Recent history in brief

Czechoslovakia was occupied by Germany in World War II and was controlled by the Russians in the post-war communist era. In 1989, the people demonstratively convinced Russia to relinquish its control without a battle (today that event is called the "Velvet Revolution"). In 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two countries, the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic.

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Population

10.3 million

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Official Language

Czech

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Centrally located

The Czech Republic sits in the middle of Europe, making it geographically convenient for travelers.

Prague is well-connected to the rest of the world by air. Example: Czech Airlines operates a daily nonstop flight between New York and Prague.

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Rainfall and temperature

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Time

Time Zone:

Central European Time (CET)

Local Time:

UTC (GMT) +1h

Daylight Saving Time (DST):

last Sunday in March
to last Sunday in October

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Country size

78,703 square kilometers (30,449 square miles)

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Terrain

Mainly gently rolling plains or moderately hilly

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Public holidays

January 1
May 1
May 8
July 5-6
September 28
October 28
November 17
December 24 - 26

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Utilities

Country calling code:420
Internet domain: cz
Voltage: 220 V/50 Hz

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Currency

Czech Koruna (CZK) and the Euro

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Flag

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Government

Type:

Parliamentary Republic

Capital:

Prague (Praha in Czech)

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