Békés County

County of Hungary

This article is about the current administrative entity called Békés county. For the historical county, see Békés County (former). For the town, see Békés.

Counties of Hungary in Southern Great Plain

Békés County

Békés vármegye

Counties of Hungary

Descending, from top: Körös river near Mezőberény, Arboretum of Szarvas, and Downtown of Békéscsaba

Flag

Coat of arms

Békés County within Hungary

Country|  Hungary
Region| Southern Great Plain
County seat| Békéscsaba
Districts|

9 districts

* Békéscsaba District
* Békés District
* Gyomaendrőd District
* Gyula District
* Mezőkovácsháza District
* Orosháza District
* Sarkad District
* Szarvas District
* Szeghalom District

Government

• President of the General Assembly| Mihály Zalai (Fidesz-KDNP)
Area

• Total

| 5,629.71 km2 (2,173.64 sq mi)
• Rank| 7th in Hungary
Population

(2018)

• Total

| 338,025[1]
• Rank| 11th in Hungary
GDP

[2]

• Total| HUF 748 billion
€2.402 billion (2016)
Postal code|

55xx – 59xx

Area code(s)| (+36) 66, 68
ISO 3166 code| HU-BE
Website| www.bekesmegye.hu

Békés (Hungarian: Békés vármegye, pronounced [ˈbeːkeːʃ], Romanian: Județul Bichiș) is an administrative division (county or vármegye) in south-eastern Hungary, on the border with Romania. It shares borders with the Hungarian counties Csongrád-Csanád, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, and Hajdú-Bihar. The capital of Békés county is Békéscsaba. The county is also part of the Danube-Kris-Mures-Tisa euroregion.

## Etymology

[edit]

In Slovak, it is known as Békešská župa and in Romanian as Județul Bichiș.

After Hungarians conquered the area, Békés and its surroundings were the property of the Csolt clan. Békés (the name means "peaceful") was originally the name of the castle which gave its name to the comitatus, and, like many castles, was possibly named after its first steward.

## Geography

[edit]

This county has a total area of 5,630 km2 (2,174 sq mi) – 6.05% of Hungary.

Békés County lies on the Pannonian Plain (Great Plain) and is a flat area with good soil. The average rainfall is 645 mm per year. One-fifth of the natural gas resources of Hungary can be found in Békés. The river Körös runs through the county.

### Neighbours

[edit]

* Hajdú-Bihar County on the north.
* Romania on the east and south – Counties of Arad and Bihor.
* Csongrád-Csanád and Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County on the west.

## History

[edit]

Old county map with settlements, roads an railways

The area has been inhabited since 5000-4000 BC. Before the arrival of the Hungarians several other tribes lived in the area.

The castle of Gyula was built in the early 15th century. Gyula was the most significant town of the county at that time, and became the county seat under Matthias I. It was an important fortress during the Ottoman wars in Europe but it was captured in 1566. During this time, several towns were destroyed in the area.

In the early 18th century, after the Ottomans were expelled, the county was repopulated, not only with Hungarians, but with Slovaks (in the towns Békéscsaba, Endrőd, Szarvas, Tótkomlós), Serbs (Battonya), Germans (Németgyula, Elek), and Romanians (Kétegyháza). Most of the non-Magyar population was assimilated by the mid-19th century.

The agricultural importance of the county and the new railway line between Pest and Békéscsaba (finished in 1858) brought development, which was quickened when Hungary lost its southern territories to Romania after World War I and Békéscsaba had to take over the role of the lost cities.

The population growth peaked in 1950 (472,000), in the same year when Békéscsaba became the county seat. During the following years, the county was industrialized, like most of Hungary, and the population of the cities and towns grew.

## Demographics

[edit]

See also: Demographics of Hungary

In 2015, it had a population of 351,148 and the population density was 62/km2.
More than 60% of the population lives in towns.

Historical population| Year| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1870| 284,589| —
1880| 310,266| +9.0%
1890| 356,665| +15.0%
1900| 389,095| +9.1%
1910| 417,127| +7.2%
1920| 436,348| +4.6%
| Year| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1930| 465,557| +6.7%
1941| 477,240| +2.5%
1949| 471,561| −1.2%
1960| 467,861| −0.8%
1970| 438,971| −6.2%
1980| 436,910| −0.5%
| Year| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1990| 411,887| −5.7%
2001| 397,791| −3.4%
2011| 359,948| −9.5%
2022| 315,222| −12.4%
Source: Censuses[3][4]

### Ethnicity

[edit]

Religion in Békés County (2022 census – of those who declared their religion (63.0%)

1. Roman Catholic (21.9%)
2. Greek Catholic (0.5%)
3. Calvinistic (16.1%)
4. Lutheran (9.8%)
5. Orthodox (1.2%)
6. Other Christian denomination (3.9%)
7. Other religion (0.3%)
8. Not religious (46.3%)

Besides the Hungarian majority, the main minorities are the Roma (approx. 9,500), Slovak (7,500), Romanian (5,000), German (2,500) and Serb (500).

