Liberec Region - Liberecký kraj
Liberec Region (www.kraj-lbc.cz) is the smallest in area in the Czech Republic. Liberec, with its Technical University, is the administrative centre of the region. It is also an economic, trading, cultural and tourist centre of the region.
The region is composed of 4 districts - Česká Lípa, Liberec, Jablonec nad Nisou and Semily. The region borders with Poland and Germany in the north and further with Ústí nad Labem, Central Bohemia and Hradec Králové districts.
Liberec region is predominantly mountainous. There are Lužické and Jizerské Mountains, the Ještěd group and the western part of Krkonoše (Giant) Mountains. The climate is cold and rainy; on northern slopes of Bílý Potok area, there is the wettest place in the CR. The region avails of vast forests, mainly coniferous, which are unfortunately often damaged by emissions, although the situation has been improving. The region is an important reservoir of drinking water.
Deposits of radioactive ores in Česká Lípa area used to take up the most important position among regional raw material supplies but their extraction has been suspended. Deposits of glass and foundry sands, construction and decoration stone and gravel sands are important.
Liberec Region is of a predominantly industrial nature, there is glass industry, the production of artificial jewellery, engineering, production of plastics, and processing industry. Traditional textile industry is in decline. Tourism forms an indispensable part of regional economy (Ještěd area, Máchovo jezero, historical monuments etc.). There are several significant border crossings. In the sphere of transport, two motorway routes from Prague to the border are important. The extension of a motorway leading from Prague through Liberec to the state border will enable a link to the German motorway network.
Agriculture does not play an important role in economy. The region has one of the lowest shares of arable land in the country. The crops grown reflect the relatively cold weather with unfavourable climatic conditions.
In Liberec Region, there are the Jizerské hory and Lužické hory protected areas, a part of Kokořín area, western part of Krkonoše National Park and Český ráj protected area with Kozákov.
With a view to tourism, the area of Liberec Region includes the following marketing tourist regions: Český ráj, Czech North and Krkonoše (Giant Mountains).
NISA Euroregion, established by the CR, Germany and Poland and associating border municipalities plays a significant role in the sphere of economics, tourism and cross-border cooperation.
