Statistická ročenka Jihomoravského kraje

• Large cave complexes of the Moravian Karst (Moravský kras) in the northern part of the Region known especially thanks to the Macocha Abyss, which is the deepest abyss in the Czech Republic (138 m), hillsides and a lot of protected areas. Many caves of this unique area, which belongs to the cleanest in the CR as for ecology, are accessible to the public and visited by plenty of tourists from the CR as well as abroad.
• Southern part of the Region is mostly a flat area of fields, meadows and vineyards with rests of bottomland forests alongside the Dyje river. Many water areas of the Podyjí National Park became an ideal roost of water birds. A symbol of this part of southern Moravia is the biospheric reservation of Pálava and Lednice - Valtice area. Those loving water sports and fishing visit every year the Nové Mlýny reservoir.
• Behind the Morava river, in the eastern part, the landscape gradually elevates to the hills of the White Carpathians (Bílé Karpaty). This biospheric reservation belongs to the most precious natural areas in Europe.
• Although the landscape around the city of Brno is influenced by the existence of the large urban agglomeration, the surroundings of the city is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the CR. In the north, it is adjacent to the forests of the Moravian Karst, in the south are open flats of the southern Moravia and right at the borders of the city there is the Brno dam.

The highest altitude in the Region is in the Hodonín District at the mountain called Čupec (819 m above sea level). In the Břeclav District you can find the municipality of Lanžhot on the territory of which there is the lowest point (150 m) of the Region as for altitude, which is located where the Dyje and the Morava rivers meet. The oldest dam in Moravia (built in 1894 - 1897) is in the Znojmo District in Jevišovice as well as the biggest water mill in Moravia in Slup, which is from the 16th century. In Ivančice you can enjoy the famous tradition of growing of edible asparagus (in the Brno-venkov District), which is every year commemorated by a feast. Ivančice are also known for their luminaries: Vladimír Menšík (an outstanding actor and comic) and Alfons Mucha (an artist) whose series of large canvases called the Slav Epic is exhibited in the near Moravský Krumlov. In Březina (on the territory of the Vyškov District) you can find one of five military grounds of the CR with the area of 15,821 ha.

Agricultural land comprises more than 60 % of the Region’s total area, of which 84 % is arable land. The highest share of arable land (i.e. in the agricultural land) is in the Zojmo and Brno - venkov Districts. To go into detail, agriculture focuses on cereals, rape and sugar beet. Thanks to very favourable climatic conditions the Jihomoravský Region has a long tradition and a high level of specialised agricultural production: viniculture, fruit-growing and vegetable-growing. There are nearly 90 % of the CR’s total vineyard. The districts with a developed viniculture include the Břeclav, Hodonín, Znojmo and partially also the Brno-venkov District. Interesting is also high quality of plant breeding and animal breeding of cattle and pigs.

There is a significant economic potential in the Jihomoravský Region. The gross domestic product (GDP) of the Region accounts for almost 10% of the CR’s gross domestic product. The GDP share, however, does not correspond with the population share of the Region, which is 11 % of the CR’s population. In the Jihomoravský Region, the purchasing power parity GDP per inhabitant amounted to 66.6 % of the EU average in the year 2004.

With regards to the industrial tradition of the city of Brno and its surroundings, manufacturing still plays a dominant role in the Region’s economy; its share in the total value added produced in the Region is 23.6 % while the share of agriculture (another traditional branch of especially southern parts of the Region) is only 3.9 %. Developing construction makes 8.0 % and what also has to be mentioned is wholesale and retail trade and repair of personal and household goods with 12.8 % and so-called commercial services (15.7 %).

The Jihomoravský Region as a whole ranks among those of rather good quality of air. Air pollution, noise and similar unfavourable influences are only of local character, especially around large industrial centres. High levels of specific emissions are seen particularly in the Brno-město District and the Brno-venkov District. What contributes to the pollution is an increasing number of cars, especially in big cities. Construction of sewage water treatment plants, which meet the EU requirements, remains to be a priority task. It is one of the possibilities how to improve very high levels of pollution seen in part of the Morava, Svratka and Dyje Rivers.

The population was influenced primarily by migration. In 2004, the total increase was 631 persons; the total of 1,123,201 inhabitants lived in 647 municipalities as at 31 December. As for breakdown by sex, women were prevailing: there were 1,061 women per 1,000 men. It is influenced primarily by the structure of the city of Brno, in which 1,107 women per 1,000 men live. The average age of the Region´s population is 40.0 years, of which the youngest population is in the municipality called Práče in the Znojmo District (average age is 32.4 years) and the oldest is in the municipality called Nelepeč - Žernůvka in the Brno-venkov District (60.6 years in average). 63 per cent of inhabitants live in 47 municipalities with the status of town. Population density is 159 persons per km2, which is lower than the national average by 129.2 persons. The highest density in the Region is in the municipality called Zastávka (2.007 persons per km²) and the lowest is in Zálesná Zhoř (7 persons per km²).

