As Radio Prague reports, 45,500 Ukrainians have found their new home in the Czech capital, significantly outnumbering other foreign groups: 26,000 Slovaks and more than 21,000 Russians. The number of Americans settled in Prague equals that of the Chinese (approximately 4,000 each).
The number of foreigners has increased most significantly over the past six years, with their total number jumping by 100% during this period. The topic 'Foreigners in Prague', which has become one of the studied aspects within the project 'Data on Czechia', is not attracting the attention of scientists for the first time. It was previously studied in detail by staff of the Department of Social Geography and Regional Studies at Charles University.
«A similar issue was studied, for example, using data from 2007, and the results of that study are largely similar to those that follow from the analysis of data obtained up to the end of 2014,» says study participant and university researcher Ivana Přidalová. «The study shows where the most immigrants live and that foreigners settle in the most densely populated areas of Prague. When my colleagues and I compared data from 2001 and 2011 (2011 was the last time a census was conducted in Czechia), it became obvious that currently, foreigners, whose numbers have generally increased, are choosing a wide variety of districts in the capital for their residence. A fairly high percentage of foreigners today live both in the city center and on its outskirts.»
It is they, the authors of the study believe, that today are one of the most significant factors influencing the transformation of the urban environment, since many native Praguers have been moving out of the city in recent years, while foreigners, on the contrary, are becoming an integral part of Prague life.
As Ivana Přidalová emphasizes, foreigners look for housing that matches their socio-economic status. According to the map of resident distribution by districts of the capital published as part of the project, Russians for the most part settle in the fifth and sixth districts, the Chinese have taken a liking to the 9th district, the Vietnamese to the 4th and 11th. The 4th district is also home to a large part of Ukrainians. Britons, Americans, and Germans prefer the first and second districts of the capital.
«First of all, we must not forget that even within a single group of citizens moving to Czechia from a particular country, there are exceptions regarding the choice of residence. In general, however, it can be said that citizens arriving from countries east of Czechia do look for cheaper options in Prague districts, while citizens from Western countries prefer to settle in more prestigious areas: the city center, areas built up with private houses, or where embassies are located.»
Looking more closely, it becomes obvious that Ukrainians more often settle in so-called bedroom communities, unlike many Russians, whose financial situation allows them to buy housing in central parts of the city. Vietnamese most often live in microdistricts, while Americans also prefer the center or private houses.
«Regarding the concentration of a particular diaspora in certain parts of the city, we believe that this is connected not only with the fact that, for example, a district has a reputation as a place where people of a specific nationality live and the corresponding infrastructure is developed, but also with the fact that new apartments are being built in these districts that can be bought by those who can afford them,» says Ivana Přidalová.
This map has been published on the portal of the project «Česko v datech» (a similar one was compiled by staff of the Department of Social Geography and Regional Studies at Charles University, based on data from 2007). The map allows one to find out which countries' citizens prevail among the residents of a particular district, as well as the specific number of immigrants officially living in each district of the capital. The information is based on data for 2014.