Demographic history of Vojvodina

Vojvodina's demographic history reflects its rich history and its former location at the border of the Ottoman and Habsburg empires and at the confluence of various peoples, making it a hotbed of invasion, colonization, and assimilation processes. Currently there are more than 25 ethnic groups living in Vojvodina and six official languages.

Demographic history

The area of Vojvodina had been inhabited since the Paleolithic period. Indo-European peoples moved into this area during three migration waves, which are dated in 4200 BC, 3300 BC, and 2800 BC respectively. Before the Roman conquest in the 1st century BC, Indo-European peoples of Illyrian, Thracian and Celtic origin inhabited the region.

During the Roman administration (which extended to Syrmia and Banat), the original inhabitants were heavily Romanized, and would later be known as Vlachs. The region of Bačka, which did not belong to the Roman Empire, was populated by Iranian Sarmatians (Iazyges). After the end of Roman rule, the Romanized inhabitants of the area escaped to the Balkan Mountains (where they mixed with South Slavs) as well as the Romanian Carpathians (where they later were known as Romanians).

Vojvodina was invaded by the Turanic nomads such as the Huns and Avars, as well as by the Germanic Goths, Gepids and Lombards, but after their military defeat, they were quickly absorbed by the local (Slavic) population, without leaving much ethnic traces in the region's population.

During the early medieval migrations, Slavs (Severans, Abodrites, Braničevci, Timočani and Serbs) settled today's Vojvodina in the 6th and 7th centuries. Until the Hungarian conquest in the 10th century, the region had a dominant Slavic population.

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  Indo-European peoples in Vojvodina in ancient times.
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  Slavs in Vojvodina in the 6th century.
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  Slavs in Vojvodina in the 6th–7th century.
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  Ethnic map of Vojvodina (6th–8th century).
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  Slavs in Vojvodina in the 7th–8th century.
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  Slavs in Vojvodina in the 9th century, before the Hungarian conquest.

The region was conquered by the Principality of Hungary in the 10th century, and Hungarians started to settle in the area. Hungarians mainly settled in the northern part of the region, where they lived mixed with Slavs. Until the late 12th and early 13th century, the region was mainly populated by Slavs, after which the ethnic relations changed in favor of Hungarians. The larger number of Hungarians settled in the region since the 13th century. The presence of Slavs in the area increased again in the 14th century with the arrival of many Serbs from the south. During the Hungarian administration, much of the native local Slavs were Magyarized. Initially, the Hungarian language was spoken only by the knights and nobility of the Kingdom of Hungary, but it was later adopted also by the rest of the population. By the opinion of some researchers, the non-Magyarized descendants of these local Slavs are the present-day Šokci.

Although Serbs were part of the aboriginal Slavic population in the territory of Vojvodina (especially in Syrmia), an increasing number of Serbs began settling from the 14th century onward. Because of the presence of the large Serb population, many historical records and maps from the 15th to the 18th century refer to the territory of present-day Vojvodina as Raška.

The Ottoman Empire took control of Vojvodina in the 16th century, and this caused a massive depopulation of the region. Most of the Hungarians and many local Slavs fled from the region and escaped to the north. The majority of those who left in the region were Serbs, mainly now engaging either in farming or in Ottoman military service.

Under Ottoman policy, many Serbs were newly settled in the region. During the Ottoman administration, Serbs comprised an absolute majority of Vojvodina's population. In that time, villages were populated exclusively by Serbs, while cities were populated by various ethnic and religious groups, including mainly Muslims and Serbs, but also some Cincars, Greeks, Jews and Roma.

The Habsburg monarchy took control of Vojvodina in the treaties of Karlovci (1699) and Požarevac (1718). Following the establishment of the Habsburg administration, the Muslim population fled from the region. Some of these Muslim refugees were resettled in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the Habsburg administration, many new Serb settlers from the Ottoman Empire immigrated to the region. In 1687, the northern parts of the region were settled by ethnic Bunjevci.

Many other non-Serb settlers were also settled in the territory of present-day Vojvodina during the 18th and 19th century. These settlers were mainly Germans and Hungarians, but also included Rusyns, Slovaks, Romanians, and others. Because of this settling, Serbs were no longer the absolute ethnic majority in the region, and Vojvodina became one of the most ethnically diverse regions of Europe.

