T

he Czech Republic (Czech:Česká republika, short form in Czech: Česko, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west, Austria to the south, and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague (Czech: Praha). The country is composed of the historic regions of Bohemia and Moravia, as well as parts of Silesia. The Czech Republic is a member of NATO (since 1999); and the European Union (since 2004). As of January 1, 2009, the Czech Republic holds the EU Presidency. During the past few decades the Czech Republic has slowly been emerging as a popular tourist destination, favored particularly by the discerning traveler seeking culture and charm rather than pizzazz and parties. However, most visitors still tend to explore no farther than the capital, Prague. Fewer than 10 percent of tourists venture into the countryside, which means they are missing out on a treat. Prague, westernized and cosmopolitan, is a beautiful city of spires and a visual feast of medieval, baroque and art nouveau architecture. Leave the city behind and visitors will find a magnificent undulating landscape of mountains and plains, forests and farmland.

Currency: The official currency is the Czech crown, locally known as the Koruna (CZK), which is divided into 100 haler

Language: Czech is the official language but English and German are also widely spoken

Weather: The climate of the Czech Republic is continental, characterized by warm, humid, wet summers and very cold, dry winters. The capital, Prague, experiences temperatures ranging from -4°C during winter, to 23°C during summer. The mountains in the north of Czech Republic experience more severe weather, with around 50 days of snowfall during winter.