République Tchèque

Coordonnées : 49°45′N 15°30′E / 49.750°N 15.500°E / 49.750; 15.500

République Tchèque Česká republika   ( tchèque )
Drapeau Blason
Devise :  " Pravda vítězí "  ( tchèque ) " La vérité l'emporte "
Hymne:  Kde domov můj   (tchèque) Où est ma maison  un
Localisation de la République tchèque (vert foncé) – en Europe  (vert & gris foncé) – dans l' Union européenne  (vert) – [ Légende ]
Capitale et plus grande ville	Prague 50°05′N 14°28′E  / 50.083°N 14.467°E / 50.083; 14.467
Langue officielle	Tchèque [1]
Langues officiellement reconnues [2] [3]	Lister Belarusian German Greek Hungarian Polish Romani Russian Rusyn Serbian Slovak Ukrainian Vietnamese
Groupes ethniques (2011 [4] )	64,3% de Tchèques 5.0% Moraves 1,4% de Slovaques 0,5% d' Ukrainiens 3,5% Autres 25,3% Pas de réponse
Religion (2011) [4]	34,5% Pas de religion 11,6% Christianisme —10,4% catholicisme -1,2% Autre Chrétien 2,5% Autres 44,7% Pas de réponse
Démonyme(s)	tchèque
Gouvernement	République constitutionnelle parlementaire unitaire
•  Président	Miloš Zeman
•  Premier ministre	Andrej Babic
Corps législatif	Parlement
•  Chambre haute	Sénat
•  Chambre basse	Chambre des députés
Historique de l'établissement
•  Duché de Bohême	c. 870
•  Royaume de Bohême	1198
•  Tchécoslovaquie	28 octobre 1918
•  République tchèque	1er janvier 1993
Zone
• Le total	78 871 km 2 (30 452 milles carrés) ( 115e )
• L'eau (%)	2.12 (à partir de 2020) [5]
Population
• Estimation 2021	10 701 777 [6] ( 86e )
• Recensement de 2011	10 436 560 [4]
• Densité	136/km 2 (352,2/mi carré) ( 62e )
PIB  ( PPA )	Estimation 2020
• Le total	432,346 milliards de dollars [7] ( 36e )
• Par habitant	40 585 $ [7] ( 34e )
PIB  (nominal)	Estimation 2020
• Le total	261,732 milliards de dollars [7] ( 36e )
• Par habitant	24 569 $ [7] ( 37e )
Gini  (2019)	24,0 [8] faible  ·  5e
IDH  (2019)	0,900 [9] très élevé  ·  27e
Monnaie	Couronne tchèque ( CZK )
Fuseau horaire	UTC +1 ( CET )
• Été ( heure d'été )	UTC +2 ( CEST )
Côté conduite	droit
Indicatif d'appel	+420 b
Code ISO 3166	CZ
TLD Internet	.cz c
La question est rhétorique , impliquant « ces endroits où se trouve ma patrie ». Le code 42 a été partagé avec la Slovaquie jusqu'en 1997. Également .eu , partagé avec d'autres États membres de l'Union européenne.

La République tchèque , ^{[a] [11]} également connu sous son nom forme abrégée Tchèquie ^{[b] [12]} et anciennement connu sous le nom de Bohême , ^[13] est un pays enclavé en Europe centrale . Il est bordé par l' Autriche au sud, l' Allemagne à l'ouest, la Pologne au nord-est et la Slovaquie à l'est. ^[14] La République tchèque a un paysage vallonné qui couvre une superficie de 78 871 kilomètres carrés (30 452 milles carrés) avec un climat continental et océanique principalement tempéré .

Le duché de Bohême a été fondé à la fin du IXe siècle sous la Grande Moravie . Il a été officiellement reconnu comme État impérial du Saint-Empire romain germanique en 1002 et est devenu un royaume en 1198. ^{[15] [16]} À la suite de la bataille de Mohács en 1526, toute la couronne de Bohême a été progressivement intégrée à la monarchie des Habsbourg . La révolte protestante de Bohême aboutit à la guerre de Trente Ans . Après la bataille de la Montagne Blanche, les Habsbourg consolidèrent leur domination. Avec la dissolution du Saint-Empire en 1806, les terres de la Couronne sont devenues une partie de l' Empire autrichien .

Au 19ème siècle, les terres tchèques sont devenues plus industrialisées, et en 1918 la plupart d'entre elles sont devenues une partie de la Première République tchécoslovaque suite à l'effondrement de l' Autriche-Hongrie après la Première Guerre mondiale . ^{[17] La} Tchécoslovaquie a été le seul pays d'Europe centrale et orientale à rester une démocratie parlementaire pendant toute la période de l' entre-deux-guerres . ^[18] Après les accords de Munich en 1938, l'Allemagne nazie a systématiquement pris le contrôle des terres tchèques. La Tchécoslovaquie a été restaurée en 1945 et est devenue un bloc de l'Est État communiste à la suite d'un coup d'État en 1948. Les tentatives de libéralisation du gouvernement et de l'économie ont été réprimées par une invasion du pays dirigée par les Soviétiques pendant le Printemps de Prague en 1968. En novembre 1989, la Révolution de velours a mis fin au régime communiste dans le pays, et le 1er janvier 1993, la Tchécoslovaquie a été dissoute , ses États constitutifs devenant les États indépendants de la République tchèque et de la Slovaquie.

La République tchèque est une république parlementaire unitaire et un pays développé doté d'une économie sociale de marché avancée et à revenu élevé . C'est un État-providence avec un modèle social européen , des soins de santé universels et un enseignement universitaire gratuit . Il se classe 12e dans le développement humain ajusté aux inégalités des Nations Unies et 24e dans l' indice de capital humain de la Banque mondiale devant les États-Unis . Il se classe comme le 9e pays le plus sûr et le plus pacifique et 31e en matière de gouvernance démocratique . La République tchèque est membre de l' OTAN , de l' UE , de l' OCDE , de l' OSCE et du Conseil de l' Europe .

Nom

Le nom anglais traditionnel « Bohemia » dérive du latin « Boiohaemum », qui signifie « maison des Boii » ( tribu gauloise ). Le nom anglais actuel vient de l' ethnonyme polonais associé à la région, qui vient finalement du mot tchèque Čech . ^{[19] [20] [21]} Le nom vient de la tribu slave ( tchèque : Češi, Čechové ) et, selon la légende, de leur chef Čech , qui les a amenés en Bohême, pour s'installer sur la montagne Říp . L'étymologie du mot Čech remonte au Proto-slave racine * célé-, signifiant « membre du peuple ; parent », le rendant ainsi apparenté au mot tchèque člověk (une personne). ^[22]

Le pays a été traditionnellement divisé en trois terres, à savoir la Bohême ( Čechy ) à l'ouest, la Moravie ( Morava ) à l'est et la Silésie tchèque ( Slezsko ; la plus petite partie sud-est de la Silésie historique , dont la plupart est située dans Pologne moderne) dans le nord-est. ^[23] Connu comme les terres de la couronne de Bohême depuis le 14ème siècle, un certain nombre d'autres noms pour le pays ont été utilisés, y compris les terres tchèques/bohème , la couronne de Bohême , la Tchéquie ^[24] et les terres de la couronne deSaint Venceslas . Lorsque le pays a retrouvé son indépendance après la dissolution de l' empire austro-hongrois en 1918, le nouveau nom de la Tchécoslovaquie a été inventé pour refléter l'union des nations tchèque et slovaque au sein d'un même pays. ^[25]

