Pest County
County
Native namePest vármegye
RegionCentral Hungary
County seatBudapest
Districts18 districts
P 1Aszód District
P 2Budakeszi District
P 3Cegléd District
P 4Dabas District
P 5Dunakeszi District
P 6Érd District
P 7Gödöllő District
P 8Gyál District
P 9Monor District
P 10Nagykáta District
P 11Nagykőrös District
P 12Pilisvörösvár District
P 13Ráckeve District
P 14Szentendre District
P 15Szigetszentmiklós District
P 16Szob District
P 17Vác District
P 18Vecsés District
President of the General AssemblyIstván Szabó
Leader partyFidesz-KDNP
Area total6393.14 km²
Area rank3rd in Hungary
Population as of2023
Population total1339000
Population rank1st in Hungary
Population density191.8 km²
Total€24.190 billion (2024)
Per capita€18,106 (2024)
Postal code20xx – 23xx, 2440, 2461, 260x – 263x,
2680 – 2683, 27xx
Area code(s)(+36) 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 53
Iso codeHU-PE
Websitewww.pestmegye.hu

Pest (Hungarian: Pest vármegye, ˈpɛʃt; German: Komitat Pest) is a county (vármegye) in central Hungary. It covers an area of 6,393.14 square kilometres (2,468.41 sq mi), and has a population of 1,339,090 (2023). The suburbs of Budapest surrounds the national capital Budapest and is the county's largest administrative unit (13.8%/1.3 million in 2013). It shares borders with Slovakia and the Hungarian counties , , , , , and . The River Danube flows through the county. The capital of Pest County is Budapest, although Budapest is not part of Pest County. Starting 2018, they also constitute different NUTS:HU level 2 regions, as previously Pest County has lost catch-up aids from the European Union because of the high development of Budapest.

History

The present county Pest was formed after World War II, when the former county Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun was split in two parts (the other part is within present-day ). Pest County also existed in the early days of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary (11th century). Its territory comprised approximately the north-eastern part of present Pest County. It was combined with adjacent Pilis county before the 15th century. More information can be found at the entry of former Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun county.

Demographics

See also: Demographics of Hungary

In 2015, it had a population of 1,226,115 and the population density was 192/km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1870330,089—
1880353,851+7.2%
1890395,142+11.7%
1900450,136+13.9%
1910524,320+16.5%
1920571,753+9.0%
1930633,257+10.8%
1941682,696+7.8%
1949686,953+0.6%
1960781,505+13.8%
1970878,644+12.4%
1980973,830+10.8%
1990949,842−2.5%
20011,083,877+14.1%
20111,217,476+12.3%
20211,333,533+9.5%

[1][2]

Ethnicity

Besides the Hungarian majority, the main minorities are the Germans (approx. 25,000), Roma (20,000), Slovaks (6,000), Romanians (4,000) and Serbs (1,500).

Total population (2011 census): 1,217,476
Ethnic groups (2011 census):[3] Identified themselves: 1,090,882 persons:

Approx. 178,000 persons in Pest County did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.

Religion

See also: Religion in Hungary

Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:[4]

Economy

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the county was 13.8 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 10.3% of Hungary's economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 17,000 euros or 56% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 69% of the EU average.[5]

Regional structure

№English and
Hungarian names		Area
(km2)		Population
(2011)		Density
(pop./km2)		Seat№ of
municipalities
1Aszód District
Aszódi járás		298.3737,472126Aszód11
2Budakeszi District
Budakeszi járás		288.9583,670290Budakeszi12
3Cegléd District
Ceglédi járás		886.3088,952100Cegléd12
4Dabas District
Dabasi járás		614.2348,28979Dabas11
5Dunakeszi District
Dunakeszi járás		103.0878,634763Dunakeszi4
6Érd District
Érdi járás		184.29116,510632Érd7
7Gödöllő District
Gödöllői járás		449.66139,826311Gödöllő15
8Gyál District
Gyáli járás		170.9940,853239Gyál4
9Monor District
Monori járás		329.8164,016194Monor12
10Nagykáta District
Nagykátai járás		710.1273,959104Nagykáta15
11Nagykőrös District
Nagykőrösi járás		349.2527,97780Nagykőrös3
12Pilisvörösvár District
Pilisvörösvári járás		130.8153,201407Pilisvörösvár9
13Ráckeve District
Ráckevei járás		417.0535,73286Ráckeve11
14Szentendre District
Szentendrei járás		326.5877,802238Szentendre13
15Szigetszentmiklós District
Szigetszentmiklósi járás		211.28110,448523Szigetszentmiklós9
16Szob District
Szobi járás		438.3224,87557Szob17
17Vác District
Váci járás		362.1968,234188Vác18
18Vecsés District
Vecsési járás		119.7447,026393Vecsés4
Pest County6,393.141,217,476192Budapest187

Politics

Main article: Pest County Assembly

The Pest County Council, elected at the 2024 local government elections,[6] is made up of 46 counselors,[7] with the following party composition:

PartySeatsCurrent County Assembly
style="background-color: |  Fidesz-KDNP21style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  
style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  Momentum Movement10style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  style="background-color: #8E6FCE |  style="background-color: #8E6FCE |             
style="background-color: |  Our Homeland Movement8style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |              
style="background-color: |  Democratic Coalition7style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |  style="background-color: |                

Municipalities

Pest County has 1 urban county, 47 towns, 17 large villages and 122 villages.

City with county rights

(ordered by population, as of 2011 census)

Towns
Villages

municipalities are large villages.

International relations

Pest County has a partnership relationship with:[8]

References

  1. ^ népesség.com, "Pest megye népessége 1870-2015"
  2. ^ "Census database - Hungarian Central Statistical Office"
  3. ^ 1.1.6. A népesség anyanyelv, nemzetiség és nemek szerint – Frissítve: 2013.04.17.; Hungarian Central Statistical Office (in Hungarian)
  4. ^ 2011. ÉVI NÉPSZÁMLÁLÁS, 3. Területi adatok, 3.14 Pest megye, (in Hungarian) [1]
  5. ^ "Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018". Eurostat
  6. ^ "Nemzeti Választási Iroda - Helyi önkormányzati választások" (in Hungarian). vtr.valasztas.hu. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  7. ^ "Megyei közgyűlés tagjai 2024-2029 (Pest megye)". valasztas.hu. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  8. ^ Külkapcsolatok (Pest megye)
  • in Hungarian and English