Olomouc Region (; , ; ) is an administrative unit () of the Czech Republic, located in the north-western and central part of its historical region of Moravia (Morava) and in a small part of the historical region of Czech Silesia (České Slezsko). It is named for its capital Olomouc.

Olomouc region borders with the Moravian-Silesian Region (in the east), Zlín Region (in the south-east), South Moravian Region (in the south-west) and Pardubice Region (in the west). Furthermore, the region shares a 104 km long border with Poland (in the north).

Administrative divisions

The Olomouc Region is divided into 5 districts:

On the territory of the region there are 13 administrative districts of municipalities with extended powers and 20 administrative districts of municipalities with authorized local authority.

Population

thumb|150px| Example of vernacular architecture of Hanakia

In January 2024 the population of the Olomouc Region totalled 632,864 inhabitants. As of 2019, 50.3% of region's population lived in municipalities with more than 4,000. Out of 402 municipalities located in the region (including one military area), 30 had a status of town. Region's capital Olomouc is with approximately 100 thousand inhabitants the largest city. With 120.1 inhabitants per km<sup>2</sup> the region was close to the national average of 135 inhabitants per km<sup>2</sup>. There were, of course, differences within the region: the lowest population density was in the Jeseník District.

In the long term, the population of the region has been aging. The average age of population in 2019 is 42.8, which is the 4th highest among regions in the Czech Republic.

Cities and towns

The table below provides the list of region's most populous cities and towns as of 1 January 2024:

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Name

! Population

! Area (km<sup>2</sup>)

! District

|-

| 25px Olomouc || 102,293 || 103 || Olomouc District

|-

| 25px Prostějov || 43,563 || 39 || Prostějov District

|-

| 25px Přerov || 41,661 || 59 || Přerov District

|-

| 25px Šumperk || 24,969 || 28 || Šumperk District

|-

| 25px Hranice || 18,024 || 50 || Přerov District

|-

| 25px Zábřeh || 13,444 || 35 || Šumperk District

|-

| 25px Šternberk || 13,264 || 49 || Olomouc District

|-

| 25px Uničov || 11,151 || 48 || Olomouc District

|-

| 25px Jeseník || 10,619 || 38 || Jeseník District

|-

| 25px Litovel || 9,689 || 46 || Olomouc District

|-

| 25px Mohelnice || 9,572 || 46 || Šumperk District

|-

| 25x25px Lipník nad Bečvou || 7,961 || 31 || Přerov District

|-

|}

Geography

thumb|150px| Aerial view of [[Praděd]]

The total area of the region amounts to 5,267&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, which is 6.7% of the entire area of the Czech Republic.

The northern part of the region is of mountainous nature. The Jeseníky mountains are located here, including Praděd, which is the highest point of the region (1,492 m above sea level). The southern part of the region consists of the Hanakian lowland. The lowest point of the region is situated on the water level of the Morava River near to Kojetín in the Přerov District (190 m above sea level).

The Morava river flows through the region and the majority of the region's territory belongs to Morava's drainage basin. A small northern part of the region belongs to the drainage basin of Odra River, which flows to the Baltic Sea.

The Olomouc Region offers a great variety of natural points of interest. Protected landscape area of the Jeseníky mountains offers a number of scenic places such as the largest Moravian peatbog Rejvíz and the 45m high Vysoký Waterfall. Another scenic place is Dlouhé Stráně water reservoir situated on the top of a hill. Protected landscape area Litovelské Pomoraví offers floodplain forests with many endangered species of plants and animals. Finally, many caves can be found in the region: Javoříčko Caves (), Mladeč Caves () and Zbrašov aragonite caves ().

Economy

thumb|150px|Olomoucké syrečky, a ripened soft cheese made in [[Loštice]]

The region's economy focuses on traditional agriculture, processing industry and

services. Conditions for further development of the region are its attractive location, transport accessibility, developed infrastructure, enough qualified labour force and entry of foreign investors.

In 2011, the total economically active population of the Olomouc Region was 307.2 thousand people, of which 283.9 thousand were employed and 23.3 thousand unemployed. The unemployment rate in 12/2022 was 3,6%.

