Thanks to its long and rich history and the diversity of its natural environment, the Czech Republic is a great attraction for the millions of guests who visit the country every year. The jewel in the Czech crown is Prague with its gorgeous and rich architectural styles, but the country is also dotted with numerous historical city centres, castles and chateaux. Outside the urban areas, deep woods, rock formations and limestone caves are among the many interesting sites the Czech Republic has to offer. Since the Czech lands lie on the border between Eastern and Western Europe, the country has come under the influence of several cultures in the course of history. Each of these influences indelibly marked the face of the country with architectural or artistic monuments. This accounts for the uniquely rich cultural heritage of this relatively small country. In addition, the Czech lands, unlike so many parts of Europe, are practically untouched by the destruction of modern war.

The Czech Republic is a highly developed country situated in Central Europe. Its neighbours are Poland to the north, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and the Federal Republic of Germany to the west. The population is about 10.3 million people, and the area is 78 886 sq. km. Most of the population are Czechs (cca 95%), others are Slovaks (3 %), Poles (0.5 %), and Germans (0.4%). The figures for Czechs and Slovaks include the Romany, who make up about 5% of the population.

The Czech Republic is an industrial country, with cca 48 % of working people employed in industry, some 6 % in agriculture, and about 46 % in services. The services sector has grown rapidly since 1989.

The Czech Republic is a democratic country, rendering political rights to all citizens. The official head of state is the President. The supreme legislative power belongs to the Parliament and the Senate, while executive power lies with the Government. The most powerful parties are the Civic Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party (while the Communists have polled about 20% of the votes in each election since the changes.)

The Czechoslovak Republic, the predecessor of the present state, was established after the end of World War I (1918) and the fall of the Austrian - Hungarian Monarchy. From 1938 to 1945, the country suffered under Nazi occupation. Prague was liberated from the Nazis in May 1945. However, democracy lasted just three years: the stern Communist rule (from 1948) did not come to an end until the so-called Velvet Revolution in November 1989. In 1993, Czechoslovakia split into two independent states, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

In 2004, the Czech Republic became a member of the EU.