Jihomoravský

▪ region, Czech Republic

also called  Jižní Morava , English  Southern Moravia 

      kraj (region), southeastern Czech Republic. Bordered by Jihočeský kraj to the west, Východočeský and Severomoravský kraje to the north, Slovakia to the east, and Austria to the south, it has an area of 5,802 square miles (15,028 square km).

      The hilly Bohemian-Moravian Highlands cover the northwestern part of the region, while in the northeast the White Carpathian mountains range along the border with Slovakia. The main river system, the Morava (March), flows southward between these uplands, forming a broad, fertile valley comprising the Haná and Podluží areas.

      The Haná valley produces wheat, barley, sugar beets, corn (maize), rye, and vegetables. The surrounding hill country is the Czech Republic's major producer of plums and apricots and is also important for apples, cherries, pears, and walnuts. Podluží has numerous vineyards and is noted for its wines, as well as for its plum brandy, Slivovice. The hilly areas in the northwest of Jihomoravský kraj are major potato producers, but flax, rye, and oats are also grown. Cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and poultry are raised, and dairying is important in the Haná and Podluží areas.

      Much of the Czech Republic's oil and natural gas is found in small deposits clustered around Břeclav and Hodonín in Podluží; there are isolated small fields near Brdo in the northeast and Mikulov in the south. An important bituminous coalfield is worked at Zbýšov, and brown coal (lignite) mining began in Mikulčice (Podluží) in 1980. Uranium is mined at Ostrov nad Oslavou. Kaolin clay is quarried at Únanov, near Znojmo, and limestone is quarried around Brno, the region's capital, near Mikulov. Jihlava, Malonín, the area of Velké Meziřičí, Polná, and Brno have quarry stone. Feldspar is quarried at Dolni Bory.

      Spruce and oak forests are found north and west of Brno and around Gottwaldov; lumbering and paper milling are centred in these areas, mainly at Brno, Třebíč, Třešt', Tišnov, Rousínov, Bučovice, Holešov, and Bystřice pod Hostýnem. Hydroelectric power for industry is generated by power stations at four major dams, at Vír on the Svratka, Oslavany on the Jihlava, Knínice near Brno, and Vranov nad Dyjí on the Dyje.

      Brno and Gottwaldov are the kraj's major industrial centres. Brno is noted for engineering works, machinery, electro-technical products, tractors, cement, wood, paper products, textiles, and food processing. Gottwaldov, a centre of shoemaking and leather work, also produces machinery and synthetic rubber. Other important centres are Třebíč, producing leather goods and machinery; Jihlava, manufacturing electronics ware, transport equipment, machinery, and textiles; Prostějov, with steelworks and beer-production, tool, and clothing plants; Otrokovice, an aircraft-building centre; and Znojmo, producing ceramics, leather goods, and textiles and processing fruits and vegetables. An annual industrial fair is held at the Brno Fair Grounds; the region's capital also contains the track for the running of the annual Grand Prix of the Czech Republic, a motorcycle race.

      Jihomoravský kraj's main cultural centre, Brno, is the site of technical, agricultural and veterinary science universities, the Central Library for Veterinary Science, and the Moravian Museum, Gallery, and Library. Home of the noted composer Leoš Janáček (1854–1928), it also has the Janáček Opera House and the Janáček Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Other cities with cultural institutions include Gottwaldov, which has the Regional Museum of Southern Moravia; Znojmo, where the South Moravian Museum is located; Kralice, a traditional printing centre, containing the Bible Museum; and Slavkov, site of the Napoleonic battle of Austerlitz (1805), where the Slavkov Historical Museum is located. Tourists are also drawn to the prehistoric excavation site of Dolní Věstonice, near Mikulov; the Slavic historic site of Mikulčice; and the Moravian Karst formations at Blansko, the best known of which is the Punkva Cave. Other attractions are the Podluží and Haná cultural areas, noted for folk festivals, and the region's natural and man-made lakes, which have water-sports facilities. Although classed as Czech, much of the population has Slovak admixture and speaks a Czech dialect (Moravian). Pop. (1988 est.) 2,057,645.

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