CZECH REPUBLIC ( Česká Republika )

The Czech Republic  Czech: Česká republika  also known by its short-form name, Czechia, Czech: Česko), is a landlocked country in Central Europe bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast and Slovakia to the southeast, making it one of only two European Union (EU) members, the other being Luxembourg, to be completely surrounded by the EU. The Czech Republic has hilly landscape that covers an area of 78,866 square kilometers (30,450 sq mi) with a mostly temperate continental climate and oceanic climate. 
It is a unitary parliamentary republic, with 10.7 million inhabitants. Its capital and largest city is Prague. In the 19th century, the Czech lands became the industrial powerhouse of the monarchy and were subsequently the core of the First Czechoslovak Republic, which was formed in 1918 following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I. Czechoslovakia was the only democracy in Central Europe during the interwar period (after the May Coup in Poland, in 1926). However, parts of the country were occupied by Germany in World War II, while the Slovak region became a German puppet state. Czechoslovakia was liberated in 1945 by the Soviet Union and the United States. Most of the German-speaking minority were expelled following the war. Czechoslovakia remained occupied until the 1989 Velvet Revolution, which peacefully ended communist rule and re-established democracy and a market economy.

On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved, with its constituent states becoming the independent states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. There are four national parks in the Czech Republic. The oldest is Krkonoše National Park (Biosphere Reserve), and the others are Šumava National Park (Biosphere Reserve), Podyjí National Park, Bohemian Switzerland.

The first stamps of the Czech Republic were issued on 20 January 1993 after the former Czechoslovakia was split into the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic from 1 January 1993. Before then, stamps of the Czechoslovak Republic were in use and were still valid until 30 September 1993. Stamps of the Czech Republic are marked Česká republika. First stamps were printed printing house by the Ministry of Communication - the Czech Post's Technical Centre of Machines. After privatization in 1992 The Postal Printing House of Securities Prague, Inc. = Poštovní tiskárna cenin Praha a.s.

Before the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic, stamps of the Austro-Hungarian Empire were used and remained valid until 15 March 1919. The first stamps were issued in October 1918. The Hradčany Castle stamps illustrate the castle in Prague with the sun symbolically rising behind it is synonymous with the birth of the new state though the sun does not actually rise behind the castle. The stamps, designed by graphic designer Alphonse Mucha, an exponent of Art Nouveau living in Prague. In 1920, Czechoslovak stamps overprinted S O 1920 and Polish stamps overprinted S.O. 1920 were issued for use in Cieszyn Silesia, an area disputed between Czechoslovakia and Poland.

A German Protectorate was established over Bohemia and Moravia, the Czech areas of Czechoslovakia, between 1939 and 1945 following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. Over 100 stamps were issued including definitive and commemorative issues, charity stamps, newspaper stamps and official stamps.  After World War II, Czechoslovakia was re-established and regular issues of Czechoslovakia resumed. The last stamp of Czechoslovakia was issued on 18 December 1992 and marked Stamp Day. Although the Czech Republic and Slovakia officially separated on 1 January 1993, the stamps of Czechoslovakia continued to be valid for the payment of postage in both countries until the end of July 1993.

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