Après la dissolution de la Tchécoslovaquie en 1992, le ministère tchèque des Affaires étrangères a recommandé la Tchéquie pour le nom abrégé anglais. ^{[ citation nécessaire ]} Cette forme n'a pas été adoptée à l'époque, ce qui a conduit à l'utilisation du nom long République tchèque en toutes circonstances. Le gouvernement tchèque a approuvé la Tchéquie comme nom abrégé officiel en anglais en 2016. ^[26] Le nom abrégé a été répertorié par les Nations Unies ^[27] et est utilisé par d'autres organisations telles que l' Union européenne , ^[28] CIA , ^[29] et Google Maps . ^[30]

Géographie

La République tchèque se situe principalement entre les latitudes 48° et 51° N et les longitudes 12° et 19° E .

La Bohême , à l'ouest, se compose d'un bassin drainé par l' Elbe (en tchèque : Labe ) et les rivières Vltava , entouré de montagnes pour la plupart basses, comme la chaîne de Krkonoše des Sudètes . Le point culminant du pays, Sněžka à 1 603 m (5 259 pi), se trouve ici. La Moravie, la partie orientale du pays, est également vallonnée. Il est drainé principalement par la rivière Morava , mais il contient également la source de la rivière Oder (en tchèque : Odra ).

L'eau de la République tchèque s'écoule vers trois mers différentes : la mer du Nord , la mer Baltique et la mer Noire . La République tchèque loue également le Moldauhafen , un 30 000 mètres carrés (7,4 acres) beaucoup au milieu des Hambourg Docks, qui a été attribué à la Tchécoslovaquie par l' article 363 du Traité de Versailles , pour permettre à un endroit du pays enclavé où les marchandises transportées en aval pouvaient être transférées sur des navires de mer. Le territoire revient à l'Allemagne en 2028.

Phytogéographiquement , la République tchèque appartient à la province d'Europe centrale de la région circumboréale , au sein du royaume boréal . Selon le Fonds mondial pour la nature , le territoire de la République tchèque peut être subdivisée en quatre écorégions : les forêts de feuillus d' Europe occidentale , les forêts mixtes Europe centrale , les forêts mixtes Pannonie , et les forêts de conifères des Carpates montagnardes . ^[31]

Il existe quatre parcs nationaux en République tchèque. Le plus ancien est le parc national de Krkonoše ( réserve de biosphère ), et les autres sont le parc national de Šumava (réserve de biosphère), parc national de Podyjí , Suisse bohémienne .

Les trois terres historiques de la République tchèque (anciennement certains pays de la couronne de Bohême) correspondent aux bassins fluviaux de l'Elbe et du bassin de la Vltava pour la Bohême, celui de la Morava pour la Moravie et le bassin fluvial de l'Oder pour la Silésie tchèque (en termes de le territoire tchèque).

Climat

La République tchèque a un climat tempéré, situé dans la zone de transition entre les types de climat océanique et continental , avec des étés chauds et des hivers froids, nuageux et neigeux. La différence de température entre l'été et l'hiver est due à la position géographique enclavée. ^[32]

Les températures varient en fonction de l'altitude. En général, à des altitudes plus élevées, les températures diminuent et les précipitations augmentent. La zone la plus humide de la République tchèque se trouve autour de Bílý Potok dans les montagnes de Jizera et la région la plus sèche est le district de Louny au nord-ouest de Prague . Un autre facteur est la répartition des montagnes.

Au plus haut sommet de Sněžka (1603 m ou 5 259 pi), la température moyenne est de -0,4 °C (31 °F), alors que dans les basses terres de la Moravie du Sud , la température moyenne atteint 10 °C (50 °F). La capitale du pays, Prague, a une température moyenne similaire, bien que celle-ci soit influencée par des facteurs urbains.

Le mois le plus froid est généralement janvier, suivi de février et décembre. Pendant ces mois, il y a de la neige dans les montagnes et parfois dans les villes et les plaines. En mars, avril et mai, la température augmente généralement, surtout en avril, lorsque la température et le temps ont tendance à varier au cours de la journée. Le printemps est également caractérisé par des niveaux d'eau plus élevés dans les rivières, en raison de la fonte des neiges avec des inondations occasionnelles.

Le mois le plus chaud de l'année est juillet, suivi par août et juin. En moyenne, les températures estivales sont d'environ 20 à 30 °C (36 à 54 °F) plus élevées qu'en hiver. L'été est également caractérisé par la pluie et les orages.

L'automne commence généralement en septembre, qui est encore chaud et sec. En octobre, les températures tombent généralement en dessous de 15 °C (59 °F) ou 10 °C (50 °F) et les arbres à feuilles caduques commencent à perdre leurs feuilles. À la fin novembre, les températures se situent généralement autour du point de congélation.

La température la plus froide jamais mesurée était à Litvínovice près de České Budějovice en 1929, à −42,2 °C (−44,0 °F) et la plus chaude mesurée, à 40,4 °C (104,7 °F) à Dobřichovice en 2012. ^[33]

La plupart des pluies tombent pendant l'été. Des précipitations sporadiques se produisent tout au long de l'année (à Prague, le nombre moyen de jours par mois avec au moins 0,1 mm (0,0039 in) de pluie varie de 12 en septembre et octobre à 16 en novembre) mais des précipitations concentrées (jours avec plus de 10 mm (0,39 in) par jour) sont plus fréquentes de mai à août (en moyenne environ deux de ces jours par mois). ^[34] De violents orages , produisant des vents rectilignes dommageables, de la grêle et des tornades occasionnelles se produisent, surtout pendant la période estivale. ^{[35] [36]}

Environnement

La République tchèque se classe au 27e rang des pays les plus soucieux de l'environnement au monde selon l'indice de performance environnementale . ^[37] Il avait un score moyen de 1,71/10 pour l' indice d'intégrité du paysage forestier en 2018 , le classant au 160e rang mondial sur 172 pays. ^[38] La République tchèque dispose de quatre parcs nationaux ( Šumava Parc national , Krkonose National Park , parc national České Švýcarsko , Podyjí Parc national ) et 25 Espaces verts protégés.

Histoire

Prehistory

Archaeologists have found evidence of prehistoric human settlements in the area, dating back to the Paleolithic era.

