BaÃÂka Topola (, ; , ) is a town and municipality located in the North BaÃÂka District, Vojvodina, Serbia. The municipality is composed of 23 local communities and, according to the 2022 census, has population of 26,228 while the town itself has 11,930 inhabitants. Four official languages are used in the municipality: Serbian, Hungarian, Rusyn, and Slovak.
The name of the town is derived from the Serbian word topola (ÃÂþÿþûð) ("poplar" in English). The first part of the name of the town was given to designate its location in the region of BaÃÂka in contrast to places with similar names, like Topola in à  umadija or Banatska Topola in Banat.
The town was mentioned first in 1462 under name Fibaych. This settlement was a part of the Kingdom of Hungary, and was inhabited by Hungarians in the middle ages. The village was destroyed in the 16th century and new smaller settlement was later built at its location. Name Topola was first recorded in 1543, while according to the Ottoman defters from 1580, 1582, and 1590, it was mentioned as a village, whose population numbered between 21 and 23 houses. At this time, the inhabitants of the settlement were Serbs. In 1704, Topola was destroyed by kuruc rebels.
In 1731, Topola was mentioned as an uninhabited heath. In 1750, the new settlement was founded at this location and 200 Hungarian and Slovak families arrived here from Upper Hungary. The period of historical improvement starts in 1803 with the arrival of Krai family, who built their castle, planted a park, and bred horses and greyhounds. The development was abruptly interrupted by the upheaval of 1849. In the late 19th century the town recovered, and the prominent Church of the Immaculate Virgin Mary was completed in 1906.
It was a district center in Bács-Bodrog County as "Topolya" until 1918, when it became part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (renamed to Yugoslavia in 1929). It was part of Yugoslavia until 1991, with the exception of Hungarian occupation between 1941 and 1944 during World War II.
BaÃÂka Topola municipality includes the town of BaÃÂka Topola and the following villages:
Note: For the inhabited places with an absolute or relative Hungarian ethnic majority, the names are also given in Hungarian.
According to the 2022 census results, the municipality of BaÃÂka Topola has a population of 26,228 inhabitants.
Local communities with a Hungarian majority are: BaÃÂka Topola (Hungarian: Topolya), Bajà ¡a (Hungarian: Bajsa), PaÃÂir (Hungarian: Pacsér), Stara Moravica (Hungarian: Bácskossuthfalva), Zobnatica (Hungarian: Andrásnépe), Bogaraà ¡ (Hungarian: Bogaras-Felváros), ObornjaÃÂa (Hungarian: Nagyvölgy), Bagremovo (Hungarian: BrazÃÂlia), Gunaroà ¡ (Hungarian: Gunaras), Novo Orahovo (Hungarian: Zentagunaras), and Kavilo (Hungarian: Rákóczifalu or Kavilló).
Local communities with a Serb majority are: Gornja Rogatica, Srednji Salaà ¡, Panonija, Oreà ¡koviÃÂ, BaÃÂki Sokolac, KaraÃÂorÃÂevo, MiÃÂunovo, Njegoà ¡evo, Krivaja, SvetiÃÂevo, and Mali Beograd.
Pobeda (Hungarian: Gyà Âztes or Pobedabirtok) is an ethnically-mixed local community with a Hungarian relative majority. Krivaja, Mali Beograd, and SvetiÃÂevo have over 20% Hungarians, as well as other minorities, while BaÃÂka Topola, PaÃÂir, Zobnatica, and Pobeda have over 20% Serbs.
The ethnic composition of the municipality:
The following table gives a preview of total number of employed people per their core activity (as of 2016):
The Museum of BaÃÂka Topola is located in a historic baroque castle, dating back from the 1810s. The lower floor contains a permanent exhibit about notable local residents.
The Cultural Center of BaÃÂka Topola hosts theater plays, music performances, and other events, in Hungarian and Serbian languages. The Carnival of Honey is a major cultural event with thousands of attendees, held in September.
The most popular local football team is TSC BaÃÂka Topola, which plays in the Serbian SuperLiga (1st national tier). Founded in 1913, it is one of the oldest football teams in the region.
BaÃÂka Topola is twinned with: