Residents of Berehove voted on October 31, 2010, in a referendum on renaming the town to Beregszász, its Hungarian-language name.[3][4] Voter turnout was less than 52%, with 4,688 voting for renaming, 4,358 against, and 1,016 invalid ballots.[5]
Administrative division
Part of the city is also a near adjacent village of Zatyshne of 504 people that has its representation in the city's council.
Hungarian was made a regional language in Berehove in September 2012; meaning it would be used in the town's administrative office work and documents.[6] This was made possible after new legislation on languages in Ukraine was passed in the summer of 2012.[6]
As of December 2020, all decisions of Zakarpattia's local councils on the functioning of regional languages, including Hungarian in Berehove, were cancelled.[7]
In 1824, Berehove received the right to hold fairs 12 times a year. With the abolition of serfdom, the industrial development of the city began. Enterprises appeared, banks, savings banks, and credit institutions were opened.[9]
In 1910, out of 12,933 inhabitants 12,432 were Hungarians (96.1%), 221 Ukrainians (Ruthenians) and 140 Germans.[10] On April 27, 1919, the city was occupied by Czechoslovak and Romanian troops. At the end of 1919, according to the Saint-Germain Peace Treaty, it became part of Czechoslovakia.[11]
From 1920 until 1938 it was part of Czechoslovakia. Prior to World War II, the city had a significant Jewish population, estimated at 8,000 persons. Only four returned following the war.[12]
A local newspaper has been published here since December 1945.[13]
In January 1989 the population was 30,157 people.[14][15]