Statistická ročenka Královéhradeckého kraje

Characteristics of the Královéhradecký Region

In the north and northeast there are Krkonoše (the Giant Mountains) and Orlické hory (the Eagle Mountains), which pass to fertile Polabská nížina (the Elbe lowland). Both mountain ranges are separated by Broumovský výběžek (the Broumov Hills in a knob of eastern Bohemia that juts into Poland), which is varied as for geology and orography - it used to be a flat basin between two mountain ranges and the nature created there large rock towns; they are: the Teplice Rocks and the Adršpach Rocks, Broumov Hills, Křížový vrch (Cross Hill) and Ostaš. This area belongs to the most abundant water reservoirs of best quality in the Czech Republic. An important part of the territory comprises of the foothills of Krkonoše and Orlické hory. Main watercourses are Labe (the Elbe) with its tributaries Orlice and Metuje. Almost the entire Region’s territory falls under the basin of the River Labe, only a marginal part of the Broumovský výběžek area falls under the basin of the River Odra. The highest point of at once the Region and the Czech Republic is Sněžka (Mount Sněžka – 1602m above sea level) in Krkonoše. The lowest point is the surface of the River Labe where it leaves the territory of the Hradec Králové District (202m above sea level).

After the state administration reform took place (1 January 2000) the territory of the Region comprises of five districts: Hradec Králové, Jičín, Náchod, Rychnov nad Kněžnou, and Trutnov. The area 4 758 km2 ranks the Region ninth among the CR´s Regions. The Region takes 6% of the total CR´s area. Its agricultural land ranks it fifth among the Regions of the CR. As at 1 January 2004, agricultural land covered 58.8% of the total Region´s territory and the share of arable land was 40.7% while forests covered 30.9% of the territory. As for area, the biggest district is Trutnov, which takes almost one fourth of the entire Region´s territory followed by the Rychnov nad Kněžnou District with 21.0% and as for the three remaining districts each has about 18%.

As at 1 January 2003, 15 administrative districts of municipalities with extended competence and 35 administrative districts of municipalities with commissioned local authority were established in the Královéhradecký Region. Commissioned local authorities administer municipalities on the territory, which make up districts and administrative districts of municipalities with extended competence (with the exception of 4 municipalities from the Rychnov nad Kněžnou District, which belong to the Hradec Králové administrative district).

As at the end of 2004, the Královéhradecký Region had 547,296 inhabitants, which is 5.4% of the total CR´s population. The most populated is the Hradec Králové District with almost 160,000 inhabitants. On the other hand, the smallest as for population is the Jičín District with 77,031 inhabitants. With its 115 inhabitants per square kilometre the Region is under the national average (130 inhabitants per sq km). Population density differs also one district from another being the highest in the Hradec Králové District (182 inhabitants per sq km) and the lowest in the Rychnov nad Kněžnou District (79 inhabitants per sq km).

There is the total of 448 independent municipalities in the Region, with 43 of them enjoying the status of town. As at 31 December 2004, the share of urban population reached 68.02%. The Region’s main centre is the statutory town Hradec Králové with 94,694 inhabitants followed by the second largest town Trutnov with 31,239 inhabitants. The least urbanized is the Jičín District, in which most inhabitants live in municipalities of less than 500 inhabitants (one third). Within the Region, this share formed almost one fourth of inhabitants. The average area of a municipality is 1,062 hectares and average population is 1,222 inhabitants per municipality.

Of all the regions of the CR, the Královéhradecký Region ranks second (right after the Capital City of Prague) as for the share of population aged 65+ (14.7%). Average age of males (38.4 of years) and females (41.6 of years) is also above the national average. The same applies to the comparison with the regional average in the Hradec Králové District and the Jičín District. The highest share of population up to 14 years of age is in the Náchod District and the Rychnov nad Kněžnou District and the highest share of inhabitants aged 15-64 was in the Trutnov District.

In terms of economic activities, the Region can be described as agricultural-industrial with well-developed tourism. The industry is concentrated in big towns, intensive agriculture in the Elbe lowland (Polabí). The biggest concentration of tourism in the Czech Republic is in Krkonoše. Two thirds of the area of the Krkonoše National Park (Krkonošský národní park) lie in the Region’s territory and the most valuable localities of the Park can be found namely on the Region’s territory. The following belong to the protected landscape areas: Broumovsko (the Broumov area), Orlické hory and Český ráj (the Bohemian or Czech Paradise).

The Region’s gross domestic product accounts for only 4.8% of the CR’s GDP, but when converted to GDP per inhabitant it amounts to 90.2% of national average and ranks fiveth in the CR (after the Capital City of Prague, Jihomoravský, Plzeňský and Jihočeský Regions).

According to labour force sample surveys there is a total about 251,000 employees in Region, 30% for industry, 13.4% for trade and repair of personal and household goods, 8.9% on construction, and 5.4% for agriculture.

Regarding agriculture, crop production focuses on cereals, rape and maize, with potatoes and industrial sugar beet production playing a major role, too. Animal production focuses on raising cattle and pigs. Manufacturing (mainly manufacture of textiles and textile products, electrical and optical equipment) prevails over the other industries. However, the Region does not rank among key industrial areas – its 2004 share in sales of industrial enterprises accounted for 4.31% of the CR’s total.

In 2004, the statistically measured collective accommodation establishments (966) reported more than 951,000 guests, including more than 298,000 foreigners comming mainly from Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. The average length of stays per guest was 5 days. Of the total number of 43 tourism districts determined for domestic tourism the following are to be found on the territory of the Královéhradecký Region: Podzvičínsko, Kladské pomezí, Hradecko, Krkonoše - východ, including those, which are shared with the neighbouring regions, i.e. Český ráj, Orlické hory a Podorlicko and Krkonoše - střed.

During the last few years, many form of cross-border co-operation have been developing. One of them is the Euroregion Glacensis that had been established as one of the Euroregions covering the Czech-Polish border areas.

In the end, here are several items, in which the Královéhradecký Region is the best (when compared to other regions):
o the highest point: 1602m (Sněžka, the highest peak of the Czech Republic);
o the second highest percentage of population by age 65+;
o the third highest average age of population;
o the third highest males expectation of life;
o the third highest apple harvested;
o the third highest rape harvested;
o the third highest average slaughter weight of bulls for slaughter;
o the second lowest average slaughter weight of cows and calves for slaughter;
o the third highest number of piglets born per sow;
o the third highest intensity of hens;
o the second lowest industrial activity sales in industrial enterprices with 20 employees or more ;
o the third lowest construction work of contractors and subcontractors in construction enterprices with 20 employees or more ;
o the highest average monthly gross wages per employees in agriculture, forestry and fishing enterprices with 20 employees or more;
o the thirds lowest average monthly gross wages per employees in industrial enterprices with 20 employees or more;
o the second lowest number of started dwellings;
o the second lowest number of dwellings under construction;
o the second highest number of tourist accommodation establishments;
o the third highest number of beds in tourist accommodation establishments;
o the third highest number of overnight stays and average time of stay in tourist accommodation establishments;
o the second highest turnout in election to regional councils held on 5-6 November 2004.