Czech Republic, republic comprising the historic regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and part of Silesia, in central Europe, bordered on the north by Poland, on the east by Slovakia, on the south by Austria, and on the west and north by Germany. Formerly parts of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia emerged as independent republics on January 1, 1993. The Czech Republic has an area of 78,864 sq km. Prague (Czech, Praha) is the capital and largest city.

Population
	10,321,344
	(1995-1996 official estimate)
Population Density
	131 people/sq km
	(339 people/sq mi)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
	75% Urban
	25% Rural
Largest Cities
	Prague1,209,855
	Brno388,899
	Ostrava324,813
	(1996 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
	81% Czech
	13% Moravian
	6%  Other
	including Slovaks, Poles, Germans, Gypsies, and Hungarians
Languages
Official Language
	Czech
Other Languages
	minority languages, including Slovak, German, Hungarian, and Romany
Religions
 	43% Roman Catholicism
 	35% Non-religious
 	22% Other
	including Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Judaism