Baranya (, ; ; ) is a county () in southern Hungary. It is part of the Southern Transdanubia statistical region and the historical Baranya region, which was a county (comitatus) in the Kingdom of Hungary dating back to the 11th century. Its current status as one of the 19 counties of Hungary was established in 1950 as part of wider Soviet administrative territorial reform following World War II. Its county seat and largest city is Pécs.
As of 2025, it has a population of 351,158. Of the 19 counties of Hungary (excluding Budapest), it is ranked 10th, both in terms of geographic area and population.
Etymology In German, it is known as , and in Croatian as .
The county was probably named after its first comes 'Brana' or 'Braina'.
Geography This county has a total area of – 4.76% of Hungary – which is divided in Upper Baranya and Lower Baranya.
It is bordered by Somogy County to the northwest, Tolna County to the north, Bács-Kiskun County and the Danube to the east, and the border with Croatia (part of which is formed by the Drava River) to the south.
The northern part of the county is a mountain area with large forests, the Mecsek Mountains. The central areas are shared between the Baranya Hills and Villány Mountains. The very eastern and southern parts are flat.
The highest point in the county is Zengő in the Mecsek Mountains, at 682 metres. This is also the highest point of the mountain range.
Baranya is rich in mineral and thermal water, and also in other resources. 98% of Hungary's coal resources are found here.
Neighbours Tolna County in the North. Bács-Kiskun County in the East. (across the Danube river) Croatia in the south (across the Drava river) – Osijek-Baranja County and Virovitica-Podravina County Somogy County in the Northwest.
Climate The climate of Baranya is a mix of continental and temperate, which makes it unique in Hungary, as the rest of the country is primarily continental. Its milder climate is due to its southern location and relative proximity to the Mediterranean Sea in comparison to other parts of the country, leaving it with warmer winters. It has the highest average annual rainfall of the Hungarian counties and a high amount of sunshine hours.
History
The area has been inhabited since ancient times. Before the Hungarian tribes conquered the area, it was inhabited by Slavs and Avars. Stephen I founded an episcopal seat here.
In 1526, the county was occupied by the Ottomans. It was taken by forces of the Holy League in 1689 during the Great Turkish War; it was formally ceded by the Ottomans to the now Habsburg-ruled Kingdom of Hungary in the 1699 Treaty of Karlowitz. Its medieval borders remained largely unchanged until 1919. According to the Treaty of Trianon, the southern part of the county () passed to the newly formed Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later renamed Yugoslavia; now in present-day Croatia). In 1941 during World War 2 this southern area was re-annexed to Hungary following the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia but returned to Yugoslavia after the war.
In the the area around the town of Szigetvár was transferred from Somogy County. Baranya has the largest number of minorities in Hungary (more than twice the country average), providing home to 34% of the German minority, the so-called Danube Swabians, and 32% of the Southern Slav minorities in Hungary.
The Stifolder or Stiffoller Shvove are a Roman Catholic subgroup of the so-called Danube Swabians. Their ancestors once came from the Abbacy and later Prince-Bishopric of Fulda and surroundings (Roman Catholic Diocese of Fulda), and settled in Baranya. They retained their own German dialect and culture until the end of WW2. After WW2, the majority of Danube Swabians were expelled to allied-occupied Germany and allied-occupied Austria, in accordance with the 1945 Potsdam Agreement.
Only a few people can speak the old Stiffolerisch Schvovish dialect. Also a sausage (kolbász) is named after these people.
Electoral History +2018 General Elections Party Votes % Seats Change Fidesz-KDNP (joint) 45,950 35.62% 3 -1 Independent 21,998 17.05% 1 +1 Jobbik 19,772 15.33% 0 - Democratic Coalition 15,422 11.95% 0 - MSZP-Párbeszéd (joint) 13,605 10.55% 0 - Politics Can Be Different 6,566 5.1% 0 - Momentum 2,433 1.89% 0 - Total129,0141004-
Demographics
As of 2025, the county has a population of 351,158 with a population density of 79/km2.
