In the long time series, an emphasis is placed on the methodological comparability of data in particular. A number of changes occurred over the whole period, which were brought about by the Czech Statistical Service striving for the international comparability of methods and results of surveys. The organizational structure of the national economy saw changes too. This was why the time series of indicators had to be adjusted to correspond the methodology and organizational structure of the latest year published (2004) so that a correct assessment could be placed on the long-term development. However, all the value indicators are given at current prices as sufficient relevant data on price developments in both production and consumption areas have not been available in the regional breakdown needed.

All the data are converted to correspond to the new territorial self-governing units (new administrative regions). This adjustment was made by redistributing data on whole districts. On 1 January 2005, there was a shift of 25 municipalities from the Vysočina Region to the Jihomoravský Region and 3 municipalities from the Moravskoslezský Region to the Olomoucký Region. Thus, the territory of regions partially changed as well as districts and administrative districts of municipalities with extended competence pertaining to them. We made an effort to recalculate data in the long time series to the new territorial structure. The recalculation is clearly possible in indicators that are kept down to the level of municipalities. Wherever the data are surveyed in a sample survey and are only estimated for the lower territorial level by mathematical and statistical methods, the recalculation is more difficult and for part of indicators it is not possible at all. This yearbook contains recalculated demographic data that are published in this chapter as well as in chapters 3 and 12. The chapter “Administrative districts, municipalities” includes also all other data published in time series that were recalculated to a comparable territorial level. Next year, we will try to recalculate other areas of data where it will be possible and purposeful.

Due to the conversions some data are not the same as those published before. In some cases the subject-matter contents differ from data revealed in Chapter 13 – Territorial comparisons and, as the case might be, from data in the other chapters. The reason behind is the efforts to achieve long-term comparability.

The time series of regional GDP indicators is fully comparable. The figures on emissions from stationary polluters (REZZO 1 – 3) are comparable in the time series.

Population: the data are comparable in terms of methodology in the whole time series. Until the year 2000 they followed the results of the census as at 3 March 1991, from 2001 they already follow up the definitive results of the Population and Housing Census as at 1 March 2001 on the basis of which demographic balances in this decade are being processed. In accordance with international conventions, the data also include numbers of foreigners staying long in the country. The relative indicators are based on mid-year population figures in respective years and are fully comparable, too.

Labour: Labour Force Sample Survey provides data on labour market on the level of regions; the data are comparable as for time. In statistics of enterprises there were considerable changes in the borderline between large (surveyed) and small (not surveyed) enterprises. These changes concern the trend in the number of employees in particular and, to a lesser extent, the development of the average monthly wage. The set of reporting units concerned developed as follows:

1995 and 1996	enterprises with 25+ employees incorporated, (in agriculture: holdings with 1 000 ha of agricultural land and over, specialized agricultural holdings; in industry, trade, hotels and restaurants: enterprises with 100+ employees), all entities classified to financial intermediation, all entities classified to the non-business sphere, excluding the armed forces
1997 to 2001	enterprises with 20+ employees, incorporated and unincorporated, all entities classified to financial intermediation, all entities classified to the non-business sphere, excluding armed forces
2002 to 2005	enterprises with 20+ employees, incorporated and unincorporated, all entities classified to financial intermediation, all entities classified to the non-business sphere, including the parts of Ministry of Interior of the CR and the Ministry of Defence of the CR not published before

Unemployment: the data as for the number and structure of the unemployed are fully comparable. However, the methodology changed in the half of 2004 as for the calculation of registered unemployment rate. Since 2005, this indicator is published only according to the new methodology.

Agriculture: a significant change in the methodology occurred in 2002. Classified In agriculture according to standards of the EU are units which exceed specified “threshold limits” such as farming on one hectare of agricultural land or breeding one head of cattle or two pigs or 50 hens, etc. Smaller agricultural activities have been have been classified under the household sector as “hobby activities” of the population. However, their extent at the regional level is impossible to establish with sufficient reliability. Any retroactive conversion of time series to a comparable basis is impossible, either.

Industry: only the data referring to years since 1997 are comparable. They refer to enterprises with 100+ employees having their head offices on the territory concerned. Since 1997 industrial activity sales are also monitored, in place of the former production of goods (gross production). In construction, too, fully comparable data are available since 1997 (enterprises with 20+ employees and based on respective territories). On the other hand, the data on housing construction and building permits are comparable in the entire time series rather easily.

