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Czechia

Czech Republic

Europe Prague

Population

10.84M

Area

78,867 km²

GDP

$345.04B

GDP Per Capita

$48,000

Pop. Density

137/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

Czech koruna(CZK)

Calling Code

+420

Timezone

UTC+01:00

Languages

Czech, Slovak

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Czech

Map of Czechia

Background

At the close of World War I, the Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia, a parliamentarian democracy. During the interwar years, having rejected a federal system, the new country's predominantly Czech leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the increasingly strident demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Slovaks, the Sudeten Germans, and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). On the eve of World War II, Nazi Germany occupied the territory that today comprises Czechia, and Slovakia became an independent state allied with Germany. After the war, a reunited but truncated Czechoslovakia (less Ruthenia) fell within the Soviet sphere of influence when the pro-Soviet Communist party staged a coup in February 1948. In 1968, an invasion by fellow Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create "socialism with a human face," ushering in a period of repression known as "normalization." The peaceful "Velvet Revolution" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a nonviolent "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. The country formally added the short-form name Czechia in 2016, while also continuing to use the full form name, the Czech Republic.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑122.1% since 2006
$156B (2006)$347B (2024)

Population

↑6.5% since 2006
10.2M (2006)10.9M (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 79.9 years
2006: 76.5 years2023: 79.9 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography19

Location

Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria

Geographic coordinates

49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total : 78,867 sq km
land: 77,247 sq km
water: 1,620 sq km

Area - comparative

about two-thirds the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries

total: 2,046 km
border countries: Austria 402 km; Germany 704 km; Poland 699 km; Slovakia 241 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain

Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country

Elevation

highest point: Snezka 1,602 m
lowest point: Labe (Elbe) River 115 m
mean elevation: 433 m

Natural resources

hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber, arable land

Land use

agricultural land

45.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 32.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 12.5% (2023 est.)

forest

38.2% (2023 est.)

other

16% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

220 sq km (2022)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Labe (Elbe) river source (shared with Germany [m]) - 1,252 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations

Natural hazards

flooding

Geography - note

note 1: landlocked; strategically located on some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe

note 2: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed freshwater cave at 519 m (1,703 ft); its survey is not complete, and it may be up to 800-1,200 m (2,625-3,937 ft) deep

People & Society33

Population

total: 10,838,703 (2025 est.)
male: 5,337,128
female: 5,501,575

Nationality

noun: Czech(s)
adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups

Czech 57.3%, Moravian 3.4%, other 7.7%, unspecified 31.6% (2021 est.)

Languages

Languages: Czech (official) 88.4%, Slovak 1.5%, other 2.6%, unspecified 7.2% (2021 est.)
major-language sample(s):
World Factbook, nepostradatelný zdroj základních informací. (Czech)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Roman Catholic 7%, other believers belonging to a church or religious society 6% (includes Evangelical United Brethren Church and Czechoslovak Hussite Church), believers unaffiliated with a religious society 9.1%, none 47.8%, unspecified 30.1% (2021 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.7% (male 871,303/female 826,896)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 3,542,298/female 3,373,127)
65 years and over: 20.5% (2024 est.) (male 922,136/female 1,302,130)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 56.5 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 24.3 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 32.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.1 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 44.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 42.7 years
female: 45.7 years

Population growth rate

-0.02% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

9.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

11.82 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, but the northern and eastern regions tend to have larger urban concentrations

Urbanization

urban population: 74.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.323 million PRAGUE (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.5 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.6 years (2024 est.)
male: 75.6 years
female: 81.8 years

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.84 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 9.5% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 16.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

4.35 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

6.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

26% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 12.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 6.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 2.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 3.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 26.8% (2025 est.)
male: 30.8% (2025 est.)
female: 23% (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.7% (2021 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 10% national budget (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 17 years (2022 est.)
male: 16 years (2022 est.)
female: 18 years (2022 est.)

Government25

Country name

conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czechia
local long form: Ceska republika
local short form: Cesko
etymology: name derives from the Czechs, a West Slavic tribe who rose to prominence in the late 9th century A.D.; the tribal name is said to come from an ancestral chief

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Prague
geographic coordinates: 50 05 N, 14 28 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: the name may derive from the old Slavic word "praga" or "prah," meaning "threshold;" it could also be related to the same Slavic root word as the modern Czech "pražiti," a term for woodland cleared by burning

Administrative divisions

13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky (South Bohemia), Jihomoravsky (South Moravia), Karlovarsky (Karlovy Vary), Kralovehradecky (Hradec Kralove), Liberecky (Liberec), Moravskoslezsky (Moravia-Silesia), Olomoucky (Olomouc), Pardubicky (Pardubice), Plzensky (Pilsen), Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky (Central Bohemia), Ustecky (Usti), Vysocina (Highlands), Zlinsky (Zlin)

Legal system

new civil code enacted in 2014, replacing civil code of 1964 based on former Austro-Hungarian civil codes and socialist theory 

Constitution

history: previous 1960; latest ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993
amendment process: passage requires at least three-fifths concurrence of members present in both houses of Parliament

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Czechia
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

President Petr PAVEL (since 9 March 2023)

head of government

Prime Minister Andrej BABIS (since 9 December 2025)

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president for a 4-year term

most recent election date

13-14 January 2023, with a second round on 27-28 January 2023

election results


2023:
Petr PAVEL elected in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Petr PAVEL (independent) 35.4%, Andrej BABIS (ANO) 35%, Danuse NERUDOVA (Mayors and Independents) 13.9%, Pavel FISCHER (independent) 6.8%; percent of vote in the second round - Petr PAVEL 58.3%, Andrej BABIS 41.6%

2018:
 Milos ZEMAN reelected president in the second round; percent of vote - Milos ZEMAN (SPO) 51.4%, Jiri DRAHOS (independent) 48.6%

expected date of next election

by January 2028

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament (Parlament)
legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

Chamber of Deputies (Poslanecka Snemovna)

number of seats

200 (all directly elected)

electoral system

proportional representation

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

most recent election date

10/3/2025 to 10/4/2025

parties elected and seats per party

ANO (80); SPOLU (52); Mayors and independents (STAN) (22); Czech Pirate Party (18); Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) (15); Motoristé sobě (AUTO) (13)

percentage of women in chamber

33.5%

expected date of next election

October 2029

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate (Senat)

number of seats

81 (all directly elected)

electoral system

plurality/majority

scope of elections

partial renewal

term in office

6 years

most recent election date

9/20/2024 to 9/28/2024

parties elected and seats per party

Civic Democratic Party (ODS) (8); Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU - CSL) (7); TOP 09 (3); ANO 2011 (3); Independents (2); Other (4)

percentage of women in chamber

21.3%

expected date of next election

September 2026

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (organized into Civil Law and Commercial Division, and Criminal Division each with a court chief justice, vice justice, and several judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 15 justices); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 36 judges, including the court president and vice president, and organized into 6-, 7-, and 9-member chambers)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges proposed by the Chamber of Deputies and appointed by the president; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed for 10-year, renewable terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the president of the Court; unlimited terms
subordinate courts: High Court; regional and district courts

Political parties

Action of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO (Akce nespokojených občanů)
Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-ČSL
Civic Democratic Party or ODS
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSČM
Czech Pirate Party or Piráti
ForMOST or ProMOST
Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD
Independents or NEZ
Mayors and Independents or STAN
Mayors for the Liberec Region or SLK
Přísaha
Senator 21 or SEN 21
Social Democracy SOCDEM
Svobodni
Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09
Tábor 2020 or T2020
United Democrats - Association of Independents or SD-SN

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Miloslav STAŠEK (since 16 September 2022)

chancery

3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008-3803

telephone

[1] (202) 274-9100

FAX

[1] (202) 966-8540

email address and website


[email protected]

https://www.mzv.cz/washington/

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Nicholas MERRICK (since 23 October 2025)

embassy

Trziste 15, 118 01 Praha 1 - Mala Strana

mailing address

5630 Prague Place, Washington DC  20521-5630

telephone

[420] 257-022-000

FAX

[420] 257-022-809

email address and website


[email protected]

https://cz.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Independence

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

National holiday

Czechoslovak Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Flag

description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side

National symbol(s)

silver (or white) double-tailed rampant lion

National color(s)

white, red, blue

National anthem(s)

title: "Kde domov muj?" (Where is My Home?)
lyrics/music: Josef Kajetan TYL/Frantisek Jan SKROUP
history: adopted 1993; the anthem was originally written as incidental music for the play "Fidlovacka" (1834), but it soon became popular as an unofficial anthem of the Czech nation; its first verse served as the official Czechoslovak anthem beginning in 1918, and the second verse (Slovak) was dropped after Czechoslovakia was dissolved in 1993

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 17 (16 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Prague (c); Historic Telč (c); Historic Český Krumlov (c); Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape (c); Historic Kutná Hora (c); Holy Trinity Column, Olomouc (c); Karlovy Vary Spa (c); Zatec and the Landscape of Saaz Hops; Žatec and the Landscape of Saaz Hops (n)