À l' époque classique , à la suite des migrations celtiques du IIIe siècle av. J.-C. , la Bohême s'associa aux Boii . ^[40] Les Boii ont fondé un oppidum près du site de Prague moderne. ^[41] Plus tard au 1er siècle, les tribus germaniques des Marcomanni et des Quadi s'y installèrent. ^[42]

Slavs from the Black Sea–Carpathian region settled in the area (their migration was pushed by an invasion of peoples from Siberia and Eastern Europe into their area:^[43] Huns, Avars, Bulgars and Magyars).^[44] In the sixth century, the Huns had moved westwards into Bohemia, Moravia, and some of present-day Austria and Germany.^[44]

During the 7th century, the Frankish merchant Samo, supporting the Slavs fighting against nearby settled Avars,^[45] became the ruler of the first documented Slavic state in Central Europe, Samo's Empire. The principality of Great Moravia, controlled by Moymir dynasty, arose in the 8th century.^[46] It reached its zenith in the 9th (during the reign of Svatopluk I of Moravia), holding off the influence of the Franks. Great Moravia was Christianized, with a role being played by the Byzantine mission of Cyril and Methodius. They codified the Old Church Slavonic language, the first literary and liturgical language of the Slavs, and the Glagolitic alphabet.^[47]

Bohemia

The Duchy of Bohemia emerged in the late 9th century when it was unified by the Přemyslid dynasty. Bohemia was from 1002 until 1806 an Imperial State of the Holy Roman Empire.^[48]

En 1212, Přemysl Ottokar I a extrait la Bulle d'or de Sicile de l'empereur, confirmant le statut royal d'Ottokar et de ses descendants ; le duché de Bohême a été élevé à un royaume . ^{[49] Des} immigrants allemands se sont installés dans la périphérie de Bohême au XIIIe siècle. ^[50] Les Mongols dans l' invasion de l'Europe ont mené leurs raids en Moravie mais ont été défensivement vaincus à Olomouc . ^[51]

Après une série de guerres dynastiques, la Maison de Luxembourg accède au trône de Bohême. ^[52]

Efforts for a reform of the church in Bohemia started already in the late 14th century. Jan Hus's followers seceded from some practices of the Roman Church and in the Hussite Wars (1419–1434) defeated five crusades organized against them by Sigismund. During the next two centuries, 90% of the population in Bohemia and Moravia were considered Hussites. The pacifist thinker Petr Chelčický inspired the movement of the Bohemian Brethren (by the middle of the 15th century) that completely separated from the Roman Catholic Church.^[53]

Après 1526 Bohemia été de plus en Habsbourg contrôle les Habsbourg devint d' abord l'élu, puis en 1627 les souverains héréditaires de la Bohême. Entre 1583 et 1611, Prague était le siège officiel de l'empereur romain germanique Rodolphe II et de sa cour.

La défenestration de Prague et la révolte qui s'ensuivit contre les Habsbourg en 1618 marquèrent le début de la guerre de Trente Ans . En 1620, la rébellion en Bohême a été écrasée lors de la bataille de la Montagne Blanche et les liens entre la Bohême et les terres héréditaires des Habsbourg en Autriche ont été renforcés. Les chefs de la révolte de Bohême ont été exécutés en 1621 . La noblesse et les protestants de la classe moyenne devaient soit se convertir au catholicisme, soit quitter le pays. ^[54]

De "l'âge des ténèbres" de 1620 à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, la population des terres tchèques a diminué d'un tiers à cause de l'expulsion des protestants tchèques ainsi qu'à cause de la guerre, des maladies et de la famine . ^[55] Les Habsbourg ont interdit toutes les confessions chrétiennes autres que le catholicisme . ^[56] L'épanouissement de la culture baroque montre l'ambiguïté de cette période historique. Les Turcs ottomans et les Tatars ont envahi la Moravie en 1663. ^[57] En 1679-1680, les terres tchèques ont fait face à la Grande Peste de Vienne et à un soulèvement de serfs. ^[58]

Il y avait des soulèvements paysans influencés par la famine. ^[59] Le servage a été aboli entre 1781 et 1848. Plusieurs batailles des guerres napoléoniennes ont eu lieu sur le territoire actuel de la République tchèque.

The end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 led to degradation of the political status of Bohemia which lost its position of an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire as well as its own political representation in the Imperial Diet.^[60] Bohemian lands became part of the Austrian Empire. During the 18th and 19th century the Czech National Revival began its rise, with the purpose to revive Czech language, culture, and national identity. The Revolution of 1848 in Prague, striving for liberal reforms and autonomy of the Bohemian Crown within the Austrian Empire, was suppressed.^[61]

It seemed that some concessions would be made also to Bohemia, but in the end, the Emperor Franz Joseph I affected a compromise with Hungary only. The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and the never realized coronation of Franz Joseph as King of Bohemia led to a disappointment of some Czech politicians.^[61] The Bohemian Crown lands became part of the so-called Cisleithania.

The Czech Social Democratic and progressive politicians started the fight for universal suffrage. The first elections under universal male suffrage were held in 1907.^[62]

Czechoslovakia

En 1918, lors de l'effondrement de la monarchie des Habsbourg à la fin de la Première Guerre mondiale, la république indépendante de Tchécoslovaquie , qui rejoint les puissances alliées gagnantes, est créée, avec Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk en tête. ^[64] Ce nouveau pays a incorporé la Couronne de Bohême . ^[65]

La Première République tchécoslovaque ne comprenait que 27 % de la population de l'ex-Autriche-Hongrie, mais près de 80 % de l'industrie, ce qui lui permettait de concurrencer les États industriels occidentaux. ^[63] En 1929 par rapport à 1913, le produit intérieur brut a augmenté de 52 % et la production industrielle de 41 %. En 1938, la Tchécoslovaquie occupait la 10e place dans la production industrielle mondiale. ^{[66] La} Tchécoslovaquie était la seule démocratie d'Europe centrale pendant l'entre-deux-guerres. ^[67] Bien que la Première République tchécoslovaque était un État unitaire , elle accordait certains droits à ses minorités, les plus importantes étant les Allemands (23,6% en 1921), les Hongrois (5,6%) et les Ukrainiens (3,5%). ^[68]

Le territoire tchèque a été occupé par l' Allemagne , qui l' a transformé en protectorat de Bohême et Moravie . Le protectorat a été proclamé partie du Troisième Reich, et le président et le Premier ministre ont été subordonnés au Reichsprotektor de l'Allemagne nazie . Un camp de concentration nazi était situé sur le territoire tchèque à Terezín , au nord de Prague. Le Generalplan Ost nazi a appelé à l'extermination, l'expulsion, la germanisation ou l'asservissement de la plupart ou de tous les Tchèques dans le but de fournir plus d' espace de vie au peuple allemand. ^[69] Il y avait une résistance tchécoslovaque à l'occupation nazieainsi que des représailles contre les Tchécoslovaques pour leur résistance antinazie. L'occupation allemande prend fin le 9 mai 1945, avec l'arrivée des armées soviétique et américaine et le soulèvement de Prague . ^[70]

Aux élections de 1946 , le Parti communiste a obtenu 38 % ^[71] des voix et est devenu le plus grand parti du parlement tchécoslovaque, a formé une coalition avec d'autres partis et a consolidé le pouvoir. Un coup d'État a eu lieu en 1948 et un gouvernement à parti unique a été formé. Pour les 41 années suivantes , l'Etat communiste tchécoslovaque se caractérise par certaines caractéristiques économiques et politiques du bloc de l'Est . ^[72] La libéralisation politique du Printemps de Prague a été stoppée par l' invasion de la Tchécoslovaquie par le Pacte de Varsovie en 1968. Les analystes pensent que l'invasion a provoqué la fracture du mouvement communiste, menant finalement aux révolutions de 1989.

