Czech Republic

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The Czech republic also known as "the heart of Europe" is the western part of former Czechoslovakia. The Czech republic is surrounded by Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Austria. The Czech hills, mountains and forests are interspersed with valleys and rolling plains. The Czech lands, of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia) have a very picturesque history. The Czechs have the highest density of historical architecture in the world and the country abounds in remnants of years gone by. This area was permanently settled in the 5 th century by Slavic tribes. In 1355 when the king Charles IV of Bohemia was elected Holy Roman emperor the capital city of Prague was transformed into a political and cultural center of Europe. Game management goes back to this era when the Czech kings created the first regulations in order to "protect the game against poaching thieves". In the 15 th century the Bohemian lands became a center of reformation led by Jan Hus followed by an armed rebellion after his execution in 1415. In 1526 the Habsburg dynasty came into power and ruled the land for nearly 400 years. In the early 1800's the French army led by Napoleon went through the area on the way to conquer the Russian empire and defeated the joined armies of Russian czar and Austrian emperor in the battle of Austerlitz (Dec. 5, 1805). In 1867 the Habsburgs created the Austrian-Hungarian empire that also included Czech and Slovak lands. The empire was abolished after defeat in WW I. On October 28, 1918 two nations related by similar language were joined into the new independent Czechoslovak Republic. Before WW II. Czechoslovakia was one of the 10 the most developed countries in the world. After the Munich treaty of 1938 the new republic was occupied by the German army. Czechoslovakia was freed in 1945 by Russian and American armies. In 1948 the country fell under direct communist control. Fifty years of communist regime was interrupted only for a short period of time in the late 60's by an attempt to reform the system. The movement called "Prague spring " was suppressed by Warsaw pact troops in the summer of 1968 and troops stayed in the country for 30 years. The communist system was finally abolished in 1989 after a series of bloodless civic demonstrations and the next year the Russian army was withdrawn. Vaclav Havel, a former political prisoner, became the first freely elected president. After a request for more recognition and independence from the Slovakians, living in the eastern part of the state, the Czechoslovakian federation was divided into two independent countries. The Eastern part, called the Slovak Republic (Slovakia), and the western part, the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is currently at the top of the waiting list for full membership in the European Union. The country is also a member of NATO since 1999. Pro-west orientation helps the country's reform toward a market oriented economy. The main exports are hand cut crystal, light machinery products (cars, tractors and sporting guns) and world famous beer (Pilsner Urquell or Budvar). The agriculture's major production is wheat, barley, corn, potatoes and hops as well as milk and other animal products.