Through voluntary grouping together in so-called micro-regions individual municipalities continue to cooperate in order to ensure their respective interests; they are an important step on the way to fulfilling the priorities of the Region. Recently, cross-border cooperation in the “Pomoraví” euroregion has been developing; the region comprises Weinviertel, South Moravia and Western Slovakia regions. Most of these areas are characterized by intense agricultural activity with the exception of urban agglomerations of Vienna, Brno and Bratislava, in which industrial and trade activity are concentrated.

Natural attraction zone of the entire southern Moravia is the city of Brno, which is located at the confluence of Svratka and Svitava rivers. Being an important regional centre, which is situated on the crossroads of motorways to Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Olomouc, it is a place where traditional international exhibitions and fairs take place thus highlighting the city’s status of a busy international business centre. It is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the importance of which reaches beyond local context: it is a seat of many institutions of national importance, especially judiciary; it is also an important centre of culture and academic live.

In the Jihomoravský Region, the number of employees in enterprises with 20 or more employees has decreased again in 2004 (0,2 % more). However, one third of the employees still work in industry, 12 % in education and almost the same number in trade, hotels and restaurants. The average wage CZK 16,226 per natural persons ranks the Region well below the national average (CZK 18,035), though it has the second highest share of population with secondary and university education. The highest wage of CZK 17,492 (that does not reach the CR’s average) was in the Brno-město District and Brno-venkov District (15,981). The lowest is reported from the Znojmo and Hodonín Districts, which still remain to be placed almost on the last place within the CR. Regarding industrial breakdown, the highest wages are paid in the financial intermediation branch. Also employees in the mining and quarrying branch reached wages that are distinctively above the average.

In 2004, there was again an increase of the number of job applicants (most of them were in the Vyškov District). The registered unemployment rate of 10,69 % (by the new methodology) ranked the Jihomoravský Region as fifth Region with the highest registered unemployment rate of 14 regions in the CR. However, the offer of vacancies (especially in the Vyškov, Brno-venkov and Brno-město Districts) improved. The worst situation in this sense is in the Blansko and Hodonín Distric. The Brno-venkov District has the lowest registered unemployment rate (7,20 %). In average, there are 19,2 job applicants for a vacancy in the Region. A positive feature is a decrease in the number of unemployed graduates from schools and an increase of the offer of vacancies for citizens with a handicap.

The Jihomoravský Region belongs to important regions of the CR as for transport, too; it has an important transit function. The backbone of the transport system consists of D1, D2 and D4 7motorways and R43 and R52 fast roads. An important transport junction of the Region is Brno, which is a road, motorway, and railway junction. The Region’s position is weaker only in the case of air transport. However, the civil airport Brno-Tuřany can accept all types of aircrafts all the year round. Two main railway corridors, which interconnect EU countries, go through the Region and the City of Brno is a member of an association of European towns in the interest of which is to build a fast railway. Road transport intensity increases, which is clear from the number of registered passenger cars (391 thousand) and trucks (40,683) in the Region in 2004.

With respect to international tourism, a prime role is played by the natural and cultural heritage areas, such as Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape (it was declared a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site together with another eight in the CR), the Moravian Karst (Moravský kras) and the Slavkov (Austerlitz) Battlefield. Brno plays a similar cultural role with its national heritage buildings and monuments. One of the most attractive landscape areas is the Podyjí National Park. Much cultural and social attractiveness attracts visitors to the territory of the Region, which is of a high benefit for the development of tourism. From this point of view, one of advantages of the Region is viniculture tourism; the Region draws its unique character from folklore and folk culture. Positive in this sense is also the influence of cycling in the southern part of Moravia, namely in international context (Moravian-Silesian long-distance cycle track, Greenways, Amber cycle track, and a cycle track from the City of Brno to Vienna).

From the total number of accommodation establishments in the Region most are collective accommodation establishments such as hotels, motels and camps, in which more than 1.015. thousand guests (including 34 % of foreigners) were accommodated in 2004.

Quality health care in the Region is ensured by 23 hospitals with a total of 8.028 thousand beds (in all departments) as well as by a sufficient number of other independent health establishments, independent surgeries and pharmacies or dispensaries.

What is positive in the Region is the sufficient network of pre-school and school establishments. Pre-school children attend 614 nursery schools, basic education is provided in 440 basic schools from which most pupils continue their study in 45 secondary vocational schools or 125 secondary technical schools and grammar schools. The network of schools usually covers the requirements for placement of children; however, some inadequacies still occur. The effort of the secondary and vocational education is to ensure interconnection of the offer of secondary education and the needs of the labour market.
The Jihomoravský Region takes up an important position in tertiary education because one fifth of university students of the entire Czech Republic attend universities in Brno or Lednice. It is also a centre of military education with universities in Brno.