View source for Regions of the Czech Republic

{{Short description|Administrative divisions of the Czech Republic}}
{{About|current administrative division of the Czech Republic|the traditional historical division of the country|Czech lands}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name               = Regions of the Czech Republic
| alt_name           = Kraje České republiky ([[Czech language|Czech]])
| map                = [[File:CZ-cleneni.svg|250px]]
| category           = [[Unitary state]]
| territory          = [[Czech Republic]]
| start_date         =
| current_number     = 13 regions + Prague
| number_date        =
| population_range   = 293,195 (Karlovy Vary Region) – 1,466,215 (Central Bohemian Region)
| area_range         = {{convert|3163|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} (Liberec Region) – {{convert|10929|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} (Central Bohemian Region) 
| government         = Region government, [[Government of the Czech Republic|national government]]
| subdivision        = [[Districts of the Czech Republic|District]] 
}}
{{Politics of the Czech Republic}}

'''Regions of the Czech Republic''' ({{langx|cs|kraje}} {{IPA|cs|ˈkrajɛ|}}; singular {{lang|cs|kraj}} {{IPA|cs|kraj||Cs-kraj.ogg}}) are higher-level territorial self-governing units of the [[Czech Republic]].

==History==
[[File:Czech Republic - Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia (en).png|thumb|280px|Historical lands and current administrative regions]]
{{See also|Administrative divisions of Czechoslovakia}}
The first regions (''[[kraj]]e'') were created in the [[Kingdom of Bohemia]] in the 14th century. At the beginning of the 15th century, Bohemia was already divided into 12 regions, but their borders were not fixed due to the frequent changes in the borders of the estates. During the reign of [[George of Poděbrady]] (1458–1471), Bohemia was divided into 14 regions, which remained so until 1714, when their number was reduced to 12 again. From 1751 to 1850, after the four largest regions were divided, the kingdom consisted of 16 regions. Between 1850 and 1862, there were several reforms and the number of regions fluctuated between 7 and 13. Due to the parallel establishment of political districts in 1848, however, their importance declined. In 1862, the regions were abolished, although the regional authorities had some powers until 1868.<ref name=mvcr>{{cite web |title=100 let proměn hranic našich regionů (Leták ke konferenci a vernisáži výstavy map)|url=https://www.mvcr.cz/clanek/100-let-promen-hranic-nasich-regionu.aspx|publisher=[[Ministry of the Interior (Czech Republic)|Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic]]|pages=17–18|language=cs|date=2018}}</ref>

[[Moravia]] was divided into four regions in 1529. In 1569–1735, their number was five, then the number increased to six. After the introduction of the political districts in 1850, Moravia consisted of two regions. In 1855–1860, there were six regions, but in 1860 they were abolished.<ref name=mvcr/>

[[Czech Silesia]] was not divided into regions until 1783, when it was divided into two regions. From 1850, Czech Silesia formed one region.<ref name=mvcr/>

From the 1860s to 1948, the [[Czech lands]] were divided into counties and districts. Regions were reintroduced in 1949 in [[Czechoslovakia]]. From 1949 to 1960, the Czech part of Czechoslovakia was divided into the Capital City of Prague and 13 regions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Historie krajského zřízení sahá hluboko do minulosti|url=https://www.czso.cz/csu/xj/historie-krajskeho-zrizeni-saha-hluboko-do-minulosti|publisher=[[Czech Statistical Office]]|language=cs|access-date=2024-04-19}}</ref> In 1960–1999, the Czech part of Czechoslovakia was divided into the Capital City of Prague and following 7 regions:<ref>{{cite web |title=Zákon č. 36/1960 Sb. o územním členění státu|url=https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1960-36|website=zakonyprolidi.cz|language=cs|access-date=2024-04-19}}</ref>
*Central Bohemian Region ({{lang|cs|Středočeský kraj}}) with the capital in [[Prague]]
*South Bohemian Region ({{lang|cs|Jihočeský kraj}}) with the capital in [[České Budějovice]]
*West Bohemian Region ({{lang|cs|Západočeský kraj}}) with the capital in [[Plzeň]]
*North Bohemian Region ({{lang|cs|Severočeský kraj}}) with the capital in [[Ústí nad Labem]]
*East Bohemian Region ({{lang|cs|Východočeský kraj}}) with the capital in [[Hradec Králové]]
*South Moravian Region ({{lang|cs|Jihomoravský kraj}}) with the capital in [[Brno]]
*North Moravian Region ({{lang|cs|Severomoravský kraj}}) with the capital in [[Ostrava]]

