrical outlets in the Czech Republic
Voltage: 230 V
Frequency: 50 Hz
Type of plug: E
Need an adapter: Yes, Swedes need an adapter.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Weather in Prague
| Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Christmas | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average temperature °C | -3 | -2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Day °C | 0 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 5 | 2 |
| Night °C | -5 | -5 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 0 | -2 |
| Rain (mm) | 30 | 30 | 30 | 40 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 30 |
| Rainy days | 15 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 14 |
| Soltim / day | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is a picturesque spa with hot baths in the northwestern Czech Republic near the border with Germany. The city has 52,022 residents (2003) and is named after Charles IV, German-Roman emperor who founded the city in the 1370s. It was German well into the 19th century.
In the city there are hot springs whose water is pumped up into various wells where you can take and drink from characteristic mugs. The water has a temperature of 30 – 65 degrees and it smells faintly of sulfur and rotten eggs. The water is said to be good for stomach ailments. The city also has a porcelain festival and an international film festival.
Prague
According to Countryaah, Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic and is located on the Vltava River. The city has 1,181,610 residents (2005). The University of Prague, Charles University, was founded in 1348 by King Charles IV and is the oldest university in Central Europe north of the Alps and east of the Rhine. Since 1992, the city’s old center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Prague is located in the former Austrian province of Bohemia, which together with Moravia has been the Czech Republic since 1993. Bohemia was originally an independent kingdom, but through several marriages the country became part of the Habsburg territory in 1526. At the same time, the country became an Austrian province, and Prague was largely a German-speaking and German-cultural city. Successful German-language writers and poets, such as Franz Kafka and Rainer Maria Rilke, were born in Prague.
Today, Prague is especially known for its beautiful and impressive buildings that represent all styles. The city has several interesting areas, the old district from the 13th century, the new district from the 14th century (thus not at all so new), the Jewish district and Hradcany with its cathedrals and castle area has been the seat of kings, emperors and presidents since 800 -the number. In Prague there are many towers and spiers and in the early 19th century it was estimated that there were 103; today the number is estimated to be more than 500.
Prague is a popular tourist destination. There are large numbers of old buildings, many of which have beautiful murals. The city has the world’s best preserved and varied collections of architecture, from Art Nouveau to Baroque, as well as Cubism, Gothic, Neoclassical and ultramodern architecture.
Tourist attractions include the National Museum of Prague (Národní muzeum), the John Lennon Wall (Lennonova zed), Wenceslas Square (Václavské námestí), Old Town Square (Staromestské námestí) with a medieval astronomical clock, and the Prague Castle (Praský hrad) and Charles Bridge (Karlv). The National Gallery in Prague is scattered in several places – including the newly restored Exhibition Palace (Veletrní palác) from the 1920s now houses the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art with an impressive art collection of European and Czech artists.
The author Franz Kafka lived and worked in Prague for most of his life. His birthplace is now one of the tourist attractions.