Pest (, ; ) is a county (megye) in central Hungary. It covers an area of , 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
In 2015, it had a population of 1,226,115 and the population density was 192/km2.
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):1.1.6. A népesség anyanyelv, nemzetiség és nemek szerint – Frissítve: 2013.04.17.; Hungarian Central Statistical Office Identified themselves: 1,090,882 persons: Hungarians: 1,024,768 (93.94%) Germans: 24,994 (2.29%) Romani: 20,065 (1.84%) Others and indefinable: 21,055 (1.93%) Approx. 178,000 persons in Pest County did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.
Religion
Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:2011. ÉVI NÉPSZÁMLÁLÁS, 3. Területi adatok, 3.14 Pest megye,
Catholic – 445,106 (Roman Catholic – 435,717; Greek Catholic – 9,235); Reformed – 134,848; Evangelical – 32,564; Orthodox – 1,796; Judaism – 947; Other religions – 26,485; Non-religious – 200,430; Atheism – 19,869; Undeclared – 355,431.
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.
Regional structure
No.English andHungarian names Area (km2) Population (2011) Density (pop./km2) Seat No. ofmunicipalities1Aszód District Aszódi járás 298.37 37,472 126Aszód112Budakeszi District Budakeszi járás 288.95 83,670 290Budakeszi123Cegléd District Ceglédi járás 886.30 88,952 100Cegléd124Dabas District Dabasi járás 614.23 48,289 79Dabas115Dunakeszi District Dunakeszi járás 103.08 78,634 763Dunakeszi46Érd District Érdi járás 184.29 116,510 632Érd77Gödöllő District Gödöllői járás 449.66 139,826 311Gödöllő158Gyál District Gyáli járás 170.99 40,853 239Gyál49Monor District Monori járás 329.81 64,016 194Monor1210Nagykáta District Nagykátai járás 710.12 73,959 104Nagykáta1511Nagykőrös District Nagykőrösi járás 349.25 27,977 80Nagykőrös312Pilisvörösvár District Pilisvörösvári járás 130.81 53,201 407Pilisvörösvár913Ráckeve District Ráckevei járás 417.05 35,732 86Ráckeve1114Szentendre District Szentendrei járás 326.58 77,802 238Szentendre1315Szigetszentmiklós District Szigetszentmiklósi járás 211.28 110,448 523Szigetszentmiklós916Szob District Szobi járás 438.32 24,875 57Szob1717Vác District Váci járás 362.19 68,234 188Vác1818Vecsés District Vecsési járás 119.74 47,026 393Vecsés4 Pest County 6,393.14 1,217,476 192 Budapest187
Politics
The Pest County Council, elected at the 2024 local government elections, is made up of 46 counselors, with the following party composition: Party Seats Current County Assembly Fidesz-KDNP 21 Momentum Movement 10 Our Homeland Movement 8 Democratic Coalition 7
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) Érd (63,631)
Towns
Dunakeszi (40,545) Cegléd (36,645) Szigetszentmiklós (34,708) Vác (33,831) Gödöllő (32,522) Budaörs (26,757) Szentendre (25,310) Nagykőrös (24,134) Gyál (23,338) Dunaharaszti (20,473) Vecsés (20,088) Fót (19,068) Százhalombatta (17,952) Monor (17,626) Göd (17,476) Szigethalom (16,886) Pomáz (16,622) Dabas (16,386) Gyömrő (16,250) Veresegyház (15,998) Pécel (15,168) Abony (14,916) Pilisvörösvár (13,667) Budakeszi (13,502) Törökbálint (12,841) Biatorbágy (12,484) Nagykáta (12,467) Albertirsa (12,016) Kistarcsa (11,953) Maglód (11,738) Pilis (11,568) Üllő (11,425) Isaszeg (11,152) Tököl (10,851) Budakalász (10,619) Kerepes (10,068) Ráckeve (9,755) Halásztelek (9,200) Diósd (9,056) Ócsa (8,985) Piliscsaba (8,472) Sülysáp (8,195) Tura (7,774) Dunavarsány (7,363) Őrbottyán (7,102) Aszód (6,258) Tápiószele (5,914) Zsámbék (5,174) Örkény (4,730) Nagymaros (4,679) Szob (2,794) Újhartyán (2,685) Visegrád (1,718)
Villages
Acsa Alsónémedi Apaj Áporka Bag Bénye Bernecebaráti Budajenő Bugyi Ceglédbercel Csemő Csévharaszt Csobánka Csomád Csömör Csörög Csővár Dánszentmiklós Dány Délegyháza Domony Dömsöd Dunabogdány Ecser Erdőkertes Farmos Felsőpakony Galgagyörk Galgahévíz Galgamácsa Gomba Herceghalom Hernád Hévízgyörk Iklad Inárcs Ipolydamásd Ipolytölgyes Jászkarajenő Kakucs Kartal Káva Kemence Kiskunlacháza Kismaros Kisnémedi Kisoroszi Kocsér Kosd Kóka Kőröstetétlen Kóspallag Leányfalu Letkés Lórév Majosháza Makád Márianosztra Mende Mikebuda Mogyoród Monorierdő Nagybörzsöny Nagykovácsi Nagytarcsa Nyáregyháza Nyársapát Pánd Páty Penc Perbál Perőcsény Péteri Pilisborosjenő Pilisjászfalu Pilisszántó Pilisszentiván Pilisszentkereszt Pilisszentlászló Pócsmegyer Pusztavacs Pusztazámor Püspökhatvan Püspökszilágy Rád Remeteszőlős Solymár Sóskút Szada Szentlőrinckáta Szentmártonkáta Szigetbecse Szigetcsép Szigetmonostor Szigetszentmárton Szigetújfalu Szokolya Sződ Sződliget Tahitótfalu Taksony Tatárszentgyörgy Táborfalva Tápióbicske Tápiógyörgye Tápióság Tápiószecső Tápiószentmárton Tápiószőlős Tárnok Telki Tésa Tinnye Tóalmás Tök Törtel Újlengyel Újszilvás Úri Üröm Valkó Vasad Vácduka Vácegres Váchartyán Váckisújfalu Vácrátót Vácszentlászló Vámosmikola Verőce Verseg Zebegény Zsámbok
municipalities are large villages.
Gallery
International relations Pest County has a partnership relationship with:Külkapcsolatok (Pest megye)
Chongqing Municipality, China Harghita County, Romania Hebei Province, China Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Masovian Voivodeship, Poland Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia
References
External links
in Hungarian and English