Chapter 35
Nationality: noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech note: 300,000 Slovaks declared themselves Czech citizens in 1994
Ethnic groups: Czech 94.4%, Slovak 3%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%, Gypsy 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 1%
Religions: atheist 39.8%, Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%
Languages: Czech, Slovak
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% (est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Czech Republic conventional short form: Czech Republic local long form: Ceska Republika local short form: Ceska Republika
Data code: EZ
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Prague
Administrative divisions: 73 districts (okresi, singular--okres) and 4 municipalities* (mesta, singular--mesto); Benesov, Beroun, Blansko, Breclav, Brno*, Brno-Venkov, Bruntal, Ceske Budejovice, Ceska Lipa, Cesky Krumlov, Cheb, Chomutov, Chrudim, Decin, Domazlice, Frydek-Mistek, Havlickuv Brod, Hodonin, Hradec Kralove, Jablonec nad Nisou, Jesenik, Jicin, Jihlava, Jindrichuv Hradec, Karlovy Vary, Karvina, Kladno, Klatovy, Kolin, Kromeriz, Kutna Hora, Liberec, Litomerice, Louny, Melnik, Mlada Boleslav, Most, Nachod, Novy Jicin, Nymburk, Olomouc, Opava, Ostrava*, Pardubice, Pelhrimov, Pisek, Plzen*, Plzen-Jih, Plzen-Sever, Prachatice, Praha*, Praha-Vychod, Praha Zapad, Prerov, Pribram, Prostejov, Rakovnik, Rokycany, Rychnov nad Kneznou, Semily, Sokolov, Strakonice, Sumperk, Svitavy, Tabor, Tachov, Teplice, Trebic, Trutnov, Uherske Hradiste, Usti nad Labem, Usti nad Orlici, Vsetin, Vyskov, Zdar nad Sazavou, Zlin, Znojmo
Independence: 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)
National holiday: National Liberation Day, 8 May; Founding of the Republic, 28 October
Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaclav HAVEL (since 2 February 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Milos ZEMAN (since 17 July 1998); Deputy Prime Ministers Vladimir SPIDLA (since 17 July 1998), Pavel RYCHETSKY since 17 July 1998), Egon LANSKY (since 17 July 1998), Pavel MERTLIK (since 17 July 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 20 January 1998 (next to be held NA January 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaclav HAVEL reelected president; Vaclav HAVEL received 47 of 81 votes in the Senate and 99 out of 200 votes in the Chamber of Deputies (second round of voting)
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve staggered two-, four-, and six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Snemovna Poslancu (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate--last held 13-14 and 20-21 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000--to replace/reelect 20 senators serving two-year terms); Chamber of Deputies--last held 19-20 June 1998 (early elections to be held NA June 2000) election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--governing coalition (CSSD 23), opposition (ODS 26, KDU-CSL 16, KCSM 4, ODA 7, US 4, DEU 1); Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--governing coalition (CSSD 74), opposition (ODS 63, KDU-CSL 20, US 19, KCSM 24)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for life; Constitutional Court, chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for life
Political parties and leaders: Civic Democratic Party or ODS KROUPA, chairman]; Christian Democratic Union-Czech People's Party
Political pressure groups and leaders: Czech-Moravian Chamber of Trade Unions; Civic Movement
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksandr VONDRA chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John SHATTUCK embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1 mailing address: use embassy street address
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (almost identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)
Economy
Economy--overview: Political and financial crises in 1997 shattered the Czech Republic's image as one of the most stable and prosperous of post-Communist states. Delays in enterprise restructuring and failure to develop a well-functioning capital market played major roles in Czech economic troubles, which culminated in a currency crisis in May. The currency was forced out of its fluctuation band as investors worried that the current account deficit, which reached nearly 8% of GDP in 1996, would become unsustainable. After expending $3 billion in vain to support the currency, the central bank let it float. The growing current account imbalance reflected a surge in domestic demand and poor export performance, as wage increases outpaced productivity. The government was forced to introduce two austerity packages later in the spring which cut government spending by 2.5% of GDP. A tough 1998 budget continued the painful medicine. These problems were compounded in the summer of 1997 by unprecedented flooding which inundated much of the eastern part of the country. Czech difficulties contrast with earlier achievements of strong GDP growth, a balanced budget, and inflation and unemployment that were among the lowest in the region. The Czech economy's transition problems continue to be too much direct and indirect government influence on the privatized economy, the sometimes ineffective management of privatized firms, and a shortage of experienced financial analysts for the banking system. The country slipped into a mild recession in 1998, but hopes to rebound with 1% growth in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$116.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -1.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$11,300 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 33.8% services: 61.2% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.6% highest 10%: 23.5% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.7% (1998)
Labor force: 3.655 million (1998)
Labor force--by occupation: industry 33.1%, agriculture 6.9%, construction 9.1%, transport and communications 7.2%, services 43.7% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 7% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $16.1 billion expenditures: $16.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Industries: fuels, ferrous metallurgy, machinery and equipment, coal, motor vehicles, glass, armaments
Industrial production growth rate: 6.7% (1998 est.)
