Regions of the Czech Republic

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Regions of the Czech Republic
  • Also known as:
  • Kraje České republiky (Czech)
CategoryUnitary state
LocationCzech Republic
Number13 regions + Prague
Populations293,064 (Karlovy Vary Region) – 1,438,364 (Central Bohemian Region)
Areas3,163 km2 (1,221 sq mi) (Liberec Region) – 10,929 km2 (4,220 sq mi) (Central Bohemian Region)
Government
Subdivisions

Regions of the Czech Republic (Czech: kraj, plural: kraje) are higher-level territorial self-governing units of the Czech Republic. Every region is governed by a regional council, headed by a governor (hejtman). Elections to regional councils take place every four years.

According to the Act no. 129/2000 Coll. ("Law on Regions"), which implements Chapter VII of the Czech Constitution, the Czech Republic is divided into thirteen regions and one capital city with regional status as of 1 January 2000.[1]

History[edit]

The first kraje were created in the Kingdom of Bohemia during the reign of Charles IV in the 14th century and they lasted till 1862/68. Kraje were reintroduced in 1949 in Czechoslovakia and still exist today (except for the early 1990s) in its successor states despite many rearrangements.

Competences[edit]

Historical lands and current administrative regions

Rights and obligations of the regions include:[1]

  • Establishment of secondary schools;
  • Responsibility for hospitals and social facilities;
  • Construction and repair of second and third class roads;
  • Organization of integrated transport systems;
  • Ordering of public intermunicipal transport;
  • Protection of the nature;
  • Cooperation in the distribution of EU funds within the NUTS-2 regions;
  • Tasks within the integrated rescue system;
  • Right to propose laws to the Chamber of Deputies and submit complaints to the Constitutional Court.

List of regions[edit]

Licence
plate
Region Capital Population
(2023)[2]
Area
(km2)
Pop. density
(/km2)
GDP
(million CZK, 2021)[3]
GDP per
capita
A  Prague 1,357,326 496 2,571 1,677,194 1,264,456
S  Central Bohemian Prague[a] 1,438,364 10,929 127 688,764 494,720
C  South Bohemian České Budějovice 653,035 10,058 63 291,708 453,208
P  Plzeň Plzeň 605,248 7,649 76 297,919 504,354
K  Karlovy Vary Karlovy Vary 293,064 3,310 86 99,823 339,491
U  Ústí nad Labem Ústí nad Labem 812,457 5,339 150 324,010 395,524
L  Liberec Liberec 449,460 3,163 138 186,939 421,913
H  Hradec Králové Hradec Králové 555,060 4,759 114 288,036 522,295
E  Pardubice Pardubice 528,599 4,519 114 237,131 453,219
J  Vysočina Jihlava 514,771 6,796 74 234,709 460,423
B  South Moravian Brno 1,217,395 7,188 165 671,259 562,278
M  Olomouc Olomouc 632,132 5,272 118 286,366 453,360
Z  Zlín Zlín 580,843 3,963 144 281,695 484,632
T  Moravian-Silesian Ostrava 1,189,775 5,427 217 543,164 453,836
CZ  Czech Republic Prague 10,827,529 78,871 136 6,108,717 571,051

Coats of arms[edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Administrative buildings only. Prague is not considered a part of the region.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Zákon č. 129/2000 Sb. o krajích (krajské zřízení)". zakonyprolidi.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2023". Czech Statistical Office. 23 May 2023.
  3. ^ Regionální účty