Statistická ročenka Středočeského kraje

The Region divides into 12 Districts with 10 District Authority Municipalities. By rea, the largest is the Příbram District (15 % of the Region’s area); the smallest is the Praha-západ District (5 % share). In 2008, there were 1,146 municipalities in the Region. The highest number of municipalities is concentrated in the Příbram District (121), while the lowest is in the Mělník District (69). 81 municipalities received the status of a city.

As at 1 January 2003, when the state administration reform came into force, district authorities were cancelled; however, districts as territorial units did not cease to exist. At the same time, territorial districts of municipalities with commissioned local authority of the 2^nd level and administrative districts of the municipalities with extended competence of the 3^rd level were established. In the Středočeský Region, there are 26 administrative districts of the municipalities with extended powers, which differ a lot as for their size. The biggest administrative district of the municipality with extended powers is the Mladá Boleslav administrative district, which comprises 98 municipalities; on the contrary, the Lysá nad Labem administrative district consists of 9 municipalities only.

Based on the Decree No. 513/2006 Coll., of 3 November 2006, which modifies the Decree No. 564/2002 Coll., on territorial definition of districts in the Czech Republic and districts of the Capital City of Prague, as amended, changes of district borders in almost all regions of the Czech Republic (save for the Ústecký Region) took place. The decree became effective on 1 January 2007 with the aim to introduce changes so that the territories of districts correspond with administrative districts of municipalities with extended powers. In the Středočeský Region the change affected 36 municipalities. District relevance of municipalities falling under the municipality with extended powers located elsewhere, had changed. The Czech Statistical Office gradually re-calculates data for the previous periods to comparable territorial structure of districts, valid from 1 January 2007. At present, however, we do not have all relevant data available for the re-calculations and therefore we have to put a dot sign for the y-o-y development of some indicators related to the territories of districts, which were subject to changes.

There lived 1,230, 691 inhabitants in the Region as at 31 December 2008. The most populated District is the Kladno District with already more than 157, 000 inhabitants, followed by the Mladá Boleslav District, the Praha-východ District, the Praha-západ District, the Mělník District and the Příbram District with more than 100, 000 inhabitants each. On the other hand, the least populated is the Rakovník District with almost 55, 000 inhabitants. The population density is the highest in the Kladno District, the Praha-východ District and the Praha-západ District (over 175 inhabitants per km²). All these Districts have strong socio-economic ties with Prague and they constitute to some extent the metropolitan background of the Capital City. The lowest density of population is reported in the Rakovník District, the Benešov District, and the Příbram District where it does not exceed 70 inhabitants per km². The Region is characteristic with a high representation of municipalities with the number of inhabitants up to two thousand (1 052 municipalities); 42 % of inhabitants live in these municipalities. The share of the town population on the total population of the Region is 54.4 % and is the lowest in the whole Czech Republic.

Demographic development of the Region started to change markedly in the second half of 1990´s mainly thanks to construction of satellite residential units in Prague’s surroundings. The reason is a constant growth by migration (in 2000 it was 5.9 per mille, in 2008 it was 21.3 per mille), which positively affects the natural population change. Thanks to the structure of the moved in inhabitants, who are usually younger and start their families in the Region, the fall of the natural population change had been decreasing (2.6 per mille in 2000) and in 2008 natural increase of 2.5 per mille was already recorded. The result is more than a septuple increase of the total population growth.

What significantly influences its economic characteristic is the Region’s position. Close ties with the Capital City and dense transportation network make the position of the Region very favourable. The Region is an important source of labour force for Prague; it supplements the Prague’s industry, supplies Prague with food, and provides to Prague its recreation potential.

The Středočeský Region has the second densest (after Prague), but also the most overloaded transport network in the CR. Main railway and road transit networks lead in a historical radial arrangement over the territory of the Region to the Capital City. Water transport is also present in the Region. The only waterway in the Czech Republic for internal and international transport is the Labsko-vltavská (Labe-Vltava) waterway with about 75 % passing through the Region’s area.

Developed agricultural and industrial production is characteristic for the Středočeský Region. Agricultural production profits from excellent natural conditions in the northeastern part of the Region. The Region is great at crop production, growing of wheat, barley, beet, and in parts close to towns also in growing of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

The following belong to the key industries in the Region: engineering, chemical industry and food industry. ŠKODA AUTO a.s. Mladá Boleslav (automobile factory) is an enterprise of a national importance, manufacture of small cars in TPCA Czech, s.r.o Kolín carries on. There are also several important enterprises from the following industries: glass industry, ceramics manufacture and printing industry. Traditional industrial branches undergo a recession – it applies to coal mining, steel industry and leather manufacture.

In comparison with the branch structure of employment in the CR, the number of employees in manufacturing rises well above the average, along with agriculture, while the number of employees in construction and services is rather low. Services, however, have been reporting a progressive increase during the last years.

The average gross nominal wage grossed up to the fully employed reached CZK 23,718 (preliminary) in 2008 in the Region, it increased by 6.3 % year-on-year and was the second highest in the whole CR.

The unemployment rate is lower than the national average for a long-term. There are distinctive differences in unemployment within the Region, again because of the influence of the short distance from Prague. As at 31 December 2008, the registered unemployment rate in the Region was according to the new methodology 4.47 %. The highest rate was reported for the Nymburk District (7.11 %) and the lowest for the Praha-východ District (1.84 %).

Gross domestic product per capita in the Středočeský Region in 2008 was 91,9 % of the average level of GDP per capita of the Czech Republic, which ranked the Region 3 ^rd within all the regions of the CR. It is – besides the results of car industry - markedly influenced by the strategically favourable position of the Region, i.e. the fact that it is surrounding the CR’s capital.

On the territory of the Středočeský Region, there are many important and historically valuable sights and several Protected Landscape Regions. The biggest concentration of historical buildings and monuments is in the town of Kutná Hora, (Cathedral of St Barbara, Italian Court, Hrádek Museum of Silver & Medieval Mining, Ossuary), which was added to Unesco’s World Heritage List. On the Czech list of urban conservation areas of Central Bohemia there is (besides Kutná Hora) only Kolín. The most famous castles are Karlštejn and Točník in Beroun area, Křivoklát in Rakovník area, Český Šternberk in Benešov area, and Kokořín in Mělník area. The most important chateaux are Konopiště in Benešov area, Žleby and Kačina in Kutná Hora area, Lány in Rakovník area, Nelahozeves or Mělník´s castle. The most interesting castle ruins are Žebrák in Beroun area and Okoř in the Praha-západ District.

The most valuable natural area of the Region is the Křivoklát Protected Landscape Region, which is a Unesco ”biosphere preservation” area; among other important areas are the Kokořín Protected Landscape Region, Český kras (the Bohemian Karst), Český ráj (the Bohemian Paradise) and Blaník.