Kladno is situated in Bohemia, Stredocesky' kraj (region), Czech Republic, northwest of Prague. It is an industrial center of the coal-mining region, it has large iron and steel plants, and manufactures machinery and steel alloys. Known in 973. Kladno and Bustehrad - the two original forest villages, grew rapidly with the opening of its first coal mine in 1846. They were developed as the industrial centre of the Kladno hard-coal basin. There are local deposits of iron, but most is imported. The town has blast furnaces and a rolling mill and is the site of large steelworks. Finished parts for the machine industry, cables, bicycles, and semifinished products are manufactured; steel alloys and pig iron are also produced. Pop. (1991 prelim.) 70,301.