Administrative divisions of Czechoslovakia

This article deals with historic administrative divisions of Czechoslovakia up to 1992, when the country was split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia and the divisions were changed.

For the current divisions of those two countries, see their main articles and the articles Regions of Slovakia and Regions of the Czech Republic.

Latest division (1960-1992)

The country consisted of 10 Regions ('kraje'), Prague, and (since 1970) Bratislava; further divided in 109–114 districts ('okresy').

The kraje were abolished temporarily in Slovakia in 1969–1970 and since late 1990 in whole Czechoslovakia. In addition, the two republics Czech Socialist Republic and Slovak Socialist Republic were established in 1969 (without the word Socialist since 1990).

Since many regions changed significantly after the split in 1993, here is list of their original names and current regions they approximately correspond to:

Czech (Socialist) Republic

(the names are in Czech)

• Praha
• Středočeský kraj: today Central Bohemian Region
• Jihočeský kraj: today South Bohemian Region
• Západočeský kraj (West Bohemian Region): today Plzeň Region and Carlsbad Region
• Severočeský kraj (North Bohemian Region): today Ústí nad Labem Region, and most of Liberec Region
• Východočeský kraj (East Bohemian Region): today Hradec Králové Region, Pardubice Region, and small parts of Liberec Region and Vysočina Region
• Jihomoravský kraj (South Moravian Region): today South Moravian Region, and most of Vysočina Region and Zlín Region
• Severomoravský kraj (North Moravian Region): today Moravian-Silesian Region, Olomouc Region, and part of Zlín Region

Slovak (Socialist) Republic

(the names are in Slovak)

• Bratislava: today a part of the Bratislava Region
• Západoslovenský kraj: Trnava Region, Nitra Region, most of Bratislava Region, and a small part of Trenčín Region
• Stredoslovenský kraj: today Žilina Region, Banská Bystrica Region, and a large part of Trenčín Region
• Východoslovenský kraj: today Prešov Region and Košice Region

History

• 1918–1923: different systems on former Austrian territory (Bohemia, Moravia, small part of Silesia) and on former Hungarian territory (Slovakia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia): 3 lands ('země') (also called district units ('obvody')) Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia + 21 counties ('župy') in today's Slovakia + 2? counties in Subcarpathian Ruthenia (today's Zakarpattia Oblast in Ukraine); both lands and counties were divided in districts
• 1923–1927: like above, except that the above counties were replaced by 6 (grand) counties ('(veľ)župy') in Slovakia and 1 (grand) county in Subcarpathian Ruthenia, and the number and frontiers of districts were changed on these 2 territories
• 1928–1938: 4 lands (in Czech: 'země' / in Slovak: 'krajiny'): Bohemia, Moravia-Silesia, Slovakia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia; divided in districts
• late 1938–March 1939: like above, but Slovakia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia were promoted to "autonomous lands", while the border regions were ceded to Germany
• 1939–1945: Bohemia and Moravia were totally incorporated into Germany, Subcarpathian Ruthenia was part of Hungary, while Slovakia was nominally independent
• 1945–1948: like 1928–1938, except that Subcarpathian Ruthenia became part of the Soviet Union in 1945
• 1949–1960: 19 regions divided in 270 districts
• 1960–1992: see above