1. Czech Republic By Corinne Huber 7G

2. In the Czech Republic, waters and mountains are the main elements that create the uniqueness and variety of the Czech Republic's land. In the past mountain ranges surround the country on almost all sides and have served as a natural border. In essence, the Czech Republic is a large plateau surrounded by mountains with a large percentage of central lowland. Hills and mountains cover about 95% of the land. Some landforms in the Czech Republic include Mount Senezka, the Bohemian Plateau, and the Moravian Heights. Some major bodies of water are the Elbe, Odra, Berounka, and Vltava rivers.

3. Tourist Attractions 1. Prague Castle 2.House of the Black Madonna 3. St Vitus Cathedral 4. Old Town Square 5. Dancing House

4. 1. PRAGUE CASTLE The Prague Castle is the largest castle in the world. It is the most popular visited attraction in Prague. At the end of the 9 th century this site originated which was to become the focus of the control and belief of the country in the following centuries. The Prague Castle was founded around 880. Starting in the 10th century, the Prague Castle served as the seat of Czech princes and later kings, and the seat of the Prague bishop. The early medieval castle location was encouraged with a moat and a wall of clay and stones.

5. 2. St. Vitus Cathedral St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest and the most important church in Prague. The cathedral was built in the 14 th century. St. Vitus Cathedral is a place of burial remains of local patron saints, royals, and archbishops. To many people, St. Vitus Cathedral is Prague Castle. While the huge Prague Castle complex includes many fine buildings, St. Vitus is the one that controls the city's skyline. St. Vitus is the spiritual sign of the Czech Republic.

6. 3.House of the Black Madonna The House of the Black is named after the stone statue of a Black Madonna sitting on top of it. It is one of the world's rarest examples of architecture. The museum is located in the center of Prague. The House of the Black Madonna originated between 1911 to 1912. It was originally planned to be a department store.

7. Old Town Square is one of the best-known of Prague squares and is from the 12 th century. The entire square is bordered by a large number of colorful houses, palaces, and churches. Two of the most noticeable buildings around the square are the Old Town Hall and the St. Nicholas Church. 4. OLD TOWN SQUARE

8. Czech Republics type of government is a parliamentary republic. A parliamentary republic is a type of republic which operates under a parliamentary system of government which is a system with no clear-cut separation of powers. The Parliament consists of two chambers which is the Chamber of Deputies and Senate. The Czech Republic was established January 1, 1993. The President of the Czech Republic is Vaclav Klaus. He was re-elected on February 15, 2008 and sworn into office on March 7, 2008. Václav Klaus is the second President of the Czech Republic. He was Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 1992 to 1997. The presidential term remains 5 years with a limit of two consecutive terms. Czech Republics prime minister is Mirek Topolanek.

9. The Dancing House was started in 1992 and finished in 1996. Dancing House is located by the Vltava River. This building is somewhat a rarity in Prague. The building is reflecting Ginger Rogers and Fred Astair dancing together. The Czech president, who lived for decades next to the site, had avidly supported this project, hoping that the building would become a center of cultural activity. It was originally named Fred and Ginger, but this nickname is rarely used today.

10. Economy Czech Republics currency is the Czech koruna or Czech crown. It has been the currency February 8, 1993. As the official currency, the koruna is the best and often the only possible currency to use when paying in the Czech Republic. Although the Czech Republic is part of the European Union, the euro is not accepted here. The Czech Republic has one of the most developed and manufacturing economies in Central and Eastern Europe. The main agricultural products are sugar beets, fodder roots, potatoes, wheat, and hops. In 1948, the government began to stress heavy industry over agricultural and consumer goods and services.

11. Language The official language in the Czech Republic is Czech, which is a Slavonic language. The Czech language belongs to the group of West Slavic languages. Czech is spoken by about 12 million people. Another language spoken in the Czech Republic is Slovak.

12. The capital is Prague Population is about 10.5 million Czech Republic is considered the heart of Europe Its area is 78,866 square km Official name is Ceska Republika General Information

13. January 1-New Years February 2–Hromnice March 19-St. Joseph's Day May 1-Day of Love November 2-All Souls Day December 5-St. Nicholas Tradition December 24 to 26-Christmas ~Burning of the Witches~ On April 30 th in the Czech Republic people gather to build a bonfire and prepare an figure of the witch that kept winter around so long. Czechs used to believe that the power of witches would weaken as the weather got warmer. So they thought that if they made something that looked like a witch and burned it, they could finally get rid of the cold weather.

14. The Czech Republic became an independent state in January 1993 after Czechoslovakia split into its two separate parts. The Czech Republics capital is Prague and it is over 1,000 years old. Their life expectancy is 75-81 years old. The record for the most dumplings eaten in one sitting is around 57. Czech people, especially men, love beer and there is rarely a meal without it on the table. Christmas dinner consists of Carp (fish) which is cooked right after it spends a few hours swimming around in the bathtub. The Czech Republic has one of the most least religious populations in Europe. In the Czech Republic in 1843 the sugar cube was invented. Cabbage is a popular vegetable used in salads.