République tchèque

In November 1989, Czechoslovakia returned to a liberal democracy through the Velvet Revolution. However, Slovak national aspirations strengthened (Hyphen War) and on 1 January 1993, the country peacefully split into the independent countries of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both countries went through economic reforms and privatisations, with the intention of creating a market economy. This process was largely successful; in 2006 the Czech Republic was recognized by the World Bank as a "developed country",^[73] and in 2009 the Human Development Index ranked it as a nation of "Very High Human Development".^[74]

From 1991, the Czech Republic, originally as part of Czechoslovakia and since 1993 in its own right, has been a member of the Visegrád Group and from 1995, the OECD. The Czech Republic joined NATO on 12 March 1999 and the European Union on 1 May 2004. On 21 December 2007 the Czech Republic joined the Schengen Area.^[75]

Jusqu'en 2017, le Parti social-démocrate tchèque ou le Parti démocrate civique dirigeaient les gouvernements de la République tchèque. En octobre 2017, le mouvement populiste ANO 2011 , dirigé par le deuxième homme le plus riche du pays, Andrej Babiš , a remporté les élections avec trois fois plus de voix que son plus proche rival, les Démocrates civiques de centre-droit. ^[76] En décembre 2017, le président tchèque Miloš Zeman a nommé Andrej Babiš nouveau Premier ministre. ^[77]

Gouvernance

La République tchèque est une démocratie représentative semi- présidentielle pluraliste et multipartite . Le Parlement ( Parlament České republiky ) est bicaméral, avec la Chambre des députés ( tchèque : Poslanecká sněmovna ) (200 membres) et le Sénat ( tchèque : Senát ) (81 membres). ^[78] Les membres de la Chambre des députés sont élus pour un mandat de quatre ans au scrutin proportionnel , avec un seuil électoral de 5 %. Il y a 14 circonscriptions électorales, identiques aux régions administratives du pays. La Chambre des députés, successeur du Conseil national tchèque , a les pouvoirs et les responsabilités du Parlement fédéral aujourd'hui disparu de l'ex-Tchécoslovaquie. Les membres du Sénat sont élus dans un seul siège circonscriptions par deux tours de vote de ruissellement pour un mandat de six ans, avec un tiers élu chaque année , même à l'automne. Cet arrangement est calqué sur le Sénat américain , mais chaque circonscription a à peu près la même taille et le système de vote utilisé est un scrutin à deux tours.

Le président est un chef d'État formel doté de pouvoirs limités et spécifiques, qui nomme le Premier ministre, ainsi que les autres membres du cabinet sur proposition du Premier ministre. De 1993 à 2012, le président de la République tchèque a été choisi par une session conjointe du parlement pour un mandat de cinq ans, avec pas plus de deux mandats consécutifs (2x Václav Havel , 2x Václav Klaus ). Depuis 2013, l'élection présidentielle est directe. ^[79] Certains commentateurs ont soutenu qu'avec l'introduction de l'élection directe du Président, la République tchèque s'est éloignée du système parlementaire et s'est tournée vers un système semi-présidentiel . ^[80] Le gouvernementl'exercice du pouvoir exécutif découle de la Constitution . Les membres du gouvernement sont le Premier ministre , les vice-premiers ministres et les autres ministres. Le Gouvernement est responsable devant la Chambre des députés . ^[81] Le Premier ministre est le chef du gouvernement et exerce des pouvoirs tels que le droit de définir l'ordre du jour de la plupart des politiques étrangères et intérieures et de choisir les ministres du gouvernement. ^[82]

Titulaires de la fonction principale

Bureau	Nom	Fête	Depuis
Président	Miloš Zeman	SPOZ	8 mars 2013
Président du Sénat	Miloš Vystrčil	SACO	19 février 2020
Président de la Chambre des députés	Radek Vondraček	ANO	22 novembre 2017
premier ministre	Andrej Babic	ANO	6 décembre 2017

Loi

La République tchèque est un Etat unitaire , ^[83] avec un système de droit civil en fonction du type continental, enraciné dans la culture juridique germanique. La base du système juridique est la Constitution de la République tchèque adoptée en 1993. ^[84] Le Code pénal est entré en vigueur en 2010. Un nouveau Code civil est entré en vigueur en 2014. Le système judiciaire comprend les cours de district, de comté et suprêmes et est divisé en branches civile, pénale et administrative. Le pouvoir judiciaire tchèque dispose d'un triumvirat de cours suprêmes. La Cour constitutionnelle se compose de 15 juges constitutionnels et contrôle les violations de la Constitution by either the legislature or by the government.^[84] The Supreme Court is formed of 67 judges and is the court of highest appeal for most legal cases heard in the Czech Republic. The Supreme Administrative Court decides on issues of procedural and administrative propriety. It also has jurisdiction over certain political matters, such as the formation and closure of political parties, jurisdictional boundaries between government entities, and the eligibility of persons to stand for public office.^[84] The Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court are both based in Brno, as is the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office.^[84]

Relations étrangères

La République tchèque s'est classée comme l' un des pays les plus sûrs ou les plus pacifiques au cours des dernières décennies. ^[85] Elle est membre des Nations Unies, de l' Union européenne , de l' OTAN , de l' OCDE , du Conseil de l'Europe et est observateur auprès de l' Organisation des États américains . ^[86] Les ambassades de la plupart des pays ayant des relations diplomatiques avec la République tchèque sont situées à Prague , tandis que les consulats sont situés dans tout le pays.

The Czech passport is restricted by visas. According to the 2018 Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index, Czech citizens have visa-free access to 173 countries, which ranks them 7th along with Malta and New Zealand.^[87] The World Tourism Organization ranks the Czech passport 24th.^[88] The US Visa Waiver Program applies to Czech nationals.

The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs have primary roles in setting foreign policy, although the President also has influence and represents the country abroad. Membership in the European Union and NATO is central to the Czech Republic's foreign policy. The Office for Foreign Relations and Information (ÚZSI) serves as the foreign intelligence agency responsible for espionage and foreign policy briefings, as well as protection of Czech Republic's embassies abroad.

La République tchèque a des liens avec la Slovaquie , la Pologne et la Hongrie en tant que membre du groupe de Visegrad , ^[89] ainsi qu'avec l'Allemagne, ^[90] Israël , ^[91] les États-Unis ^[92] et l' Union européenne et ses membres .

Des responsables tchèques ont soutenu des dissidents en Biélorussie , en Moldavie , au Myanmar et à Cuba . ^[93]

Militaire

The Czech armed forces consist of the Czech Land Forces, the Czech Air Force and of specialized support units. The armed forces are managed by the Ministry of Defence. The President of the Czech Republic is Commander-in-chief of the armed forces. In 2004 the army transformed itself into a fully professional organization and compulsory military service was abolished. The country has been a member of NATO since 12 March 1999. Defence spending is approximately 1.19% of the GDP (2019).^[94] The armed forces are charged with protecting the Czech Republic and its allies, promoting global security interests, and contributing to NATO.

