Country Guide

Czech Republic Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

Location:
Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria


Geographic coordinates:
49 45 N, 15 30 E


Map references:
Europe


Area:
total:78,867 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 116
land:77,247 sq km
water:1,620 sq km


Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina


Land boundaries:
total:2,046 km
border countries:Austria 402 km, Germany 704 km, Poland 699 km, Slovakia 241 km


Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)


Maritime claims:
lowest point:Labe (Elbe) River 115 m
highest point:Snezka 1,602 m


Natural resources:
hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber


Land use:
arable land:40.12%
permanent crops:0.96%
other:58.92% (2011)


    Irrigated land:
385.3 sq km (2007)


Total renewable water resources:
13.15 cu km (2011)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
13.15 cu km (2011)

Natural hazards:
flooding


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; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution


Environment - international agreements:
party to:Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements


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

People and Society

Nationality:
noun: Czech(s)
adjective:Czech


Ethnic groups:
Czech 64.3%, Moravian 5%, Slovak 1.4%, other 1.8%, unspecified 27.5% (2011 est.)


Languages:
Czech 95.4%, Slovak 1.6%, other 3% (2011 census)


Religions:
Roman Catholic 10.4%, Protestant (includes Czech Brethren and Hussite) 1.1%, other and unspecified 54%, none 34.5% (2011 est.)


Population:
10,627,448 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 83


Age structure:
0-14 years:14.9% (male 812,503/female 769,849)
15-24 years:10.6% (male 576,304/female 547,765)
25-54 years:43.6% (male 2,377,962/female 2,256,989)
55-64 years:13.4% (male 687,155/female 735,277)
65 years and over:17.6% (male 766,402/female 1,097,242) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:47.7 %
youth dependency ratio:22.4 %
elderly dependency ratio:25.4 %
potential support ratio:3.9 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:40.9 years
male:39.6 years
female:42.3 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
0.17% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 182


Birth rate:
9.79 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 199


Death rate:
10.29 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 45


Net migration rate:
2.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 46


Urbanization:
urban population:73.4% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:0.24% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
PRAGUE (capital) 1.276 million (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.67 male(s)/female
total population:0.95 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Mother's mean age at first birth:
27.8 (2011 est.)


Maternal mortality rate:
5 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


Infant mortality rate:
total:2.63 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 218
male:2.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female:2.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


    Life expectancy at birth:
total population:78.31 yearscountry comparison to the world: 55
male:75.34 years
female:81.45 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
1.43 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 201


Contraceptive prevalence rate:
86.3%


Health expenditures:
7.4% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
3.71 physicians/1,000 population (2010)


Hospital bed density:
7 beds/1,000 population (2010)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 99.6% of population
total: 99.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 0.4% of population
total: 0.2% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 135


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,000 (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 139


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 132


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
32.7% (2008)country comparison to the world: 21


Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
2% (2007)country comparison to the world: 122


Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2010)country comparison to the world: 106

Literacy:
definition:NA
total population:99%
male:99%
female:99% (2011 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:16 years
male:16 years
female:17 years (2011)


Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:19.5%country comparison to the world: 62
male:19.9%
female:19% (2012)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form:Czech Republic
local long form:Ceska republika
local short form:Cesko


Government type:
parliamentary democracy


Capital:
name:Prague
geographic coordinates:50 05 N, 14 28 E
time difference:UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October


Administrative divisions:
13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky (Karlovy Vary), Kralovehradecky (Hradec Kralove), Liberecky (Liberec), Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky (Olomouc), Pardubicky (Pardubice), Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky (Usti), Vysocina (Highlands), Zlinsky (Zlin)


Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia); note - although 1 January is the day the Czech Republic came into being, the Czechs commemorate 28 October 1918, the day the former Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as their independence day


National holiday:
Czechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918)


Constitution:
previous 1960; latest ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993; amended several times, last in 2013 (2013)


Legal system:
in 2014, a new civil code will replace the existing civil law system, which is based on former Austro-Hungarian civil codes and socialist theory and has been amended 40 times since the Communist regime fell in 1989


International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


Executive branch:
chief of state:President Milos ZEMAN (since 8 March 2013)
head of government:Prime Minister Bohuslav SOBOTKA (since 17 January 2014); First Deputy Prime Minister Andrej BABIS and Deputy Prime Minister Pavel BELOBRADEK (both since 29 January 2014)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections:constitutional amendment passed in 2012 introduced presidential election by popular vote instead of by Parliament; president elected for a five-year term (may not serve more than two consecutive terms); elections last held on 11-12 January 2013 with a runoff on 25-26 January 2013 (next to be held in January 2018); prime minister appointed by the president
election results:Milos ZEMAN elected president; percent of popular vote - Milos ZEMAN 54.8%, Karel SCHWARZENBERG 45.2%


Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members 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 elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:Senate - last held in two rounds on 12-13 and 19-20 October 2012 (next to be held in October 2014); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 25-26 October 2013 (next to be held in 2017)
election results:Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CSSD 48, ODS 15, KDU-CSL 4, TOP 09 4, North Bohemians 2, KSCM 2, Green 1, Ostravak 1, Pirate 1, independent 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CSSD 20.5%, ANO 2011 18.7%, KSCM 14.9%, TOP 09 12%, ODS 7.7%, Usvit 6.9%, KDU-CSL 6.8% other 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 50, ANO 2011 47, KSCM 33, TOP 09 26, ODS 16, Usvit 14, KDU-CSL 14


Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court (organized into Civil Law and Commercial Division, and Criminal Division each with a court chief justice, vice justice, and several judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 15 justices); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 28 judges)
judge selection and term of office:Supreme Court judges proposed by the Chamber of Deputies and appointed by the president; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed for 10-year, renewable terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the president of the Court; judge term NA
subordinate courts:High Court; superior, regional, and district courts


    Political parties and leaders:
Association of Independent Candidates-European Democrats or SNK-ED [Zdenka MARKOVA]
Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Pavel BELOBRADEK]
Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Petr FIALA]
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP]
Czech Pirate Party [Ivan BARTOS]
Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Bohuslav SOBOTKA]
Dawn of Direct Democracy or Usvit [Tomio OKAMURA]
Green Party [Ondrej LISKA]
Liberal Democrats or LIDEM [Dagmar NAVRATILOVA]
Liberal Environmental Party or LES [Martin BURSYK]
Movement of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO [Andrej BABIS]
North Bohemians
Ostravak Movement
Public Affairs or VV [Radek JOHN]
Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09 [Karel SCHWARZENBERG]


Political pressure groups and leaders:
Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Jaroslav ZAVADIL]


International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC


Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Petr GANDALOVIC (since 23 May 2011)
chancery:3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:[1] (202) 274-9100
FAX:[1] (202) 966-8540
consulate(s) general:Chicago, Los Angeles, New York


Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Norman L. EISEN (since 14 January 2011)
embassy:Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1 - Mala Strana
mailing address:use embassy street address
telephone:[420] 257 022 000
FAX:[420] 257 022 809


Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side


National symbol(s):
double-tailed lion


National anthem:
name:'Kde domov muj?' (Where is My Home?)

lyrics/music:Josef Kajetan TYL/Frantisek Jan SKROUP
note:adopted 1993; the anthem is a verse from the former Czechoslovak anthem originally written as part of the opera 'Fidlovacka'

Economy

Economy - overview:
The Czech Republic is a stable and prosperous market economy closely integrated with the EU, especially since the country's EU accession in 2004. The auto industry is the largest single industry, and, together with its upstream suppliers, accounts for nearly 24% of Czech manufacturing. The Czech Republic produced more than a million cars for the first time in 2010, over 80% of which were exported. While the conservative, inward-looking Czech financial system has remained relatively healthy, the small, open, export-driven Czech economy remains sensitive to changes in the economic performance of its main export markets, especially Germany. When Western Europe and Germany fell into recession in late 2008, demand for Czech goods plunged, leading to double digit drops in industrial production and exports. As a result, real GDP fell sharply in 2009. The economy slowly recovered in the second half of 2009 and registered weak growth in the next two years. In 2012, however, the economy fell into a recession again, due both to a slump in external demand and to the government’s austerity measures. The country pulled out of recession in the second half of 2013, and most analysts expect modest, but steady, growth through 2014. Foreign and domestic businesses alike voice concerns about corruption, especially in public procurement. Other long term challenges include dealing with a rapidly aging population, funding an unsustainable pension and health care system, and diversifying away from manufacturing and toward a more high-tech, services-based, knowledge economy.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$285.6 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
$288.2 billion (2012 est.)
$291.1 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$194.8 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
-0.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
-1% (2012 est.)
1.8% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$26,300 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
$26,500 (2012 est.)
$28,300 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


Gross national saving:
21.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
20.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
21.2% of GDP (2011 est.)


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:45.1%
government consumption:18.3%
investment in fixed capital:27%
investment in inventories:0.1%
exports of goods and services:81.1%
imports of goods and services:-71.5%
(2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:2.4%
industry:37.3%
services:60.3% (2012 est.)


Agriculture - products:
wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry


Industries:
motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments


Industrial production growth rate:
0.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155

Labor force:
5.304 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71


Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:2.6%
industry:37.4%
services:60% (2012)


Unemployment rate:
7.1% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
7% (2012 est.)


Population below poverty line:
9.8% (2011 est.)


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:1.5%
highest 10%:29.1% NA% (2012 est.)


    Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24.9 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 136
25.4 (1996)


Budget:
revenues:$55.81 billion
expenditures:$59.96 billion (2013 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
28.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-2.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90


Public debt:
48.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
46.2% of GDP (2012 est.)