Electricity--production: 60.214 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 76.69% hydro: 3.04% nuclear: 20.27% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 60.164 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 8.8 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 8.75 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products
Exports: $23.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: manufactured goods 40.5%, machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, chemicals 8.8%, raw materials and fuel 7.8% (1997)
Exports--partners: Germany 35.7%, Slovakia 12.9%, Austria 6.4%, Poland 5.7%, Russia 3.4%, Italy 3.3%, France 2.5% (1997)
Imports: $26.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38.1%, manufactured goods 19.3%, raw materials and fuels 12.4%, chemicals 12.2%, and food 5.2% (1997)
Imports--partners: Germany 26.6%, Slovakia 8.4%, Italy 5.3%, Austria 4.4%, FSU 3.4%, UK 3.4%, Poland 3.2% (1997)
Debt--external: $21.6 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $351.6 million (1995)
Currency: 1 koruna (Kc) = 100 haleru
Exchange rates: koruny (Kcs) per US$1--30.214 (December 1998), 32.294 (1998), 31.698 (1997), 27.145 (1996), 26.541 (1995), 28.785 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 3,349,539 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations--2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 67 (in addition, there are 35 low-power stations and about 51 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: total: 9,440 km standard gauge: 9,344 km 1.435-m standard gauge (2,743 km electrified at three voltages; 1,885 km double track) narrow gauge: 96 km 0.760-m narrow gauge (1996)
Highways: total: 55,489 km paved: 55,489 km (including 423 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: NA km; the Elbe (Labe) is the principal river
Pipelines: natural gas 5,400 km
Ports and harbors: Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem
Airports: 69 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 13 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 17 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense, Railroad Units
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 2,684,817 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,046,079 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 73,072 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $1.1 billion (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.8% (1998)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: Liechtenstein claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of property in the Czech Republic confiscated from its royal family in 1918; the Czech Republic insists that restitution does not go back before February 1948, when the communists seized power; individual Sudeten German claims for restitution of property confiscated in connection with their expulsion after World War II; unresolved property issues with Slovakia over redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal property
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; domestic consumption--especially of locally produced synthetic drugs--on the rise
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@Denmark -------
Introduction
Background: Once the seat of rapacious Viking raiders and later a major power in northwestern Europe, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the political and economic integration of Europe. So far, however, they have opted out of some aspects of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty including the new monetary system launched on 1 January 1999.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 43,094 sq km land: 42,394 sq km water: 700 sq km note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropolitan Denmark, but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland
Area--comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts
Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km
Coastline: 7,314 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 4 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers
Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m highest point: Ejer Bavnehoj 173 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, stone, gravel and sand
Land use: arable land: 60% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 10% other: 25% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,350 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes
Environment--current issues: air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides
Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography--note: controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in Copenhagen
People
Population: 5,356,845 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 504,182; female 478,547) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,811,445; female 1,765,038) 65 years and over: 15% (male 331,207; female 466,426) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.38% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 11.57 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 10.97 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.11 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.51 years male: 73.83 years female: 79.33 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish
Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, Eskimo, Faroese, German
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 91%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 2%, other 7% (1988)
Languages: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Eskimo dialect), German (small minority)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark
Data code: DA
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Copenhagen
Administrative divisions: metropolitan Denmark--14 counties (amter, singular--amt) and 2 kommunes*; Arhus, Bornholm, Fredericksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavns*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg note: see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing administrative divisions
Independence: first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy
National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
Constitution: 1849 was the original constitution; there was a major overhaul 5 June 1953, allowing for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state
Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968) head of government: Prime Minister Poul Nyrup RASMUSSEN (since 25 January 1993) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--progovernment parties: Social Democrats 65, Socialist People's Party 13, Radical Liberal Party 7, Unity Party 5; opposition: Liberal Party 43, Conservative Party 17, Danish People's Party 13, Center Democrats 8, Christian People's Party 4, Progress Party 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the monarch for life
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party [Poul
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Knud-Erik TYGESEN chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edward E. ELSON embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
Flag description: red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
Economy
Economy--overview: This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is a net exporter of food. The center-left coalition government will concentrate on reducing the persistently high unemployment rate and the budget deficit as well as following the previous government's policies of maintaining low inflation and a current account surplus. The coalition also vows to maintain a stable currency. The coalition has lowered marginal income taxes while maintaining overall tax revenues; boosted industrial competitiveness through labor market and tax reforms and increased research and development funds; and improved welfare services for the neediest while cutting paperwork and delays. Denmark chose not to join the 11 other EU members who launched the euro on 1 January 1999. Because of the global slowdown, GDP growth may fall to 1% in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$124.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.6% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$23,300 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 27% services: 69% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 20.5% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 2,895,950
Labor force--by occupation: private services 40%, government services 30%, manufacturing and mining 19%, construction 6%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 5% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 6.5% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $62.1 billion expenditures: $66.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture, and other wood products, shipbuilding
Industrial production growth rate: 1.3% (1996)
Electricity--production: 50.608 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 97.6% hydro: 0.05% nuclear: 0% other: 2.35% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 35.208 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 19.2 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 3.8 billion kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: grain, potatoes, rape, sugar beets; beef, dairy products; fish
Exports: $48.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, fuels, dairy products, ships, fish, chemicals
Exports--partners: Germany 21.4%, Sweden 11.6%, UK 9.6%, Norway 6.2%, France 5.3%, US 4.6%, Netherlands 4.5% (1997)
Imports: $46.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, textiles, paper
Imports--partners: Germany 21.7%, Sweden 12.7%, Netherlands 7.8%, UK 7.6%, France 5.6%, Norway 5.2%, US 5.0%, Japan (1997)
Debt--external: $44 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--donor: ODA, $1.6 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.408 (January 1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 3.2 million (1995 est.); 822,000 cellular telephone subscribers
Telephone system: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, four cellular radio communications systems international: 18 submarine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations--6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note--the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, station for world-wide Inmarsat access
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 78 (of which 35 are low-power stations; in addition, there are 51 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 3 million (1996 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 3,323 km (458 km privately owned and operated) standard gauge: 3,323 km 1.435-m gauge (440 km electrified; 760 km double track) (1996)
Highways: total: 71,600 km paved: 71,600 km (including 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 417 km
Pipelines: crude oil 110 km; petroleum products 578 km; natural gas 700 km