2011 census As of the census of 2011, there were 386,441 residents, 160,040 households, and 105,646 families living in the county. The population density was 87 inhabitants per square kilometres(227/sqmi). There were 167,453 housing units at an average density of 38per square kilometre (98/sqmi).
There were 160,040 households, of which 63.2% were one-family households, 1.4% were multi-family households, 32.1% were one-person households, and 3.4% were other non-family households. Elderly individuals living alone were 15.9% of all households. The average household size was 2.34.
There were 105,646 families, of which 44.1% were married couples or consensual unions living together with children, 36.4% were couples without children, 16.7% were single females with children, and 2.8% were single males with children. The average family size was 2.82.
The age breakdown of the county was 20.1% under the age of 20, 7.0% between ages 20 and 24, 27.4% aged 25 to 44, 28.3% aged 45 to 64, and 17.2% aged 65 or older. The gender makeup of the county was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.
Religious adherence in the county was 46.8% Roman Catholic, 6.4% Reformed (Calvinist), 1.2% Evangelical (Lutheran), 0.3% Greek Catholic, 0.1% Orthodox, and 1.5% other religions. The non-religious were 16.2% and atheists were 1.5%, with 26.0% declining to answer.
2001 census As of the census of 2001, there were 407,448 residents, 151,956 households, and 115,946 families living in the county. The population density was 238 inhabitants per square mile (92/km2). There were 156,632 housing units at an average density of 92 per square mile (35/km2).
There were 151,956 households, of which 68.5% were one-family households, 3.8% were multi-family households, 24.9% were one-person households, and 2.7% were other non-family households. Elderly individuals living alone were 13.1% of all households. The average household size was 2.60.
There were 115,946 families, of which 48.7% were married couples or consensual unions living together with children, 35.4% were couples without children, 13.7% were single females with children, and 2.1% were single males with children. The average family size was 2.87.
The age breakdown of the county was 23.0% under the age of 20, 8.1% between ages 20 and 24, 28.0% aged 25 to 44, 26.0% aged 45 to 64, and 14.9% aged 65 or older. The gender makeup of the county was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
Religious adherence in the county was 64.2% Roman Catholic, 8.7% Reformed (Calvinist), 1.5% Evangelical (Lutheran), 0.5% Greek Catholic, 0.1% Orthodox, and 0.8% other religions. The non-religious were 13.4%, with 10.8% declining to answer.
Ethnicity Besides the Hungarian majority, the main minorities are the Germans (approx. 22,000), Roma (17,000), Croats (6,000), and Serbs (500).
Total population (2011 census): 386,441 Ethnic groups (2011 census): Identified themselves: 364,801 persons: Hungarians: 315,713 (86.54%) Germans: 22,150 (6.07%) Romani: 16,995 (4.66%) Croats: 6,343 (1.74%) Others and indefinable: 3,600 (0.99%) Approx. 58,000 persons in Baranya County did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.
Regional structure
No.English andHungarian names Area (km2) Population (2011) Density (pop./km2) Seat No. ofmunicipalities1Bóly District Bólyi járás 220.03 11,956 54Bóly162Hegyhát District Hegyháti járás 360.72 12,744 35Sásd253Komló District Komlói járás 292.48 35,489 121Komló204Mohács District Mohácsi járás 600.98 35,164 59Mohács265Pécs District Pécsi járás 623.07 189,036 303Pécs406Pécsvárad District Pécsváradi járás 246.44 11,931 48Pécsvárad177Sellye District Sellyei járás 493.69 14,192 29Sellye388Siklós District Siklósi járás 652.99 35,929 55Siklós539Szentlőrinc District Szentlőrinci járás 282.43 14,998 53Szentlőrinc2110Szigetvár District Szigetvári járás 656.76 25,002 38Szigetvár45 Baranya County 4,429.59 386,446 87Pécs301
Politics
County Assembly
The Baranya County Council, elected at the 2019 local government elections, is made up of 18 counselors, with the following party composition:
Party Seats Current County Assembly Fidesz-KDNP 12 Democratic Coalition (DK) 2 Movement for a Better Hungary (Jobbik) 2 Momentum 1 Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) 1
President of the Assembly PresidentÖnkormányzati választások eredményei Terminusdr. Őri László (Fidesz-KDNP)2019–
Members of the National Assembly The following members elected of the National Assembly during the 2022 parliamentary election:
ConstituencyMemberParty Baranya County 1st constituency Tamás Mellár Dialogue Baranya County 2nd constituency Péter Hoppál Fidesz–KDNP Baranya County 3rd constituency János Hargitai Fidesz–KDNP Baranya County 4th constituency Csaba Nagy Fidesz–KDNP
Municipalities
Baranya County has 1 urban county, 13 towns, 3 large villages and 284 villages.
