Međimurje Hungarian: Muraköz | |
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| Etymology:Croatian:međimorje,lit. 'island' | |
_-_stari_zemljovid_iz_1690.jpg) Međimurje (here on an old map from 1690, with theMura River as border to Hungary) is the northernmost part ofCroatia | |
| Country |  Croatia |
| Traditional capital | Čakovec |
_-_vidikovac_okru%25C5%25BEen_vinogradima.jpg)
Međimurje (pronounced[medʑǐmuːrje];Hungarian:Muraköz) is asmallhistorical andgeographical region inNorthern Croatia comprising the area between the two large rivers,Mura andDrava, and roughly corresponding to theadministrative division ofMeđimurje County.
The region consists of thealluvial plain in its southeastern part (so calledDolnje Međimurje or 'Lower Međimurje') and the slopes of theAlpine foothills in its northwestern part (Gornje Međimurje – 'Upper Međimurje' – or sometimesMeđimurske gorice, approx. 'the Međimurje Hills'). The highest geographical point isMohokos at 344.4 metres (1,130 ft) abovesea level. It forms part of a shorthill range that extends for about 20 kilometres (12 mi) across the northwestern part of the region in northwest-southeast direction. While Upper Međimurje is covered withgroves, meadows,vineyards andorchards, Lower Međimurje is largely used fortillage, which includes fields ofcereals,maize,potato, as well asvegetable farming.
The region has been inhabited since theNeolithic andBronze Age. From the 1st century it was under the control of theRoman Empire and part of the province ofPannonia. In theEarly Middle Ages theSlavs settled the region, which later became part of theDuchy of Pannonian Croatia, then theKingdom of Croatia and (from 1102) theKingdom of Croatia in personal union with Hungary.[1] Over the centuries it was possessed by many noble families such as theLacković,Celjski,Ernušt,Zrinski,Althann orFeštetić.
According to the1527 election in Cetin Međimurje fellunder the rule of the Austrian Habsburgs and remained part of theHabsburg monarchy (later theAustrian Empire andAustria-Hungary) until the end of theFirst World War in 1918. From 1720Međimurje was officially part of the HungarianZala County.
It wasoccupied in late December 1918, and proclaimed a part of the newly formedKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later known asYugoslavia) by apopular assembly held in the region's largest townČakovec.[2] This was confirmed in theTreaty of Trianon. Since 1991 the region has been part of theRepublic of Croatia.
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