Vietnamese Minority in the Czech Republic: Development and Dynamics at the Turn of Millenium
PaedDr. Jaroslav Dokoupil, Ph.D. & Mgr. Jiří Preis
The University of West Bohemia, Plzeň, Czech Republic
4th International Conference on Population Geographies
Hong Kong, 10-13 July 2007
Source: ZČU Source: Wikipedia CZ
Brief History of Czech-Vietnamese International Relationship
-1950 Diplomatic contacts between Czechoslovakia and Vietnam
- 1956 The Contract on Economical and Technological cooperation
- 1967-70 about 2000 Vietnamese trainees in the Czech companies
-1974-78 about 5000 Vietnamese trainees in the Czech companies (six years of training and internship)
- 1985 about 27.000 Vietnamese scholarship holders in CZMap source: CIA World Fact Book
Big change: 1989
-1989 Communist regime fell down, borders opened
- 1991 free market economy, Vietnamese in market-halls and stalls
-2001 Vietnamese in stone shops; value of education
Pictures: Czech Radio
Spatial distribution of several minorities in the Czech Republic (March 2001)
Russian Slovakian Ukrainian
Vietnamese
Source: Czech Statistical Office
GermanyG
erm
any
Spatial distribution of several minorities in the Czech Republic (March 2001)
Hungarian German
Polish
Gypsy
Source: Czech Statistical Office
Nationality % of all CZ population
Czech 94,2
Slovakian 1,9
Polish 0,5
German 0,4
Vietnamese 0,2
Chosen nationalities and their ratio in CZ
population
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Czech Rep.
Slovakia
Poland
Germany
Viet Nam
0-14
15-64
65+
1991
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Czech Rep.
Slovakia
Poland
Germany
Viet Nam
0-14
15-64
65+
2001
Age structure of chosen nationalities in
the Czech Republic according to censuses
1991 and 2001
Source of picture: http://beifanchina.com
Source of data: Czech Statistical Office
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Czech Rep.
Slovakia
Poland
Germany
Viet Nam
Atheist
Believer
N/A
2001
Religious Structure of Chosen Nationalities in the Czech Republic according to the census 2001
Source: Czech Statistical Office
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Czech Rep.
Slovakia
Poland
Germany
Viet Nam
Element.
Apprent.
High Sch.
College
N/A
2001
Structure of Education of Chosen Nationalities in the Czech Republic According to the Census 2001
Source: Czech Statistical Office
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Czech Rep.
Slovakia
Poland
Germany
Viet Nam
Employed
Unemployed
Non-active
2001
Employment structure of chosen nationalities in the Czech Republic
Source: Czech Statistical Office
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
CzechRep.
Slovakia Poland Germany Viet Nam
N/A
Services
Industry
Agriculture
2001
Employment in sectors – chosen nationalities in the Czech Republic
Source: Czech Statistical Office
Regions and Districts of CZ
Cheb
Plzeň-city
The Karlovarský region
The Plzeňský region
Region/minority Czech Slovakian Polish German Vietnamese
Plzeňský 95,4 1,4 0,1 0,4 0,3
Ústecký 92,2 2,7 0,2 1,2 0,4
Karlovarský 87,5 4,6 0,1 2,9 1,0
Jihočeský 95,4 1,4 0,1 0,2 0,1
Středočeský 95,8 1,4 0,2 0,1 0,1
Praha 93,3 1,6 0,1 0,2 0,2
Czech Regions: Chosen Minorities versus Czech Nation (%, 2001)
Source: Czech Statistical Office
Region, district Foreigners,total
Citizenship Viet Nam Abs.
Citizenship Viet Nam %
The Plzeňský region 13 206 3 298 25,0
Domažlice 1 054 299 28,4
Klatovy 1 481 347 23,4
Plzeň-city 5 357 1 145 21,4
Plzeň-jih 958 142 14,8
Plzeň-sever 1 035 61 5,9
Rokycany 944 43 4,6
Tachov 2 377 1 261 53,1
The Karlovarský region 14 437 7 736 53,6
Cheb 5 823 3 636 62,4
Karlovy Vary 7 185 3 790 52,7
Sokolov 1 429 310 21,7
Chosen Czech Districts: Ratio of Vietnamese and all Foreigners (%, 2001)
Source: Czech Statistical Office
Number of Vietnamese in two chosen districts - Plzeň-city and Cheb
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
years
Nu
mb
er o
f V
ietn
ames
e
Plzeň-city
Cheb
Source: Foreign Police Office
Source: Czech Statistical Office 2007
Vietnamese Businessmen in Two Chosen Czech Districts
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
years
nu
mb
er
of
bu
sin
es
sm
en
Plzeň-city
Cheb
Source: Czech Statistical Office 2007
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
number of businesses
years
Vietnamese Retail in Non-Specified Shops
Plzeň-city
Cheb
Plzeň-city 62 161 319 429 476 276 214 264 278 282 248
Cheb 802 969 1191 1418 1677 660 663 732 771 717 707
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
number of businesses
years
Vietnamese Businesses - Retail in Specialized Shops
Plzeň-city
Cheb
Plzeň-city 0 0 0 0 0 64 68 94 147 213 235
Cheb 0 0 0 0 0 970 996 1010 1077 1147 1236
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: Czech Statistical Office 2007
0
50
100
150
200
250
number of businesses
years
Vietnamese dealing with catering services - Plzeň and Cheb
Plzeň-city
Cheb
Plzeň-city 5 8 0 1 0 5 6 8 14 19 32
Cheb 17 28 24 27 33 58 81 116 168 197 230
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Vietnamese Children at Czech Schools - District Plzen-city
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
2002-3 2003-4 2004-5 2005-6 2006-7
years
nu
mb
er o
f st
ud
ents
kindergarten
elementary school
secondary/apprentice school
grammar school
Source: Institute for Information about Education, Prague 2007
Vietnamese Children at Czech Schools - district Cheb
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
2002-3 2003-4 2004-5 2005-6 2006-7
years
nu
mb
er o
f st
ud
ents
kindergarten
elementary school
secondary/apprentice school
grammar school
Source: Institute for Information about Education, Prague 2007
Summary: What Are the Specifics of Vietnamese minority in the Czech Republic?
1) Positive population-geographical traits- progressive age structure- very low unemployment- tertiary sector employment prevails, education grows- really good adaptability to the change of social system
2) Regional-geographical aspects- concentration and development in the border areas,
especially with Germany- EU membership of CZ did not stop their activities
Thank you for your attention!!!
Any further comments or ways to exchange the experience are most welcome!