Democratic Movement, JanCARNOGURSKY,(S); Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, Juri SVOBODA,
chairman; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, Vladimir MECIAR, chairman -
removed from power in November 1989 by massive antiregime demonstrations;
Czechoslovak Social Democracy, Jiri HORAK, chairman, (C); Czechoslovak
Socialist Party, Ladislav DVORAK, chairman, (C)(S); Movement for
Self-Governing Democracy Society for Moravia and Silesia, Jan KRYCER,
chairman, (C); Party of the Democratic Left, Peter WEISS, chairman
(Slovakia's renamed Communists) (S); Slovak National Party, Jozef PROKES,
chairman, (S); Democratic Party, Jan HOLCIK, chairman, (S); Coexistence,
(C)(S)
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
Federal Assembly:
last held 8-9 June 1990 (next to be held 5-6 June 1992); results - Civic
Forum/Public Against Violence coalition 46%, KSC 13.6%; seats - (300 total)
Civic Forum/Public Against Violence coalition 170, KSC 47, Christian and
Democratic Union/Christian Democratic Movement 40, Czech, Slovak, Moravian,
and Hungarian groups 43
President:
last held 5 July 1990 (next to be held 3 July 1992); results - Vaclav HAVEL
elected by the Federal Assembly
Communists:
760,000 party members (September 1990); about 1,000,000 members lost since
November 1989
Other political or pressure groups:
Czechoslovak Socialist Party, Czechoslovak People's Party, Czechoslovak
Social Democracy, Slovak Nationalist Party, Slovak Revival Party, Christian
Democratic Party; over 80 registered political groups fielded candidates in
the 8-9 June 1990 legislative election
Member of:
BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EC (associate) ECE, FAO, GATT, HG, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IFCTU, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NACC, NSG, PCA, UN,
UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Rita KLIMOVA; Chancery at 3900 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008; telephone (202) 363-6315 or 6316
US:
Ambassador Shirley Temple BLACK; Embassy at Trziste 15, 125 48, Prague 1
(mailing address is Unit 25402; APO AE 09213-5630); telephone [42] (2)
536-641/6; FAX [42] (2) 532-457
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles
triangle based on the hoist side
:Czechoslovakia Economy
Overview:
Czechoslovakia is highly industrialized by East European standards and has a
well-educated and skilled labor force. GDP per capita has been the highest
in Eastern Europe. Annual GDP growth slowed to less than 1 percent during
the 1985-90 period. The country is deficient in energy and in many raw
materials. Moreover, its aging capital plant lags well behind West European
standards. In January 1991, Prague launched a sweeping program to convert
its almost entirely state-owned and controlled economy to a market system.
The koruna now enjoys almost full internal convertibility and over 90% of
prices are set by the market. The government is planning to privatize all
small businesses and roughly two-thirds of large enterprises by the end of
1993. New private-sector activity is also expanding. Agriculture - 95%
socialized - is to be privatized by the end of 1992. Reform has taken its
toll on the economy: inflation was roughly 50% in 1991, unemployment was
nearly 70%, and GDP dropped an estimated 15%. In 1992 the government is
anticipating inflation of 10-15%, unemployment of 11-12%, and a drop in GDP
of up to 8%. As of mid-1992, the nation appears to be splitting in two -
into the industrial Czech area and the more agarian Slovak area.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $108.9 billion, per capita $6,900; real growth
rate -15% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
52% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
officially 6.7% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $4.5 billion; expenditures $4.5 billion, including capital
expenditures of $200 million (1992)
Exports:
$12.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
machinery and equipment 39.2%; fuels, minerals, and metals 8.1%;
agricultural and forestry products 6.2%, other 46.5%
partners:
USSR, Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Italy, France, US, UK
Imports:
$13.3 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
machinery and equipment 37.3%; fuels, minerals, and metals 22.6%;
agricultural and forestry products 7.0%; other 33.1%