Total population (2011 census): 359,948
Ethnic groups (2011 census):[5] Identified themselves: 325,597 persons:

* Hungarians: 300,213 (92.20%)
* Gypsies: 9,290 (2.85%)
* Slovaks: 7,267 (2.23%)
* Romanians: 5,137 (1.58%)
* Others and indefinable: 3,690 (1.13%)

Approx. 53,000 persons in Békés County did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.

### Religion

[edit]

See also: Religion in Hungary

Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:[6]

* Catholic – 70,307 (Roman Catholic – 69,478; Greek Catholic – 809);
* Reformed – 46,366;
* Evangelical – 27,870;
* Orthodox – 3,491;
* Other religions – 6,936;
* Non-religious – 113,094;
* Atheism – 4,150;
* Undeclared – 87,734.

## Regional structure

[edit]

District of Békés County No.  | English and
Hungarian names  | Area
(km2) | Population
(2011) | Density
(pop./km2) | Seat | No. of
municipalities

|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Békéscsaba District
Békéscsabai járás | 636.16  | 83,541  | 131  | Békéscsaba | 9
2  | Békés District
Békési járás | 525.24  | 37,409  | 71  | Békés (town)  | 7
3  | Gyomaendrőd District
Gyomaendrődi járás | 686.21  | 23,943  | 35  | Gyomaendrőd | 5
4  | Gyula District
Gyulai járás | 413.22  | 41,627  | 101  | Gyula | 4
5  | Mezőkovácsháza District
Mezőkovácsházai járás | 881.49  | 40,550  | 46  | Mezőkovácsháza | 18
6  | Orosháza District
Orosházi járás | 717.18  | 51,482  | 72  | Orosháza | 8
7  | Sarkad District
Sarkadi járás | 570.97  | 22,908  | 40  | Sarkad | 11
8  | Szarvas District
Szarvasi járás | 485.06  | 28,779  | 59  | Szarvas | 6
9  | Szeghalom District
Szeghalmi járás | 714.19  | 29,709  | 42  | Szeghalom | 7
Békés County  | 5,629.71 | 359,948 | 64 | Békéscsaba | 75

## Politics

[edit]

### County Assembly

[edit]

Main article: Békés County Assembly

The Békés County Council, elected at the 2024 local government elections,[7] is made up of 18 councillors,[8] with the following party composition:

Party  | Seats  | Current County Assembly

|
|

| Fidesz-KDNP | 9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Our Homeland Movement | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Democratic Coalition | 2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Momentum Movement | 2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

#### Presidents of the County Assembly

[edit]

President[9] | Terminus

|

Mihály Zalai (Fidesz-KDNP) | 2014–

### Members of the National Assembly

[edit]

The following members elected of the National Assembly during the 2022 parliamentary election:[10]

Constituency | Member | Party

|
|

Békés County 1st constituency | Tamás Herczeg |  | Fidesz–KDNP
Békés County 2nd constituency | Béla Dankó |  | Fidesz–KDNP
Békés County 3rd constituency | József Kovács |  | Fidesz–KDNP
Békés County 4th constituency | György Simonka |  | Fidesz–KDNP

## Municipalities

[edit]

Békéscsaba

Békés County has 1 urban county, 21 towns, 8 large villages and 45 villages.

The regional structure of Békés county is typical of the Great Plain: it has a small number of villages, but those are large, both by area and by population. There are several farmsteads as well. 70% of the population lives in cities and towns, while 17% are in the county seat. A large village network is characteristic of the county which currently has 75 administratively independent settlements, of which 19 are cities and 56 are villages. The oldest towns, and with the largest populations, are: Békéscsaba, the county seat - a city carrying a rank of county right, Orosháza, Gyula, Békés, and Szarvas.

