Happily recovered from its Soviet-dominated past, the Czech Republic revels in its glorious landscapes and prideful history. Prague's gorgeous architecture and cultural exuberance are a natural focal point, but we're also delighted by the country's dense forests and lovely villages overlooked by fanciful castles.

• TOTAL AREA: 78,866 sq km

• LAND AREA: 77,276 sq km

• WATER AREA: 1,590 sq km

• POPULATION: 10,235,455

• RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59%

• LANGUAGES: Czech

• GOVERNMENT TYPE: Parliamentary Democracy

• CAPITAL CITY: Prague

• OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Czech koruna (CZK)

• TIME ZONE: GMT/UTC +1