Despite this, Serbs still remained the largest ethnic group in the region. According to the 1910 census, Serbs comprised 33.8% of the population in the territory of present-day Vojvodina. After Serbs, the most numerous ethnic groups were Hungarians (comprising 28.1%) and Germans (comprising 21.4%).

In 1918, Vojvodina became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and new Serb settlers came to the region. As a consequence of the Second World War, most Vojvodina Germans (about 200,000) left Vojvodina together with the defeated German army. Those who remained in the region were confined to prison camps until 1948, when the camps were dissolved and Yugoslav citizenship was returned to the Germans. Despite this, the remaining German population would leave Yugoslavia for economic reasons, moving to Germany, other European countries, or the United States. In their place, new South Slavic (Serb, Montenegrin, Macedonian, Croat, etc.) colonists would settle in the region. According to the 1948 census, Serbs formed the absolute majority in Vojvodina again at 51% of the population, and this percent rose to 65% in the 2002 census. The multi-ethnic character of the region would still persist.

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  Ethno-religious situation in some main cities of Vojvodina during Ottoman administration (16th–17th century)
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  Ethnic map of Bačka (1715 census)
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  Ethnic map of Bačka (1720 census)
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  Ethnic map of Banat in 1743
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  Ethnic map of Banat in 1774

Population data from the Hungarian administration period

9th century

When Hungarians arrived to Central Europe (in 896), this region was populated exclusively by Slavs.

15th century

In the 15th century, according to opinion of various researchers, South Slavic (Serbian and Croatian) population was dominant in Syrmia and southern Banat, while Hungarian population was dominant in Bačka and northern Banat. According to Hungarian author Károly Kocsis, 194,000 inhabitants might have been living on the present-day territory of Vojvodina in 1495. That number was calculated on the basis of work of Kubinyi, A. (1966), who processed the data of the tax inventory conducted in 1495 by Sigismund Ernust, Chancellor of the Royal Treasury. Some 52 townships (civitas, oppidium) and 801 villages could be found in the area, in which, according to Kocsis, Hungarians are likely to have constituted the majority of population. According to this view, the population of the area included 148,000 (76,1%) Hungarians, 39,000 (20%) Serbs and 7,500 (3,9%) Croats. However, calculation of demographic data from this time period can be described as vague and of a rather varied nature, due to the lack of censuses that would collect comprehensive ethnic information. For the time of the Hungarian royal tax registration in 1495, conclusions for a probable absolute or relative „ethnic" majority of the population living in the area were drawn from the given sources through analysing direct references of „ethnic nature", in most cases by the linguistic analysis of taxpayers' names and that of geographical names.

Population data from the Ottoman administration period

During Ottoman administration (16th–18th century), the region of Vojvodina had an absolute Serb majority.

Population data from the Habsburg administration period

1690

In 1690, about 210,000 Serbs lived in Vojvodina (excluding Srem). In this time, almost entire population of the region was composed of Serbs, also including some Šokci.

1715

According to the Austrian census in Bačka from 1715, Serbs, Bunjevci, and Šokci comprised 97.6% of population.

1718–1720

The 1720 census in Bačka recorded 72% Serbs and 22% Bunjevci and Šokci. After the Treaty of Passarowitz (1718), the first Habsburg census recorded in Banat about 20,000 citizens, mostly Serbs.

1787

	Number	%
TOTAL	476,018	100.0
Serbs	281,690	59.2
Germans	58,866	12.4
Hungarians	50,316	10.6
Croats	38,161	8.0
Romanians	27,436	5.8
Slovaks	9,704	2.0
Rusyns	3,836	0.8
Romani	1,600
Bulgarians	400

1828

	Number	%
TOTAL	864,281	100.0
Serbs	442,923	51.1
Germans	142,653	16.4
Hungarians	130,918	15.1
Croats	67,692	7.8
Romanians	46,645	5.4
Slovaks	19,464	2.2
Rusyns	6,068	0.7
Romani	1,700
Bulgarians	1,264

1840

	Number	%
TOTAL	912,754	100.0
Serbs	448,341	49.1
Germans	154,047	16.9
Hungarians	145,930	16.0
Croats	66,362	7.3
Romanians	55,984	6.1
Slovaks	22,924	2.5
Rusyns	7,373	0.8
Romani	1,900
Bulgarians	686

