Czech Republic, republic comprising the historic regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and part of Silesia, in central Europe, bordered on the north by Poland, on the east by Slovakia, on the south by Austria, and on the west and north by Germany. Formerly parts of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia emerged as independent republics on January 1, 1993. The Czech Republic has an area of 78,864 sq km. Prague (Czech, Praha) is the capital and largest city.

Population
        10,321,344
        (1995-1996 official estimate)
Population Density
        131 people/sq km
        (339 people/sq mi)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
        75% Urban
        25% Rural
Largest Cities
        Prague1,209,855
        Brno388,899
        Ostrava324,813
        (1996 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
        81% Czech
        13% Moravian
        6%  Other
        including Slovaks, Poles, Germans, Gypsies, and Hungarians
Languages
Official Language
        Czech
Other Languages
        minority languages, including Slovak, German, Hungarian, and Romany
Religions
        43% Roman Catholicism
        35% Non-religious
        22% Other
        including Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Judaism