"My home country" a Czech Republic Travel Page by swetluska

Czech republic is small country in the middle of Europe. The country comprises of three historical lands - Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. Administratively, the Czech Republic is divided into 14 regions; one of those being the capital city of Prague. Czech provinces have existed for more than 10 centuries and due to their position in the center of the European continent they have played important roles in all eras of history. In 2004, the Czech Republic entered the European Union.

Our neighboring states are Germany (west), Poland (north), Slovakia (east, which together with the Czech Republic constituted Czechoslovakia till 1992) and Austria (south). We do not have access to the sea... what a pitty! :) However, experts says we are "the roof of Europe" - our water runs into three different seas according to which slope receives rain. The North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea meet here.

The Czech countryside is made up of mountains, bodies of water, meadows and forests. This diversity and the changing of the seasons have helped to create a unique environment that is home to many rare species of plants and animal life.

The Czech Republic is not only a modern country with good infrastructure and advanced economy, but it is also a country with a rich history, which can offer a really wide choice of cultural opportunities. The integral part of the history of Czech culture are traditions. They are mostly maintained in villages, especially in the Moravian-Silesian region, where they remain as a sign of the cultural taste of the specific areas. Traditional costumes are increasingly popular among Czech people and are also appreciated by foreign visitors.
The Czech Republic is often considered a "superpower" in terms of the number of sights included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites.

Czech beer, cars and glass products are popular the world over. The success of Czech science is also well-demonstrated, with many patented inventions and discoveries.... don't have to go to far - how many of us are grateful users of contact lenses...? :)
Johann Gregor Mendel won world renown as the founder of the theory of heredity. Bedrich Hrozny is known for deciphering the ancient Hittite language. Physicist and chemist Jaroslav Heyrovský was the first Czech scientist to be awarded a Nobel Prize for his discoveries in polarographic methods and their application in analytical chemistry. In 2004, Antonin Holy introduced the result of cooperation with American colleagues. It was a pill that significantly prolongs the lives of AIDS patients. In the early stages, the pill surpresses the virus completely and thus considerably extends the patient’s life. It also prevents mother-to-child transmission of the virus.