Useful Information

• Basic Facts
• Important telephone numbers
• Prague Most

Basic Facts

Country name: Czech Republic
Czech flag: Red, white, blue
Population: 10 million
Land area: 78,866 sq km (30,450 sq mi)
Capital: Prague; population 1.2 million
Official language: Czech
Geographical location: Central Europe

Government: Parliamentary democracy with president as the head of state and prime minister as the head of government.
Currency: Czech Crown (CZK)
Time zone: GMT+1, Daylight Saving Time observed
Religion: Atheist 40%, Roman Catholic 39%, Protestant 4%, Other 17%
Climate: Temperate. Cool to warm May - September (showers and thunderstorms common), mostly chilly October, March and April (rain or snow possible), cold, cloudy and wet with snow and freezing temperatures November - February; skiing December - March
Voltage: 230 Volts / 50 Hz
Country calling code: 420
Business holidays: January 1, May 1, May 8, July 5, July 6, October 28, December 24-26
Freeway fees: Freeway pass (dalnicni znamka) required (available at the customs and gas stations):
10-day pass - 150 Kc
Monthly pass - 250 Kc

Yearly pass - 900 Kc
Safety: Low rate of violent crime, high rate of pickpocketing and car theft

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Important telephone numbers

Fire: 150
Ambulance: 155
Police: 158
City Police: 156
Road assistance: 1230

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Prague Most

Highest elevation: 391 m above sea level, Kopanina
Lowest elevation: 177 m northern edge of Prague, where river Vltava leaves the city
Highest absolute temperature: 37,8 C 1983
Lowest absolute temperature: -27,6 C 1785
Tallest tower: Telecommunications tower at Zizkov, 216 m
Highest steeple: St. Vitus Cathedral, 96,6 m
Largest bell: Sigmund, St Vitus Cathedral, height 2,03 m, diameter 2,56 m
Largest square: Charles Square, 80 550 sq m
Largest stadium: Strahov stadium, internal area 310,5 x 202,5 m, hold 220 000 spectators

Oldest metereological station: Clementinum, uninterrupted measurements since 1775
Oldest university: Charles University, founded in 1348
Oldest carillon: Loretta, dated 1694
Oldest railway station: Ferdinant Station, now Masaryk Station, 1845
First street with pavement: now Zelezna, 1803
First asphalt roadway: 1920
First numbering of houses: 1770
First power station: 1889 at Zizkov
First football ground: 1889
First coffee house: At the Golden Serpent, 1708
First pawn shop: At the Golden Lion on Lesser Town Square, 1747

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