Geografie 2002, 107, 277-295
Development, particularities and problems of territorial administrative division of North-Western Bohemia
The area of the North-Western Bohemia (NWB, covered by three from the 1st January 2000 in the Czech Republic 14 existing new counties) will be divided from 1st January 2003 - in compliance with ongoing public administration reforms - to 33 new and smaller "districts" (instead of more than 40 years existing 14 districts). The paper deals with internal territorial division of public administration units (counties and districts) of the NWB area in the past (see enclosed tables). In order to assess and classify both necessity and significance of recently proposed centers and their future areas the author applies to assess their "population size" (which is one of key aspects used in the reform proposals). According to the new districts "population size" - the average size is only 47 thsd inh. The author identifies group of the "smaller and disputable districts", in which he looks one of very dispute and risky results of the reform. This is emphasized by comparison with the simultaneous development and achieved results of the territorial division in the neighbouring countries Saxony/Germany and Lower Silesia/Poland. After completion of this paper the Senat of the Czech Republic approved this proposal, but moreover the number of all the new "districts" for the whole CR territory grow up from 194 up to 205 units (instead of 76 existing districts).
