The ten new countries
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Your support makes all the difference.The Czech Republic has a population 10.3m, of which 300,000 are Roma; rich cultural heritage, home of Kafka and Dvorak
CZECH REPUBLIC
Tell me about it now
Population 10.3m, of which 300,000 are Roma; rich cultural heritage, home of Kafka and Dvorak
History
Split from Slovakia after 1989's "Velvet Revolution" ended Communist rule
What they bring to the party
A long tradition of beer-making; the capital, Prague, is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Europe
Potential problems
Growing Eurosceptic tendencies; domestic and UK concerns about marginalised Roma; rising crime
Links with Britain
Britain seen as reliable ally in defence terms; also consensus on social policy and other economic issues
Well-known figures
Vaclav Havel, playwright and former president
Idiosyncracies
Less known for its puppet theatres, best known for inventing lager in the 1840s
CYPRUS
Tell me about it now
Population 800,000, split between Greek and Turkish Cypriots; birthplace of goddess of love, Aphrodite (right)
History
Divided in two when Turkey invaded in 1974 after Athens-backed coup
What they bring to the party
Known as a sun-and-clubbing destination, but has Greek, Roman and Turkish cultural heritage
Potential problems
Divided island; Papadopolous is now Europe's Mr Unpopular after rejecting EU peace plan
Links with Britain
Major British military presence on the island; was once British-controlled
Well-known figures
Hüseyin Çaglayan (or Hussein Chalayan), Turkish Cypriot fashion designer; poet Osman Turkay, died 2001
Idiosyncracies
Known for invariably giving "douze points" to Greece and vice versa in the Eurovision song contest
ESTONIA
Tell me about it now
Population 1.4 million; gained independence in 1991 and now has Baltic region's most stable economy
History
Gained independence after First World War until Soviets invaded in 1940. Broke away from USSR in 1991
What they bring to the party
Has a fast-growing, innovative economy, which is less likely to collapse than some others
Potential problems
Hostile to ideas of tax harmonisation; resents French bullying and criticism for support of Iraq war
Links with Britain
Aided by Britain when attacked by Russia and Germany after gaining independence from Russia in 1918
Well-known figures
Award-winning novelist Jan Kross and poet Jaan Kaplinski; Sunderland goalkeeper Mart Poom
Idiosyncracies
Identifies closely with Finland (Estonians are of Finno-Ugric origin) and has a Finnish TV station
HUNGARY
Tell me about it now
Population 10.2m. Roma, German, Slovak, Croat, Serb, Romanian minorities
History
Made transition to democracy in 1989 after half century of Soviet occupation
What they bring to the party
Booming economy
Potential problems
Farmers concerned about reduced subsidies. Immigration issues
Links with Britain
Strong trade between Britain and Hungary
Well-known figures
Birthplace of numerous performers and composers, including Franz Liszt
Idiosyncracies
The first team to beat England at Wembley, it has mainland Europe's oldest metro
LATVIA
Tell me about it now
Population 2.4 million, of which 30 per cent Russian, with social and political problems
History
Independence ended by Soviet annexation in 1940; independent again in 1991
What they bring to the party
Booming economy
Potential problems
Tensions over foreigners buying land, and the teaching of Russian in schools
Links with Britain
Britain refused to recognise Stalin's annexation of Latvia
Well-known figures
Violinist Gidon Kremer; Karlis Rudevics, a Roma translator of poems on Gypsy life
Idiosyncracies
As of today, beer will be one of the alcoholic drinks whose sale is banned after 10pm
LITHUANIA
Tell me about it now
Population 3.5 million. First European country to impeach a president (Rolandas Paksas)
History
Annexed by the USSR in 1940. Declared independence from Soviets in 1990
What they bring to the party
Basketball players such as Zydrunas Ilgauskas, NBA star with the Cleveland Cavaliers
Potential problems
Tensions with large ethnic Russian population, heated political scene
Links with Britain
DTI funded the renewal of Visaginas, a town hit economically by closure of its local power plant
Well-known figures
Painter/composer, Konstantinas Ciurlionis; poet Czeslaw Milosz
Idiosyncracies
Boasts a revivalist pagan movement, having been Europe's last pagan country
MALTA
Tell me about it now
Population 400,000. Location makes it important trading post in Mediterranean
History
Long history of colonisation. Achieved independence from Britain in 1964
What they bring to the party
Tourist and film-maker hotspot (Gladiator was filmed there) because of archaeological sites
Potential problems
Idiosyncracies
Staunchly neutral, barely voted in favour of EU, reluctant to back more integration
Links with Britain
Largest Man United fan club outside UK
Well-known figures
Writers Francis Ebejer and Joseph Attard, Miriam Gauci (opera singer)
Idiosyncracies
"Ghana" is the island's favourite type of folk music
POLAND
Tell me about it now
Population 38.6 million Move from one-party state to democracy in 1991. Mainly Catholic
History
Occupied by Soviet Union from 1945-89. Lost 20% of population in Second World War
What they bring to the party
Has highly educated workforce, reasonable armed forces and strong ties with the UK
Potential problems
Wants to be seen as big player, but also wants money from central coffers
Links with Britain
Poles were among the best wartime RAF pilots: 140,000 fought with the Allies
Well-known figures
The composers Anton Gorecki and Chopin and Lech Walesa, Nobel prize winner
Idiosyncracies
Propensity for cavalry charges against Nazi tanks
SLOVAKIA
Tell me about it now
5.4 million people, most Catholic. Strong Czech and Hungarian influences
History
Slovaks joined Czechs in 1918 to form Czechoslovakia. Union ended in 1993
What they bring to the party
Surging economy
Potential problems
Struggling to stamp out corruption. Food industry worried EU rules will cut subsidies
Links with Britain
1997 TV programme about Czechs living in Dover made Slovak gypsies visit the town
Well-known figures
Artist Ladislav Mednyánszky. Middlesbrough striker Szilard Nemeth
Idiosyncracies
Slovak women are said to be much more passionate than their men
SLOVENIA
Tell me about it now
Population two million; only former Yugoslav republic in first wave of new member states
History
In Austro-Hungarian empire until 1918; independent from Yugoslavia in 1991
What they bring to the party
Most stable of former Communist countries; already wealthier than Greece and Portugal
Potential problems
Good record except for lost residency rights of thousands from former Yugoslav republics
Links with Britain
More ties with Italy, Germany and Austria but popular with the British for holidays
Well-known figures
France Preseren (d. 1849), poet
Idiosyncracies
"Sisters", gay transvestite band, won Eurovision nomination, 2002
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