Czechia vs Slovakia

Why people mix them up

Czechia and Slovakia were one country, Czechoslovakia, until they separated peacefully on 1 January 1993. Many people still use the old name or are unsure which half is which. Their languages are so close that Czechs and Slovaks generally understand each other without difficulty, both countries are landlocked in Central Europe, and both flags use white, red and blue.

How to tell them apart

• Czechia is the western half; Slovakia is the eastern half, reaching Ukraine.
• Czechia's flag has a white stripe over a red stripe with a blue triangle at the hoist; Slovakia's is a white-blue-red horizontal tricolour with a coat of arms showing a white double cross.
• The capitals are Prague (Czechia) and Bratislava (Slovakia). Bratislava lies on the Danube right next to Austria and Hungary.
• Slovakia uses the euro; Czechia keeps its own currency, the Czech koruna.
• Czechia is the larger country, about 79,000 km² against Slovakia's roughly 49,000 km², and has more people.
• Czechia borders Germany; Slovakia borders Hungary and Ukraine, which Czechia does not.

Memory hook

Czechia kept the old Czechoslovak flag with its blue triangle; Slovakia, like Slovenia and Russia, went for horizontal white-blue-red. West is Czech, East is Slovak, in the same order as the old name.

On the map

Find Germany and Poland. The country tucked between them, wedged into Germany's eastern side, is Czechia. Continue east along Poland's southern border and the long, narrow country north of Hungary, ending at Ukraine, is Slovakia. If the country you are tapping touches Germany, it is Czechia.