1857

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,030,545	100.0
Serbs	417,838	40.5
Germans	217,510	21.1
Hungarians	202,188	19.6
Romanians	65,387	6.3
Croats	60,690	5.9
Slovaks	35,328	3.4
Rusyns	8,452	0.8
Bulgarians	2,160
Romani	1,297

1880 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,172,729	100.0
Serbs	416,116	35.5
Germans	285,920	24.4
Hungarians	265,287	22.6
Croats, Bunjevci & Šokci	72,486	6.2
Romanians	69,668	5.9
Slovaks	43,318	3.7
Rusyns & Ukrainians	9,299	0.8
Others	10,635	0.9

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  Linguistic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1880–1884 (present territorial organization)
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  Religious structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1880–1884 (present territorial organization)

1890 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,331,143	100.0
Serbs	457,873	34.4
Hungarians	324,430	24.4
Germans	321,563	24.2
Croats, Bunjevci & Šokci	80,404	6.0
Romanians	73,492	5.5
Slovaks	49,834	3.7
Rusyns & Ukrainians	11,022	0.8
Others	12,525	1.0

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  Ethnic map of Vojvodina in 1867
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  Ethnic map of Vojvodina in 1868
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  Ethnic map of Vojvodina in 1876
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  Ethnic map of Vojvodina in 1880
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  Ethnic map of Vojvodina in 1892
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  Slavs in Vojvodina in 1900

1900 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,432,748	100.0
Serbs	483,176	33.7
Hungarians	378,634	26.4
Germans	336,430	23.5
Croats, Bunjevci & Šokci	80,901	5.6
Romanians	74,718	5.2
Slovaks	53,832	3.8
Rusyns & Ukrainians	12,663	0.9
Others	12,394	0.9

1910 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,512,983	100.0
Serbs	510,186	33.8
Hungarians	424,555	28.1
Germans	323,779	21.4
Romanians	75,223	5.0
Slovaks	56,689	3.7
Croats	34,089	2.3
Rusyns	13,479	0.9
Others	72,804	4.8

Note that linguistic data from this census might not correspond with ethnic structure in some settlements (Novi Sad, Subotica, Zrenjanin, etc.), due to the fact that Hungarian language was spoken by several ethnicities (Hungarians, Jews, Bunjevci, etc.).

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  Linguistic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1910. (present territorial organization)
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  Religious structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1910. (present territorial organization)
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  Linguistic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1910.
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  Linguistic structure of Vojvodina by municipalities 1910. (present territorial organization)
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  Linguistic map of Vojvodina in 1910
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  Linguistic map of Vojvodina in 1911
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  Ethnic map of Vojvodina in 1914
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  Ethnic map of Vojvodina in 1917
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  Ethnic map of Vojvodina in 1918, according to the Serbian geographer Jovan Cvijić

Population data from the Yugoslav and Serbian administration period

1921 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,528,238	100.0
Serbs	526,134	34.7
Hungarians	370,040	24.4
Germans	333,272	22.0
Croats	122,684	8.1
Romanians	65,197	4.3
Slovaks	58,273	3.8
Rusyns	13,664	0.9
Others	25,182	1.7

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  Language map of Vojvodina (1921 census)

1931 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,624,158	100
Serbs	528,000	33
Hungarians	413,000	26
Germans	343,000	21
Croats	120,000	7
Romanians	78,000	5
Slovaks & Czechs	67,000	4
Rusyns	21,000	1
Jews	21,000	1
Others	37,000	2

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  Language map of Vojvodina (1931 census)

1941 census

Note: 1941 census data for Bačka was combined with 1931 census data for Banat and Srem.

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,636,367	100.0
Serbs	577,067	35.3
Hungarians	465,920	28.5
Germans	318,259	19.4
Croats	105,810	6.5
Others	169,311	10.3

1948 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,663,212	100.0
Serbs	841,246	50.6
Hungarians	428,932	25.8
Croats	134,232	8.1
Slovaks	72,032	4.3
Romanians	59,263	3.6
Germans	31,821	1.9
Montenegrins	30,589	1.9
Rusyns and Ukrainians	22,083	1.3
Macedonians	9,090	0.5
Romani	7,585	0.4
Slovenes	7,223	0.4
Russians	5,148	0.3
Czechs	3,976	0.3
Bulgarians	3,501	0.2
ethnic Yugoslavs	1,050	0.1
Others	5,441	0.3

1953 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,699,545	100.0
Serbs	865,538	50.9
Hungarians	435,179	25.6
Croats	127,027	7.5
Slovaks	71,153	4.2
Romanians	57,218	3.4
Montenegrins	30,516	1.8
Rusyns	23,038	1.4
Macedonians	11,622	0.7
Others	78,254	4.6

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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by municipalities 1953.

