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Area: 78 864 sq.km
Population: 10 315 000
Density: 131 people per sq.km
Capital: Prague

Other large cities:

Brno 390 thousand people

Ostrava 350 thousand people

Plzen 170 thousand people

Olomouc 105 thousand people

Currency: Czech crown
Language: Czech (one of the Slav languages)
Head of State: Vaclav Havel (president)
Prime Minister: Milos Zeman

Geography and climate:

The Czech Republic (comprising Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia) is situated in the centre of Europe between 48 and 51 degrees of North latitude and 12 and 19 degrees of East longitude. It borders on the Federal Republic of Germany, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Austria. The prevailing continental climate is characterised by mild winters and warm summers. The mean annual temperature is 10°C, in summer months 20°C, and in winter about -5°C.

Public holidays of the Czech Republic:

New Year's Day	January 1
Easter Monday	movable
Labour Day	May 1
Day of Liberation from Fascism	May 8
Day of Slav Apostles Cyril and Methodius	July 5
Day of John Huss'death at stake	July 6
Day of the Czech Statehood	September 28
Day of origin of independent Czechoslovakia	October 28
Day of Freedom and Democracy	November 17
Christmas holidays	December 24-26