The problems of maintenance of the countryside in the Czech Republic

Abstract

The rural areas are regions with very low residential density. They cover more than 90% of the European Union territory with almost half of its population. The countryside in the CzechRepublic represents 58 183 square kilometres, i.e. 73% of the Czech territory, which includes 5 629 municipalities with 25.6% of inhabitants. Among the problems of sustained development of the rural areas and maintenance of the countryside, there belong the low residential density, unfavourable age structure, unsatisfactory civil facilities, and infrastructure. These are the reasons of gradual population outflow from such regions. At the meetings in Lisbon, Göteborg and Salzburg, the European Union declared three main objectives for rural and agriculture development in the period of 2007-2013. The intention is not only the orientation at economic restructuring, but also a focus on the total economic diversification that should help mainly to rural areas.

Keywords

• rural area
• region
• ruralist
• regional development
• subsidies