City with county rights

(ordered by population, as of 2011 census)

* Békéscsaba (62,050) – county seat

Towns

* Gyula (31,067)
* Orosháza (29,081)
* Békés (20,088)
* Szarvas (16,956)
* Gyomaendrőd (13,680)
* Mezőberény (10,632)
* Sarkad (10,020)
* Szeghalom (9,290)
* Dévaványa (7,899)
* Vésztő (6,986)
* Mezőkovácsháza (6,177)
* Battonya (6,042)
* Tótkomlós (6,016)
* Füzesgyarmat (5,734)
* Mezőhegyes (5,712)
* Kondoros (5,228)
* Újkígyós (5,196)
* Csorvás (5,060)
* Elek (4,927)
* Körösladány (4,674)
* Medgyesegyháza (3,698)

Villages

* Almáskamarás
* Békéssámson
* Békésszentandrás
* Bélmegyer
* Biharugra
* Bucsa
* Csabacsűd
* Csabaszabadi
* Csanádapáca
* Csárdaszállás
* Doboz
* Dombegyház
* Dombiratos
* Ecsegfalva
* Gádoros
* Gerendás
* Geszt
* Hunya
* Kamut
* Kardos
* Kardoskút
* Kaszaper
* Kertészsziget
* Kevermes
* Kétegyháza
* Kétsoprony
* Kisdombegyház
* Körösnagyharsány
* Köröstarcsa
* Körösújfalu
* Kötegyán
* Kunágota
* Lőkösháza
* Magyarbánhegyes
* Magyardombegyház
* Medgyesbodzás
* Mezőgyán
* Méhkerék
* Murony
* Nagybánhegyes
* Nagykamarás
* Nagylapos
* Nagyszénás
* Okány
* Örménykút
* Pusztaföldvár
* Pusztaottlaka
* Sarkadkeresztúr
* Szabadkígyós
* Tarhos
* Telekgerendás
* Újszalonta
* Végegyháza
* Zsadány

municipalities are large villages.

## Gallery

[edit]

* Békéscsaba, the capital of the county

* Gyula Castle

* Wenckheim Mansion in Szabadkígyós

* Taxodium in the River Körös

* Batthyány Mansion's park in Kondoros

* Tavern in Kondoros

* Arboretum in Szarvas

* Roman Catholic Church of Békéscsaba

## Notable people

[edit]

Natives of the county include:

* Vilmos Apor, Bishop of Győr
* Endre Bajcsy-Zsilinszky, politician and an important voice
* Zoltán Lajos Bay, physicist, professor, and engineer
* András Balczó, modern pentathlete (olympic champion)
* Béla H. Bánáthy, founder of the White Stag Leadership Development Program
* Ferenc Berényi, painter
* Imre Bródy, physicist
* József Darvas, politician, Minister of Religion and Education (1950-51)
* Albrecht Dürer the Elder, goldsmith in Nuremberg
* Ferenc Erkel, composer, conductor and pianist, father of Hungarian grand opera
* Ágnes Gergely, writer, educator, journalist and translator
* János Jankó, painter and graphicist
* Ferenc Kállai, actor
* István Kiss, architect
* László Krasznahorkai, novelist and screenwriter
* Gyula Kristó, historian
* Menyhért Lakatos, writer
* Gyula Lázár, footballer
* Soma Orlai Petrich, painter
* Henrietta Ónodi, artistic gymnast
* Károly Palotai, association football player and referee
* János Pásztor, academic sculptor
* Paulina Pfiffner, freedom fighter in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
* George Pomutz, officer during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and the American Civil War
* Frigyes Puja, politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs (1973-83)
* Emil Purgly, politician, Minister of Agriculture (1934)
* Kálmán Rózsahegyi, actor and teacher
* Mihály Schéner, sculptor, painter, graphic artist, and ceramist
* Árpád Szendy, pianist, composer and teacher
* Ferenc Szisz, race car driver
* Hajnalka Tóth, fencer (world champion)
* Béla Turi-Kovács, politician, Minister of the Environment (2000-02)
* Béla Wenckheim, politician, Prime Minister (1875)
* Pál Závada, writer

## International relations

[edit]

Békés County has a partnership relationship with:

* Covasna County, Romania
* Harghita County, Romania

* Arad County, Romania
* Bihor County, Romania

|

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Békés County.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Békés County.

