Kanjiža (Serbian Cyrillic: Кањижа, pronounced [kǎɲiʒa]) formerly Stara Kanjiža (Serbian Cyrillic: Стара Кањижа; Yiddish: קניזשא; Hungarian: Magyarkanizsa, formerly Kanizsa) is a town and municipality located in the North Banat District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Kanjiža town has a population of 8,067, while the Kanjiža municipality has 20,141 inhabitants (2022 census).
Geography
Although it belongs to North Banat District, territory of Kanjiža municipality is in fact located in the region of Bačka. The territory of the municipality is bordered by the river Tisa and the Novi Kneževac Municipality in the east, the Municipality of Senta in the south, the Municipality of Subotica in the west and the border with Hungary in the north. The proximity to the border, to the free-way and the river Tisa makes it an important location.
History
The town was mentioned in the Gesta Hungarorum chronicle under the name Kenesna and, according to the chronicle, it belonged to the duchy of Bulgarian duke Salan who ruled from Titel in the 9th century.[2] In first written documents after Hungarian conquest of Central Europe, the town is mentioned as Cnesa or Kenesna. This name came from Slavic word knez 'prince'. In 1335, it was mentioned as Villa Canysa.[3]
From 1686 to 1918, the town was administered by the Habsburg monarchy. Initially, it was part of the Habsburg Military Frontier, but was placed under civil administration in 1751. In the beginning of Ottoman administration, local Hungarian population left from this area. During the Ottoman period[3] and also during the first decades of Habsburg administration, the town was mainly populated by ethnic Serbs. Hungarian colonists from northern counties of the Kingdom of Hungary started to settle here in 1753 and they became the dominant ethnic group in the town.[4] Since 1918, the town was part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugoslavia) and subsequent South Slavic states.
Inhabited places
Map of Kanjiža municipality
The municipality of Kanjiža includes the town and 12 villages. The villages are:
The economy of Kanjiža is dominated by the Potisje-Tondach roof tile factory. Other firms are FIM Kanjiža, Keramika Kanjiža, various paprika refining firms, and a spa health center "Banja Kanjiža".
The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2018):[7]
Activity
Total
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
158
Mining and quarrying
24
Manufacturing
1,676
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
32
Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
48
Construction
217
Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
940
Transportation and storage
474
Accommodation and food services
168
Information and communication
32
Financial and insurance activities
78
Real estate activities
7
Professional, scientific and technical activities
134
Administrative and support service activities
140
Public administration and defense; compulsory social security
