Obec
Encyclopedia
Obec is the Czech
and Slovak
word for a municipality
(both in the Czech Republic
, Slovakia
and abroad). The literal meaning of the word is "commune
" or "community
". It is the smallest administrative unit that is governed by elected representatives. Cities are also municipalities. The council is called "obecní zastupitelstvo/obecné zastupiteľstvo" or "zastupitelstvo města/mestské zastupiteľstvo" or "zastupitelstvo městyse", the office is called "obecní úřad/obecný úrad" or "úřad města/mestský úrad" or "úřad městyse". An obec can have its own flag and coat of arms. An obec is composed of one or more cadastral
areas ("katastrální území/katastrálne územia"). Obec can have several settlements or parts whether village
s or a hamlets
.
After meeting certain conditions such as population over 5000, being well accessible, having cultural or economical significance and having an urban style of settlement an obec can be declared a town ("mesto").
Whole area of the republic including mountains, forests and national parks is divided into municipalities (excepting military grounds). Smallest municipalities are shaped only by one small village, some by two or more villages or by the city and several villages. Mostly a municipality has the same name as the settlement where is the municipal office, but there are many exceptions: some municipalities have double name (Sedlec-Prčice
, Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav
), some municipalities have a name which have no its settlement (Orlické Podhůří
) and some municipalities have the office in other part than in the "nominal".
The smallest Czech municipalities are Závist
(0,42 km2) and Karlova Studánka
(0,46 km2). The lowest number of the population has Vlkov (České Budějovice District)
(16 inhabitants by ČSÚ, 2007) and Vysoká Lhota
(22 inhabitants), many small municipalities have populations only of tens. Typical country municipality has hundreds of inhabitants.
The biggest are Prague
(496,09 km2, 1,3 mil. inh.), Brno
(230,19 km2, 405 thous.), Ostrava
(214,22 km2, 313 thous.) and by extent is the fourth Ralsko
(170,23 km2, including a former military area, only 2 thousands inhabitants).
Every city (město) or town (městys) is a "obec" (some separately, some along with attached villages). Not even biggest cities are diveded into more municipalites, but several biggest cities ("statute cities") can have self-governing subdivisions, so-called city parts (městská část) or city circuits (městský obvod) which have standing partly similar to small municipalities.
Some of municipalities have only basic status of municipality, some have extended competencies of delegated state administration (pověřená obec, obec s rozšířenou působností) for yourself and for surrounding lowly municipalities.
Město (a city) and městys
(a town) is currently above all ceremonious honourary degree. Some municipalities have such titul for historic reasons, though they are small. Smallest cities are Přebuz
(population of 69 inhabitants) and Loučná pod Klínovcem
(87 inhabitants). The law makes it possible to restitute by request a status of city or town for every municipality which lost it (during communist period). But a municipality which want to acquire status of city (město) firstly, must have population over 3000 and the improvement in status is subject of assessment by chairman of the parliament. For městys (town) is no definite population. Biggest of cities are "statute cities" and can have self-governing subdivisions. A special type of municipality is the capital Prague, which has simultaneously a status of municipality and a status of region and which is treated by special law.
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
and Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
word for a municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
(both in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
and abroad). The literal meaning of the word is "commune
Commune
Commune may refer to:In society:* Commune, a human community in which resources are shared* Commune , a township or municipality* One of the Communes of France* An Italian Comune...
" or "community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
". It is the smallest administrative unit that is governed by elected representatives. Cities are also municipalities. The council is called "obecní zastupitelstvo/obecné zastupiteľstvo" or "zastupitelstvo města/mestské zastupiteľstvo" or "zastupitelstvo městyse", the office is called "obecní úřad/obecný úrad" or "úřad města/mestský úrad" or "úřad městyse". An obec can have its own flag and coat of arms. An obec is composed of one or more cadastral
Cadastre
A cadastre , using a cadastral survey or cadastral map, is a comprehensive register of the metes-and-bounds real property of a country...
areas ("katastrální území/katastrálne územia"). Obec can have several settlements or parts whether village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s or a hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
.
Slovakia
There are 2891 obce in Slovakia as of 2008.After meeting certain conditions such as population over 5000, being well accessible, having cultural or economical significance and having an urban style of settlement an obec can be declared a town ("mesto").
