Erzgebirgskreis, in the south-west of Saxony, is situated on the border with the Czech Republic. As a traditional mining area where silver, amongst other things, has been extracted since the Middle Ages, the district is very industrialised in comparison to the rest of the state. The region has a balanced mix of economic sectors, including hand crafts, industry, trade, services and tourism. The cross-border Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Cultural Landscape forms a geographically and culturally united area, bound by a long shared history. Beyond its borders, the region is known in particular for traditional craftsmanship.