Czechs in Houston

Czech Republic

Capital:     Prague (Praha)
 President:      Václav Klaus
Population:      10.49 Million
Size:      30,500 sq. miles
Currency:      Koruna
Language:      Czech
Religion:      Largely Roman Catholic

A few things about the country:

  • Formerly being a part of the In-dependent Republic of Czechoslovakia that was formed in 1918, Czech Republic split itself from Czechoslovakia into a separate country in 1993. The other part of the erstwhile Czechoslovakia emerged as an independent country by name Slovakia.

  • Czech Republic is a landlocked country located in the central region of Europe.

  • The country shares its borders with Slovak Republic in the east, Germany in the west and northwest, Poland in the north east and Austria in the south.

  • Since becoming a separate country in 1993, the country em-braced reforms with special focus on privatizations.

  • The country achieved the status of a developed economy in the year 2006, thus becoming first country in the group of Comecon countries, according to World Bank statistical analysis, to achieve this feat.

  • The Czech Republic has a per capita GDP in excess of 80% of the European average per capita GDP.

  • The country became a member of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in 1999, and joined the European Union in 2004. 

  • The Czech Republic is renowned for its nu-merous spa towns, especially along the border with Saxony (Germany). The most famous ones are those of Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad), Františkovy Lázne (Franzensbad) and Teplice.

  • There are over 2,000 castles, keeps, and castle ruins in the Czech Republic; one of the highest density in the world.

  • The literacy rate in the country is in the high, close to 99%. The education system in the country is the 15th best education system in the world.

Famous Czechs

  • Martina Navratilova ( Tennis Champion)

  • Jan Hus (Religious Reformer)

  • Bedrich Smetana (Classical Music Composer)

  • Antonín Dvorák (Classical Music Composers)

  • Franz Kafka (German-language Author)

  • Otto Wichterle (Inventor of soft contact lenses )

  • Milos Forman (Director- One Flew Over the Cucoo’s Nest) Pilsner, a type of pale lager beer, takes its name from being developed in the 19th century in the city of Pilsen, Bohemia.