The relief is a peculiar mosaic of low and medium-high mountains and plateaus, hills and mounts, hollows and picturesque valleys.

The Czech Republic is an important hydrographic junction. Part of the Main European water shed crosses it, and divides the outflow basins of three seas – the North Sea (the Elba), the Black Sea (the Moravia, a Danube tributary) and the Baltic Sea (the Odra). The Czech Republic has about 15,000 small lakes and swamps and about 2,000 mineral springs, the most famous of which are Karlovi Vary and Marianske Lazne.

The Czech Republic has a temperate transitional climate. The climactic conditions and fertile soils favour the intensive agriculture. In addition to cereal plants, fruit and vegetables growing, cattle breeding for meat and milk, pig breeding and poultry farming are also well developed. The Czech Republic is one of the biggest exporters of carp.

The industry of the Czech Republic is best represented by the machine building – cars, locomotives, carriages, tramways, trolley-buses, tractors, electronics, etc.

After the separation with Slovakia in 1993 the Czech Republic modernised its industrial production. The production of jewellery, china and glass goods is developed, as well as of school stationery (the world-famous Koh-i-noor brand), shoes (“Bata”), the famous Pilsen beer, etc. Although it has no sea outlet, the Czech Republic has its own marine fleet in Hamburg (Germany) and Szczecin (Poland).

The contemporary Czech Republic includes three historical regions – the Czech Republic (with capital city Prague), Moravia (with capital city Brno) and Silesia (with capital city Ostrava – “the steel heart” of the country).

The capital city Prague, often referred to as “the golden city”, is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Europe, picturesquely located on the Vltava River banks. It has scores of monuments and natural landmarks, which attract tourists from all over the world.

The University of Prague is the oldest in Europe. It was established in 14th c. by Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.