Czech Republic

Bilateral relationship

Bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and New Zealand are in good shape.

Bohemians, Moravians and Slovaks first came to New Zealand through Australia and Tahiti in the 1860s. More recent migration followed the suppression of "The Prague Spring" in 1968. While the Czech community in New Zealand is small, it has featured a number of prominent individuals, notably the late Fred Turnovsky ONZ, OBE (1916-1994), a well-known Wellington businessman who was influential in the development of music in New Zealand. There is also a small community of New Zealanders in the Czech Republic, where a number of New Zealand soldiers who fell in World War Two are buried in Commonwealth War Graves.

Between the Czech Republic and New Zealand there is a strong record of cooperation in multilateral areas. As small countries, we each work through international bodies to ensure our voices are heard.

 

Key facts

Geography/Demographics

Land Area: 78,866 sq km
Population: 10.5 million (2012)
Capital City: Prague (Praha)
Language: Czech

Political

Political system: Parliamentary Republic
National government: Centre-right coalition of the Civic Democrats, TOP09 and LIDEM parties
National legislature: Bicameral; Lower House Chamber of Deputies - 200 members; The Senate - 81 members
Last election: May 2010 (Chamber of Deputies) October 2014 (Senate)
Next election due: May 2014 (Chamber of Deputies), October 2014 (Senate), January 2018 (President)
Head of State :President Miloŝ Zeman (elected January 2013, inaugurated March 2013)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Petr Necas (since July 2010)

Economic (2011)

GDP: US$215.3 billion
Real GDP growth: 1.7%
Exports: US$138.5 billion
Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, raw materials and fuels
Imports: US$133.2 billion
Inflation: 1.9%
Unemployment: 8.5%

New Zealand Trade (2011)

NZ Exports (FOB): NZ$ 8 million
Main Exports: Machinery, electrical machinery, wool, plastics
NZ Imports (CIF): NZ$58 million
Main Imports: paper, machinery, vehiclestop of page

 

 

Visits

New Zealand High-Level Visits to Czech Republic

• Hon Murray McCully - Minister of Foreign Affairs November 2010
• Hon Margaret Wilson - Speaker, and Parliamentary Delegation April 2008
• Dame Silvia Cartwright, Governor General October 2004
  

Czech Republic High-Level Visits to New Zealand

• Premysl Sobotka - President of the Senate of the Czech Republic and a Senate Delegation, February 2010
• Senate Committee on Science, Culture, Human Rights and Petitions, September 2008
• Senate Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, May 2006
• Cyril Svoboda - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs February 2004

 

Representation

• The New Zealand Ambassador to Germany is accredited to the Czech Republic [external link]. There is a New Zealand Honorary Consul in Prague.
• The Czech Ambassador in Canberra is accredited to New Zealand. There is a Czech Republic Consulate in Auckland and Queenstown.

 

Travel advice

The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to the Czech Republic [external link].

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