Actuellement, en tant que membre de l'OTAN, l'armée tchèque participe aux opérations Resolute Support et KFOR et dispose de soldats en Afghanistan , au Mali , en Bosnie-Herzégovine , au Kosovo , en Égypte , en Israël et en Somalie . L'armée de l'air tchèque a également servi dans les États baltes et en Islande . ^[95] L'équipement principal de l'armée tchèque comprend des chasseurs multirôles JAS 39 Gripen, des avions de combat Aero L-159 Alca , des hélicoptères d' attaque Mi-35 , des véhicules blindés (Pandur II, OT-64, OT-90, BVP-2) and tanks (T-72 and T-72M4CZ).

Administrative divisions

Since 2000, the Czech Republic has been divided into thirteen regions (Czech: kraje, singular kraj) and the capital city of Prague. Every region has its own elected regional assembly and a regional governor. In Prague, the assembly and presidential powers are executed by the city council and the mayor.

The older seventy-six districts (okresy, singular okres) including three "statutory cities" (without Prague, which had special status) lost most of their importance in 1999 in an administrative reform; they remain as territorial divisions and seats of various branches of state administration.^[96]

The smallest administrative units are obce (municipalities). As of 2021, the Czech Republic is divided into 6,254 municipalities. Cities and towns are also municipalities. The capital city of Prague is a region and municipality at the same time.

Economy

The Czech Republic has a developed,^[97] high-income^[98] export-oriented social market economy based in services, manufacturing and innovation, that maintains a welfare state and the European social model.^[99] The Czech Republic participates in the European Single Market as a member of the European Union and is therefore a part of the economy of the European Union, but uses its own currency, the Czech koruna, instead of the euro. It has a per capita GDP rate that is 91% of the EU average^[100] and is a member of the OECD. Monetary policy is conducted by the Czech National Bank, whose independence is guaranteed by the Constitution. The Czech Republic ranks 12th in the UN inequality-adjusted human development and 14th in World Bank Human Capital Index. It was described by The Guardian as "one of Europe's most flourishing economies".^[101]

As of 2018^[update], the country's GDP per capita at purchasing power parity is $37,370^[102] and $22,850 at nominal value.^[103] According to Allianz A.G., in 2018 the country was an MWC (mean wealth country), ranking 26th in net financial assets.^[104] The country experienced a 4.5% GDP growth in 2017.^[105] The 2016 unemployment rate was the lowest in the EU at 2.4%,^[106] and the 2016 poverty rate was the second lowest of OECD members.^[107] Czech Republic ranks 24th in both the Index of Economic Freedom^[108] and the Global Innovation Index as of 2016^[update],^[109] 29th in the Global Competitiveness Report,^[110] 30th in the ease of doing business index and 25th in the Global Enabling Trade Report.^[111] The Czech Republic has a diverse economy that ranks 7th in the 2016 Economic Complexity Index.^[112] The industrial sector accounts for 37.5% of the economy, while services account for 60% and agriculture for 2.5%.^[113] The largest trading partner for both export and import is Germany and the EU in general. Dividends worth CZK 270 billion were paid to the foreign owners of Czech companies in 2017, which has become a political issue.^[114] The country has been a member of the Schengen Area since 1 May 2004, having abolished border controls, completely opening its borders with all of its neighbors on 21 December 2007.^[115]

Industry

In 2018 the largest companies by revenue in the Czech Republic were: one of the car automobile manufacturers in Central Europe Škoda Auto, utility company ČEZ Group, conglomerate Agrofert, energy trading company EPH, oil processing company Unipetrol, electronics manufacturer Foxconn CZ and steel producer Moravia Steel.^[116] Other Czech transportation companies include: Škoda Transportation (tramways, trolleybuses, metro), Tatra (heavy trucks, the second oldest car maker in the world), Avia (medium trucks), Karosa and SOR Libchavy (buses), Aero Vodochody (military aircraft), Let Kunovice (civil aircraft), Zetor (tractors), Jawa Moto (motorcycles) and Čezeta (electric scooters).

Škoda Transportation is the fourth largest tram producer in the world; nearly one third of all trams in the world come from Czech factories.^[117] The Czech Republic is also the world's largest vinyl records manufacturer, with GZ Media producing about 6 million pieces annually in Loděnice.^[118] Česká zbrojovka is among the ten largest firearms producers in the world and five who produce automatic weapons.^[119]

In the food industry succeeded companies Agrofert, Kofola and Hamé.

Energy

Production of Czech electricity exceeds consumption by about 10 TWh per year, which are exported. Nuclear power presently provides about 30 percent of the total power needs, its share is projected to increase to 40 percent. In 2005, 65.4 percent of electricity was produced by steam and combustion power plants (mostly coal); 30 percent by nuclear plants; and 4.6 percent from renewable sources, including hydropower. The largest Czech power resource is Temelín Nuclear Power Station, with another nuclear power plant in Dukovany.

The Czech Republic is reducing its dependence on highly polluting low-grade brown coal as a source of energy. Natural gas is procured from Russian Gazprom, roughly three-fourths of domestic consumption, and from Norwegian companies, which make up most of the remaining one-fourth. Russian gas is imported via Ukraine, Norwegian gas is transported through Germany. Gas consumption (approx. 100 TWh in 2003–2005) is almost double electricity consumption. South Moravia has small oil and gas deposits.

Transportation infrastructure

The road network in the Czech Republic is 55,653 km (34,581.17 mi) long.^[120] There are 1,232 km of motorways as of 2017.^[121] The speed limit is 50 km/h within towns, 90 km/h outside of towns and 130 km/h on motorways.^[122]

The Czech Republic has the densest rail network in the world^[123] with 9,505 km (5,906.13 mi) of tracks.^[124] Of that number, 2,926 km (1,818.13 mi) is electrified, 7,617 km (4,732.98 mi) are single-line tracks and 1,866 km (1,159.48 mi) are double and multiple-line tracks.^[125] České dráhy (the Czech Railways) is the main railway operator in the Czech Republic, with about 180 million passengers carried yearly. Maximum speed is limited to 160 km/h. In 2006 seven Italian tilting trainsets Pendolino ČD Class 680 entered service.

Václav Havel Airport in Prague is the main international airport in the country. In 2017, it handled 15 million passengers. In total, the Czech Republic has 46 airports with paved runways, six of which provide international air services in Brno, Karlovy Vary, Mošnov (near Ostrava), Pardubice, Prague and Kunovice (near Uherské Hradiště).

Russia, via pipelines through Ukraine and to a lesser extent, Norway, via pipelines through Germany, supply the Czech Republic with liquid and natural gas.^[126]

Communications and IT

The Czech Republic ranks in the top 10 countries worldwide with the fastest average internet speed.^[127] By the beginning of 2008, there were over 800 mostly local WISPs,^[128][129] with about 350,000 subscribers in 2007. Plans based on either GPRS, EDGE, UMTS or CDMA2000 are being offered by all three mobile phone operators (T-Mobile, O2, Vodafone) and internet provider U:fon. Government-owned Český Telecom slowed down broadband penetration. At the beginning of 2004, local-loop unbundling began and alternative operators started to offer ADSL and also SDSL. This and later privatisation of Český Telecom helped drive down prices.

On 1 July 2006, Český Telecom was acquired by globalized company (Spain-owned) Telefónica group and adopted the new name Telefónica O2 Czech Republic. As of 2017^[update], VDSL and ADSL2+ are offered in variants, with download speeds of up to 50 Mbit/s and upload speeds of up to 5 Mbit/s. Cable internet is gaining more popularity with its higher download speeds ranging from 50 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s.

