Number of foreigners growing, but country still below European average

According to figures released by the Czech Statistical Office the number of foreigners in the Czech Republic has been steadily growing. In 1997 they made up just over two percent of the population; in 2009 they accounted for 4 percent of the country’s 10.5 million inhabitants. The highest number of foreigners come from Ukraine, followed by Slovak, Vietnamese, Russian and Polish nationals. Despite the steady rise, the Czech Republic is still below the European average which is currently at 6 percent. Luxemburg is at the opposite end of the scale with foreigners making up 40 percent of the population.