Moravia

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Area of central Europe, forming two regions of the Czech Republic: South Moravia (Czech Jihomoravský) and North Moravia (Czech Severomoravský). South Moravia has an area of 15,030 sq km/5,800 sq mi and a population (1991) of 2,048,900. Its capital is Brno. North Moravia has an area of 11,070 sq km/4,273 sq mi and a population (1991) of 1,961,500. Its capital is Ostrava. The River Morava is found in the region. 25% of the region is forested. Products include maize, grapes, and wine in the south; wheat, barley, rye, flax, and sugar beet in the north; and coal and iron.

History
Part of the Avar territory since the 6th century, the area was conquered by Charlemagne's Holy Roman Empire. In 874 the kingdom of Great Moravia was founded by the Slavic prince Sviatopluk, who ruled until 894. It was conquered by the Magyars in 906, and became a fief of Bohemia in 1029. It was passed to the Habsburgs in 1526, and became an Austrian crown land in 1849.

Moravia was incorporated in the new republic of Czechoslovakia in 1918, forming a province until 1949. From 1960 it was divided into two administrative regions, North and South Moravia, and became part of the Czech Republic from 1993.

Blue stands for water and rain. Black and white represent the racial harmony of the people. Effective date: 30 September 1966. >>