According to the Act no. 129/2000 Coll. ("Law on Regions"), which implements Chapter VII of the [[Constitution of the Czech Republic|Czech Constitution]], the Czech Republic is divided into thirteen regions and one [[capital city]] with regional status as of 1 January 2000.<ref name=law>{{cite web |title=Zákon č. 129/2000 Sb. o krajích (krajské zřízení)|url=https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2000-129|website=zakonyprolidi.cz|language=cs|access-date=2024-04-19}}</ref> The capital city of Prague, which has simultaneously the status of a region and a [[Obec|municipality]], is treated by Act no. 131/2000 Coll. ("Law on Capital City of Prague").<ref>{{cite web |title=Zákon č. 131/2000 Sb. o hlavním městě Praze|url=https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2000-131|website=zakonyprolidi.cz|language=cs|access-date=2024-04-19}}</ref>

==Competences==
Rights and obligations of the regions include:<ref name=law/>
*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 statistical regions of the Czech Republic|NUTS-2]] regions;
*Tasks within the integrated rescue system;
*Right to propose laws to the [[Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic|Chamber of Deputies]] and submit complaints to the [[Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic|Constitutional Court]].

==Government==
Every region is governed by a regional council, headed by a governor (''[[hejtman]]''). Elections to regional councils take place every four years. The number of council members varies according to the population in the region and consists of 45 (population under 600,000), 55 (population 600,000–900,000) or 65 people (population over 900,000).<ref name=law/>