Fiscal year:
calendar year


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
3.3% (2012 est.)


Central bank discount rate:
0.05% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
0.05% (31 December 2012)
note:this is the two-week repo, the main rate CNB uses


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.1% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
5.41% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$124.1 billion (30 September 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
$114.2 billion (30 September 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$154 billion (30 September 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
$146.5 billion (30 September 2012 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
NA% (30 September 2012 est.)
$130.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)


Market value of publicly traded shares:
$54.92 billion (30 December 3013 est.)


Current account balance:
-$3.27 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
-$4.798 billion (2012 est.)


Exports:
$161.4 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
$157 billion (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuel, chemicals


Exports - partners:
Germany 31.8%, Slovakia 9.1%, Poland 6.1%, France 5.1%, UK 4.9%, Austria 4.7% (2012)


Imports:
$143.4 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
$141.4 billion (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, raw materials and fuels, chemicals


Imports - partners:
Germany 29.5%, Poland 7.7%, Slovakia 7.4%, China 6.3%, Netherlands 5.8%, Russia 5.3%, Austria 4.3% (2012)


Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$56.22 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
$44.88 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Debt - external:
$102.1 billion (30 September 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
$101.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$144.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
$136.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$16.63 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
$17.37 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Exchange rates:
koruny (CZK) per US dollar -
19.57 (2013 est.)
19.59 (2012 est.)
19.098 (2010 est.)
19.063 (2009)
17.064 (2008)

Energy

Electricity - production:
87.57 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37


Electricity - consumption:
70.45 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38


Electricity - exports:
27.45 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7


Electricity - imports:
10.33 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
20.52 million kW (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
63.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
19.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
5.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
11.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24


Crude oil - production:
10,010 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90


Crude oil - exports:
403.8 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72


Crude oil - imports:
154,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
15 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87


Refined petroleum products - production:
178,900 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
199,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59


Refined petroleum products - exports:
35,720 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66


Refined petroleum products - imports:
54,240 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67


Natural gas - production:
200 million cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79


Natural gas - consumption:
8.158 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53


Natural gas - exports:
7.4 million cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52


Natural gas - imports:
7.471 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34


Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.922 billion cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
106.3 million Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
2.1 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 56


Telephones - mobile cellular:
12.973 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 65


Telephone system:
general assessment:privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; virtually all exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems 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
domestic:access to the fixed-line telephone network expanded throughout the 1990s but the number of fixed line connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population
international:country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2 Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2011)



    Broadcast media:
roughly 130 TV broadcasters operating some 350 channels with 4 publicly operated and the remainder in private hands; 16 TV stations have national coverage with 4 being publicly operated; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; 63 radio broadcasters are registered operating roughly 80 radio stations with 15 stations publicly operated; 10 radio stations provide national coverage with the remainder local or regional (2008)


Internet country code:
.cz


Internet hosts:
4.148 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 27


Internet users:
6.681 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 40

Transportation

Airports
128 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 46


Airports - with paved runways
total:41
over 3,047 m:2
2,438 to 3,047 m:9
1,524 to 2,437 m:12
914 to 1,523 m:2
under 914 m:16 (2013)


Airports - with unpaved runways
total:87
1,524 to 2,437 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:25
under 914 m:
61 (2013)


Heliports
1 (2013)


Pipelines
gas 7,160 km; oil 536 km; refined products 94 km (2013)


    Railways
total:9,469 kmcountry comparison to the world: 23
standard gauge:9,449 km 1.435-m gauge (3,165 km electrified)
narrow gauge:20 km 0.750-m gauge (2008)


Roadways
total:130,671 km (includes urban roads)country comparison to the world: 38
paved:130,671 km (includes 730 km of expressways) (2010)


Waterways
664 km (principally on Elbe, Vltava, Oder, and other navigable rivers, lakes, and canals) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 77


Merchant marine
registered in other countries:1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010)country comparison to the world: 147


Ports and terminals
river port(s):Prague (Vltava); Decin, Usti nad Labem (Elbe)

Military

Military branches
Army of the Czech Republic (Armada Ceske Republiky): Joint Forces Command (Spolocene Sily; includes Land Forces (Pozemni Sily) and Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily)) (2013)


Military service age and obligation
18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)


Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49:2,506,826
females age 16-49:2,407,634 (2010 est.)


Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49:2,072,267
females age 16-49:1,988,839 (2010 est.)


    Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:49,999
female:47,501 (2010 est.)


Military expenditures
1.08% of GDP (2013)
country comparison to the world: 95
1.13% of GDP (2012)
1.15% of GDP (2011)
1.13% of GDP (2010)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international
while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the popular Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closes its controversial Soviet-style nuclear plant in Temelin, bordering Austria


    Refugees and internally displaced persons
stateless persons:1,502 (2012)


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; significant consumer of ecstasy (2008)
 Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook