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General info - Czech Republic

The Czech Republic, located in Central Europe, borders Germany in the west, Poland in the north, Slovakia in the east and Austria in the south. The country covers 78,884 square kilometres (31,553 square miles). About 53 percent of the land is used for agriculture, 36 percent is covered by forest. Historically, the country consists of three main regions, Bohemia in the west, Moravia in the east and Silesia in the north-east.

The country offers a colourful variety of natural scenery, including rarities such as caves, sandstone formations or canyons. The highest peak is Snežka (1,602 m) in the Krkonoše Mountains. There are many other mountainous regions suitable for winter sports, as well as for hiking and climbing. The longest river, the Vltava (the Moldau, 430 km), is well known for its many dams and artificial lakes. You can also visit romantic fishponds, the largest of which is Rožmberk (489 hectares) in South Bohemia. Mineral springs are an important natural resource. They are often used for therapy in the many popular spa towns, such as Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázne. The Czech Republic has a mild continental climate, with warm summers and cold winters. Maximum temperatures reach 32 to 35 degrees Celsius (usually in July), the summer average is about 24°C. The lowest temperatures range from -12° to -20°C. January is the coldest month with average temperatures around 2° to - 2°C.

The Czech population of about 10.5 million lives mostly in small towns and villages. The capital and the biggest city of the Czech Republic is Prague with the population of about 1,300,000 million.

The official language is Czech. It belongs to the West Slavonic family of languages. Many Czechs are able to communicate in English, older people often speak German. The Czech Republic is considered one of the most dynamically advancing country of the former Eastern Bloc.

The Czech Republic and above all its capital, Prague, have been among the centres of European culture for centuries. The country is the birthplace of some of Europe's leading composers and writers, including Antonín Dvorák, Leoš Janáček and Franz Kafka. Throughout the year, there are many cultural events. The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra as well as the International Prague Spring Music Festival are internationally renowned.

Architectural gems are countless. You will find hundreds of centuries-old houses, impressive palaces, churches, castles and chateaux with valuable artistic collections. Among the most precious landmarks, protected by UNESCO, are the urban reserves of Prague, Ceský Krumlov and Telc. Several open-air museums of folk architecture are scattered across the country.