Two computer security companies, Avast and AVG, were founded in the Czech Republic. In 2016, Avast led by Pavel Baudiš bought rival AVG for US$1.3 billion, together at the time, these companies had a user base of about 400 million people and 40% of the consumer market outside of China.^[130][131] Avast is the leading provider of antivirus software, with a 20.5% market share.^[132]

Tourism

Prague is the fifth most visited city in Europe after London, Paris, Istanbul and Rome.^[133] In 2001, the total earnings from tourism reached 118 billion CZK, making up 5.5% of GNP and 9% of overall export earnings. The industry employs more than 110,000 people – over 1% of the population.^[134] Guidebooks and tourists reporting overcharging by taxi drivers and pickpocketing problems are mainly in Prague, though the situation has improved recently.^[135][136] Since 2005, Prague's mayor, Pavel Bém, has worked to improve this reputation by cracking down on petty crime^[136] and, aside from these problems, Prague is a "safe" city.^[137] The Czech Republic's crime rate is described as "low".^[138]

One of the tourist attractions in the Czech Republic^[139] is the Nether district Vítkovice in Ostrava.

The Czech Republic boasts 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. All of them are in the cultural category. As of 2018^[update], further 18 sites are on the tentative list.^[140]

Architectural heritage is an object of interest to visitors – it includes castles and châteaux from different historical epoques, namely Karlštejn Castle, Český Krumlov and the Lednice–Valtice area. There are 12 cathedrals and 15 churches elevated to the rank of basilica by the Pope, calm monasteries.

Away from the towns, areas such as Český ráj, Šumava and the Krkonoše mountains attract visitors seeking outdoor pursuits. There is a number of beer festivals.

The country is also known for its various museums. Puppetry and marionette exhibitions are with a number of puppet festivals throughout the country.^[141] Aquapalace Praha in Čestlice near Prague, is the biggest water park in central Europe.^[142]

Science

The Czech lands have a long and well-documented history of scientific innovation.^[143][144] Today, the Czech Republic has a highly sophisticated, developed, high-performing, innovation-oriented scientific community supported by the government,^[145] industry,^[146] and leading Czech Universities.^[147] Czech scientists are embedded members of the global scientific community.^[148] They contribute annually to multiple international academic journals and collaborate with their colleagues across boundaries and fields.^{[149][150][151][152]} The Czech Republic was ranked 24th in the Global Innovation Index in 2020, up from 26th in 2019.^{[153][154][155][156]}

Historically, the Czech lands, especially Prague, have been the seat of scientific discovery going back to early modern times, including Tycho Brahe, Nicolaus Copernicus, and Johannes Kepler. In 1784 the scientific community was first formally organized under the charter of the Royal Czech Society of Sciences. Currently, this organization is known as the Czech Academy of Sciences.^[157] Similarly, the Czech lands have a well-established history of scientists,^[158][159] including Nobel laureates biochemists Gerty and Carl Ferdinand Cori, chemist Jaroslav Heyrovský and physicist Peter Grünberg.^[160] Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, was born in Příbor,^[161] Gregor Mendel, the founder of genetics, was born in Hynčice and has spent most of his life in Brno.^[162]

Most of the scientific research was recorded in Latin or in German and archived in libraries supported and managed by religious groups and other denominations as evidenced by historical locations of international renown and heritage such as the Strahov Monastery and the Clementinum in Prague. Increasingly, Czech scientists publish their work and that of their history in English.^[163][164]

Demographics

The total fertility rate (TFR) in 2020 was estimated at 1.71 children born/woman, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1.^[165] The Czech Republic's population subsequently has an average age of 42.5 years.^[166] The life expectancy in 2013 was estimated at 77.56 years (74.29 years male, 81.01 years female).^[167] Immigration increased the population by almost 1% in 2007. About 77,000 people immigrate to the Czech Republic annually.^[168] Vietnamese immigrants began settling in the country during the Communist period, when they were invited as guest workers by the Czechoslovak government.^[169] In 2009, there were about 70,000 Vietnamese in the Czech Republic.^[170] Most decide to stay in the country permanently.^[171]

According to results of the 2011 census, the majority of the inhabitants of the Czech Republic are Czechs (64.3%), followed by Moravians (5.0%), Slovaks (1.4%), Ukrainians (0.5%), Poles (0.4%), Viets (0.3%), Germans (0.2%) and Silesians (0.1%). As the 'nationality' was an optional item, a number of people left this field blank (25.3%).^[4] According to some estimates, there are about 250,000 Romani people in the Czech Republic.^[172][173] The Polish minority resides mainly in the Zaolzie region.^[174]

There were 496,413 (4.5% of population) foreigners residing in the country in 2016, according to the Czech Statistical Office, with the largest groups being Ukrainian (22%), Slovak (22%), Vietnamese (12%), Russian (7%) and German (4%). Most of the foreign population lives in Prague (37.3%) and Central Bohemia Region (13.2%).^[175]

The Jewish population of Bohemia and Moravia, 118,000 according to the 1930 census, was nearly annihilated by the Nazi Germans during the Holocaust.^[176] There were approximately 4,000 Jews in the Czech Republic in 2005.^[177] The former Czech prime minister, Jan Fischer, is of Jewish faith.^[178]

Religion

The Czech Republic has 75%^[180] to 79%^[181] of people not declaring any religion or faith in polls and the percentage of convinced atheists being third highest (30%) behind China (47%) and Japan (31%).^[182] The Czech people have been historically characterized as "tolerant and even indifferent towards religion".^[183]

Christianization in the 9th and 10th centuries introduced Catholicism. After the Bohemian Reformation, most Czechs became followers of Jan Hus, Petr Chelčický and other regional Protestant Reformers. Taborites and Utraquists were Hussite groups. During the Hussite Wars, Utraquists sided with the Catholic Church. Following the joint Utraquist—Catholic victory, Utraquism was accepted as a distinct form of Christianity to be practiced in Bohemia by the Catholic Church while all remaining Hussite groups were prohibited. After the Reformation, some Bohemians went with the teachings of Martin Luther, especially Sudeten Germans. In the wake of the Reformation, Utraquist Hussites took a renewed increasingly anti-Catholic stance, while some of the defeated Hussite factions were revived. After the Habsburgs regained control of Bohemia, the whole population was forcibly converted to Catholicism—even the Utraquist Hussites. Going forward, Czechs have become more wary and pessimistic of religion as such. A history of resistance to the Catholic Church followed. It suffered a schism with the neo-Hussite Czechoslovak Hussite Church in 1920, lost the bulk of its adherents during the Communist era and continues to lose in the modern, ongoing secularization. Protestantism never recovered after the Counter-Reformation was introduced by the Austrian Habsburgs in 1620.

