Međimurje (region)
Međimurje is a small historical and geographical region in Northern Croatia comprising the area between the two large rivers, Mura and Drava, and roughly corresponding to the administrative division of Međimurje County.Overview
The region consists of the alluvial plain in its southeastern part and the slopes of the Alpine foothills in its northwestern part. The highest geographical point is Mohokos, a 344,4 metre above sea level high peak of a short hill range that extends for about 20 kilometres across the northwestern part of the region in northwest-southeast direction. While the Upper Međimurje is covered with groves, meadows, vineyards and orchards, the Lower Međimurje is largely used for tillage, which includes fields of cereals, maize, potato, as well as vegetable farming.
Throughout the history, the region was inhabited since the Neolithic and Bronze Age. From the 1st century it was under the control of the Roman Empire and part of the province of Pannonia. In the Early Middle Ages the Slavs settled the region, which later became part of the Duchy of Pannonian Croatia, Kingdom of Croatia and the Kingdom of Hungary. It was possessed by many mighty noble families like Lacković, Celjski, Ernušt, Zrinski, Althann or Feštetić. In 1527 Međimurje fell under the Habsburg rule and remained until the end of the First World War part of Zala County, Kingdom of Hungary, when it was, on 9 January 1919, incorporated into the newly formed State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, while in 1920, by the Treaty of Trianon it was ceded and the new border was set between Hungary and the state later known as Yugoslavia. From 1991 the region is part of the Republic of Croatia.