Like Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Baranya is a county of extremes when it comes to regional structure. The county seat is one of the five largest cities (and three largest agglomerations) of Hungary, but more than 2/3 of the municipalities are small hamlets with a population under 500. Half of the county's population lives in the county seat or in its immediate vicinity, while 22% of the population lives in villages that have less than 1000 inhabitants.
Cities with county rights (ordered by population, as of 2011 census) Pécs (156,049) – county seat
Towns
Komló (24,394) Mohács (17,808) Szigetvár (10,614) Siklós (9,574) Szentlőrinc (6,662) Kozármisleny (5,998) Pécsvárad (4,047) Harkány (4,010) Bóly (3,957) Sásd (3,237) Sellye (2,783) Villány (2,509) Mágocs (2,388)
Villages
Abaliget Adorjás Almamellék Almáskeresztúr Alsómocsolád Alsószentmárton Apátvarasd Aranyosgadány Ág Áta Babarc Babarcszőlős Bakóca Bakonya Baksa Baranyahídvég Baranyajenő Baranyaszentgyörgy Basal Bánfa Bár Belvárdgyula Beremend Berkesd Besence Bezedek Bicsérd Bikal Birján Bisse Boda Bodolyabér Bogdása Bogád Bogádmindszent Boldogasszonyfa Borjád Bosta Botykapeterd Bükkösd Bürüs Csányoszró Csarnóta Csebény Cserdi Cserkút Csertő Csonkamindszent Cún Drávacsehi Drávacsepely Drávafok Drávaiványi Drávakeresztúr Drávapalkonya Drávapiski Drávaszabolcs Drávaszerdahely Drávasztára Dencsháza Dinnyeberki Diósviszló Dunaszekcső Egerág Egyházasharaszti Egyházaskozár Ellend Endrőc Erdősmecske Erdősmárok Erzsébet Fazekasboda Feked Felsőegerszeg Felsőszentmárton Garé Gerde Geresdlak Gerényes Gilvánfa Gordisa Gyód Gödre Görcsöny Görcsönydoboka Gyöngyfa Gyöngyösmellék Hásságy Hegyhátmaróc Hegyszentmárton Helesfa Hetvehely Hidas Himesháza Hirics Hobol Homorúd Horváthertelend Hosszúhetény Husztót Ibafa Illocska Ipacsfa Ivánbattyán Ivándárda Kacsóta Kákics Kárász Kásád Kátoly Katádfa Kékesd Kemse Keresztespuszta Keszü Kémes Képespuszta Kétújfalu Királyegyháza Kisasszonyfa Kisbeszterce Kisbudmér Kisdobsza Kisdér Kishajmás Kisharsány Kisherend Kisjakabfalva Kiskassa Kislippó Kisnyárád Kisszentmárton Kistamási Kistapolca Kistótfalu Kisvaszar Kisújbánya Kovácshida Kovácsszénája Kórós Köblény Kökény Kölked Kővágószőlős Kővágótöttös Lapáncsa Lánycsók Liget Lippó Liptód Lothárd Lovászhetény Lúzsok Magyarbóly Magyaregregy Magyarhertelend Magyarlukafa Magyarmecske Magyarsarlós Magyarszék Magyartelek Majs Markóc Márok Martonfa Maráza Marócsa Matty