According to the 2011 census, 34% of the population stated they had no religion, 10.3% was Catholic, 0.8% was Protestant (0.5% Czech Brethren and 0.4% Hussite),^[184] and 9% followed other forms of religion both denominational or not (of which 863 people answered they are Pagan). 45% of the population did not answer the question about religion.^[179] From 1991 to 2001 and further to 2011 the adherence to Catholicism decreased from 39% to 27% and then to 10%; Protestantism similarly declined from 3.7% to 2% and then to 0.8%.^[185] The Muslim population is estimated to be 20,000 representing 0.2% of the population.^[186]

Welfare

Education in the Czech Republic is compulsory for 9 years and citizens have access to a tuition-free university education, while the average number of years of education is 13.1.^[188] Additionally, the Czech Republic has a "relatively equal" educational system in comparison with other countries in Europe.^[188] Founded in 1348, Charles University was the first university in Central Europe. Other major universities in the country are Masaryk University, Czech Technical University, Palacký University, Academy of Performing Arts and University of Economics.

The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks the Czech education system as the 15th most successful in the world, higher than the OECD average.^[189] The UN Education Index ranks the Czech Republic 10th as of 2013^[update] (positioned behind Denmark and ahead of South Korea).^[190]

Healthcare in the Czech Republic is similar in quality to other developed nations. The Czech universal health care system is based on a compulsory insurance model, with fee-for-service care funded by mandatory employment-related insurance plans.^[191] According to the 2016 Euro health consumer index, a comparison of healthcare in Europe, the Czech healthcare is 13th, ranked behind Sweden and two positions ahead of the United Kingdom.^[192]

Culture

Art

Venus of Dolní Věstonice is the treasure of prehistoric art. Theodoric of Prague was a painter in the Gothic era who decorated the castle Karlstejn. In the Baroque era, there were Wenceslaus Hollar, Jan Kupecký, Karel Škréta, Anton Raphael Mengs or Petr Brandl, sculptors Matthias Braun and Ferdinand Brokoff. In the first half of the 19th century, Josef Mánes joined the romantic movement. In the second half of the 19th century had the main say the so-called "National Theatre generation": sculptor Josef Václav Myslbek and painters Mikoláš Aleš, Václav Brožík, Vojtěch Hynais or Julius Mařák. At the end of the century came a wave of Art Nouveau. Alfons Mucha became the main representative. He is known for Art Nouveau posters and his cycle of 20 large canvases named the Slav Epic, which depicts the history of Czechs and other Slavs. As of 2012^[update], the Slav Epic can be seen in the Veletržní Palace of the National Gallery in Prague, which manages the largest collection of art in the Czech Republic. Max Švabinský was another Art nouveau painter. The 20th century brought an avant-garde revolution. In the Czech lands mainly expressionist and cubist: Josef Čapek, Emil Filla, Bohumil Kubišta, Jan Zrzavý. Surrealism emerged particularly in the work of Toyen, Josef Šíma and Karel Teige. In the world, however, he pushed mainly František Kupka, a pioneer of abstract painting. As illustrators and cartoonists in the first half of the 20th century gained fame Josef Lada, Zdeněk Burian or Emil Orlík. Art photography has become a new field (František Drtikol, Josef Sudek, later Jan Saudek or Josef Koudelka).

The Czech Republic is known for its individually made, mouth-blown, and decorated Bohemian glass.

Architecture

The earliest preserved stone buildings in Bohemia and Moravia date back to the time of the Christianization in the 9th and 10th centuries. Since the Middle Ages, the Czech lands have been using the same architectural styles as most of Western and Central Europe. The oldest still standing churches were built in the Romanesque style. During the 13th century, it was replaced by the Gothic style. In the 14th century, Emperor Charles IV invited architects from France and Germany, Matthias of Arras and Peter Parler, to his court in Prague. During the Middle Ages, some fortified castles were built by the king and aristocracy, as well as some monasteries.

The Renaissance style penetrated the Bohemian Crown in the late 15th century when the older Gothic style started to be mixed with Renaissance elements. An example of pure Renaissance architecture in Bohemia is the Queen Anne's Summer Palace, which was situated in the garden of Prague Castle. Evidence of the general reception of the Renaissance in Bohemia, involving an influx of Italian architects, can be found in spacious chateaus with arcade courtyards and geometrically arranged gardens.^[193] Emphasis was placed on comfort, and buildings that were built for entertainment purposes also appeared.^[194]

In the 17th century, the Baroque style spread throughout the Crown of Bohemia.^[195]

In the 18th century, Bohemia produced an architectural peculiarity – the Baroque Gothic style, a synthesis of the Gothic and Baroque styles.^[193]

During the 19th century stands the revival architectural styles. Some churches were restored to their presumed medieval appearance and there were constructed buildings in the Neo-Romanesque, Neo-Gothic and Neo-Renaissance styles. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the new art style appeared in the Czech lands – Art Nouveau.

Bohemia contributed an unusual style to the world's architectural heritage when Czech architects attempted to transpose the Cubism of painting and sculpture into architecture.

Between World Wars I and II, Functionalism, with its sober, progressive forms, took over as the main architectural style.^[193]

After World War II and the Communist coup in 1948, art in Czechoslovakia became Soviet-influenced. The Czechoslovak avant-garde artistic movement is known as the Brussels style came up in the time of political liberalization of Czechoslovakia in the 1960s. Brutalism dominated in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Czech Republic is not shying away from the more modern trends of international architecture.^[193]

Literature

The literature from the area of today's Czech Republic was mostly written in Czech, but also in Latin and German or even Old Church Slavonic. Franz Kafka, while bilingual in Czech and German,^[196][197] wrote his works (The Trial, The Castle) in German.

In the second half of the 13th century, the royal court in Prague became one of the centers of German Minnesang and courtly literature. The Czech German-language literature can be seen in the first half of the 20th century.

Bible translations played a role in the development of Czech literature. The oldest Czech translation of the Psalms originated in the late 13th century and the first complete Czech translation of the Bible was finished around 1360. The first complete printed Czech Bible was published in 1488. The first complete Czech Bible translation from the original languages was published between 1579 and 1593. The Codex Gigas from the 12th century is the largest extant medieval manuscript in the world.^[198]

Czech-language literature can be divided into several periods: the Middle Ages; the Hussite period; the Renaissance humanism; the Baroque period; the Enlightenment and Czech reawakening in the first half of the 19th century, modern literature in the second half of the 19th century; the avant-garde of the interwar period; the years under Communism; and the Czech Republic.

The antiwar comedy novel The Good Soldier Švejk is the most translated Czech book in history.

The international literary award the Franz Kafka Prize is awarded in the Czech Republic.^[199]

The Czech Republic has the densest network of libraries in Europe.^[200]

Czech literature and culture played a role on at least two occasions when Czechs lived under oppression and political activity was suppressed. On both of these occasions, in the early 19th century and then again in the 1960s, the Czechs used their cultural and literary effort to strive for political freedom, establishing a confident, politically aware nation.^[201]

Music

The musical tradition of the Czech lands arose from the first church hymns, whose first evidence is suggested at the break of the 10th and 11th centuries. Some pieces of Czech music include two chorales, which in their time performed the function of anthems: "Lord, Have Mercy on Us" and the hymn "Saint Wenceslas" or "Saint Wenceslas Chorale".^[202] The authorship of the anthem "Lord, Have Mercy on Us" is ascribed by some historians to Saint Adalbert of Prague (sv.Vojtěch), bishop of Prague, living between 956 and 997.^[203]

The wealth of musical culture lies in the classical music tradition during all historical periods, especially in the Baroque, Classicism, Romantic, modern classical music and in the traditional folk music of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. Since the early era of artificial music, Czech musicians and composers have been influenced the folk music of the region and dance.

