Europe > Czech Republic > Government

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Administrative divisions 13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky, Kralovehradecky, Liberecky, Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky, Pardubicky, Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky, Vysocina, Zlinsky
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador	Jorma Inki
Ambassadors from Israel > Current Israeli Ambassadors > Israeli Ambassador	Aryeh Arazi
ambassadors to the United States > Ambassador	Petr Kolar
Capital city	Prague
Capital city > Daylight saving time +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	50 05 N, 14 28 E
Capital city > Name	Prague
Capital city > Time difference UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993
Copyright > Reference	Art. 27,
Corruption	4.3		[47th of 160]
Council of EU, 2005 > Country leader	Stanislav Gross
Council of EU, 2005 > Country votes	12		[12th of 25]
Council of EU, 2005 > European party of leader PES
Council of EU, 2006 > Country leader	Jiří Paroubek
Council of EU, 2006 > Country votes	12		[12th of 25]
Council of EU, 2006 > European party of leader PES
Council of EU, 2007 > Country leader	Mirek Topolanek
Council of EU, 2007 > Country votes	12		[10th of 27]
Council of EU, 2007 > European party of leader MER
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection	70 pma
date of transition to republican system of government > Republic since	March 15, 1917
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Richard W. GRABER
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague 1
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX	[420] 257 022 809
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address use embassy street address
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone	[420] 257 022 000
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Petr KOLAR
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX	[1] (202) 966-8540
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone	[1] (202) 274-9100
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Address	251 Cooper St.
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Neighbourhood Downtown
Espionage organizations and agencies Security Information Service
European Council > Current composition of the European Council > Title	Prime minister
European Parliament constituency > Comparison with member states without constituencies > per Seat	425k
European Parliament constituency > Comparison with member states without constituencies > Seats	24		[9th of 25]
Executive branch > A note the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years; parliament finally elected a successor after two inconclusive elections in January 2003 and three rounds of balloting on 28 February 2003
Executive branch > Cabinet Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Executive branch > Chief of state President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)
Executive branch > Election results Vaclav KLAUS reelected president on 15 February 2008; Vaclav KLAUS 141 votes, Jan SVEJNAR 111 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
Executive branch > Elections president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held 15 February 2008 (after earlier elections held 8 and 9 February 2008 were inconclusive; next election to be held in February 2013); prime minister appointed by the president
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK (since 9 January 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007), Martin BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Alexandr VONDRA (since 9 January 2007)
Executive branch > Note the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years; parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two inconclusive elections in January 2003
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; note: identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia
Flag modification	30		[11th of 197]
foreign consulates in Edinburgh, Scotland > Consulate Address	12a Riselaw Crescent
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment	January 1, 1993
Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment	March 2, 1994
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth	0.66 %		[93rd of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$	13,792,230,000 constant 2000 US$		[33rd of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita)	1,347.675 constant 2000 US$ per c		[23rd of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU	532242000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU	663855000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$	27,721,840,000 $		[26th of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP)	0.223 $ per $1 of GDP		[25th of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita)	2,708.774 $ per capita		[25th of 184]
Government type	parliamentary democracy
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom	Linda Duffield
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type	Embassy
Independence 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Independence Day > Date	October 28
International organization participation ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term
Laws against Holocaust denial > Penalties for violation > Maximum	2 years
Laws against Holocaust denial > Penalties for violation > Minimum	6 months
Legal origin German
Legal system civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Legislative branch > Election results Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODS 35, CSSD 29, KDU-CSL 7, others 8, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ODS 35.4%, CSSD 32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by party - ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6; note - seats by party as of December 2007 - ODS 81, CSSD 72, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6, unaffiliated 2 (former CSSD members)
Legislative branch > Elections Senate - last held in two rounds 17-18 and 24-25 October 2008 (next to be held in October 2010); Chamber of Deputies - last held 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010)
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time	2.08 %		[36th of 38]
National holiday Czech Founding Day, 28 October
Parties in the Council of the European Union > leaders > European > party MER
Parties in the Council of the European Union > leaders > Leader	Mirek Topolanek
Parties in the Council of the European Union > leaders > Votes	12		[10th of 27]
Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint	21.7 %		[21st of 38]
political parties > Multi party	•
Political parties and leaders Association of Independent Candidates-European Democrats or SNK-ED [Helmut DOHNALEK]; Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK]; Union of Freedom-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan CERNY]; Green Party [Martin BURSIK]; Independent Democrats (NEZDEM) [Vladimir ZELEZNY]; Party of Open Society (SOS) [Pavel NOVACEK]; Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ]
Political pressure groups and leaders Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Milan STECH]
Prime minister	Mirek Topolánek
Procedures to build a warehouse > number	31		[6th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita)	3.029 per 1 million people		[74th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number	21		[149th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita)	2.052 per 1 million people		[115th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number	4		[135th of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita)	390.851 per 1 billion people		[109th of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > %	15.5 %		[78th of 174]
Stabilisation and Association process > Croatia	entered the EU later
Stabilisation and Association process > Stabilisation and Association process > Republic of > Macedonia	entered the EU later
Start-up procedures to register a business > number	10		[70th of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita)	0.977 per 1 million people		[93rd of 171]
Status democracy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Time required to build a warehouse > days	271 days		[37th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days	820 days		[24th of 171]
Time required to register property > days	123 days		[34th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days	24 days		[118th of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours	930 hours		[10th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years	9.2 years		[3rd of 151]
Total businesses registered > number	2,325,977		[11th of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita)	227.992 per 1 million people		[2nd of 83]
Trademarks, nonresidents	1,042		[30th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita)	0.102 per 1 million people		[32nd of 146]
Trademarks, residents	9,365		[15th of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita)	0.918 per 1 million people		[10th of 142]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International while threats of international legal action never materialized in 2007, 915,220 Austrians, with the support of the popular Freedom Party, signed a petition in January 2008, demanding that Austria block the Czech Republic's accession to the EU unless Prague closes its controversial Soviet-style nuclear plant in Temelin, bordering Austria
UN membership date	19 Jan. 1993
United Nations mission http://www.czechembassy.org/wwwo/default.asp?zu=/zu/un.newyork

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