About us

The South Moravian Region is located in the southeast of the Czech Republic on the borders with Austria and Slovakia.

Industrial zone, Brno Cernovice

The region is home to the Czech Republic’s second largest city Brno (www.brno.cz), an important judiciary city, a university town and a Central European trade fair centre with a long tradition in the organisation of trade fairs, which attract more than a million people from all over the world each year (www.bvv.cz).

South Moravia enjoys excellent transport links and a strategic position on the intersection of trans-European long-distance road and rail routes which are important arteries connecting the west of Europe with the east, and the north with the south. Tuřany Airport in Brno (which handled almost 560,000 passengers in 2011) is the second largest airport in the Czech Republic (www.airport-brno.cz).

South Moravia is a region with great economic potential. The number of businesses in computer technology, telecommunications, software development and other hi-tech fields has been increasing significantly, particularly in recent years. The South Moravian Region offers significant support to the development of technology and biotechnology incubators designed for new companies. An above-average education level of inhabitants in the region is also caused by a quality higher education system.

Agriculture in the South Moravian Region is also of a high standard. 60 % of the area of the region is made up of agricultural land, of which 84,2 % is arable land. A particular speciality of South Moravia is winegrowing of a European standard, with more than 96 % of the area of vineyards in the Czech Republic being found in the region. There are a great many small wine producers and wine cellars in the region. The cultivation of fruit and vegetables also has a strong tradition here. The north of the region is an important area for forestry and wood production.

Vineyards

Use of agricultural land:

• Arable land 84,2%
• Gardens 3,6%
• Permanent grassland 6,6%
• Fruit orchards 2,3%
• Vineyards 3,3%

South Moravia is a region with extensive cultural and historical roots and a great many important architectural monuments in all architectural styles. Two of these, Villa Tugendhat in Brno and Lednice-Valtice, have been placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. UNESCO also protects two biosphere reservations in the region - Dolní Morava (which includes Pálava protected landscape area, the Lednice-Valtice grounds and the Dyje and Morava confluence area) and the White Carpathian Mountains. The Dyje Basin, one of the Czech Republic’s four national parks, is also found here. The protected landscape area the Moravian Karst offers visitors extensive systems of stalactite caves and the Macocha Gorge. Slavkov or Austerlitz, the site of the Battle of the Three Emperors, is also world-famous. The mammoth hunters also left their footprints here at the dawn of human history (the most famous archaeological site is found in Dolní Věstonice where the world renown Venus statuette comes from), while other archaeological sites (Mikulčice and Pohansko for example) testify to the fame and fortune of the Great Moravian Empire.

In addition to cultural monuments and areas of natural beauty, tourists are also attracted to South Moravia by its living traditions and the warmth and hospitality of its people. Its folklore, including music, dance, language, folk costumes, applied art and craftwork, is no mere show for tourists, but a real part of the life of the region. The significance of this heritage is proven by the inscription of a men’s recruitment solo dance - the verbuňk, on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The region’s cycle paths, including its popular wine paths (www.cyklo-jizni-morava.cz), offer a unique way of getting to know the South Moravian Region. Automobile and motorbike races at Masaryk Circuit, including an annual race in the world motorbike championship calendar, attract lovers of powerful engines (www.automotodrombrno.cz).

Peri-urban areas in the South Moravian Region
Our goals:
• support to recovery of rural areas
• sustainable development e.g. rural tourism and services
• support to local and regional products and also special and typical food - traditional gastronomy
• to avoid occupation of arable land
• to develop open space in peri-urban areas

General data:

Country:	Czech Republic
Total area:	719555 ha
Population:	ca 1,157,000
Density:	ca 160 inhabitants/sq km
Number of municipalities	673
Number of towns and cities:	49
Main economic activities:	computer technology, telecommunications, software development, development of technology and biotechnology
Main agricultural products:	corn, sunflowers, sugar beat, rape, wheat wine

Last updated: 30 April, 2012