Contemporary National and Religious Diversification of Inhabitants of the Polish-Belorussian Borderland – the Case of the Hajnówka District

Abstract

Polish-Belorussian borderland is the most diversified region in Poland in respect of nationality, culture and religion. It forms both an interstate borderland between Poland and Belarus and an internal ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic borderland. Prevailing nations are Poles and Belorussians but the presence of Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Tatars, Romanies, Armenians, Russians, and Karaites makes of the region a maze of nations. The investigation carried out in the town of Hajnówka and in rural areas of the Hajnówka District supplied data on the ethnic, linguistic and religious structure of inhabitants of the region concerned. The survey was made in July 1999 and covered the town of Hajnówka and five communes in the Hajnówka District: Czeremcha, Czyże, Dubicze Cerkiewne, Hajnówka and Kleszczele. Among 592 respondents there were 241 inhabitants of the town of Hajnówka and 351 rural residents. The sample closely represented the total population of the area.