Snapshots of Foreign Communities Living in the Czech Republic

Newly released data by the Czech Statistical Office says that the population of the Czech Republic increased by 25,000 people to 10,578,820 in 2016.

A record number of births and marriages helped the numbers along, as did migration—37.5 thousand people immigrated to the Czech Republic from abroad during 2016, 2.6 thousand more than in 2015.

The largest migrant populations came from Slovakia (5.3 thousand), Ukraine (3.3 thousand) and Romania (1.5 thousand), a ranking that has remained unchanged since 2015.

For anyone with an interest in Prague and the Czech Republic’s foreign populations, including the largest and smallest populations of foreigners, our “Communities” series offers a snapshot of foreigners living in Prague.

Click “Read More” for a more comprehensive look at each of the populations.

The Vietnamese first started arriving in former Czechoslovakia during the communist regime. The majority came for two reasons, work or study, and their stay was part of two bilateral agreements made by the communist nations…

Numerically speaking, the Indian community is one of the smallest minority groups in the Czech Republic. However, in recent years their presence has become more visible, due in part to the growth of Indian restaurants and increasing local awareness of India’s many cultures, traditions, and customs.

For many expats, the American community is a group of friends, associates, or travelers who speak English, have a US passport, and happen to be in the Czech Republic. But is there something more coherent to this group? Is there a way to define them as we’ve done with other communities?

On  January 1st, 1993, Czechs and Slovaks didn’t just celebrate the New Year; they celebrated the creation of two new countries: the Czech and Slovak Republics. The separation, dubbed the ‘Velvet Divorce’, was hailed as an example of peacefully negotiated independence. Years later, a majority of people accept the decision, though desire for a united Czechoslovakia still lingers with some…