Czech Republic
The number of municipalities (obcí) in the Czech Republic is 6250 (in 2010).Whole area of the republic including mountains, forests and national parks is divided into municipalities (excepting military grounds). Smallest municipalities are shaped only by one small village, some by two or more villages or by the city and several villages. Mostly a municipality has the same name as the settlement where is the municipal office, but there are many exceptions: some municipalities have double name (Sedlec-Prčice
Sedlec-Prcice
Sedlec-Prčice is a town in the Czech Republic. The town is sixty kilometers south of Prague.There is an old synagogue on the town square that now hosts a small factory that makes sporting equipment. Not so much as a commemorative plaque attests to the building's past...
, Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav
Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav
Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic on the banks of the Elbe River, in the heart of an agricultural region about 25 km northeast of Prague. The town is part of the Prague metropolitan area. Brandýs nad Labem dates its origin to the...
), some municipalities have a name which have no its settlement (Orlické Podhůří
Orlické Podhůří
Orlické Podhůří is a village and municipality in Ústí nad Orlicí District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 606 ....
) and some municipalities have the office in other part than in the "nominal".
The smallest Czech municipalities are Závist
Závist (Blansko District)
Závist is a village and municipality in Blansko District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 129 ....
(0,42 km2) and Karlova Studánka
Karlova Studánka
Karlova Studánka is a spa village in Bruntál District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 226 .Karlova Studanka is one of the most beautiful spas in the Czech Republic thanks to its favourable climate and location in the picturesque countryside...
(0,46 km2). The lowest number of the population has Vlkov (České Budějovice District)
Vlkov (České Budějovice District)
Vlkov is a village and municipality in České Budějovice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 19 ....
(16 inhabitants by ČSÚ, 2007) and Vysoká Lhota
Vysoká Lhota
Vysoká Lhota is a village and municipality in Pelhřimov District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 24 ....
(22 inhabitants), many small municipalities have populations only of tens. Typical country municipality has hundreds of inhabitants.
The biggest are Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
(496,09 km2, 1,3 mil. inh.), Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
(230,19 km2, 405 thous.), Ostrava
Ostrava
Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
(214,22 km2, 313 thous.) and by extent is the fourth Ralsko
Ralsko (Ceská Lípa District)
Ralsko is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
(170,23 km2, including a former military area, only 2 thousands inhabitants).
Every city (město) or town (městys) is a "obec" (some separately, some along with attached villages). Not even biggest cities are diveded into more municipalites, but several biggest cities ("statute cities") can have self-governing subdivisions, so-called city parts (městská část) or city circuits (městský obvod) which have standing partly similar to small municipalities.
Some of municipalities have only basic status of municipality, some have extended competencies of delegated state administration (pověřená obec, obec s rozšířenou působností) for yourself and for surrounding lowly municipalities.
Město (a city) and městys
Městys
Městys or Městečko is a status conferred on certain municipalities in the Czech Republic, lying in terms of size and importance higher than that of obec , but lower than that of město ....
(a town) is currently above all ceremonious honourary degree. Some municipalities have such titul for historic reasons, though they are small. Smallest cities are Přebuz
Prebuz
Přebuz is the smallest town in the Czech Republic....
(population of 69 inhabitants) and Loučná pod Klínovcem
Loucná pod Klínovcem
Loučná pod Klínovcem is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
(87 inhabitants). The law makes it possible to restitute by request a status of city or town for every municipality which lost it (during communist period). But a municipality which want to acquire status of city (město) firstly, must have population over 3000 and the improvement in status is subject of assessment by chairman of the parliament. For městys (town) is no definite population. Biggest of cities are "statute cities" and can have self-governing subdivisions. A special type of municipality is the capital Prague, which has simultaneously a status of municipality and a status of region and which is treated by special law.
External links
See also
- okresOkresOkres refers to administrative entities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia...
- opštinaOpštinaOpština, Obshtina, Občina or Općina, Cyrillic општина or община, may refer to;-Notes and references:Notes:References:...
- municipalityMunicipalityA municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
- List of cities in the Czech Republic
- List of municipalities in Slovakia