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Ostrava - Geography. Ostrava region. There is a mountain range of Jeseníky mountains west of Ostrava East and south of Ostrava, there are Beskydy mountains Ostrava city lies in the Ostrava basin, on the confluence of Odra, Ostravice and Opava rivers. Under the ground.
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Ostrava region • There is a mountain range of Jeseníky mountains west of Ostrava • East and south of Ostrava, there are Beskydy mountains • Ostrava city lies in the Ostrava basin, on the confluence of Odra, Ostravice and Opava rivers
Under the ground • There are large deposits of coal under Ostrava and its close surrounding • The coal is of very high quality • The layer of coal is broken and goes deep under the ground – more than 2 kilometres • The coal also reaches the surface – it has been collected and used by people more than 25 000 years ago
Founding of coal deposits • First deposits of coal were found in the Silesian part of Ostrava in 1763 • Soon a lot of mines were opened: • Alexandr • Anselm • Ignát • Karolína • Michal • Petr Bezruč • Svatá trojice • Šalamoun
Industry • A small city got a new look. Thousands of people moved here to find a job. • New industries used the advantage of coal deposits: • Char-coal production • Chemical industry • Steel production
The negative effects of industry • A small city surrounded by untouched nature turned to one big factory. • Pollution of air was enormous, people had to work and live in unhealthy conditions • Many people and childen suffered from lung problems • The forests in nearby mountains were poisoned, they started to die out • The water and rivers were heavilly polluted
Effects on the countryside • The city is underminded – some of its parts already went down by more tha 25 metres • The soil dug in the mines was moved on the surface. Nowadays huge colliery tips surrounds the old minening resorts. • The highest peak of Ostrava is former colliery tip – the coal still burns inside of it. • The factories occupies more than half of the area of the city
Today • All the mines in the city were closed after the Velvet Revolution • The level of pollution decreased, but Ostrava is still one of the most polluted cities in the Czech Republic • Many factories are still operating • Ostrava has the highest level of urban vegetation of all cities in the Czech Republic