Doing Business in the C zech Republic VII. Regions
SOUTH BOHEMIA REGION The Region of South Bohemia used to be seen as an agricultural area with developed fish farming and forestry. Industrial development oriented towards manufacturing activities only started to appear in the Region during the 20th century. Kašperk Castle
Statistical Data Population
637 204
1.–2. Q. 2015
CZK 23 025 (approx. EUR 836)
31 August 2015
4.52%
Source: Czech Statistical Office; EUR 1 = CZK 27.533
Of the Region’s seven districts, the District of České Budějovice, which is home to almost 30% of the Region’s inhabitants, has the highest population density. This is mostly due to the concentration of population in the city of České Budějovice itself, which has 94 800 residents. Other big towns include Tábor, Písek, Strakonice, and Jindřichův Hradec.
With its 10 057 sq. km, the Region takes up 12.8% of the entire Czech Republic. More than 7 000 ponds, whose overall surface area today comprises over 30 000 hectares, were built within the Region’s territory in the past. A significant part of the Region’s border is formed by the state border with Austria and Germany (total length of 323 km). The Region’s border character provides opportunities for efficient cross-border cooperation in the area of manufacture as well as in the area of services, together with the development of the tourist trade, which utilises the overall attractiveness, unspoiled nature and many cultural monuments of the Region.
The Region of South Bohemia is not an area rich in raw materials. Most importantly, there are almost no sources of power-producing raw materials. However, the expansive forests are an important natural treasure, especially in the Bohemian Forest and in the Novohradské hory Mountains. The forests are mostly coniferous, spruce and pine. The greatest raw material treasure is formed by deposits of sands and sandy gravels, brick clay, aggregate, and glass sands. Other important raw materials include peat and, in some locations, also limestone, diatomite, and graphite.There is a number of educational and scientific research institutions in the South Bohemia Region. The most important include the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, which comprises a public university-type school. The Region has always had the character of a recreational area rather than an industrially developed one. The efforts to preserve the natural environment are reflected in the establishment of the Šumava National Park. In agriculture, crop farming is
Gross wage Unemployment
Photo: CzechTourism archives, Pavel Ouředník
31 June 2015
ECONOMIC POTENTIAL
2015/2016
93