Pest County

Pest (Pest vármegye, ; Komitat Pest) is a county (vármegye) in central Hungary. It covers an area of 6393.14 km2, 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, , , , , 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): Identified themselves: 1,090,882 persons: Approx. 178,000 persons in Pest County did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.
 * Hungarians: 1,024,768 (93.94%)
 * Germans: 24,994 (2.29%)
 * Romani: 20,065 (1.84%)
 * Others and indefinable: 21,055 (1.93%)

Religion
Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:


 * 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.

Politics
The Pest County Council, elected at the 2019 local government elections, is made up of 44 counselors, with the following party composition:

Municipalities
Pest County has 1 urban county, 47 towns, 17 large villages and 122 villages.

(ordered by population, as of 2011 census)
 * City with county rights
 * 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 Red pog.svg
 * Apaj
 * Áporka
 * Bag Red pog.svg
 * Bénye
 * Bernecebaráti
 * Budajenő
 * Bugyi Red pog.svg
 * Ceglédbercel
 * Csemő
 * Csévharaszt
 * Csobánka
 * Csomád
 * Csömör Red pog.svg
 * Csörög
 * Csővár
 * Dánszentmiklós
 * Dány
 * Délegyháza
 * Domony
 * Dömsöd Red pog.svg
 * Dunabogdány
 * Ecser Red pog.svg
 * Erdőkertes
 * Farmos
 * Felsőpakony
 * Galgagyörk
 * Galgahévíz
 * Galgamácsa
 * Gomba
 * Herceghalom
 * Hernád
 * Hévízgyörk
 * Iklad
 * Inárcs
 * Ipolydamásd
 * Ipolytölgyes
 * Jászkarajenő
 * Kakucs
 * Kartal Red pog.svg
 * Káva
 * Kemence
 * Kiskunlacháza Red pog.svg
 * Kismaros
 * Kisnémedi
 * Kisoroszi
 * Kocsér
 * Kosd
 * Kóka
 * Kőröstetétlen
 * Kóspallag
 * Leányfalu Red pog.svg
 * Letkés
 * Lórév
 * Majosháza
 * Makád
 * Márianosztra
 * Mende
 * Mikebuda
 * Mogyoród Red pog.svg
 * Monorierdő
 * Nagybörzsöny
 * Nagykovácsi Red pog.svg
 * Nagytarcsa
 * Nyáregyháza
 * Nyársapát
 * Pánd
 * Páty
 * Penc
 * Perbál
 * Perőcsény
 * Péteri
 * Pilisborosjenő
 * Pilisjászfalu
 * Pilisszántó
 * Pilisszentiván
 * Pilisszentkereszt
 * Pilisszentlászló
 * Pócsmegyer
 * Pusztavacs
 * Pusztazámor
 * Püspökhatvan
 * Püspökszilágy
 * Rád
 * Remeteszőlős
 * Solymár Red pog.svg
 * Sóskút
 * Szada
 * Szentlőrinckáta
 * Szentmártonkáta
 * Szigetbecse
 * Szigetcsép
 * Szigetmonostor
 * Szigetszentmárton
 * Szigetújfalu
 * Szokolya
 * Sződ
 * Sződliget
 * Tahitótfalu
 * Taksony Red pog.svg
 * Tatárszentgyörgy
 * Táborfalva
 * Tápióbicske
 * Tápiógyörgye
 * Tápióság
 * Tápiószecső Red pog.svg
 * Tápiószentmárton Red pog.svg
 * Tápiószőlős
 * Tárnok Red pog.svg
 * Telki
 * Tésa
 * Tinnye
 * Tóalmás
 * Tök
 * Törtel
 * Újlengyel
 * Újszilvás
 * Úri
 * Üröm
 * Valkó Red pog.svg
 * Vasad
 * Vácduka
 * Vácegres
 * Váchartyán
 * Váckisújfalu
 * Vácrátót
 * Vácszentlászló
 * Vámosmikola
 * Verőce
 * Verseg
 * Zebegény
 * Zsámbok

municipalities are large villages.

International relations
Pest County has a partnership relationship with: