Czech Republic

Quick Facts and Figures

Official Name: Czech Republic
Population: 10,290,000
Capital City: Prague (1.7 million)
Languages: Czech (official)
Latitude/Longitude: 49° 45'N, 15° 30'E
Official Currency: Koruna (CZK)
Religions: Catholic, many others
Land Area: 78,864 sq km (30,449 sq miles)

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in the middle of Europe Its total area is almost 79,000 square kilometers and makes up 2% of the European Union.

The country comprises three historical lands - Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia and is divided into 14 regions; one of those being the capital city of Prague. The largest region - Central Bohemia - surrounds Prague from all sides.

The Czech Republic is located in moderate geographical latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. The climate is mild but variable locally and throughout the year.

December, January and February are counted as the winter months. The coldest of these is January, when even in the lowlands the average monthly temperature falls below 0 °C.

During March, April and May, there is a sharp increase in temperatures. Snow coverage usually disappears in the mid-spring, even in the highest mountains of the Czech Republic.

If you love heat, the best time to visit the Czech Republic is July, when the average temperature is 20 °C warmer than in January. The hottest daily temperatures can be in excess of 30 °C.

The first of the autumn months is August, which is still relatively hot and markedly drier than the preceding month. The average daily temperatures usually fall once again below
10 °C around the start of October, which is when the leaves on the trees begin to change into a multitude of colors and fall to the ground.

Waters and mountains are the dominant elements that constitute the uniqueness and variety of the Czech Republic's terrain. Mountain ranges surround the country on almost all sides and have served as a natural border in the past.
The main rivers of the Czech Republic are the Elbe (known locally as the Labe), the Vitava, the Ohře, the Morava, the Lu?nice, the Jihlava, and the Svratka.

The River Elbe is 1,170 km (724 mi) long and rises at about 1400 m (about 4600 ft) in the Krkonoše range in the northwestern Czech Republic. Flowing generally northwest, the Elbe courses through the east-central part of Germany and continues through northwestern Germany until it empties into the North Sea at Cuxhaven.

The River Vitava rises in the mountainous Böhmerwald (Bohemian Forest) in the southwestern part of the country and flows southeast to Vyšší Brod, where it turns north, flowing to its confluence with the Elbe (Czech Labe) opposite Mělník. The river, the longest in the Czech Republic, has a course of 435 km (270 mi) and passes through the city of Prague.


Prague has been a political and social center for a very long time; the history, not only of the Czech State but also of all Europe has been written here. Since the middle age it had the reputation as one of the most beautiful cities in the world and attributes like „The golden city“, „the hundred tower Prague“ have been used. The city became really important under the government of Emperor of the Holy Empire and King of Bohemia Charles IV. Prague is a unique complex of monuments, dominated by the Castle on top of all and is a sample of all directions of art. The historic center of the city stretches out on both sides of the river Vltava and due to its extraordinary character is in the list of the world’s monuments of the UNESCO. Prague today is an important center of many international festivals, conventions and fairs. In 2000 it was among the nine European cities awarded by the EU title of European Metropolis of Culture for the year 2000.

Konopiste is one of the most visited Bohemian castles, Konopiste was founded in 1294 as a Gothic fortress modeled on French castles, the original structure has undergone a series of modifications, which commenced in the late 15th century. The most profound alterations were carried out after 1887 by Archduke Franz Ferdinand d´Este, successor to the Austrian throne. Having purchased the chateau from the Lobkowicz family, the Archduke had it rebuilt as a stately residence to serve the needs of the future Austrian emperor. The chateau furnishings, artifacts and collection of weapons imported from Modena also dated from that time. In 1914 the chateau witnessed secret talks between the Archduke and Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany preceding the former´s assassination in Sarajevo, one of the events that contributed to the outbreak of World War I. What were left after the Archduke in Konopiště were a grand chateau, and English park and a Baroque Rose Garden with greenhouses and sculptures brought from Italy. The chateau offers a wealth of art works.