The Olomouc Region is an industrial area with developed services. The economy of the

Hanakian districts is more stable and diverse than the economy of the Jeseník District and northern part of the Šumperk District. The latter two districts belong to economically weaker regions due to their position, transport accessibility and disturbance of social and economic life after the Second World War (displacement of German population).

The gross domestic product of the Olomouc Region amounted to 4.7% of the nation GDP in 2021. The GDP per capita of the region reaches 79.4% of the national average. The average monthly wage of employees in the region reached 36,481 CZK (EUR 1520) in 3Q/2022.

Significant sectors of the region's economy are agriculture, food industry, textile and clothing industry, manufacture of machinery, optics and optical equipment.

In 2011, there were 138,970 businesses, organisations and entrepreneurs based in the region. Most of them were private entrepreneurs registered according to the trade law (76.6%) and business companies (8.4%). 157 industrial enterprises had 100 or more employees, employing in total 41,222 employees.

Agriculture

The share of arable land was 39.4% in 2011 but was showing a decreasing trend over past years while the share of non-agricultural land has been increasing and reached 46.9% in 2011.

Southern and central parts of the region belong to areas with the most fertile land. Crop yields (barley, wheat, rape and industrial sugar beet) reach the highest amounts of the entire country.

Transport

Transport accessibility of the region is provided by 3,582&nbsp;km of roads, of which only 12.3% are first class roads. The motorways with two lanes connect Olomouc with Brno (I/46), Ostrava (I/35 followed by D1) and the Pardubice Region (I/35). Once finished, the d1 motorway will connect Brno with Ostrava and will cross the southern part of Olomouc Region.

There is 601&nbsp;km of railways in the region. Important rail junctions are in Olomouc and Přerov. The railway network is spread equally all over the Region´s territory. Road network is denser in the southern flat part of the Region.

Near to the city of Olomouc there is an airport for small airliners, which obtained status of an international airport.

Tourism

The Olomouc Region belongs to regions with the smallest number of accommodation establishments. In 2009 there were 338 collective accommodation establishments. These were placed primarily in the Jeseník District and the Šumperk District that are most visited by tourists.

  • Baranya County, Hungary
  • Fujian, China
  • Ganja, Azerbaijan
  • Green River Area, United States
  • Kostroma Oblast, Russia
  • Opole Voivodeship, Poland
  • Province of Reggio Emilia, Italy
  • Vojvodina, Serbia
  • Würzburg District, Germany
  • Yunnan, China

<gallery>

File:Bouzov, hrad (03).jpg|Bouzov Castle

File:Mamutik.JPG|Čekyňský kopec, statue of a mammoth

File:Dlouhe strane horni nadrz.jpg|Dlouhé stráně Hydro Power Plant

File:Příkazy, č.p. 26.jpg|Hanakian vernacular architecture in Příkazy

File:Helfst03.JPG|Helfštýn castle

File:Zamek biskupi w Javorniku.jpg|Jánský vrch château

File:Jesenik.jpg|A view at Jeseník from Červenohorské sedlo

File:Obecní úřad, Kostelec na Hané, okres Prostějov.jpg|Kostelec na Hané, town hall

File:Litovel - Square of Přemysl Otakar II.jpg|Litovel

File:Olomouc letecky 2.jpg|City center of Olomouc

File:Olomoucky Orloj.jpg|Astronomical clock at town hall in Olomouc

File:PetrovyPraded.jpg|Petrovy kameny and Praděd

File:Divadlo (Prostějov- czech republic).jpg|National House in Prostějov

File:Přerov, Horní náměstí.jpg|Přerov

File:Ramzova.JPG|Ramzová

File:StareMesto.jpg|Staré Město

File:Sternberk hrad 1.jpg|Šternberk castle

File:Šumperk, Hlavní třída.JPG|Šumperk

File:Čechy pod Kosířem-výhled z Velkého Kosíře2.jpg|A view from Velký Kosíř mountain

File:Zlatorudne mlyny.jpg|Mills in Zlaté Hory

</gallery>

References

  • Region statistics