Upper Svratka Highlands

The Upper Svratka Highlands (Hornosvratecká vrchovina, Hohe Schwarza Bergeland) is a mountain range in Moravia, Czech Republic. The Highlands, together with the Křižanov Highlands threshold, form the Western-Moravian part of Moldanubian Zone – east south part of Bohemian Massif.

Geography
The Upper Svratka Highlands rise to the north of the Tišnov, Moravia between Lomnice u Tišnova, and the Svratka in the north. The Highlands have an area of 1135 sqkm and an average height of 580 m. The highest peak is Devět skal at 836 m; other peaks are Žákova hora 810 m Pohledecká skála 800 m, Horní les 774 m, Harusův kopec 741 m, Přední skála 712 m, or Sýkoř 702 m.

The northwestern part is formed by Žďárské vrchy mountain range. To the southeast is the Boskovice Furrow in the mid-Moravian part of the Brno Highlands as well and in the east the Svitavy Uplands. The Svratka river stream naturally established Bohemian-Moravian border, the other part of Elbe–Danube main European watershed

The mountain range is 63% forested, though mainly by plantations - spruces, maples, beeches, elmeses. The forests are in well condition.

The primary composition of the range is cretaceous granite, migmatite, orthogneiss, amphibole, granodiorite, gabbro and quartz slate. Often gneis. Soil horizon – mainly cambisol.

The rivers Svratka,, , among others, originate here.

Population
The area is relatively sparsely populated (in terms of the Czech Republic). The largest towns in the Upper Svratka Highlands are Nové Město na Moravě (partly), Bystřice nad Pernštejnem, Kunštát, Olešnice and Bystré.