Burgenland

Burgenland province in eastern Austria, lying south of the River Danube. It is bounded on the north by Lower Austria Province, on the east by Hungary, on the south by the republic of Slovenia, and on the west by Styria and Lower Austria provinces. The low-lying plains of the northern section contain large tracts of pasture and arable farmland. Elsewhere, the terrain is hilly and thickly forested. About two-thirds of Lake Neusiedler lies within Burgenland; the main river is the Rába. Temperate climatic conditions prevail throughout most of the province; and the mean annual temperature is about 10° C (50° F). Livestock farming, especially the raising of cattle, pigs, and poultry, and forestry are leading industries. The principal crops include grains, fruit, wine grapes, legumes, sugar beet, hemp, and flax. Deposits of bituminous coal, limestone, and sulphur are worked. Industry consists largely of small-scale food processing. The population of Burgenland is mostly rural. The larger communities are Eisenstadt (the capital), Oberwart, and Deutschkreutz.

After the 8th century ad the region occupied by present-day Burgenland was settled by German, Slavic, and Magyar colonists. Becoming an Austrian possession in 1491, it remained under Austrian control until 1647, when Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III ceded it to Hungary. Under the terms of the Allied peace agreements with Austria and Hungary after World War I, Hungary was required to return Burgenland to Austria. The Hungarian government rejected this decision, and the ensuing controversy was settled (December 1921) by a plebiscite on the future of Sopron, then the capital of Burgenland, and adjacent areas. A majority of the voters cast ballots in favour of Hungary. The disputed city and its immediate locality were returned to Hungary in February 1922. Soviet troops occupied the province in April 1945, and it was assigned to the Soviet Zone of Occupation until 1955. Area, 3,966 sq km (1,531 sq mi); population (1991) 270,880.