1. ^ nepesseg.com, population data of Hungarian settlements
2. ^ Regions and Cities > Regional Statistics > Regional Economy > Regional GDP per Capita, OECD.Stats. Accessed on 16 November 2018.
3. ^ "Területi adatok – Békés megye, 1.1. A népesség száma és jellemzői" (in Hungarian). Hungarian Central Statistical Office. 2025-04-06.
4. ^ ""Békés megye népessége 1870-2018". Public Database. népesség.com. 2025-04-06.
5. ^ 1.1.6. A népesség anyanyelv, nemzetiség és nemek szerint – Frissítve: 2013.04.17.; Hungarian Central Statistical Office (in Hungarian)
6. ^ 2011\. ÉVI NÉPSZÁMLÁLÁS, 3. Területi adatok, 3.4 Békés megye, (in Hungarian) [1] Archived 2016-12-20 at the Wayback Machine
7. ^ "Nemzeti Választási Iroda - Helyi önkormányzati választások". vtr.valasztas.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
8. ^ "Megyei közgyűlés tagjai 2019-2024 (Békés megye)". valasztas.hu. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
9. ^ Önkormányzati választások eredményei (in Hungarian)
10. ^ "Békés megye parlamenti képviselői (Parlamenti Információs Rendszer 2022-)" (in Hungarian). Hungarian National Assembly.

## External links

[edit]

* Official site in Hungarian, German, English, Slovak and Romanian
* Békés Megyei Hírlap (beol.hu) - The county portal
* Hungary at GeoHive
* Roaming in Békés County free guide 2010 Published by Békés County Government Text by Barát Tünde

46°44′15″N 21°2′41″E﻿ / ﻿46.73750°N 21.04472°E﻿ / 46.73750; 21.04472

* v
* t
* e

Békés County

City with county rights|

* Békéscsaba (county seat)

Towns|

* Battonya
* Békés
* Csorvás
* Dévaványa
* Elek
* Füzesgyarmat
* Gyomaendrőd
* Gyula
* Kondoros
* Körösladány
* Medgyesegyháza
* Mezőberény
* Mezőhegyes
* Mezőkovácsháza
* Orosháza
* Sarkad
* Szarvas
* Szeghalom
* Tótkomlós
* Vésztő
* Újkígyós

Large villages|

* Békésszentandrás
* Csabacsűd
* Doboz
* Dombegyház
* Gádoros
* Kevermes
* Kétegyháza
* Nagyszénás

Villages|

* Almáskamarás
* Biharugra
* Bucsa
* Békéssámson
* Bélmegyer
* Csabaszabadi
* Csanádapáca
* Csárdaszállás
* Dombiratos
* Ecsegfalva
* Gerendás
* Geszt
* Hunya
* Kamut
* Kardos
* Kardoskút
* Kaszaper
* Kertészsziget
* Kisdombegyház
* Kondoros
* Kunágota
* Kétsoprony
* Körösnagyharsány
* Köröstarcsa
* Körösújfalu
* Kötegyán
* Lőkösháza
* Magyarbánhegyes
* Magyardombegyház
* Medgyesbodzás
* Mezőgyán
* Murony
* Méhkerék
* Nagybánhegyes
* Nagykamarás
* Okány
* Pusztaföldvár
* Pusztaottlaka
* Sarkadkeresztúr
* Szabadkígyós
* Tarhos
* Telekgerendás
* Végegyháza
* Zsadány
* Örménykút
* Újszalonta

Other topics|

* History
* Geography
* Government
* Economy
* Culture
* Tourism

* v
* t
* e

Districts (járások) of Békés County

* Békéscsaba
* Békés
* Gyomaendrőd
* Gyula
* Mezőkovácsháza
* Orosháza
* Sarkad
* Szarvas
* Szeghalom

* v
* t
* e

Counties (vármegyék) of Hungary

* Baranya
* Bács-Kiskun
* Békés
* Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén
* Csongrád-Csanád
* Fejér
* Győr-Moson-Sopron
* Hajdú-Bihar
* Heves
* Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok
* Komárom-Esztergom
* Nógrád
* Pest
* Somogy
* Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg
* Tolna
* Vas
* Veszprém
* Zala

* v
* t
* e

NUTS regions of Hungary

NUTS 1|

* Central Hungary
* Transdanubia
* Great Plain and North

NUTS 2|

* Central Hungary
* Central Transdanubia
* Northern Great Plain
* Northern Hungary
* Southern Great Plain
* Southern Transdanubia
* Western Transdanubia

NUTS 3|

* Bács-Kiskun
* Baranya
* Békés
* Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén
* Budapest
* Csongrád
* Fejér
* Győr-Moson-Sopron
* Hajdú-Bihar
* Heves
* Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok
* Komárom-Esztergom
* Nógrád
* Pest
* Somogy
* Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg
* Tolna
* Vas
* Veszprém
* Zala

Authority control databases

International|

* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* France
* BnF data
* Czech Republic

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

*[Pop.]: Population
*[±%]: Percent change
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