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Compare Czech Republic (2002) - Poland (2004)

Compare Czech Republic (2002) z Poland (2004)

 Czech Republic (2002)Poland (2004)
 Czech RepublicPoland
Administrative divisions 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha*, Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj 16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie
Age structure 0-14 years: 15.7% (male 828,273; female 786,617)


15-64 years: 70.3% (male 3,605,766; female 3,603,058)


65 years and over: 14% (male 551,852; female 881,194) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 3,388,247; female 3,216,085)


15-64 years: 70% (male 13,454,820; female 13,591,814)


65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,896,940; female 3,078,443) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork
Airports 121 (2001) 122 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 44


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 17 (2002)
total: 84


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 30


1,524 to 2,437 m: 40


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 76


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 27


under 914 m: 48 (2002)
total: 39


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 13


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total: 78,866 sq km


land: 77,276 sq km


water: 1,590 sq km
total: 312,685 sq km


land: 304,465 sq km


water: 8,220 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than South Carolina slightly smaller than New Mexico
Background Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, Czechoslovakia 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 party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Now a member of NATO, the Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a development that poses both opportunities and risks. In December 2002, the Czech Republic was invited to join the European Union (EU). It is expected that the Czech Republic will accede to the EU in 2004. Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland currently suffers low GDP growth and high unemployment. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.
Birth rate 9.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 10.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $16.7 billion


expenditures: $18 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $39.13 billion


expenditures: $48.64 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
Capital Prague Warsaw
Climate temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 491 km
Constitution ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993 adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997
Country name conventional long form: Czech Republic


conventional short form: Czech Republic


local long form: Ceska Republika


local short form: Ceska Republika
conventional long form: Republic of Poland


conventional short form: Poland


local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska


local short form: Polska
Currency Czech koruna (CZK) zloty (PLN)
Death rate 10.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 9.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $24.6 billion (2001) $86.82 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON


embassy: Trziste 15, 118 #01 Prague 1


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663


FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583
chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE


embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw


mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)


telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000


FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688


consulate(s) general: Krakow
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS


chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 363-6315


FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI


chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802


FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918; individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II; Austria has minor dispute with Czech Republic over the Temelin nuclear power plant and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities none
Economic aid - recipient $NA EU structural adjustment funds (2000)
Economy - overview Basically one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states, the Czech Republic has been recovering from recession since mid-1999. Growth in 2000-02 was led by exports to the EU, especially Germany, and foreign investment, while domestic demand is reviving. Uncomfortably high fiscal and current account deficits could be future problems. Unemployment is gradually declining as job creation continues in the rebounding economy. Inflation is moderate. The EU put the Czech Republic just behind Poland and Hungary in preparations for accession, which will give further impetus and direction to structural reform. Moves to complete banking, telecommunications, and energy privatization will encourage additional foreign investment, while intensified restructuring among large enterprises and banks and improvements in the financial sector should strengthen output growth. Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the development of the private business sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent corruption are hampering its further development. Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy), while recently initiated, have stalled. Reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on privatization of Poland's remaining state sector, the reduction of state employment, and an overhaul of the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers, most of whom pay no tax. The government's determination to enter the EU has shaped most aspects of its economic policy and new legislation; in a nationwide referendum in November 2003, 77% of the voters voted in favor of Poland's EU accession, now scheduled for May 2004. Improving Poland's export competitiveness and containing the internal budget deficit are top priorities. Due to political uncertainty, the zloty has recently depreciated in relation to the euro, while currencies of the other euro-zone aspirants have been appreciating. GDP per capita equals that of the three Baltic states.
Electricity - consumption 54.701 billion kWh (2000) 118.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 18.74 billion kWh (2000) 11.04 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 8.725 billion kWh (2000) 4.306 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 69.589 billion kWh (2000) 135 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 78%


hydro: 3%


nuclear: 19%


other: 1% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Elbe River 115 m


highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m


highest point: Rysy 2,499 m
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 situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial establishments bring their facilities up to European Union code, but at substantial cost to business and the government
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Ethnic groups Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5% (1991) Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other 2.7% (2002)
Exchange rates koruny per US dollar - 36.325 (January 2002), 38.035 (2001), 38.598 (2000), 34.569 (1999), 32.281 (1998), 31.698 (1997) zlotych per US dollar - 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), 4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999)


note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty
Executive branch chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)


note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years; parliament finally elected a successor after two inconclusive elections in January 2003 and three rounds of balloting on 28 February 2003


head of government: Prime Minister Vladimir SPIDLA (since 12 July 2002), Deputy Prime Ministers Pavel RYCHETSKY (since 22 July 1998), Cyril SVOBODA (since July 2002), Stanislav GROSS (since July 2002), Petr MARES (since July 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February 2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Jerzy HAUSNER (since 11 June 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm


election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president; percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%
Exports $38 billion f.o.b. (2002) 53,000 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 44%, intermediate manufactures 25%, chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7% (2000) machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%, food and live animals 8.5% (1999)
Exports - partners Germany 35.4%, Slovakia 7.3%, UK 5.5%, Austria 5.3%, Poland 5.2%, (2001) Germany 32.3%, France 6.1%, Italy 5.8%, UK 5%, Netherlands 4.5%, Czech Republic 4.1% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia) two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
GDP purchasing power parity - $155.9 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $427.1 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4%


