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Modern history of Prague from geographer's view

Publication

Abstract

The exhibition represents a collection of thematic maps of Prague, which provide an overview of the modern historical development of socio-spatial structure of Prague's neighbourhoods since the early 20th century to the present. The most significant changes in the size, age, religion and ethnic structure of the Prague's population, as well as the development of unemployment, crime, social status and quality of housing within the Prague's neighbourhoods are documented on the spatial level of cadastral territories.

Particular attention is paid to the historical aspects and current development of migration processes, which contribute significantly to the social transformation of Prague. Some of the latest maps are also processed in spatial detail of urbanistic districts, which provide insights into the social structure of relatively small and, in terms of the type of housing, relatively homogenous territorial units.

The data used in presented maps are drawn from censuses and annual statistical registers covering period from the very first census in former Czechoslovakia in 1921 till the most recent census in 2011, extending till 2013 in case of continual statistics. For the purpose which allows working with statistical data in the GIS environment older data has been newly digitized and shape file layers for each year of census has been created.

All exposed map sheets include analytical text that introduces the topic of the map within a broader context. The exposition is intended for the Czech as well as foreign audience, all texts and map sheets are provided in both, Czech and English language.

The map sheets are output of project ''Disclosure of Historic Spatial and Statistical Data in GIS Environment" supported by Ministry of Culture CR. The authors of exhibition are members of "Urban and regional laboratory" - a research working group affiliated with Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Department of Social Geography and Regional Development.