==List of regions==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right; font-size:100%;"
![[Vehicle registration plates of the Czech Republic|Licence<br/>plate]]
!Region
!Capital
!Population<br/>(2025)<ref>{{cite web|title=Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2025|url=https://csu.gov.cz/produkty/population-of-municipalities-t4l3n8d2iw|publisher=[[Czech Statistical Office]]|date=2025-05-16}}</ref>
!Area<br/>(km<sup>2</sup>)
!Pop. density<br/>(per km<sup>2</sup>)
!GDP<br/>(million [[Czech koruna|CZK]], 2022)<ref>{{cite web |title=Gross Domestic Product: Current prices (CZK mil.)|url=https://vdb.czso.cz/vdbvo2/faces/en/index.jsf?page=vystup-objekt&pvo=NUCD05&z=T&f=TABULKA&skupId=4809&katalog=30832&pvo=NUCD05&str=v324|publisher=[[Czech Statistical Office]]|work=Public Database|access-date=2024-04-19}}</ref>
!GDP per<br/>capita (2022)<ref>{{cite web |title=Gross Domestic Product: Per capita (CZK)|url=https://vdb.czso.cz/vdbvo2/faces/en/index.jsf?page=vystup-objekt&pvo=NUCD05&z=T&f=TABULKA&skupId=4809&katalog=30832&pvo=NUCD05&str=v325|publisher=[[Czech Statistical Office]]|work=Public Database|access-date=2024-04-19}}</ref>
|-
!A
|align="left" colspan=2|{{flag|Prague|name=''Prague''}}
|''1,397,880''
|''496''
|''2,818''
|''1,926,323''
|''1,453,579''
|-
!S
|align="left"|{{flag|Central Bohemian Region|name=Central Bohemian}}
|align="left"|[[Prague]]{{efn|Administrative buildings only. Prague is not considered a part of the region.}}
|1,466,215
|10,929
|134
|775,682
|557,641
|-
!C
|align="left"|{{flag|South Bohemian Region|name=South Bohemian}}
|align="left"|[[České Budějovice]]
|653,227
|10,058
|65
|309,007
|480,506
|-
!P
|align="left"|{{flag|Plzeň Region|name=Plzeň}}
|align="left"|[[Plzeň]]
|614,640
|7,649
|80
|326,669
|553,512
|-
!K
|align="left"|{{flag|Karlovy Vary}}
|align="left"|[[Karlovy Vary]]
|293,195
|3,310
|89
|111,015
|377,886
|-
!U
|align="left"|{{flag|Ústí nad Labem}}
|align="left"|[[Ústí nad Labem]]
|808,356
|5,339
|151
|360,731
|440,737
|-
!L
|align="left"|{{flag|Liberec Region|name=Liberec}} 
|align="left"|[[Liberec]]
|449,494
|3,163
|142
|202,639
|457,749
|-
!H
|align="left"|{{flag|Hradec Králové Region|name=Hradec Králové}}
|align="left"|[[Hradec Králové]]
|555,923
|4,759
|117
|299,250
|543,106
|-
!E
|align="left"|{{flag|Pardubice Region|name=Pardubice}}
|align="left"|[[Pardubice]]
|530,469
|4,519
|117
|268,290
|513,222
|-
!J
|align="left"|{{flag|Vysočina Region|name=Vysočina}}
|align="left"|[[Jihlava]]
|517,647
|6,796
|76
|241,562
|474,282
|-
!B
|align="left"|{{flag|South Moravian Region|name=South Moravian}}
|align="left"|[[Brno]]
|1,229,343
|7,188
|171
|745,193
|624,757
|-
!M
|align="left"|{{flag|Olomouc Region|name=Olomouc}}
|align="left"|[[Olomouc]]
|631,500
|5,272
|120
|317,890
|503,709
|-
!Z
|align="left"|{{flag|Zlín Region|name=Zlín}}
|align="left"|[[Zlín]]
|578,998
|3,963
|146
|304,826
|524,888
|-
!T
|align="left"|{{flag|Moravian-Silesian Region|name=Moravian-Silesian}}
|align="left"|[[Ostrava]]
|1,182,613
|5,427
|218
|597,665
|499,813
|-class="sortbottom" style="background:#cccccc; align:left"
!CZ
|align="left"|'''{{flagu|Czech Republic}}'''
|align="left"|[[Prague]]
|'''10,909,500'''
|'''78,871'''
|'''138'''
|'''6,786,742'''
|'''634,993'''
|}

==Coats of arms==
<gallery heights=70px>
Central Bohemian Region CoA CZ.svg|Central Bohemian Region
Coat of arms of South Bohemian Region.png|South Bohemian Region
Plzen Region CoA CZ.svg|Plzeň Region
Karlovy Vary Region CoA CZ.svg|Karlovy Vary Region
Usti nad Labem Region CoA CZ.svg|Ústí nad Labem Region
Liberec Region CoA CZ.svg|Liberec Region
Hradec Kralove Region CoA CZ.svg| Hradec Králové Region
Pardubice Region CoA CZ.svg|Pardubice Region
CZE Kraj Wysoczyzna COA.svg|Vysočina Region
South Moravian Region CoA CZ.svg|South Moravian Region
Olomouc Region CoA CZ.svg|Olomouc Region
Zlin Region CoA CZ.svg|Zlín Region
Moravian-Silesian Region CoA CZ.svg|Moravian-Silesian Region
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[List of Czech regions by Human Development Index]]
*[[ISO 3166-2:CZ]]
*[[Královec Region]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Regions of the Czech Republic}}
{{Europe topic|Regions of}}
{{Czech lands}}
{{Czech Republic topics}}
{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of European countries}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Regions of the Czech Republic| ]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:Lists of subdivisions of the Czech Republic|Regions]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in Europe|Czech Republic 1]]
[[Category:First-level administrative divisions by country|Regions, Czech Republic]]
[[Category:NUTS 3 statistical regions of the European Union]]