Czech music can be considered to have been "beneficial" in both the European and worldwide context, several times co-determined or even determined a newly arriving era in musical art,^[204] above all of Classical era, as well as by original attitudes in Baroque, Romantic and modern classical music. Some Czech musical works are The Bartered Bride, New World Symphony, Sinfonietta and Jenůfa.

A music festival in the country is Prague Spring International Music Festival of classical music, a permanent showcase for performing artists, symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles of the world.

Theatre

The roots of Czech theatre can be found in the Middle Ages, especially in the cultural life of gothic period. In the 19th century, the theatre played a role in the national awakening movement and later, in the 20th century, it became a part of modern European theatre art. The original Czech cultural phenomenon came into being at the end of the 1950s. This project called Laterna magika, resulting in productions that combined theater, dance, and film in a poetic manner, considered the first multimedia art project in an international context.

A drama is Karel Čapek's play R.U.R., which introduced the word "robot".^[205]

Film

The tradition of Czech cinematography started in the second half of the 1890s. Peaks of the production in the era of silent movies include the historical drama The Builder of the Temple and the social and erotic drama Erotikon directed by Gustav Machatý.^[206] The early Czech sound film era was productive, above all in mainstream genres, with the comedies of Martin Frič or Karel Lamač. There were dramatic movies sought internationally.

After the period of Nazi occupation and early communist official dramaturgy of socialist realism in movies at the turn of the 1940s and 1950s with a fewer exceptions such as Krakatit or Men without wings (awarded by Palme d'Or in 1946), an era of the Czech film began with animated films, performed in anglophone countries under the name "The Fabulous World of Jules Verne" from 1958, which combined acted drama with animation, and Jiří Trnka, the founder of the modern puppet film.^[207] This began a tradition of animated films (Mole etc.).

In the 1960s, the hallmark of Czechoslovak New Wave's films were improvised dialogues, black and absurd humor and the occupation of non-actors. Directors are trying to preserve natural atmosphere without refinement and artificial arrangement of scenes. A personality of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s with original manuscript and psychological impact is František Vláčil. Another international author is Jan Švankmajer, a filmmaker and artist whose work spans several media. He is a self-labeled surrealist known for animations and features.^[208]

The Barrandov Studios in Prague are the largest film studios with film locations in the country.^[209] Filmmakers have come to Prague to shoot scenery no longer found in Berlin, Paris and Vienna. The city of Karlovy Vary was used as a location for the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale.^[210]

The Czech Lion is the highest Czech award for film achievement. Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is one of the film festivals that have been given competitive status by the FIAPF. Other film festivals held in the country include Febiofest, Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival, One World Film Festival, Zlín Film Festival and Fresh Film Festival.

Media

Journalists and media enjoy a degree of freedom. There are restrictions against writing in support of Nazism, racism or violating Czech law. The Czech press was ranked as the 23rd most free press in the World Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders in 2017.^[211] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has its headquarters in Prague.

The most watched main news program is TV Nova.^[212] A news webpage in the Czech Republic is ct24.cz, which is owned by Czech Television – the only national public television service – and its 24-hour news channel ČT24.^[213] Other public services include the Czech Radio and the Czech News Agency (ČTK). For privately owned television services, there is TV Nova, the most popular channel in the Czech Republic.

The best-selling daily national newspapers are Blesk (average 1.15M daily readers), Mladá fronta DNES (average 752,000 daily readers), Právo (average 260,00 daily readers) and Deník (average 72,000 daily readers).^[214]

Cuisine

Czech cuisine is marked by an emphasis on meat dishes with pork, beef, and chicken. Goose, duck, rabbit, and venison are served. Fish is less common, with the occasional exception of fresh trout and carp, which is served at Christmas.

Czech beer with the first brewery is known to have existed in 993 and the Czech Republic has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world. The "pilsner style beer" (pils) originated in Plzeň, where the world's first-ever blond lager Pilsner Urquell is still being produced, making it the inspiration for more than two-thirds of the beer produced in the world today. Further south the town of České Budějovice, lent its name to its beer, known as Budweiser Budvar.

Tourism around the Southern Moravian region has been producing wine since the Middle Ages; about 94% of vineyards in the Czech Republic are Moravian. Aside from slivovitz, Czech beer and wine, the Czechs also produce two liquors, Fernet Stock and Becherovka. Kofola is a non-alcoholic domestic cola soft drink which competes with Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

There is also a variety of local sausages, wurst, pâtés, and smoked and cured meats. Czech desserts include a variety of whipped cream, chocolate, and fruit pastries and tarts, crêpes, creme desserts and cheese, poppy-seed-filled and other types of traditional cakes such as buchty, koláče and štrúdl.^{[citation needed]}

Sport

The most watched events in the Czech Republic are Olympic Ice hockey tournaments and Ice Hockey Championships.^[215][216] The two leading sports are football and ice hockey. Other most popular sports according to the size of the membership base of sports clubs include tennis, volleyball, floorball, golf, ball hockey, athletics, basketball and skiing.^[217]

The country has won 15 gold medals in summer and 9 gold medals in winter Olympic history. The Czech ice hockey team won the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics and has won twelve gold medals at the World Championships, including three straight from 1999 to 2001.

The Škoda Motorsport is engaged in competition racing since 1901 and has gained a number of titles with various vehicles around the world. MTX automobile company was formerly engaged in the manufacture of racing and formula cars since 1969.

A common sport is hiking. The word for 'tourist' in Czech, turista, also means 'trekker' or 'hiker'. For hikers, thanks to the more than 120-year-old tradition, there is a Czech Hiking Markers System of trail blazing, that has been adopted by countries worldwide. There is a network of around 40,000 km of marked short- and long-distance trails crossing the whole country and all the Czech mountains.^[218][219]

See also

• List of Czech Republic-related topics
• Outline of the Czech Republic

Notes

References

Citations

General sources

• Angi, János (1997). "A nyugati szláv államok" [Western Slavic states]. In Pósán, László; Papp, Imre; Bárány, Attila; Orosz, István; Angi, János (eds.). Európa a korai középkorban [Europe in the Early Middle Ages] (in Hungarian). Multiplex Media – Debrecen University Press. pp. 358–365. ISBN 978-963-04-9196-9.
• Hawes, James (2008). Why You Should Read Kafka Before You Waste Your Life. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-312-37651-2.
• Sayer, Derek (1996). "The Language of Nationality and the Nationality of Language: Prague 1780–1920". Past and Present. Oxford. 153 (1): 164. doi:10.1093/past/153.1.164. OCLC 394557.

Further reading

• Hochman, Jiří (1998). Historical dictionary of the Czech State. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0810833387

External links

• Governmental website
• Presidential website
• Senate
• Portal of the Public Administration
• Czech Tourism official tourism site of the Czech Republic
• Czechia. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
• Wikimedia Atlas of the Czech Republic
• Geographic data related to Czech Republic at OpenStreetMap