Czech Republic

Geography and Climate

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country located in Central Europe. It has a total area of approximately 78,871 square kilometers (30,452 square miles) and borders Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the east.

History

The region was first inhabited by Celts and Germans, but it was the Slavs who immigrated to Bohemia in the 6th century. The Moravian Empire emerged as the first Slavic state at the beginning of the 9th century. The unified Czech state began to take shape under the Bohemian Přemyslid dynasty, when the Margravy of Moravia subordinated Bohemia and the Kingdom of Bohemia was formed in 1085.

The Duchy of Bohemia was established under the rule of Great Moravia in the late 9th century. In 1002, it was officially recognized as an imperial state within the Holy Roman Empire and became a kingdom in 1198. The Habsburg monarchy gradually gained control over the Duchy of Bohemia after the Battle of Mohács in 1526.

The Protestant Bohemian Revolt led to the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War, which was followed by the Battle of the White Mountain. This battle solidified the House of Habsburg's rule over the region. The dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 marked a significant turning point in the country's history.

Capital and Major Cities

The capital and metropolis of the Czech Republic is Prague (, ). Other major cities include Brno (Brno), Ostrava (Ostrau), Plzeň (Pilsen), Liberec (Reichenberg), and Olomouc (Olmütz).

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