Czech Republic

The Czech Republic, which was originally known as Bohemia, is a small country in the heart of Europe that was founded in January of 1993, after the division of Czechoslovakia. The two main geographic regions are the Bohemian Plateau on the west, and the Moravian lowland on the east. The population is largely Slovic, consisting mostly of Czechs (81%) and Moravians (13%). Roman Catholic is the largest religion, but there are also many Protestant groups. Czech is the official language.

Aside from the Czechs and Moravians, Silesians, Slovaks, Germans, Polish, Roms, and other nationalities can also be found in the culturally diverse country. There is evidence that the area was also once occupied by the Slavs in the 6th century A.D.

Of the emerging democracies in central and eastern Europe, the Czech Republic has one of the most developed economies. Its industrial tradition goes back to the 19th century, when Bohemia and Moravia were the economic heartland of the ...