Education: the data are not fully comparable in the time series. In each year they reflect the valid breakdown of the system of basic schools, secondary schools and universities. The information is taken from the departmental information system of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR.

Culture: the data on the number of establishments and facilities are surveyed directly in individual districts, irrespective of the founder. They are fully comparable in the time series.

Health: the data are taken from the departmental information system of the Ministry of Health of the CR. The time series is comparable since 2000, when data on the health establishment falling under all ministries are given (before 2000, only health establishments of the Ministry of Health of the CR). Detached units of the health establishments are not covered (unlike Chapter 13).

Social security: the data source is the departmental survey taken by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the CR, whose results give a view of social care from the angle of the management structure.

Crime and accidents: included are data from the departmental information system of the Ministry of Interior of the CR, which are fully comparable in the time series. Older data are difficult to publish as they are not available itemized by district, which is why data for new administrative regions could not be produced.

MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS

To regionalize gross domestic product and gross value added we newly employed (unlike in the previous regional yearbooks) the pseudo-bottom-up method. Basically, it means that for organizations of uni-regional character in sectors – non-financial corporations and households – data were directly aggregated, and for organizations of multi-regional character data were estimated directly for local units according to the regional structure of paid wages. Both together represent almost 70% of the newly generated value. Furthermore, the GDP indicator and indicators derived from it were revised in order to reflect methodological changes such as imputed rents, allocation of fixed capital consumption in the general government. In industry P – Activities of households as employers of domestic staff – there was a change of the indicator for prorating of values to regions. The allocation was made according to the regional structure of the net disposable income of households. The regionalization of gross fixed capital formation is made via the volume of investments by place of construction. This chapter includes also data on the net disposable income of households.

For the purpose of international comparisons, some indicators were converted according to PPS (Purchasing Power Standards) using valid coefficients issued by Eurostat. All the data in the time series are fully comparable.

Gross domestic product is a key indicator of development of the economy. It represents a sum of values added by processing in all branches in activities that are considered within the system of national accounts to be productive (i.e. including services of both market and non-market character). It is used for measuring of performance of the entire economy. It serves to comparison of the rate of economic development of the given country and its regions.

Gross value added is gross domestic product without taxes and subsidies on products (when classifying by branch, it is impossible to allocate taxes or subsidies on products by branch).

Gross domestic product from the point of view of uses equals to the sum of final consumption (of households, the government and non-profit organizations serving households), gross capital formation (fixed capital and balance of inventories) and external trade deficit.

Gross fixed capital formation:

• New investments, reconstructions, modernizations and acquisitions and free acquisition of fixed assets after deduction of their sale and free disposals
• Acquisition of intangible fixed assets
• Major improvements to non-produced non-financial assets

The formation does not include fixed assets with the value lower than CZK 20 thousand, consumer durables purchased by households (e.g. cars, etc.); however, acquisition of a dwelling is included. Excluded are also objects for military purposes (tanks and suchlike), expenditure on research and development, etc.

Net disposable income of households is an amount that households can give to final consumption, savings of financial assets and to accumulation of both tangible and intangible assets. It shows, how the balance of primary income is placed by re-distribution: by current taxes on income, social contributions and benefits and other current transfers. The indicator shows to a great extent the level of material wealth of households permanently residing in individual regions.

EXTERNAL TRADE

In relation to international practice of some of the EU member states, the Czech Statistical Office started to survey external trade with goods according to individual regions. The data sources are data of customs statistics processed from the Single Administrative Documents. Published are only data on exports of goods of individual regions. As for imports, the precise place of final use of goods is unknown in many cases.

FINANCE

This subchapter contains selected data on revenue and expenditure of regional offices, municipalities and voluntary unions of municipalities. Also these data are included for the first time in regional yearbooks. With regards to changes of budget rules, it is possible to publish a comparable time series from the year 2003. Data are taken over from the Ministry of Finance of the CR, which processes the necessary data from financial statements of individual territorial self-governing units.

DISTRICTS

Evaluating the comparability of data on individual districts is governed by the same principles as those applying to time series for the whole region. The time series can be used virtually without any restriction given the fact that the tables deal with the years 2003 - 2005 only.