Žabalj
[Image:Zabalj mun.png|right|thumb|250px|Map of Žabalj municipality]
Image:Šajkaška.png|thumb|250px|Map of the Žabalj municipality and Šajkaška region
Žabalj is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. According to 2022 census, the town Žabalj has a population of 8,449 and the municipality Žabalj has a population of 23,853. It is located in southeastern part of Bačka, known as Šajkaška. All settlements in the municipality have an ethnic Serb majority.
Name
Its name came from the Serbian word "žaba"/жаба. In Serbian, the town is known as Žabalj, in Hungarian as Zsablya or Józseffalva, in Pannonian Rusyn as Жабель, in German as Josefdorf, and in Croatian as Žabalj.History
Žabalj was first mentioned in 1514 as Zeble, a fortress captured by György Dózsa. During the Ottoman rule, it was populated by ethnic Serbs.In the 18th and 19th centuries, Žabalj was part of the Habsburg Military Frontier. The first church in Žabalj was mentioned in 1720, but it was later razed. After 1763, the village was part of Šajkaš Battalion until the military administration was abolished in 1783. Present-day Orthodox churches dedicated to Saint Nicholas were built in 1835. In 1901, a Catholic church was built as well.
It belonged to Hungary 1920, when by the Treaty of Trianon it became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and subsequent South Slavic states.
After the 1941 annexation of the town by Hungary, in a 1942 raid, 666 inhabitants of the town were murdered: 355 men, 141 women, 101 children, and 69 elderly people. Those who were liable, were convicted by Hungary in 1943.
Inhabited places
Žabalj municipality encompasses the town of Žabalj, and the following villages:Demographics
Historical population of the town
- 1961: 7,457
- 1971: 7,851
- 1981: 8,503
- 1991: 8,766
Ethnic groups
The population of the Žabalj municipality:Economy
The following table gives a preview of total number of employed people per their core activity :| Activity | Total |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 253 |
| Mining | 21 |
| Processing industry | 664 |
| Distribution of power, gas and water | 32 |
| Distribution of water and water waste management | 84 |
| Construction | 138 |
| Wholesale and retail, repair | 937 |
| Traffic, storage and communication | 216 |
| Hotels and restaurants | 98 |
| Media and telecommunications | 17 |
| Finance and insurance | 30 |
| Property stock and charter | 3 |
| Professional, scientific, innovative and technical activities | 112 |
| Administrative and other services | 59 |
| Administration and social assurance | 217 |
| Education | 406 |
| Healthcare and social work | 284 |
| Art, leisure and recreation | 47 |
| Other services | 91 |
| Total | 3,708 |