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Pest County
Pest vármegye | |
|---|---|
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Clockwise, from top: the Börzsöny Mountain in Nagybörzsöny village, landscape of Kemence, and landscape of Vác | |
Pest County within Hungary | |
| Country | |
| Region | Central Hungary |
| County seat | Budapest |
| Districts | 18 districts |
| Government | |
| • President of the General Assembly | István Szabó (Fidesz-KDNP) |
| Area | |
• Total | 6,393.14 km2 (2,468.41 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 3rd in Hungary |
| Population (2023) | |
• Total | 1,339,000 |
| • Rank | 1st in Hungary |
| • Density | 191.8/km2 (497/sq mi) |
| GDP | |
| • Total | HUF 3,607 billion €11.586 billion (2016) |
| Postal code | 20xx – 23xx, 2440, 2461, 260x – 263x, 2680 – 2683, 27xx |
| Area code(s) | (+36) 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 53 |
| ISO 3166 code | HU-PE |
| Website | www |
Pest (Hungarian: Pest vármegye, pronounced [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). It surrounds the national capital Budapest and the majority of the county's population (65.2%/790,995 in 2009) live in the suburbs of Budapest. It shares borders with Slovakia and the Hungarian counties Nógrád, Heves, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Bács-Kiskun, Fejér, and Komárom-Esztergom. 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.
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 Bács-Kiskun). 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.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008) |
Religion in Pest County (2022 census – of those who declared their religion (58.6%))
In 2015, it had a population of 1,226,115 and the population density was 192/km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 330,089 | — |
| 1880 | 353,851 | +7.2% |
| 1890 | 395,142 | +11.7% |
| 1900 | 450,136 | +13.9% |
| 1910 | 524,320 | +16.5% |
| 1920 | 571,753 | +9.0% |
| 1930 | 633,257 | +10.8% |
| 1941 | 682,696 | +7.8% |
| 1949 | 686,953 | +0.6% |
| 1960 | 781,505 | +13.8% |
| 1970 | 878,644 | +12.4% |
| 1980 | 973,830 | +10.8% |
| 1990 | 949,842 | −2.5% |
| 2001 | 1,083,877 | +14.1% |
| 2011 | 1,217,476 | +12.3% |
| 2021 | 1,333,533 | +9.5% |
| Source: [2][3] | ||
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):[4]
Identified themselves: 1,090,882 persons:
Approx. 178,000 persons in Pest County did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.
Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:[5]
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.[6]

| № | English and Hungarian names |
Area (km2) |
Population (2011) |
Density (pop./km2) |
Seat | № of municipalities |
| 1 | Aszód District Aszódi járás |
298.37 | 37,472 | 126 | Aszód | 11 |
| 2 | Budakeszi District Budakeszi járás |
288.95 | 83,670 | 290 | Budakeszi | 12 |
| 3 | Cegléd District Ceglédi járás |
886.30 | 88,952 | 100 | Cegléd | 12 |
| 4 | Dabas District Dabasi járás |
614.23 | 48,289 | 79 | Dabas | 11 |
| 5 | Dunakeszi District Dunakeszi járás |
103.08 | 78,634 | 763 | Dunakeszi | 4 |
| 6 | Érd District Érdi járás |
184.29 | 116,510 | 632 | Érd | 7 |
| 7 | Gödöllő District Gödöllői járás |
449.66 | 139,826 | 311 | Gödöllő | 15 |
| 8 | Gyál District Gyáli járás |
170.99 | 40,853 | 239 | Gyál | 4 |
| 9 | Monor District Monori járás |
329.81 | 64,016 | 194 | Monor | 12 |
| 10 | Nagykáta District Nagykátai járás |
710.12 | 73,959 | 104 | Nagykáta | 15 |
| 11 | Nagykőrös District Nagykőrösi járás |
349.25 | 27,977 | 80 | Nagykőrös | 3 |
| 12 | Pilisvörösvár District Pilisvörösvári járás |
130.81 | 53,201 | 407 | Pilisvörösvár | 9 |
| 13 | Ráckeve District Ráckevei járás |
417.05 | 35,732 | 86 | Ráckeve | 11 |
| 14 | Szentendre District Szentendrei járás |
326.58 | 77,802 | 238 | Szentendre | 13 |
| 15 | Szigetszentmiklós District Szigetszentmiklósi járás |
211.28 | 110,448 | 523 | Szigetszentmiklós | 9 |
| 16 | Szob District Szobi járás |
438.32 | 24,875 | 57 | Szob | 17 |
| 17 | Vác District Váci járás |
362.19 | 68,234 | 188 | Vác | 18 |
| 18 | Vecsés District Vecsési járás |
119.74 | 47,026 | 393 | Vecsés | 4 |
| Pest County | 6,393.14 | 1,217,476 | 192 | Budapest | 187 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Pest County Council, elected at the 2024 local government elections,[7] is made up of 44 counselors,[8] with the following party composition:
| Party | Seats | Current County Assembly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidesz-KDNP | 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Momentum Movement | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Our Homeland Movement | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Democratic Coalition | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| List of presidents since 1990[9] | |
|---|---|
| István Szabó (Fidesz-KDNP) | 2014– |
Pest County has 1 urban county, 47 towns, 17 large villages and 122 villages.
(ordered by population, as of 2011 census)
municipalities are large villages.
Pest County has a partnership relationship with:[10]
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