How the Czech Republic’s population survived wars, expulsions, and a century of demographic shifts.

Countries & Cities · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Czech Republic’s population has been defined by turbulent history, from the losses of two world wars to the forced expulsion of three million German residents. Today, the nation of 10.5 million is shaped by a complex mix of historical minorities and modern immigration, reflecting a century of profound demographic change.

At the dawn of the 20th century, the Czech Republic held 9.3 million inhabitants. This figure climbed to a peak of 11.2 million by the start of World War II, but the mid-century period brought drastic contraction. The expulsion of German residents following World War II resulted in the loss of approximately 3 million people, leaving the population at 8.8 million by 1947. Growth eventually resumed, reaching 10.33 million by 1994, though the following decade saw a slight decline due to negative natural growth.

The modern demographic landscape is characterized by a population of 10.5 million as of 2022. While natural growth turned positive again in 2005, immigration has become a primary driver of change, with roughly 300,000 new arrivals recorded during the 2010s. The country maintains a population density of about 134 inhabitants per square kilometer, with the lowest density found in the mountainous southern and southwestern border regions—areas significantly impacted by post-war displacement.

Ethnically, the population is 95% Czech, with minorities including Poles, Romani, and a growing Vietnamese community. The state officially recognizes 14 minorities, such as Bulgarians, Greeks, and Ukrainians, granting them specific rights like using their native languages in courts and administrative proceedings. Despite these protections, historical minorities like the Germans have seen their numbers dwindle due to assimilation and the lack of a younger generation, a legacy of post-war policies that left few bilingual education systems in regions where they were once concentrated.

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