Z2012 Geography of the Czech Republic

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
4/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
RNDr. Vladimír Herber, CSc. (lecturer)
doc. RNDr. Milan Jeřábek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
RNDr. Ondřej Šerý, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Milan Jeřábek, Ph.D.
Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: RNDr. Vladimír Herber, CSc.
Supplier department: Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites (in Czech)
TYP_STUDIA(N) || SEMESTR(2)
Absolvování základní přednášek Z0026 Fyzická geografie a Z3090 Humánní geografie
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The purpose of this course is to introduce the wide range of human and physical processes and landscapes that shape the Czech Republic. Our investigations will include landforms and landform regions; climate; rivers and water reservoirs; soil types; landscape ecosystems; human impact on the environment; population and settlement patterns; agriculture; industry; transportation; urbanization; and cultural regions. We will integrate these topics and processes in ways that will allow us to understand generalized patterns as well as gain appreciation for the idiosyncrasies of specific places.
Learning outcomes
Student will be able to:
- describe the geographical location of the Czech Republic
- understand socio-economic processes
- an overview of the deployment of industrial and agricultural production
Syllabus
  • Part I - Physical Geography
  • 1. Introduction. Territory of the State. Geographical situation of the Czech Republic. Basic Cartometric Data.
  • 2. Structure and Relief. Development of the Relief of the Bohemian Highlands till the End of the Tertiary Period and in the Quaternary Period. Geomorphological Regions.
  • 3. The Climate. The Weather in the typical Weather Situations. The climatic conditions: temperature, precipitation, humidity, evaporation, cloudiness and sunshine, wind conditions. Climate change. The climatic regions of the Czech Republic.
  • 4. The Hydrology. Fundamental data on hydrography in Czech Republic. Surface Waters. Drainage System: the Labe River Basin, the Odra River Basin, the Morava River Basin. The hydrological regime of Rivers. Lakes, Damlakes, Fishponds. Groundwaters and Springs. Natural Groundwaters. MineralWaters and Pelloids.
  • 5. Soil Geography: Soil Types, Water regime types of soils. Pedogeographic Regions.
  • 6. The Biogeography. Development of Organic Communities. Contemporary Species Structure of Communities. Terrestrial Biogeocenoses and vegetation. Aquatic Biogeocenoses. Forests. Biogeographic Regionalization.
  • 7. Physico-geographical Regionalization of the Czech Republic. Physicogeographical Complexe. Protection of Nature and Scenery. Protected Natural Territories.
  • Part II - Human Geography
  • 1. Population of the Czech Republic. The developments of population number trends. The mobility of population. The structure of population (age structure, nationality, economic, social).
  • 2. Settlement system of the Czech Republic. Settlements and theirs typology. Towns and theirs development, the character of urbanization process. Rural settlement and its development.
  • 3. Economy of the Czech Republic. Peculiarities of development, especially after 1945. The industrial and territorial structure of national economics.
  • 4. Natural resources of raw materials.
  • 5. Industry of the Czech Republic. Conditions of location of industry. Industrial branches. Geographical regionalization of industry in the Czech Republic.
  • 6. The agriculture of Czech Republic. The natural conditions of Czech agriculture. The economic conditions of Czech agriculture. Plant production. Animal production. Regional specialization and agricultural production areas. Forestry and water management of the Czech Republic.
  • 7. The transportation, the traffic. Services of the Czech Republic. The commerce and basic services. The education in the territorial differentiation. Territorial function cultural and physical training network.
  • 8. Regions of tourism and recreation. The social geography regions of the Czech Republic.
Literature
  • BÁRTA, František. Krajina v České republice. Edited by Jan Němec - František Pojer. Praha: Consult, 2007, 399 s. ISBN 8090348238. info
  • TOUŠEK, Václav, Irena SMOLOVÁ, Miloš FŇUKAL, Martin JUREK and Pavel KLAPKA. Česká republika: portréty krajů (Czech Republic - Portraits of Regions). Praha: Ministerstvo pro místní rozvoj ČR, 2005, 136 pp. ISBN 8023963058. info
  • CHLUPÁČ, Ivo, Rostislav BRZOBOHATÝ, Jiří KOVANDA and Zdeněk STRÁNÍK. Geologická minulost České republiky (Geological history of the Czech Republic). Praha: Academia Praha, 2002, 436 pp. Ediční číslo 2483. ISBN 80-200-0914-0. info
  • Biogeografické členění České republiky. Edited by Martin Culek. Praha: ENIGMA, 1996, 347 s. +. ISBN 80-85368-80-3. info
  • CULEK, Martin, Antonín BUČEK, Vít GRULICH, Pavel HARTL, Antonín HRABICA, Jan KOCIÁN, Štěpán KYJOVSKÝ and Jan LACINA. Biogeografické členění České republiky. II. díl. (Biogeographical division of the Czech Republic. Vol. 2.). 1st ed. Praha: Agentura ochrany přírody a krajiny ČR, 2005, 589 pp. Biogeografické členění ČR, svazek 2. ISBN 80-86064-82-4. info
  • TOMÁŠEK, Milan. Atlas půd České republiky. 1. vyd. Praha: Český geologický ústav, 1995, 36 s., 42. ISBN 80-7075-198-3. info
  • GÖTZ, Antonín and Marie NOVOTNÁ. Geografie zemědělství ČR. Vyd. 2. Plzeň: Západočeská univerzita, 1996, 114 s. ISBN 80-7082-271-6. info
  • HAMPL, Martin. Geografická organizace společnosti a transformační procesy v České republice. 1. vyd. Praha: DemoArt, 1996, 395 s., 1. ISBN 80-902154-2-4. info
  • HAMPL, Martin. Geografická organizace společnosti v České republice : transformační procesy a jejich obecný kontext. Praha: Univerzita Karlova, 2005, 147 s. ISBN 808674602X. info
  • BROŽA, Vojtěch. Přehrady Čech, Moravy a Slezska. Vyd. 1. Liberec: Knihy 555, 2005, 251 s. ISBN 8086660117. info
  • Atlas krajiny České republiky.
Teaching methods
Lecture with a seminar.
Assessment methods
Lecture with a seminar. Exam consists of two parts: written and oral. Written exam consists of two sections - there are two non-cumulative written tests in this course (Physical Geography, Human Geography). The format of the tests is usually a combination (multiple choice, free-response, map location/identification, ...). The exams cover all material discussed in class as well as supplemental material/readings available on the course Website.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Teacher's information
http://www.herber.kvalitne.cz
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation, Spring 2003, Spring 2004, Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, spring 2012 - acreditation, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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