Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 61,012–80,000 0.6-0.8% of the Czech population |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Prague, Cheb, Varnsdorf | |
| Languages | |
| Vietnamese, Czech | |
| Religion | |
| Mahayana Buddhism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Vietnamese people |
Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic, including residents and citizens, form the largest immigrant community in the country (and 3rd largest ethnic minority at all, after Slovaks and Ukrainians), numbering more than 83,000 people according to 2011 census.
It is the third largest Vietnamese diaspora in Europe, after France and Germany, and one of the most populous Vietnamese diasporas of the world.
According to the 2001 census, there were 17,462 ethnic Vietnamese in the Czech Republic. The Vietnamese population has grown very rapidly since then, with the Czech Statistics Office estimating that there were 61,012 Vietnamese residing in the Czech Republic in October 2009. Nguyen, the most common Vietnamese surname, is now the 9th most common surname in the entire country.
Vietnamese immigrants began settling in the Czech Republic during the Communist period, when they were invited as guest workers by the Czechoslovak government. Migration was encouraged by the Vietnamese authorities, with the intention that the migrants would return with skills and training.
Following the collapse of communism in Czechoslovakia, many Vietnamese decided to remain in the country rather than return home. This first generation of immigrants has traditionally made a living as vendors in street markets or stalls. In recent years, however, a significant number have moved towards establishing their own businesses and integrating more broadly into society, similar to the experience of other overseas Vietnamese in Western countries. However, the small business sector remains the key economic domain of first-generation Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic.
Vietnamese immigration continued in the 1990s and 2000s (decade), with Vietnam being one of the countries targeted by the Czech Republic's skilled migration programme.
The majority of Vietnamese (over 10,000 people as of 2011) live in Prague, and 2% of the population of Karlovy Vary Region have Vietnamese citizenship, with the border town of Cheb being a main centre for Vietnamese people. Also the northernmost part of Bohemia – around the town Varnsdorf – has a significant Vietnamese population.
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Wikipedia