Is Czech Republic the utopian version of Eastern Europe, or at least an ideal role model for all of Eastern Europe? (best, country)

[Thepastpresentandfuture]

Based on some or most measures, Czech Republic is the most amazing, prominent, and attractive country for international tourism in all of Eastern Europe. This country might also be the most multicultural, cosmopolitan, highest amount of economic wealth in average annual income, and offering the best architecture, and cultural scene compared to all of Eastern Europe.

In direct reference, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Russia are the other good Eastern European countries offering tourism attractions, and some positive characteristics. I would include Croatia, but it is categorized being more Southern Europe than Eastern Europe.

Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova are the especially poor, not inviting countries and don’t compare well to those wealthier, more inviting countries in the region.

[Ariete]

Multicultural? You're kidding, right? The population is 95% ethnic Czech and the remaining five percent Roma and from neighboring countries like Slovakia and Poland.

In fact Slovakia and Slovenia are best off the former Soviet satellites in Central Europe. Estonia of course overall the most developed. The Czech Republic was in a good position in the 90's, but neighboring Slovakia and Slovenia have surpassed the Czech long ago.

[CARPATHIAN]

Originally Posted by Thepastpresentandfuture

Based on some or most measures, Czech Republic is the most amazing, prominent, and attractive country for international tourism in all of Eastern Europe.

In respect of touristic infrastructure, maybe. In respect of touristic attractions, is little diversity.

This country might also be the most multicultural, cosmopolitan, highest amount of economic wealth in average annual income, and offering the best architecture, and cultural scene compared to all of Eastern Europe.

There are EE countries more multicultural and diverse - Romania, Poland or Russia, I would say also Bulgaria, Albania. In Romania for example, you find Orthodoxes, Catholics, Calvinists, Muslims, Lutherans and a miriad of ethnic groups and contrasting ethnographic zones. Just check my Videos of Romania thread. Even Slovakia seems more diverse, with more ethnic and religious gropus, pristine mountain jungle etc.

[viribusunitis]

Originally Posted by Ariete

Multicultural? You're kidding, right? The population is 95% ethnic Czech and the remaining five percent Roma and from neighboring countries like Slovakia and Poland.

In fact Slovakia and Slovenia are best off the former Soviet satellites in Central Europe. Estonia of course overall the most developed. The Czech Republic was in a good position in the 90's, but neighboring Slovakia and Slovenia have surpassed the Czech long ago.

Slovakia? Nah. The west is pretty good, I really like Bratislava. But forget about the east. Even worse than rural Hungary. I agree that Slovenia and Estonia should be role models for the rest of the countries, though.

In my opinion, most of the people have an overly romantic opinion about the Czech Republic.

[EdaW]

Originally Posted by Ariete

Multicultural? You're kidding, right? The population is 95% ethnic Czech and the remaining five percent Roma and from neighboring countries like Slovakia and Poland.

In fact Slovakia and Slovenia are best off the former Soviet satellites in Central Europe. Estonia of course overall the most developed. The Czech Republic was in a good position in the 90's, but neighboring Slovakia and Slovenia have surpassed the Czech long ago.

Multicultural? No, but actualy in CR lives a lot of for foreigners.

http://i.imgur.com/jOImwfQ.png

High numbers in Baltic states are Russians without citizenship.

Former Jugoslavia was never hard core communist country and Slovenia was the wealthiest country in Jugoslavia.

GDP per capita.
Eurostat, Annual Gross Domestic Product - Google Public Data Explorer

[Ariete]

Originally Posted by viribusunitis

Slovakia? Nah. The west is pretty good, I really like Bratislava. But forget about the east. Even worse than rural Hungary. I agree that Slovenia and Estonia should be role models for the rest of the countries, though.

In my opinion, most of the people have an overly romantic opinion about the Czech Republic.

Yes, might be so in the rural areas, but Slovakia has the fastest growing economy in the EU, some 10% a year before the recession. Some have called Slovakia the Estonia of the 2000's. But nevertheless, still growing faster than the CR.

And I agree. Some people think the CR is great today, just because of Prague and that it has a great history.

[pch1013]

The Czech Republic has -- oddly enough -- a significant Vietnamese population.

"Nguyen" and its local variants like "Nguyenová" are the 9th most prevalent last name.

Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But they still only account for about 0.6% of the Czech population --about the same proportion as in the US.

[FrankCostello]

Actually in 1989 Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) became a democratic country, thus no longer part of the eastern bloc or "Eastern Europe" (along with hungary, slovenia, germany, etc...).

[pch1013]

Geographically, it never made sense to classify the Czech Republic as "eastern Europe" anyway. Most of it lies west of Vienna. "Central Europe" makes more sense.

[jiri]

Originally Posted by Thepastpresentandfuture

Based on some or most measures, Czech Republic is the most amazing, prominent, and attractive country for international tourism in all of Eastern Europe. This country might also be the most multicultural, cosmopolitan, highest amount of economic wealth in average annual income, and offering the best architecture, and cultural scene compared to all of Eastern Europe.

In direct reference, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Russia are the other good Eastern European countries offering tourism attractions, and some positive characteristics. I would include Croatia, but it is categorized being more Southern Europe than Eastern Europe.

Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova are the especially poor, not inviting countries and don’t compare well to those wealthier, more inviting countries in the region.

The Czech Republic is not multicultural at all. I mean there are a a lot of foreigners living in Prague, but it does not make the Czech Republic multicultural. As for tourism, most people think of Prague as Kafka´s Prague but it is not true anymore, at least since 1989. Prague is an open-air museum full of tourists. I mean it is OK, but that spirit is gone.
By the way if you are in the Czech Republic, do not ever say anything about "Eastern Europe". Historically, we have always been a part of Central Europe (whatever you imagine when I say that) with exception of 1945 - 1989. People do not want to be called Eastern Europeans. Why? Well what comes to your mind when I say "Eastern Europe". No, do not answer, it is a rhetorical question...