Czechoslovakia was established on October 28,1918, out of the ruins of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by the post-World war I Treaties. In 1939, bohemia and Moravia which comprise the present day of Czech Republic became German Protectorates while Slovakia experienced a brief profile as an independent nation until 1945.

Czechoslovakia as a Federal country was restored in 1945., and the Czech and Slovak republics were granted broadly equal rights within the federation. After assumption of power by the communists in 1948 coup, a constitution was adopted establishing a “people’s democracy”. In 1960 socialism was proclaimed through a new constitution and the country’s name was changed to the Czechoslovak socialist republic (CSSR). In 1990 after the “velvet revolution” of Nov 1989, which toppled the communist regime the official name was change to the Czechoslovak Federal Republic (CSFR). The Federation was dissolved on December 31, 1992 with the Czech and Solvak Republics becoming two independent states on January 1, 1983.

Location : Between latitudes 49-51 degrees north and longitudes 12-19 degrees east. Germany to the north and west, Austria to the South, Poland to the north east Slovakia to the east. The Czech Republic comprises two main regions –Bohemia in the west and Moravia which buffer between the Czech and Solvak lands and includes the area of Silesia, which borders on Poland.

 Size: 78,884 sq. km.

Population : 10,266,000

Capital:  Prague (Population 1.18 million)

Other Major Cities: Brno, Ostrava, Plzen, Karlovy vary

Climate: Continental with warm summers and cold winters

Forest cover 54.3% of the land for agriculture includes 33% covered by forest

Time difference: 4-1/2 hrs. behind IST (winter) and 3-1/2 hrs. behind IST (Summer)

Political System:  Parliamentary democracy with President as Head of state and Prime minister as Head of Government. Bicameral legislature- Chamber of deputies ( 200 members).

Currency: Czech Koruna

Major Industries: Manufacture of Machinery (Heavy engineering/industrial machinery), automobiles, chemicals, rubber, food processing, and production of metal and metal products, glass and ceramics, electrical and optical instruments.

Major Crop: Wheat, barley, Sugar beet, Potatoes 

Languages: Czech, German, Russian, English

Gross Domestic Product growth rate during 2011-12: 5.2% per cent

Exports (2010): US$ 126.4 billion

Imports (2010): US$ 123.5 billion

Amount of FDI inflows for 2012-13 (for June 2012): US$ 1.24 billion

Amount of FDI equity inflows for the financial year 2012-13 (from April 2012 to June 2012):US$ 4.43 billion

 Top 10 Sectors attracting highest FDI inflows: Automotive components, Financial Service, Software & IT service, Textiles, Industrial machinery, Equipment & tools, Food and tobacco, Consumer product, Real estate, Business services

Top 10 Investing Countries: South Korea, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, Mexico, Switzerland, United States of America, Canada, Israel,