Facts about Vukovar
Vukovar is a city in eastern Croatia. Vukovar is the biggest river port in Croatia Vukovar is located at the confluence of the Vuka river into the Danube. Vukovar is the center of the Vukovar-Srijem county. According to the 2001 census, Vukovar's registered population was 30,126, with up to 31,670 in the municipality. The name Vukovar (Vukovár, Valkóvár) means "the town on the river Vuka" ('Vuko' from the river Vuka, and 'vár' from the Hungarian word for 'castle'). The name of the river Vuka itself originates from the Slavic word "vuk", which means "wolf" in English. The municipality contains the villages of Lipovaca, Sotin (Szata), and Grabovo. Slavic tribes settled in this area in the 6th century. In the 9th century, the region was part of the Slavic Balaton Principality ruled by prince Pribina, part of the Pannonian Croatia ruled by prince Ljudevit, and part of the Bulgarian Empire. In the 11th-12th century, the region was part of the Kingdom of Croatia. From the 13th to 20th century was part of the Hungarian Kingdom. Vukovar was mentioned first in the 13th century as Volko, Walk, Wolkov (original Croatian/Slavic name of the town was Vukovo). Since the 14th century, the most common name used for the town was Vukovár. In the Hungarian Kingdom, Vukovár was a seat of the Szerém (Syrmia) county, which was located between rivers Drava and Sava. In the 16th-17th century, the town was occupied by the Ottoman Empire. In the end of the Ottoman rule, population of Vukovar numbered about 3,000 inhabitants. Since the end of the 17th century, Vukovar was part of the Habsburg Monarchy and was included into Kingdom of Slavonia. In 1910, the population of Vukovar numbered 10,359 people, including 4,092 (39.50%) Croats, 3,503 (33.80%) Germans, 1,628 (15.70%) Serbs, 954 (9.20%) Hungarians, and 183 (1.80%) others. Since 1918, Vukovar was part of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later known as Yugoslavia). Between 1918 and 1922, Vukovar was administrative seat of Syrmia (Szerém) county, and between 1922 and 1929 administrative seat of Syrmia oblast. Since 1929, it was part of the Sava Banovina. Since 1939 part of the Banovina of Croatia. Between 1941 and 1944, Vukovar was part of the Independent State of Croatia. Since 1945, it was part of the People's Republic of Croatia within new socialist Yugoslavia. Vukovar was completely devastated during the Croatian War of Independence. The town had for months warded off the JNA-supported Serb military attacks on the city. On 18 November 2006 approximately 25,000 people from all over the country gathered in Vukovar for the 15th anniversary of the fall of the city, where they commemorated those who were killed. On november 18 2006 a museum dedicated to the siege was opened in the basement of the hospital that was attacked, which has now been rebuilt. On 27 September 2007, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia convicted two former Yugoslav Army officers and acquitted a third of involvement in the hospital massacre. In 1961, the total population of Vukovar was 54,707, out of which 22,774 (41.63%) were Serbs, while 24,527 (44.83%) were Croats. In 1971, the total population of Vukovar was 76,602, out of which 28,470 (37.17%) were Serbs, while 34,629 (45.21%) were Croats. In 1981, the total population of Vukovar was 81,203, out of which 25,146 (30.97%) were Serbs, while 30,157 (37.14%) were Croats. In 1991, the total population of Vukovar was 84,024, out of which 22,774 (41.63%) were Serbs, while 24,527 (44.83%) were Croats. In 2001, the total population of Vukovar was 31,670, out of which 10,412 (32.88%) were Serbs, while 18,199 (57.46%) were Croats. Population of Vukovar decreased by 52354 in ten years i.e. from 1991 to 2001. Lavoslav Ružicka, who won Nobel prize in chemistry belong to Vukovar. |
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