Zala (Hungarian: Zala vármegye, pronounced [ˈzɒlɒ]; Croatian: Zalska županija; županija Zala) is an administrative county (comitatus or vármegye) in south-western Hungary. It is named after the Zala River. It shares borders with Croatia (Koprivnica–Križevci and Međimurje Counties) and Slovenia (Lendava and Moravske Toplice) and the Hungarian counties Vas, Veszprém and Somogy. The seat of Zala County is Zalaegerszeg Its area is 3,784 square kilometres (1,461 sq mi). Lake Balaton lies partly in the county.
Zala County Zala vármegye | |
|---|---|
   | |
 Flag .svg) Coat of arms | |
 Zala County within Hungary | |
| Country | Hungary |
| Region | Western Transdanubia |
| County seat | Zalaegerszeg |
| Districts | |
| Government | |
| • President of the General Assembly | Dr. Attila Pál (Fidesz-KDNP) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3,783.89 km2 (1,460.97 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 14th in Hungary |
| Population (2018) | |
| • Total | 270,634[1] |
| • Rank | 16th in Hungary |
| GDP | |
| • Total | HUF 747 billion €2.398 billion (2016) |
| Postal code | 8353 – 839x, 874x – 879x, 880x – 883x, 8855, 8856, 886x – 889x, 89xx |
| Area code(s) | (+36) 83, 92, 93 |
| ISO 3166 code | HU-ZA |
| Website | www |
History
In the tenth century, the Hungarian Nyék tribe occupied the region around Lake Balaton. Their occupation was mainly in the areas known today as Zala and Somogy counties.[3]
Parts of the western territory of the former county of Zala are now part of Slovenia (South-Prekmurje) and Croatia (Međimurje). In 1919 it was part of the unrecognized state of the Republic of Prekmurje, which existed for just six days.
Demographics
Religion in Zala County (2011 census)
In 2015, it had a population of 277,290 and the population density was 73 inhabitants per square kilometre (190/sq mi).
| Year | County population[4] | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 305,433 | n/a |
| 1960 |  317,145 | 3.83% |
| 1970 |  304,127 | -4.10% |
| 1980 | 317,298 (record) | 4.33% |
| 1990 | 306,398 | -3.44% |
| 2001 | 297,404 | -2.94% |
| 2011 | 282,179 | -5.12% |
| 2015 | 277,290 | -1.76% |
| 2018 | 270,634 | -2.45% |
Ethnicity
Besides the Hungarian majority, the main minorities are the Roma (approx. 7,000), Croats (3,500) and Germans (2,000).
Total population (2011 census): 282,179
Ethnic groups (2011 census):[5]Identified themselves: 255 069 persons:
- Hungarians: 241 408 (94,64%)
- Gypsies: 6 981 (2,74%)
- Croats: 3 248 (1,27%)
- Others and indefinable: 3 432 (1,35%)
Approx. 38,000 persons in Zala County did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.
Religion
Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:[6]
- Catholic – 177,072 (Roman Catholic – 176,721; Greek Catholic – 313);
- Reformed – 7,000;
- Evangelical – 3,928;
- other religions – 2,463;
- Non-religious – 23,119;
- Atheism – 2,272;
- Undeclared – 66,325.
Regional structure
| No. | English and Hungarian names | Area (km2) | Population (2011) | Density (pop./km2) | Seat | No. of municipalities |
| 1 | Keszthely District Keszthelyi járás | 535.93 | 49,421 | 92 | Keszthely | 30 |
| 2 | Lenti District Lenti járás | 624.12 | 19,789 | 32 | Lenti | 48 |
| 3 | Letenye District Letenyei járás | 388.69 | 16,410 | 42 | Letenye | 27 |
| 4 | Nagykanizsa District Nagykanizsai járás | 907.91 | 78,252 | 86 | Nagykanizsa | 49 |
| 5 | Zalaegerszeg District Zalaegerszegi járás | 1,044.70 | 102,798 | 98 | Zalaegerszeg | 84 |
| 6 | Zalaszentgrót District Zalaszentgróti járás | 282.56 | 15,509 | 55 | Zalaszentgrót | 20 |
| Zala County | 3,784.11 | 287,043 | 77 | Zalaegerszeg | 258 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Politics
The Zala County Council, elected at the 2014 local government elections, is made up of 15 counselors, with the following party composition:[7]
| Party | Seats | Current County Assembly | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidesz-KDNP | 9 | ||||||||||
| Movement for a Better Hungary (Jobbik) | 4 | ||||||||||
| Democratic Coalition (DK) | 1 | ||||||||||
| Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) | 1 | ||||||||||
Presidents of the General Assembly
| List of presidents since 1990[8] | |
|---|---|
| Attila Pál (Fidesz-KDNP) | 2014– |
Municipalities
Zala County has two urban counties, eight towns, two large villages and 246 villages.