industry: 41%


services: 56% (2001)
agriculture: 3.1%


industry: 31%


services: 65.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,300 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2002 est.) 3.7% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 49 45 N, 15 30 E 52 00 N, 20 00 E
Geography - note 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 historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
Heliports 2 (2002) 3 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 55,432 km


paved: 55,432 km (including 499 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total: 364,656 km


paved: 249,060 km (including 358 km of expressways)


unpaved: 115,596 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 4%


highest 10%: 22% (1996)
lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe
Imports $41.7 billion f.o.b. (2002) 413,700 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 40%, intermediate manufactures 21%, raw materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11% (2000) machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)
Imports - partners Germany 32.9%, Slovakia 6.4%, Russia 6.0%, Italy 5.8%, Austria 4.6% (2001) Germany 24.4%, Italy 8.5%, Russia 7.7%, France 7.1%, China 4.3% (2003)
Independence 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% (2002) 8.6% (2003)
Industries metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Infant mortality rate 5.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 8.73 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.2% (2002 est.) 0.7% (2003 est.)
International organization participation ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) more than 300 (2000) -
Irrigated land 240 sq km (1998 est.) 1,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms)
Labor force 5.203 million (1999 est.) 16.92 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 5%, industry 35%, services 60% (2001 est.) agriculture 27.5%, industry 22.1%, services 50.4% (1999)
Land boundaries total: 1,881 km


border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km
total: 2,788 km


border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 526 km
Land use arable land: 40%


permanent crops: 3.04%


other: 56.96% (1998 est.)
arable land: 45.91%


permanent crops: 1.12%


other: 52.97% (2001)
Languages Czech Polish
Legal system civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 25-26 October and 1-2 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by NA June 2006)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ODS 26, KDU-CSL 14, CSSD 11, US 9, KSCM 3, independents 18; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 30.2%, ODS 24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU coalition 14.3%, other minor 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS 58, KSCM 41, KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU 10
bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly


elections: Sejm elections last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held by September 2005); Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held by September 2005)


election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - SLD-UP 41%, PO 12.7%, Samoobrona 10.2%, PiS 9.5%, PSL 9%, LPR 7.9%, AWSP 5.6% UW 3.1%, other 1%; seats by party (as of 10 December 2004) - SLD 154, PO 56, PiS 44, PSL 40, SDPL 33, SO 30, LPR 25, UP 15, PLD 11, SKL 6, RKN 5, Dom Ojczysty 4, PP 3, ROP 3, German minorities 2, independents 26; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party (as of 10 December 2004)- SLD-UP 74, Block Senate 2001 10, PSL and unaffiliated 5, UW 4, SO 2, LPR 2, independents 2, PiS 1


note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.95 years


male: 71.46 years


female: 78.65 years (2002 est.)
total population: 74.16 years


male: 70.04 years


female: 78.52 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: 99.9% (1999 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.8%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
Location Central Europe, southeast of Germany Central Europe, east of Germany
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
Merchant marine - total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT


by type: bulk 7, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1


registered in other countries: 100 (2004 est.)
Military branches Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial Defense Force Land Forces, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $1,190.2 million (FY01) $3.5 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.1% (FY01) 1.71% (2002)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 2,637,128 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 10,291,628 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 2,012,779 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 8,034,577 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 69,393 (2002 est.) males: 329,743 (2004 est.)
National holiday Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918) Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Nationality noun: Czech(s)


adjective: Czech
noun: Pole(s)


adjective: Polish
Natural hazards flooding flooding
Natural resources hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Net migration rate 0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines natural gas 3,550 km (2000) gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Cyril SVOBODA, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Michael ZANTOVSKY, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Vaclav KLAUS, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National Social Party of CSNS [Jan SULA, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Milos ZEMAN, chairman]; Democratic Union or DEU [Ratibor MAJZLIK, chairman]; Freedom Union or US [Petr MARES, chairman]; Quad Coalition [Karel KUHNL, chairman] (includes KDU-CSL, US, ODA, DEU) Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Citizens Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Coalition Electoral Action Solidarity of the Right or AWSP; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL-RNP [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Krzysztof JANIK]; Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Bloc or PBL [Wojciech MOJZESOWICZ]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI]; Polish Raison d'Etat or PRS [Piotr MUSIAL]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Izabela JARUAGA-NOWACKA]
Political pressure groups and leaders Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions [Richard FALBR] All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Maciej MANICKI]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]
Population 10,256,760 (July 2002 est.) 38,626,349 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 18.4% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate -0.07% (2002 est.) 0.02% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw
Radio broadcast stations AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000) AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 3,159,134 (December 2000) -
Railways total: 9,444 km


standard gauge: 9,350 km 1.435-m gauge (2,843 km electrified; 1,929 km double-track)


narrow gauge: 94 km 0.760-m gauge (2000 est.)
total: 23,852 km


broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge


standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (11,962 km electrified) (2003)
Religions atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4% Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly vigorous


domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar
general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile cellular telephone use


domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital


international: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 3.869 million (2000) 12.3 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4.346 million (2000) 17.4 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations 150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000) 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)
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 mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Total fertility rate 1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 8.5% (2002 est.) 20% (2003)
Waterways 303 km


note: (the Labe (Elbe) is the principal river) (2000)
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)
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