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.

Pest County
Pest vármegye
Börzsöny
Landscapes of Vác
Landscapes of Kemence
Clockwise, from top: the Börzsöny Mountain in Nagybörzsöny village, landscape of Kemence, and landscape of Vác
Flag of Pest County
Coat of arms of Pest County
Pest County within Hungary
Pest County within Hungary
Country Hungary
RegionCentral Hungary
County seatBudapest
Districts
Government
 • President of the General AssemblyIstván Szabó (Fidesz-KDNP)
Area
 • Total
6,393.14 km2 (2,468.41 sq mi)
 • Rank3rd in Hungary
Population
 (2023)
 • Total
1,339,000
 • Rank1st in Hungary
 • Density191.8/km2 (497/sq mi)
GDP
 • TotalHUF 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 codeHU-PE
Websitewww.pestmegye.hu

History

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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.

Demographics

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Religion in Pest County (2022 census – of those who declared their religion (58.6%))

  Roman Catholic (45.5%)
  Calvinistic (16.3%)
  Lutheran (3.8%)
  Greek Catholic (1.6%)
  Baptist (0.6%)
  Other Christian denomination (4.1%)
  Other religion (0.6%)
  Not religious (27.5%)

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%
Source: [2][3]

Ethnicity

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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:

  • 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

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Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:[5]

Economy

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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]

Regional structure

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District of Pest County
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

Politics

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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                                                

Presidents of the General Assembly

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List of presidents since 1990[9]
István Szabó (Fidesz-KDNP) 2014–

Municipalities

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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.

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International relations

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Pest County has a partnership relationship with:[10]

References

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  1. ^ Regions and Cities > Regional Statistics > Regional Economy > Regional GDP per Capita, OECD.Stats. Accessed on 16 November 2018.
  2. ^ népesség.com, "Pest megye népessége 1870-2015"
  3. ^ "Census database - Hungarian Central Statistical Office".
  4. ^ 1.1.6. A népesség anyanyelv, nemzetiség és nemek szerint – Frissítve: 2013.04.17.; Hungarian Central Statistical Office (in Hungarian)
  5. ^ 2011. ÉVI NÉPSZÁMLÁLÁS, 3. Területi adatok, 3.14 Pest megye, (in Hungarian) [1]
  6. ^ "Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018". Eurostat.
  7. ^ "Nemzeti Választási Iroda - Helyi önkormányzati választások". vtr.valasztas.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  8. ^ "Megyei közgyűlés tagjai 2019-2024 (Pest megye)". valasztas.hu. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
  9. ^ Önkormányzati választások eredményei (in Hungarian)
  10. ^ Külkapcsolatok (Pest megye)
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47°25′N 19°20′E / 47.417°N 19.333°E / 47.417; 19.333