backa

Bačka (also Backa) is a geographical and historical region in the northern part of the Pannonian Plain, largely within the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The region is bounded by the Danube to the south and the Tisa to the north and west, with its eastern boundary near the Danube’s delta region; the precise borders vary by source. It is administratively divided into North Bačka and South Bačka Districts.

The largest urban centers are Subotica (North Bačka) and Novi Sad (South Bačka), with Sombor and Bačka Topola among other towns. The area is known for its arable land, including corn, wheat, sunflowers, and sugar beets, as well as fruit orchards and vineyards around Palić and other locales.

The name Bačka derives from Slavic roots and historical usage; the region has been inhabited since prehistoric times and has seen Illyrian, Celtic, Roman, Slavic, and Hungarian influences. It formed part of medieval kingdoms and, in the 16th–18th centuries, of the Ottoman Empire; after 1699 it became part of the Habsburg Monarchy’s military frontier and later the Kingdom of Hungary within Austria-Hungary.

After World War I, it became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia) and today is part of Serbia. In addition to Serbs, Hungarians, Bunjevci, Croats, and Romani people form sizable communities, contributing to a multicultural heritage, reflected in languages, cuisine, and festivals.