1961 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,854,965	100.0
Serbs	1,017,713	54.9
Hungarians	442,560	23.9
Croats	145,341	7.8
Slovaks	73,830	4.0
Romanians	57,259	3.1
Montenegrins	34,782	1.9
Rusyns	23,038	1.4
Macedonians	11,622	0.7
Others	83,480	4.4

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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1961.
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  Share of Serbs in Vojvodina by settlements 1961.
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  Share of Hungarians in Vojvodina by settlements 1961.
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  Share of Croats in Vojvodina by settlements 1961.

1971 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,952,533	100.0
Serbs	1,089,132	55.8
Hungarians	423,866	21.7
Croats	138,561	7.1
Slovaks	72,795	3.7
Romanians	52,987	2.7
Montenegrins	36,416	1.9
Rusyns	20,109	1.0
Macedonians	16,527	0.8
Germans	7,243	0.4
Others	94,897	4.9

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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1971.

1981 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	2,034,772	100.0
Serbs	1,107,375	54.4
Hungarians	385,356	18.9
Croats	119,157	5.9
Slovaks	69,549	3.4
Romanians	47,289	2.3
Montenegrins	43,304	2.1
Rusyns & Ukrainians	24,306	1.2
Germans	3,808	0.2
Others	234,628	11.6

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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1981.
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  Share of Montenegrins in Vojvodina by settlements 1981.

1991 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	2,012,517	100.0
Serbs	1,151,353	57.2
Hungarians	340,946	16.9
ethnic Yugoslavs	168,859	8.4
Croats	74,226	3.7
Slovaks	63,941	3.2
Montenegrins	44,721	2.2
Romanians	38,832	1.9
Romani	24,895	1.2
Bunjevci	21,552	1.1
Rusyns	17,889	0.9
Macedonians	16,641	0.8
ethnic Muslims	6,079	0.3
Albanians	2,959	0.2
Slovenes	2,563	0.1
Ukrainians	2,057	0.1
Šokci	1,866	0.1
Others	33,140	1.7

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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1991.
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  Religious structure of Vojvodina by settlements 1991.
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  Share of Orthodox in Vojvodina by settlements 1991.
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  Share of Catholics in Vojvodina by settlements 1991.
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  Share of Protestants in Vojvodina by settlements 1991.

2002 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	2,031,992	100.00
Serbs	1,321,807	65.05
Hungarians	290,207	14.28
Slovaks	56,637	2.79
Croats	56,546	2.78
ethnic Yugoslavs	49,881	2.45
Montenegrins	35,513	1.75
Romanians	30,419	1.50
Romani	29,057	1.43
Bunjevci	19,766	0.97
Rusyns	15,626	0.77
Macedonians	11,785	0.58
Ukrainians	4,635	0.23
ethnic Muslims	3,634	0.18
Germans	3,154	0.16
Slovenes	2,005	0.10
Albanians	1,695	0.08
Bulgarians	1,658	0.08
Czechs	1,648	0.08
Russians	940	0.05
Gorani	606	0.03
Bosniaks	417	0.02
Vlachs	101	0.00
Others	5,311	0.26
Regional identity	10,154	0.50
Undeclared	55,016	2.71
Unknown	23,774	1.17

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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 2002.
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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 2002.
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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by settlements 2002.
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  Share of Serbs in Vojvodina by settlements 2002.
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  Share of Hungarians in Vojvodina by settlements 2002.
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  Share of Slovaks in Vojvodina by settlements 2002.
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  Share of Romanians in Vojvodina by settlements 2002.
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  Slovaks, Rusyns and Czechs in Vojvodina 2002.
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  Montenegrins, Bunjevci and Croats in Vojvodina 2002.
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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by municipalities 2002.
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  Share of Serbs in Vojvodina by municipalities 2002.
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  Share of Hungarians in Vojvodina by municipalities 2002.
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  Linguistic structure of Vojvodina by municipalities 2002.
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  Religious structure of Vojvodina by municipalities 2002.

