28 November 2022

Today, the Czech Statistical Office released the Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic – 2022 bringing data on the state and development of the most important areas of economic, social, and cultural life of the Czech Republic. Since the establishment of an independent state in 1993, it is already the 30th volume of this edition. The publication comes out in a more user-friendly, larger, format; it also contains new graphic elements and it is more colourful.  

“This year’s edition of the Statistical Yearbook brings a comprehensive view of the year 2021, which was, similarly to the previous one, affected by the pandemic of the COVID-19 disease. An important and exceptional statistical event – the Population and Housing Census – which has been taking place in the Czech Republic in modern form in regular cycles already since 1869, also took place in 2021,” Marek Rojíček, President of the Czech Statistical Office, says.

As at 31 December 2021, the Czech Republic had 10 516 707 inhabitants, 86 towns with over 15 000 inhabitants, the Capital City of Prague had 1 275 406 inhabitants. The nationwide balance of the natural population change was negative; 28.1 thousand more persons died compared to the live-born children. It was thus the deepest natural population decrease in the history of Czechia since the year 1918. The number of deaths was the highest since the end of the World War II; when compared to the average of years 2015–2019, it was by a quarter higher. External migration recorded a positive result in the amount of 50.0 thousand persons, the highest since the year 2009.   

In terms of the economy, the process of economic recovery following the pandemic slump continued in 2021 and the gross domestic product increased by 3.5%. Nevertheless, in the aftermath of restrictions in the area of trade and services, problems with lack of components occurred, which were slowing down industry, mainly production of motor vehicles, especially in the second half of the year. However, other branches of industry were usually successful and most services were developing favourably, too. In the second half-year, price growth intensified in the entire economy. The total balance of international trade in goods (change of ownership) for the year 2021 ended up with a deficit of CZK 9.0 billion compared to the surplus of CZK 179.9 billion in 2020. In 2021, an approximately two times higher amount was spent on imports of crude petroleum and natural gas compared to 2020, which was mainly a consequence of the price growth on world markets.   

As every year, the Statistical Yearbook also brings some novelties; this year, it is especially 9 tables with basic results of the 2021 Population and Housing Census. You will learn from the tables that at the decisive moment of the Census, 10 524 167 inhabitants lived in Czechia, 87.6 thousand more than in 2011. The population grew older by 1.7 years on average compared to the year 2011; the number of children increased by 13.6%, however, the number of the elderly increased by almost a third (by 30.6%).

Contact:
Jan Cieslar
Spokesman of the CZSO
T (+420) 274 052 017 | M (+420) 604 149 190
E jan.cieslar@czso.cz   | Twitter @statistickyurad