Economy31

Economic overview

high-income, diversified EU economy; manufacturing-oriented exporter led by automotive industry; moderate growth driven by household consumption and investments, despite negative contribution from net exports; tight labor market with low unemployment; gained energy independence from Russian oil in April 2025

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $521.928 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $516.145 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $516.431 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 1.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: -0.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 2.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $48,000 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $47,500 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $48,400 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$345.037 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.4% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 10.7% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 15.1% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1.5% (2024 est.)
industry: 30.2% (2024 est.)
services: 59.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

44% (2023 est.)

government consumption

19.7% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

27.3% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.7% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services

69% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-64% (2023 est.)

Agricultural products

wheat, sugar beets, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, maize, triticale, pork, chicken (2023)

Industries

motor vehicles, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, glass, armaments

Industrial production growth rate

-1% (2024 est.)

Labor force

5.541 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 2.6% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 2.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 2.3% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 8.4% (2024 est.)
male: 8.2% (2024 est.)
female: 8.6% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

10.2% (2021 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022: 25.9 (2022 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 15.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 7.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.8% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 21.8% (2022 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2024: 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget

revenues: $94.01 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $106.07 billion (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 36.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

12.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024: $6.047 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$432.727 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$13.644 billion (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2024: $239.259 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $236.103 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $219.419 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

Germany 29%, Slovakia 7%, Poland 6%, France 5%, UK 5% (2023)

Exports - commodities

cars, vehicle parts/accessories, broadcasting equipment, computers, plastic products (2023)

Imports

Imports 2024: $216.741 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $219.09 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $216.042 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

Germany 22%, China 17%, Poland 8%, Slovakia 5%, Italy 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts/accessories, cars, plastic products, computers (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $146.281 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $148.379 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $139.981 billion (2022 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

koruny (CZK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

23.217 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

22.198 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

23.357 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

21.678 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

23.21 (2020 est.)

Energy8

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 21.802 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 63.628 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 22.648 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 13.465 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.012 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

45.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

40.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste

7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 6 (2025)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 3.96GW (2025 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 40% (2023 est.)

Coal

production: 31.946 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 33.239 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 2.128 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 4.09 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 3.595 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 219,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 15 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 163.333 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 6.499 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 6.812 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 3.964 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 136.306 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1.16 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 13.6 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

22 national TV stations, with 17 privately owned; publicly operated Czech Television has 5 national channels; over 350 TV channels, many through cable, satellite, and IPTV subscription services; 63 radio broadcasters operate over 80 radio stations, including 7 multiregional radio stations or networks; publicly owned broadcaster Czech Radio operates 4 national, 14 regional, and 4 Internet stations; both Czech Radio and Czech Television are partly financed through a license fee (2019)

Internet country code

.cz

Internet users

percent of population: 86% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 4.1 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2023 est.)

Transportation4

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OK

Airports

252 (2025)

Heliports

107 (2025)

Railways

total: 9,548 km (2020) 3,242 km electrified

Military & Security7

Military and security forces

Czech Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Force, Special Forces (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2025: 2% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024: 2.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 28,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Czech military has a mix of domestically produced, Soviet-era, and more recently acquired modern weapons and equipment from such suppliers as France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the US; its domestic defense industry produces such items as armored combat vehicles and light attack aircraft (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2004 (2025)

Military deployments

up to 130 Lithuania (NATO); 130 Slovakia (NATO) (2024)

Military - note

the Czech military is responsible for national and territorial defense, assisting civil authorities during natural disasters or other emergencies, boosting border security alongside the police, participating in international peacekeeping operations, and supporting its collective security commitments to the EU and NATO, both of which Czechia considers pillars of its national security strategy; Czechia is a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, contributes to UN peacekeeping operations, and actively participates in EU military and security missions under the EU Common Security and Defense Policy; the Czech military has been an active member of NATO since the country joined in 2009 and participates in a variety of NATO’s collective defense missions, including contributing to the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, Baltic Air Policing operations, rapid response forces, and operations in Kosovo; it also exercises regularly with NATO partners and maintains close bilateral ties to a number of militaries particularly partner members of the Visegrad Group (Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) and Germany

the military has commands for its land, air, cyber/information operations, and territorial forces, as well as a joint operations command and a separate special forces directorate; the Territorial Command is responsible for the active reserves and regional military commands that align with each of Czechia’s 13 regions and the capital, Prague (2025)

Transnational Issues1

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 392,198 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 5 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 588 (2024 est.)

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