Czech Republic

16MO – The Czech republic

• Geographical and historical facts

• Political system

• Places of interest (cities, sport, culture)

• Prague

• The imporatnce of Czech membership in the international institutions and organizations

Osnova:

1. Geography (landscape, people and language, national symbols)

2. History

3. Political system (economy)

4. Places of interest (most beautiful cities and places, sport and culture events, famous people)

5. Prague (basic informations)

6. Our membership in organizations

1. GEOGRAPHY:

• Landscape

  • Situated in central Europe, inland country

  • Borders with Poland, Germany, Austria and Slovakia formed by mountain ranges

  • Highest peak is Sněžka (1603 m) in the Krkonoše mountains

  • Mountains: Krušné, Jizerské, Orlické mountains, Beskydy, Jeseníky

  • Rivers: longest is Vltava (with many dams as Lipno and Orlík), then Elbe, Morava, Oder flows into the North Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea

  • Country is divided into 3 parts Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia

  • 13 regions and capital city Prague

  • Climate: humid continental, cold winters and warm summers, heaviest rainfall during the summer months

• People

  • 10,5 million inhabitants

  • The official language is Czech

  • Different national minorities – Slovaks, Poles, Germans or Ukrainians

  • Currency is Czech crown

• National symbols

  • Flag: blue triangle on the left, white on the top and red is on the bottom

  • Anthem: Kde domov můj (Tyl, Škroup)

  • The Large state emblem: consists of a shield divided into 4 squares. The top left and bottom right squares are red, with a 2 tailed, white, crowned lion. The top right square is blue and contains a red-and-white checkered, crowned eagle. This is the Moravian eagle. The bottom left square is gold and contains a black, crowned eagle, which symbolizes the Silezian region of the country.

  • The small state emblem: consists of a red shield which contains a sliver split-tailed lion rampant with a golden crown and golden claws.

  • The banner of the president of the Czech republic

2. HISTORY:

• 9th century

  • Great Moravia was created

  • We were unified by the dynasty of Přemyslid (10th century duke Václav the patron saint)

• 14th century

  • Luxembourg dynasty

  • King Charles IV. – the kingdom was expanded (holy roman empire), blossom of the country (first university, Charles bridge, Karlštejn castle, …)

• 15th century

  • Hussite wars

  • After death of church reformer Jan Hus

• 16th century

  • Start of Habsburg reign

• 17th century

  • Thirty years war

  • 1620 Battle of the white mountain – then strong germanisation stopped by the Czech national revival in 18th and 19 century

• 20th and 21st centuries

  • WWI – after that Czechoslovakia established in 1918, first president T.G.M.

  • WWII and Nazi occupation of our country (Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia)

  • 1948 communistic putsch

  • 1968 Prague spring, occupation armies of Warsaw pact

  • 1989 Velvet revolution ended communism and occupation

  • 1993 state was split into independent Slovakia and Czech Republic, first president was Václav Havel

3. POLITICAL SYSTEM:

• Parliamentary democracy

• Head of state is president Miloš Zeman (voted every 5 years by the people older than 18)

• The parliament consist of two chambers: the house of deputies (200 members), the senate (81 members)

• The head of government is prime minister Andrej Babiš

• Highest court is the supreme court in Brno