2. Economic indicators of the development of national economy and the transport sector

Gross domestic product in the Czech Republic increased according to the Czech Statistical Office from 2,9 per cent in 2000 to 3,6 per cent in 2001. Due to this result the Czech Republic was able to include itself in the group of five countries with the highest year-on-year dynamics of economic growth in the framework of community of OECD countries. Only Ireland, Luxembourg, Greece and Hungary had higher GDP growth rate. Therefore the difference of GDP level per capita between the Czech Republic and the average level of EU countries decreased to 38 %.

The revision of prices of regulated market and frequent changes in prices of energy and food caused the inflation rate growth from 3.9 % in 2000 to 4.7 % in 2001. In the second half of 2001 and during first months of 2002 a decline in growth of import, production and consumer prices has asserted, which in combination with strengthening the exchange rate of Czech crown considerably reduced the inflation pressure. Consumer price rate in the Czech Republic in comparison with that of the EU was 2 % higher, so that approximation of price levels was only moderate.

Average unemployment rate decreased from 8.8 % in the year 2000 to 8.1 % in 2001. Tendency for a moderate decline in the unemployment rate from the first half of the year was changed by the opposite trend due to foreign demand fall and slowdown of process of modernization of enterprises in course of the year. An unemployment rate is 0.3 % higher than in the EU.

In 2001, the productivity of labour was 3 % higher than in the previous year and was also in accordance with 3.6 % growth of real wages so that a development did not generate the inflation pressure of wage type. Increase in the productivity of labour in agriculture and construction sectors was accompanied by fall of labour forces, in industry by soft increase in employment and in the field of services number of labour forces remained stable. A gap between productivity of labour in EU and Czech Republic has slightly decreased because the growth of productivity of labour in the EU was estimated to approximately 1 per cent.

Dynamics of International trade turnover in comparison with the year 2000 decreased by one third, but compared to total world development it remained at a high level. Therefore the Czech Republic share on world trade turnover increased from 0,44 % in 2000 to 0.56 % in the year 2001. Unfavourable balance of International trade in comparison with previous year slightly decreased and contributed to decline of share of liabilities of current account to GDP below 5%. This is considered as a limit of excessiveness of degree of outside imbalance. Development of International trade was primarily positively influenced by the favourable exchange relations which reached the average value of 102 %.

The average gross monetary expenditure on transport per capita rose by 10 % in comparison with 2000. This growth was mainly caused by increase passenger car transport costs. Purchase of private cars increased by 27.5% and it was 30.2 % of total expenditure on transport. The expenditure on operation and maintenance in the framework of passenger car transport grew by 4 % and its share on total expenditure on transport is about 53 %.

A fall of prices of fuels also contributed to this tendency, average prices of unleaded petrol Natural 95 decreased by 5.4 % in comparison with 2000, prices of diesel oil by 2.8 %, and prices of LPG even by 11.4 %.

Year-on-year expenditures on public passenger transport have increased by 4.6 %, and it is 16.5 % of total expenditure on transport per capita. Of the total expenditures on transport urban transport share is 6.3 %, public transport by buses and coaches – 6.4 % and railway transport only 2.8 %.