The
Liberec Region is in Northern Czech Republic and comprises four districts:
Liberec, Jablonec nad Nisou, Semily, and Česká Lípa, with a total area of 3,163
km2. The Region occupies 4% of the area of the Czech Republic, making
it the second smallest in the country after Prague. Approximately 429 000
inhabitants have their permanent address here. The population density is
slightly above the average of the country.
The
capital city of the region and its natural center is Liberec with nearly 10
0
000 inhabitants. Liberec along with the neighbouring Jablonec nad Nisou
constitute a larger metropolitan area. The boundary of the region in the north
follows the state border with Poland and partly with the Federal Rebublic of
Germany. The Euroregion Nisa was established in 1991, extending cross-border
cooperation. It is a voluntary association of communities in Czech, Poland, and
Germany whose members are towns and communities of the Liberec Region, Šluknov
area, and the adjacent districts of the neighbouring
countries. There are 216 communities of which 36 are towns in the area of the
Liberec Region.
Compared
to other regions, the Liberec Region has a large number of people working in
industry. Glass, pottery, machinery, textile, and plastic industries are all
particularly developed. Other major sectors include trade, transport, health
services, and building, leaving agriculture and administration behind. A four-lane
highway provides an important connection between Liberec and Prague. Its
extension to the state border will connect it with the highway network in the
Federal Republic of Germany.
There
are several significant border crossings in the region. These are supplemented
by a number of border crossings opened to provide limited cross-border contact.
That is why tourism plays a significant a role in the Liberec Region; every year
it is visited by hunderds of thousands of tourists who are attracted by the
diversity of its nature. The Jizera and Krkonoše Mountains extending across the
region are the most famous mountain ranges. There are many opportunities to hike,
bike, and do winter sports there. The Ještěd area above Liberec provides unique
conditions for winter sports. Beside pistes of various difficulty levels, there
are ski jumps where ski jumping competitions are held every year. This
encouraged representatives of the cities of Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou and
the communities of Bedřichov and Janov nad Nisou compete for hosting the World
Championships in 2007.
In
addition, the landscape is enhanced by many natural places of interest, water
areas, streams, and historical monuments. Spas, visited by people from the
neighboring countries of the Nisa Euroregion, also play an important role.
It is
important to mention the University in the Liberec Region. The Technical
University at Liberec has Departments of Machinery, Textile, Economy, Education,
Achitecture, Mechanical Electronics, and Interdisciplinary Studies in
Engineering. About 700 students graduated from the school between 1998 and 2000.
Young people can also study at several secondary schools (Gymnasiums, secondary
technical schools, vocational schools, integrated secondary schools and special
schools).
Inhabitants of the Liberec region and its visitors can enjoy cultural life in
several institutions such as cinemas, theatres, museums, galleries, castles, and
chateaux. The new State Science Library in Liberec was partially funded by a
PHARE project and many prominent state and foreign officials were present at its
opening ceremony.
Lovers of sports find ideal
conditions and facilities for many sports in the region. Football is the most
popular game; children are trained from an early age. Tourism and many other
sports are also engaged in. Cycling has become more and more popular not only
with the inhabitants of the Liberec Region but foreigners increasingly come to
experience the local natural beauty by bike too. One of the best areas for this
activity is the Czech Paradise. People use the bicycle – so popular recently –
to see many interesting natural places and historical
monuments in all of the Liberec Region.
