Civic Forum, since December 1989
leading political force, loose coalition of former oppositionists headed
by President Vaclav Havel; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
(KSC), Ladislav Adamec, chairman (since 20 December 1989); KSC
toppled from power in November 1989 by massive antiregime
demonstrations, minority role in coalition government since 10
December 1989

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections:
President--last held 22 May 1985 (next to be held 8 June 1990;
will be a free election);
results--Gustav Husak was reelected without opposition;

Federal Assembly--last held 23 and 24 May 1986 (next to
be held 8 June 1990; will be a free election);
results--KSC was the only party;
seats--(350 total) KSC 350

Communists: 1.71 million party members (April 1988) and falling

Other political groups: Czechoslovak Socialist Party, Czechoslovak
People's Party, Slovak Freedom Party, Slovak Revival Party, Christian
Democratic Party; more than 40 political groups are expected to field
candidates for the 8 June 1990 election

Member of: CCC, CEMA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBEC, ICAO, ICO, ILO, ILZSG,
IMO, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, Warsaw Pact, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WSG, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Rita KLIMOVA;
Chancery at 3900 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202)
363-6315 or 6316;
US--Ambassador Shirley Temple BLACK; Embassy at Trziste 15-12548,
Prague (mailing address is APO New York 09213); telephone p42o (2) 53 6641
through 6649

Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue
isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

- Economy
Overview: Czechoslovakia is highly industrialized and has a
well-educated and skilled labor force. Its industry, transport, energy
sources, banking, and most other means of production are state owned. The
country is deficient, however, in energy and many raw materials.
Moreover, its aging capital plant lags well behind West European
standards. Industry contributes over 50% to GNP and construction 10%.
About 95% of agricultural land is in collectives or state farms. The
centrally planned economy has been tightly linked in trade (80%) to
the USSR and Eastern Europe. Growth has been sluggish, averaging
less than 2% in the period 1982-89. GNP per capita ranks
next to the GDR as the highest in the Communist countries.
As in the rest of Eastern Europe, the sweeping political changes of
1989 have been disrupting normal channels of supp