Burgenland

Burgenland (Hungarian ?rvidék, Lajtabánság, Fels??rvidék, Croatian Gradi??e, Slovenian Gradi??ansko) is the easternmost federal state or Bundesland of Austria. It consists of two Statutarstädte (towns with a charter) and seven districts with in total 171 municipalities. It is 166 km long from north to south but much narrower from west to east (only 5 km wide at Sieggraben).

Minorities

Burgenland has notable Croatian (29,000 - 45,000) and Hungarian (5,000 - 15,000) population residing in it.

Related Topics:
Croatian - Hungarian

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Hungarians are living in the villages of Unterwart (Alsó?r), Oberwart (Fels??r) and Siget in der Wart (?rsziget). The three villages together are called Fels?-?rség (Upper-?rség, Wart), and they have formed a language island since the 11th century. The other old Hungarian language island in Oberpullendorf (Fels?pulya) has almost disappeared today. The Hungarians of Burgenland were "?rök" ie. guards of the western frontier, and their special dialect is similar to the Székelys in Transylvania. Their cultural centre is Oberwart.

Related Topics:
Unterwart - Oberwart - Siget in der Wart - Fels?-?rség - Oberpullendorf - Székely

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The Croatians arrived after the devastating Ottoman war in 1532, when the Turkish army totally destroyed some parts of the territory.

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