Get Acquainted with Vojvodina

Status of the AP of Vojvodina

Vojvodina is an autonomous province of the citizens who live in it, established on the basis of specific national, historic, cultural and other characteristics of the area, as multinational, multicultural and multiconfessional European region.

Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous territorial community within the Republic of Serbia. Vojvodina represents an integral part of the unique cultural, civilisational, economic and geographic space of the central Europe.

Geography

Vojvodina is situated in the northern part of Serbia and covers the area of 21,506 square kilometers, which makes approximately one quarter of the territory of the Republic of Serbia. It borders Hungary in the North, Romania in the East, Croatia in the West and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the South West.  

It stretches over the Pannonian plain, which makes its relief predominantly flat, except for Syrmia which is dominated by the Fruška Gora Mountain (the tallest top is Crveni čot 539m) and the South-East Banat with its Vršačke planine mountains (the tallest top Grdelički vrh 641m).

Three navigable rivers run through Vojvodina: Danube, Sava and Tisza, which share the territory into three geographical-historical regions: Bačka, Banat and Syrmia.

Symbols

Symbols of Bačka, Banat and Syrmia are included in the coat of arms of Vojvodina. Apart from the coat of arms, a flag of Vojvodina represents the symbol of the province.

Capital

The capital of the Province is Novi Sad. It was founded more than three centuries ago on the left bank of the Danube, by the old road that ran along the Danube. There are 300 000 inhabitants in Novi Sad and its suburban settlements, whereas Novi Sad represents the second largest city in Serbia.

Territorial Organisation

The territory of Vojvodina is comprised of the territories of 45 municipalities, out of which Novi Sad, Pančevo, Zrenjanin, Sombor, Sremska Mitrovica and Subotica have the status of a city.  

Population

According to the last census that was held in 2002, there are 2,031,992 inhabitants in Vojvodina. It makes 27.1% of the total population of Serbia.

The national composition of Vojvodina's population is very heterogeneous. More than half of the inhabitants are Serbs - 65.05%, then come Hungarians - 14.28%, Slovaks - 2.79%, Croats - 2.78%, Yugoslavs - 2.45%, Montenegrins - 1.75%, Romanians - 1.5%, and Ruthenians - 0.77%. In Vojvodina live Roma people, Ukrainians, Bunjevacs, Sokacs, Germans, Macedonians, Albanians, Slovenes, Muslims and others. Religious structure follows the ethnic structure.  

Demographic trends in Vojvodina are similar to the Western European demographic transition trends, which are characterised by low natality rate and slow demographic growth. Response to these trends is the active pro-natal policy which is under way in Vojvodina.

Educational level of Vojvodina's population has increased in the last decades. Scope of population involved in higher and university education, and aged between 20 and 24, amounts 23 percent. Out of all university students in Vojvodina (36 000 in total), women make 54 percent.  

Economic Development

Macroeconomic movements are characterised by establishment of sustainable and stable economic development. There has been achieved liberalisation of trade, restructuring of banking sector, privatisation of companies and labour market reform.

Gross Domestic Product

It is estimated that in Vojvodina, during the period from 2001 to 2005, gross domestic product (GDP) was increasing by the rate of 5%. In 2004, processing industry and agriculture participated in more than half of the GDP. Share of services is constantly growing.

The following are the industries that were mostly represented in the structure of Vojvodina's national income (in 2005): processing industry - 27.1%, agriculture, hunting and forestry - 22.4 % and trade - 22.1 %.

There are approximately 20 thousand companies in Vojvodina. Most of them are privately owned small enterprises.

Investments

The increase of investments in industrial, traffic and municipal infrastructures, new technologies and equipment represents the basic requirement for achievement of higher GDP growth, bigger competition and increase in export. Therefore, the activities of Vojvodina Capital Investment Fund and realisation of the Programme for design of plants that implement new technologies are directed towards achievement of the aforementioned objectives.

Industry

There are 27 fields in the structure of Vojvodina's industry. It is dominated by production of food and beverages (36.3%), coke and oil derivates (10.1%) and chemicals and chemical products (18.8%).

During the period between 2001 and 2005, the industrial production grew by the annual average rate of 3.7%, whereas processing one grew by the rate of 4.4%. The greatest increase was recorded in the sector of production and distribution of electric power, water and gas, production of coke and oil derivates, chemicals, mining of non metal and stones and production of rubber and plastic items.

Agro complex

Vojvodina has favourable natural conditions for agricultural production, such as soil, climate, and water resources. Arable areas cover 1.78 million hectares (which makes 84% of the total land). Out of it 52 percent is humus. These potentials are not enough exploited.