2011 census

	Number	%
TOTAL	1,931,809	100.00
Serbs	1,289,635	66.76
Hungarians	251,136	13.00
Slovaks	50,321	2.60
Croats	47,033	2.43
Romani	42,391	2.19
Romanians	25,410	1.32
Montenegrins	22,141	1.15
Bunjevci	16,469	0.85
Rusyns	13,928	0.72
Macedonians	10,392	0.54
Ukrainians	4,202	0.22
ethnic Muslims	3,360	0.17
Germans	3,272	0.17
Albanians	2,251	0.12
Slovenes	1,815	0.09
Bulgarians	1,489	0.08
Gorani	1,179	0.06
Russians	1,173	0.06
Bosniaks	780	0.04
Vlachs	170	0.01
ethnic Yugoslavs	12,176	0.63
Others	6,710	0.35
Regional identity	28,567	1.48
Undeclared	81,018	4.19
Unknown	14,791	0.77

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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by municipalities 2011.
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  Ethnic structure of Vojvodina by municipalities in 2011.
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  Share of Serbs in Vojvodina by municipalities 2011.
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  Share of Hungarians in Vojvodina by municipalities 2011.
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  Religious structure of Vojvodina by municipalities 2011.
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  Religious structure of Vojvodina by municipalities in 2011.
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  Linguistic structure of Vojvodina by municipalities 2011.
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  Linguistic structure of Vojvodina by municipalities in 2011.

Future demographic trends

The general demographic trend in Vojvodina is a natural decrease in population. According to the 2011 census, the average age of the population of the province was 41.8. Ever since 1989, Vojvodina recorded negative natural growth, including all the ethnic groups. Despite that, number of ethnic Serbs in the province is increasing due to the constant immigration of Serbs from other parts of Serbia as well as Serbs from Republika Srpska and parts of Croatia neighboring Serbia. It is expected that by 2021 census, Serbs become relative majority in Bečej and Čoka municipalities as well as in the city of Subotica itself.

See also

• Ethnic groups of Vojvodina
• Demographic history of Bačka
• Demographic history of Serbian Banat
• Demographic history of Syrmia
• Demographic history of Novi Sad
• Demographic history of Subotica

Sources

• Popović, Dušan J. (1957). Srbi u Vojvodini (1): Od najstarijih vremena do Karlovačkog mira 1699. Matica srpska.
• Popović, Dušan J. (1959). Srbi u Vojvodini (2): Od Karlovačkog mira 1699 do Temišvarskog sabora. Matica srpska.
• Popović, Dušan J. (1963). Srbi u Vojvodini (3): Od Temišvarskog sabora do Blagoveštenskog sabora 1861. Matica srpska.
• Branislav Bukurov; Bačka, Banat i Srem; Novi Sad; 1978.
• Milan Tutorov; Banatska rapsodija – istorika Zrenjanina i Banata; Novi Sad; 2001.
• Borislav Jankulov; Pregled kolonizacije Vojvodine u XVIII i XIX veku; Novi Sad – Pančevo; 2003.
• Károly Kocsis (DSc, University of Miskolc) – Zsolt Bottlik (PhD, Budapest University) – Patrik Tátrai: Etnikai térfolyamatok a Kárpát-medence határon túli régióiban + CD (for detailed data), Magyar Tudományos Akadémia (Hungarian Academy of Sciences) – Földrajtudományi Kutatóintézet (Academy of Geographical Studies); Budapest; 2006.; ISBN 963-9545-10-4 (data for 1495–1857)

Further reading

• Bosić, Mila (1990). "DOSELJAVANJE SRBA U VOJVODINU DO KRAJA XIX VEKA I NJIHOV OBIČAJNI ŽIVOT" (PDF). Etnološke sveske. 11: 43–53.
• Kostić, Lazo M. (1999). Srpska Vojvodina i njene manjine: demografsko-etnografska studija. Dobrica knjiga.
• Vlahović, Petar (1977). "Миграциони процеси и етничка структура Војводине". Гласник Етнографског музеја. 41. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.

External links

• The Ethnic Structure of the Population in Vojvodina
• Ethnic structure of the population of the present territory of Vojvodina (1880–1991)
• History of Vojvodina (maps)