Jeseník District

Jeseník District (okres Jeseník) is a district in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Jeseník. With approximately 37,000 inhabitants, it is the least populated district of the Czech Republic.

Administrative division
Jeseník District is formed by only one administrative district of municipality with extended competence: Jeseník.

List of municipalities
Towns are marked in bold:

Bělá pod Pradědem – Bernartice – Bílá Voda – Černá Voda – Česká Ves – Hradec-Nová Ves – Javorník – Jeseník – Kobylá nad Vidnavkou – Lipová-lázně – Mikulovice – Ostružná – Písečná – Skorošice – Stará Červená Voda – Supíkovice – Uhelná – Vápenná – Velká Kraš – Velké Kunětice – Vidnava – Vlčice – Zlaté Hory – Žulová

Geography
Jeseník District borders Poland in the north and west. Most of the district belongs to the territory of the historical land of Czech Silesia, but in the southwest it also extends into the territory of Moravia. The landscape is very diverse and rugged. Most of the territory is hilly; in the south it is mountainous, and in the north it turns into plains. The territory extends into five geomorphological mesoregions: Golden Mountains (west and centre), Hrubý Jeseník (south), Vidnava Lowland (northwest), Žulová Hilly Land (north), and Zlatohorská Highlands (east). The highest point of the district is the Keprník mountain in Ostružná with an elevation of 1423 m, the lowest point is the river bed of the Vidnavka in Velká Kraš at 220 m.

From the total district area of 719.0 km2, agricultural land occupies 234.0 km2, forests occupy 430.0 km2, and water area occupies 7.8 km2. Forests cover 59.8% of the district's area, which makes it the most forested district of the country.

There are no significant rivers and bodies of water. The most important rivers are the Bělá and Vidnavka. Both are tributaries of the Eastern Neisse, which originate here and flow across the district from south to north. Notable is also the Černá Opava, a stream that originates here and is one of the sources of the Opava River. The largest body of water is the Velký Pond with an area of 11 ha.

A large part of the Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area extends into the district in the south.

History
Jeseník District is the youngest district of the Czech Republic. It was created on 1 January 1996 by separation from Šumperk District and is thus the only district created after 1960.

Demographics
As of 2024, Jeseník District is the least populated district in the country.

Economy
The largest employers with headquarters in Jeseník District and at least 250 employees are:

Transport
There are no motorways passing through the district. The most important road is the I/44 road from Šumperk to the Czech-Polish border.

Sights
The most important monument in the district and the only one protected as a national cultural monument is Jánský Vrch Castle.

The best-preserved settlements, protected as monument zones, are:
 * Javorník
 * Vidnava
 * Zlaté Hory
 * Rejvíz
 * Údolí (Horní Údolí and Dolní Údolí)

The most visited tourist destinations are the Rejvíz educational trail in Rejvíz and Rychlebské bike trails in Černá Voda.