Zlinsky region was founded on January 1st, 2000 and based on the constitutional law No. 347 from December 3rd, 1997, on creating higher territorial autonomous units. The region was created by merging townships of Zlin, Kromeriz and Uherske Hradiste, which belonged to the South Moravian region and township Vsetin, which belonged to the North Moravian region.

The region is situated in the eastern part of Czech Republic, where its eastern part creates border with Slovakia. To the southwest it borders with South Moravian region, to the northwest with Olomouc region and to north with Moravian-Silesian region. The area of 3,964 km2 makes the region third smallest in the Czech Republic. The region consists of 304 municipalities (among them 29 cities) with, to the end of the year 2000, 597,890 citizens. The density reaches 151 people per 1 km2 and is a lot higher than Czech average. The highest population density is in the Township Zlin (190 citizens per 1 km2) and the lowest in the township Vsetin (130 citizens per 1 km2).

Because of the steep and rugged terrain in most of the region, the cultivation is difficult. Out of the land fund of the region, 49.5 % is agricultural land and 50.5 % non-agricultural land. Most of the agricultural land is in Kromeriz Township (62.0 % of the overall acreage, out of which 85.6 % is arable land). In Vsetin Township, the division of the land is completely different. Here the share of non-agricultural land is a lot higher (64.3 %), out of which 84 % is covered by forests, mainly spruce.

Zlinsky region has a large amount of the protected landscape areas. The large areas consist of two protected landscape areas, Beskydy and Bile Karpaty, which together make approximately 30 % of the protected landscape area (CHKO) Bile Karpaty and belong to the top ten biosphere UNESCO preserves in the Czech Republic. In the region, there are also many natural preserves and nature sanctuaries.

In June 2000, the body corporate association Euroregion Bile - Biele Karpaty was founded. The association aims to support the overall development of the cross-border co-operation among the regions situated in the protected landscape area Bile Karpaty. Euroregion also includes activities of the "Region Biele Karpaty" association based in Trencin and "Region Bile Karpaty" association based in Zlin. The Czech part of Euroregion stretches over three townships in Zlin region. These townships are Uherske Hradiste, Zlin and Vsetin, with the micro-regions as Valasskomeziricsko - Kelecsko, Roznovsko, Luhacovicke Zalesi, Vizovicko, Uherskobrodsko, Jizni Valassko and Vsetinsko. The area also includes one South Moravian township with the micro-region called Hornacko.