The size and territorial pattern of the Hungarian community from Slovakia based on the 2021 census Cover Image

A szlovákiai magyar közösség létszáma és területi mintázata a 2021. évi népszámlálás alapján
The size and territorial pattern of the Hungarian community from Slovakia based on the 2021 census

Author(s): Zsolt Horbulák, Gábor Demeter
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Economy, Geography, Regional studies
Published by: Központi Statisztikai Hivatal
Keywords: Hungarians from Slovakia; census statistics 1910–2021; territorial pattern; population decline

Summary/Abstract: The study analyses the change in number of Hungarians in Slovakia based on official census data from 1910 to 2021, with a special focus on the latest census of 2021 and on the territorial patterns of the changes. Official census data prove that the number and proportion of Hungarians continuously decreased in the last 100 years with the exception of the period between the 1960 and the1990s, this trend even accelerated after the democratic transition and the independence of Slovakia in the 1990s. Nowadays, even the easing of social tension could only slowdown the intensified trend of weight loss,which in the long term led to the Hungarians'share falling from one quarter around1920 to less than 8% in a hundred years. Whereas prior to the regime change the tendencies of the state (to diminish the number of minorities) were responsible for the actual decrease – beside the worsening of demographic indicators –, after 1991 the accelerating assimilation due to mixed marriages, education fuelled the process – while demographic indicators continued their deterioration under the democratic circumstances.This resulted in the decrease of the Hungarian population from 25% in the1920s to 7,75% by 2021.

  • Issue Year: 63/2023
  • Issue No: 02
  • Page Range: 207-233
  • Page Count: 27
  • Language: Hungarian