The food industry is well developed, and here the process of privatisation has been mainly completed.

Traffic

In order to upgrade the traffic system to reach the level of traffic standards of developed countries, appropriate projects have been actively made and implemented.

As regards the road industry, Vojvodina is homogenous region; there is good connection with main centres and border crossings. Density of the state first class roads is close to European standards. However, the quality of the road network does not meet European standards. The railway network needs modernisation. Even though waterways represent the comparative advantage, they have not been utilised enough.

Health Care

Vojvodina has a network of equally distributed medical institutions. Positive changes are demonstrated in reduction of number of citizens per one physician, and number of physicians per patient's bed, as well as in the institutions' new modern medical equipment.  

Education

There is a widely-spread network of pre-schools, elementary and secondary schools, faculties and universities. Education has a long tradition. The oldest Serbian Gymnasium in Sremski Karlovci was founded in 1791.

The education process is carried out in Serbian and languages of the national communities: Hungarian, Slovak, Croatian, Romanian, Ruthenian and Roma language.

Since 2006 preparation preschool programme for children during the year prior to elementary school start has become a part of obligatory binging-up and education. It consists of four classes a day for six months minimum.

In Vojvodina there are 344 regular elementary schools, 13 elementary schools for developmentally challenged children, 21 elementary music schools and two ballet schools. This type of educations lasts eight years.

The education in secondary schools lasts either three or four years. In Vojvodina there are 117 secondary schools and 13 dormitories providing meals accommodation for secondary school pupils within the state system.

There are 14 faculties within the Novi Sad state university (founded in 1960). University education lasts from three to eight years depending on the course undertaken. Several private universities and faculties were founded after 2000. Accreditation of all higher education institutions is underway.

Science

In implementation of the concept of accelerated development of Vojvodina the international cooperation and mobility of human resources are emphasised, but it also relies on experts, scientific and research capacities and modern technology. Therefore, science and technology are given high priority in Vojvodina.

The funds from the Vojvodina budget allocated for science and technological development are equal to the European Union states funds intended for the same purposes. The considerable part is also related to the co-financing of the international projects and providing participation or co-financing within the programmes FP 6, INTERREG, TEMPUS, CEEPUS, WUS, DAAD, COST and EUREKA. Thus, the international financiers and institutions provided funds of 1,579.00 euros, which is over twelve times more than it had been invested.

During 2006 a considerable application of the part of the accomplished results took place, which was related to new technologies and new advanced materials. In Vojvodina the programme of co-financing from the Provincial budget to build plants that use new technologies and new materials in the process of manufacturing is implemented in continuity.

In this way the funds directed to science and technological development reach the level of 6.04% of the APV budget, which is eight times more in relation to the period until 2006. During 2007 each municipality in Vojvoidna had a chance to realise or perform the final design for building, at least, one new manufacturing plant.

The database with the information of professional orientation, results and competence for over 2391 active researchers on Vojvodina territory and determination of the international citation according to the SCI system, i.e. citation in relevant national magazines of social and humane sciences was completed during 2006. 

Scientific work in Vojvodina takes place in the Department of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Novi Sad, in the Vojvodina Academy of Sciences and Arts, on several scientific institutions and at the University of Novi Sad and at faculties.

Media

The media in Vojvodina are characterised by long tradition in issuing papers, multilingualism and diversity.

In Vojvodina a great number of papers - daily and weekly, for children and youth, as well as various magazines are issued. Only at the regional and local level about 40 papers providing information were issued in Vojvodina in 2008.

Apart form Radio Television Vojvodina, as a public radio-diffusion service, work permits for broadcasting programme on the territory of Vojvodina are also possessed by another radio and Super Television. There are 11 regional and 45 local radio stations. Programmes are broadcast by 6 regional and 17 local televisions as well.

With regard to multiethnicity awareness of the role of the media in various languages is raised in Vojvodina. Radio Television Vojvodina prepares and broadcasts programmes in ten languages. The Provincial budget allocates money intended for co-financing 27 papers in 10 languages -Serbian, Hungarian, Slovakian, Romanian, Ruthenian, Croatian, Roma language, Bunjevac language, Macedonian and Ukrainian language. The Province advocates the active policy of providing stable financing to local and regional radio and television stations having programmes in different languages.

Culture

Vojvodina has a long cultural tradition and developed cultural life. The oldest culture institution is the Matica Srpska, founded in 1826. The Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad is the first professional theatre in the country, founded in 1861. Apart form it there are about ten other professional theatres, out of which the National Theatre in Subotica and the Novi Sad Theatre perform their repertoire in Hungarian language, whereas semi-professional, but highly successful over the boarder, too, are Slovakian, Romanian and Ruthenian.

Several hundreds of painting exhibitions take place in art galleries and art halls on annual basis. Vojvodina is also known for its colonies of naive painters from Kovačica, Uzdin and Šid.

Music creation has had an important cultural-aesthetic role in common culture development in Vojvodina. The richness of Vojvodina music events is significantly contributed by music manifestations of traditional and contemporary music: the Novi Sad Musical Festivities - NOMUS, EXIT, the International Jazz Festival, the festivals of the "Vojvodina Golden Strings" and the "Golden Tamburitza", the "Isidor Bajić" Memorial in Novi Sad, Novi Sad OLD GOLD JAZZ festival, the International Festival of New Music - INTERZONE as well as the Days of Josif Marinković the "Horizons over the Tisza".

Today in Vojvodina there are about 420 cultural-artistic societies which consists of over 1100 amateur theatre and folk ensembles, orchestras, choirs, group singers, literary and recite clubs, national needlework and painting clubs. These societies foster tradition and modern creation of the nations living in Vojvodina.

Vojvodina has 660 registered estates in the field of religious architecture (monasteries and churches), memorials, museum, residential and industrial architecture, which represents significant potential for development of cultural tourism.

Tourism

In addition to religious buildings, with most renowned ones being the Fruška Gora monasteries, and traditional tourist destinations, development of tourism in Vojvodina is based on the development of specific and more modern forms of tourism.

Besides the classic spa services, it has been invested in the construction of sports and wellness centres, so as to use the thermal waters not just for healing and rehabilitation, but for recreation and fun as well.

Project for development of nautical tourism is in the process of realisation. Fifty-six micro locations in sixteen Danube municipalities have been determined as locations for construction of marines.  It is recommended to perform categorisation of the existing marines, which implies categorisation of technical quality of tie up, vessel storage and docking, services, restaurant, petrol station and other things EU marines are equipped with.

Farm tourism has been in full swing lately as a new trade mark of the rural tourism.  Old farms have been restored and refurbished to assure comfortable stay for eco tourists.

There is a great potential for tourism in Vojvodina, however it is not competitive enough due to underdeveloped tourist offer, lack of finances and poor marketing.

Towns and Municipalities

1. Ada http://www.ada.org.rs

2. Alibunar

3. Apatin http://www.soapatin.org

4. Bač http://www.bac.rs

5. Bačka Palanka http://www.backapalanka.org.rs

6. Bačka Topola http://www.btopola.org.rs

7. Bački Petrovac http://www.backipetrovac.rs

8. Bela Crkva http://www.belacrkva.info

9. Beočin http://www.sobeocin.org.rs

10. Bečej http://www.becej.rs

11. Vrbas http://www.vrbas.net

12. Vršac http://www.vrsac.org.rs

13. Grad Novi Sad http://www.gradnovisad.org.yu

14. Žabalj http://www.zabalj.co.rs

15. Žitište http://www.zitiste.org.yu

16. Zrenjanin http://www.zrenjanin.rs

17. Inđija http://www.indjija.rs

18. Irig http://www.irig.org.yu

19. Kanjiža http://www.kanjiza.co.yu

20. Kikinda http://www.kikinda.org.rs

21. Kovačica http://www.kovacica.org

22. Kovin http://www.kovin.org.yu

23. Kula http://www.kula.rs

24. Mali Iđoš

25. Nova Crnja http://www.sonovacrnja.org.yu

26. Novi Bečej http://www.novi becej.org

27. Novi Kneževac http://www.noviknezevac.org.yu

28. Opovo http://www.opovo.org.rs

29. Odžaci http://www.odzaci.info

30. Pančevo http://www.pancevo.rs

31. Pećinci http://www.pecinci.org

32. Plandište http://www.plandiste.com

33. Ruma

34. Senta http://www.zenta-senta.co.rs

35. Sečanj

36. Sombor http://www.so-sombor.com

37. Srbobran http://www.srbobran.rs

38. Sremska Mitrovica http://www.sremskamitrovica.org.rs

39. Sremski Karlovci http://www.sremski-karlovci.org.rs

40. Stara Pazova http://www.starapazova.eu

41. Subotica http://www.subotica.rs

42. Temerin http://www.temerin.org

43. Titel http://www.opstina-titel.org.yu

44. Čoka http://www.coka.co.yu

45. Šid http://www.opstinasid.org