Czech Republic Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

Central Europe.

Language

The official language is Czech. English and German are also spoken.

Area

78,866 sq km (30,450 sq miles).

Time Zone

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity

Generally 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Most major hotels have standard international two-pin razor plugs.

Population

10.2 million (2007).

Population Density

129.3 per sq km.

Capital City

Prague. Population: 1.2 million (2007).

Government

Republic since 1993.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Petr Nečas since 2010.

Head of State

President Václav Klaus since 2003.

Religion

Mostly Roman Catholic and some Protestant, including churches such as the Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, Unity of Czech Brothers and Baptist. There is a small community of Jews, mainly in Prague. According to the March 2001 national census, 60% of the population profess no religious beliefs.

Recent History

The Czech Republic is one of Europe's youngest states, having come into existence only in 1993. Before that, it had formed the western part of Czechoslovakia, a country which itself had only been created in 1918, following the collapse of the Hapsburg Empire after WWI.

Czechoslovakia threw out its communist regime, which had been in power since 1948, in the Velvet Revolution of 1989 - so called because it took place without any violence. The dissident playwright Václav Havel became president and served until 2003, but he was unable to hold the country together. Disagreements with politicians in Bratislava led to the 'Velvet Divorce' in 1993, when Czechoslovakia split into two independent republics - the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek's multi-party, center-right coalition scraped through in a parliamentary vote of confidence in January 2007. This was not his first attempt to form an administration: tricky coalition negotiations also had to take place after the 2006 general elections. Parliament also narrowly re-elected President Václav Klaus - who suceeded Havel in 2003 - in February 2008.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +420. There are plenty of public telephone booths; international calls can be made from any of them. Most of the public telephone booths take phonecards, which can be purchased at hotels, tourist information offices, newsagents and tobacconist shops. Surcharges can be quite high on long-distance calls from hotels.

Mobile Telephone

The Czech Republic uses the GSM 900 system, and is 3G compatible. Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is excellent.

Internet

There are lots of Internet cafes in Prague and other cities.

Media

Private media in the Czech Republic mushroomed in the 1990s, and private radio and TV stations provide stiff competition for public broadcasters. Public TV broadcaster ÄŒeská Televize (CT) operates two networks and a 24-hour news channel. Czech public radio, ÄŒeský Rozhlas (CRo), operates three national networks as well as local services. Two major private television channels broadcast nationally and there are more than 70 private radio stations.The Prague Post newspaper and Czech Business Weekly magazine (both weekly) are published in English, while the main Czech dailies include Mladá Fronta Dnes, Právo and Lidové Noviny. Radio Prague has programs in a number of languages including English.

Post

Airmail takes a couple of days to reach other European destinations; allow up to a week to North America.Mon-Fri 0800-1800, 0800-1200 Sat.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
25 Apr Easter Monday
1 May May Day
8 May Liberation Day
5 Jul Day of the Apostles St Cyril and St Methodius
6 Jul Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Jan Hus
28 Sep Czech Statehood Day
28 Oct Independence Day
17 Nov Freedom and Democracy Day
25 Dec Christmas

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
9 Apr Easter Monday
1 May May Day
8 May Liberation Day
5 Jul Day of the Apostles St Cyril and St Methodius
6 Jul Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Jan Hus
28 Sep Czech Statehood Day
28 Oct Independence Day
17 Nov Freedom and Democracy Day
25 Dec Christmas

Contact Information

British Embassy in the Czech Republic

Chancery, Consular/Visa, Commercial, Political, Defence Section, Thunovska 14, 118 00 Prague 1, Czech republic
Tel:(420) 257 402 370.
Website: www.ukinczechrepublic.fco.gov.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 0830-1700.

Embassy of the Czech Republic in the UK

26-30 Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QY, UK
Tel: (020) 7243 1115 (Mon-Fri 1400-1500) or 09065 508 931 (24-hour recorded visa information; calls cost £1 per minute).
Website: www.mzv.cz/london
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0900-1200 and 1400-1600; Fri 0900-1200; Mon-Fri 0900-1200 (visa application); 1315-1500 (visa collection).

Czech Tourist Authority in the UK

13 Harley Street, London W1G 9QG, UK
Tel: (020) 7631 0427 or 0906 364 0641 (24-hour brochure request line; calls cost 60p per minute).
Website: www.czechtourism.com

Embassy of the Czech Republic in the USA

3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 274 9100.
Website: www.mzv.cz/washington

Czech Tourist Authority in the USA

1109 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10028, USA
Tel: (212) 288 0830.
Website: www.czechtourism.com