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    The Czech Republic is a small landlocked country in Central Europe, situated south-east of Germany and bordering Austria to the south, Poland to the north and Slovakia (with which it used to form one country of Czechoslovakia) to the south-east.

A historic jewel hidden away at the heart of Europe, the Czech Republic packs a lot of punch for such a small country. No bigger than Scotland or South Carolina, it's crammed with fairytale castles, medieval towns, elegant spa resorts and scenic national parks. And on top of all that, it's the birthplace of the world's finest beer.

Capital is Prague (Praha).

Currency: Czech crown

Climate: The Czech climate is mixed. Continental influences are marked by large fluctuations in both temperature and precipitation, while moderating oceanic influences diminish from west to east. In general, temperatures decrease with increasing altitude but are relatively uniform across the country at lower elevations. The mean annual temperature at Cheb in the extreme west is 45 F (7 C) and rises to only 48 F (9 C) at Brno in southern Moravia. High temperatures can reach 91 F (33 C) in Prague during July, and low temperatures may drop to 1 F (-17 C) in Cheb during February. The growing season is about 200 days in the south but less than half that in the mountains.