Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.
Full Name: Czech Republic
Area: 78,866 sq km (water: 1,590 sq km, land: 77,276 sq km)
Population: 10,228,744 (July 2007 est.)
Capital City: Prague
People: Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)
Language: Czech
Religion: Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)
Government Type: Parliamentary democracy
Chief of State President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK (since 9 January 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007), Jiri CUNEK (since 9 January 2007), Martin BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Alexandr VONDRA (since 9 January 2007)
GDP: $US 225.5 billion (2006 est.)
GDP per Capita: $US 22,000 (2006 est.)
Inflation: 2.7% (2006 est.)
Unemployment: 8.4% (2006 est.)
Industries: Metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments
Currency: Czech koruna (CZK)
Member of EU: Yes
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