- City with county rights
(ordered by population, as of 2011 census)
Zalaegerszeg (59,499)
Nagykanizsa (49,026)
- Towns
- Villages
- Alibánfa
- Almásháza
- Alsónemesapáti
- Alsópáhok
- Alsórajk
- Alsószenterzsébet
- Babosdöbréte
- Baglad
- Bagod
- Bak
- Baktüttös
- Balatongyörök
- Balatonmagyaród
- Bánokszentgyörgy
- Barlahida
- Batyk
- Bázakerettye
- Becsehely
- Becsvölgye
- Belezna
- Belsősárd
- Bezeréd
- Bocfölde
- Bocska
- Boncodfölde
- Borsfa
- Bókaháza
- Böde
- Bödeháza
- Börzönce
- Búcsúszentlászló
- Bucsuta
- Csapi
- Csatár
- Cserszegtomaj
- Csertalakos
- Csesztreg
- Csonkahegyhát
- Csöde
- Csömödér
- Csörnyeföld
- Dióskál
- Dobri
- Dobronhegy
- Döbröce
- Dötk
- Egeraracsa
- Egervár
- Eszteregnye
- Esztergályhorváti
- Felsőpáhok
- Felsőrajk
- Felsőszenterzsébet
- Fityeház
- Fűzvölgy
- Galambok
- Garabonc
- Gáborjánháza
- Gellénháza
- Gelse
- Gelsesziget
- Gétye
- Gombosszeg
- Gosztola
- Gősfa
- Gutorfölde
- Gyenesdiás
- Gyűrűs
- Hagyárosbörönd
- Hahót
- Hernyék
- Homokkomárom
- Hosszúvölgy
- Hottó
- Iborfia
- Iklódbördőce
- Kacorlak
- Kallósd
- Karmacs
- Kálócfa
- Kányavár
- Kávás
- Kehidakustány
- Kemendollár
- Keménfa
- Kerecseny
- Kerkabarabás
- Kerkafalva
- Kerkakutas
- Kerkaszentkirály
- Kerkateskánd
- Kilimán
- Kisbucsa
- Kiscsehi
- Kisgörbő
- Kiskutas
- Kispáli
- Kisrécse
- Kissziget
- Kistolmács
- Kisvásárhely
- Kozmadombja
- Kustánszeg
- Külsősárd
- Lakhegy
- Lasztonya
- Lendvadedes
- Lendvajakabfa
- Lickóvadamos
- Ligetfalva
- Lispeszentadorján
- Liszó
- Lovászi
- Magyarföld
- Magyarszentmiklós
- Magyarszerdahely
- Maróc
- Márokföld
- Miháld
- Mihályfa
- Mikekarácsonyfa
- Milejszeg
- Misefa
- Molnári
- Murakeresztúr
- Murarátka
- Muraszemenye
- Nagybakónak
- Nagygörbő
- Nagykapornak
- Nagykutas
- Nagylengyel
- Nagypáli
- Nagyrada
- Nagyrécse
- Nemesapáti
- Nemesbük
- Nemeshetés
- Nemesnép
- Nemespátró
- Nemesrádó
- Nemessándorháza
- Nemesszentandrás
- Németfalu
- Nova
- Oltárc
- Orbányosfa
- Ormándlak
- Orosztony
- Ortaháza
- Ozmánbük
- Óhíd
- Padár
- Pakod
- Pat
- Páka
- Pálfiszeg
- Pethőhenye
- Petrikeresztúr
- Petrivente
- Pókaszepetk
- Pórszombat
- Pölöske
- Pölöskefő
- Pördefölde
- Pötréte
- Pusztaapáti
- Pusztaederics
- Pusztamagyaród
- Pusztaszentlászló
- Ramocsa
- Resznek
- Rezi
- Rédics
- Rigyác
- Salomvár
- Sand
- Sárhida
- Sármellék
- Semjénháza
- Sénye
- Sormás
- Söjtör
- Sümegcsehi
- Surd
- Szalapa
- Szécsisziget
- Szentgyörgyvár
- Szentgyörgyvölgy
- Szentkozmadombja
- Szentliszló
- Szentmargitfalva
- Szentpéterfölde
- Szentpéterúr
- Szepetnek
- Szijártóháza
- Szilvágy
- Teskánd
- Tilaj
- Tófej
- Tormafölde
- Tornyiszentmiklós
- Tótszentmárton
- Tótszerdahely
- Türje
- Újudvar
- Valkonya
- Vasboldogasszony
- Vaspör
- Vállus
- Várfölde
- Várvölgy
- Vindornyafok
- Vindornyalak
- Vindornyaszőlős
- Vonyarcvashegy
- Vöckönd
- Zajk
- Zalaapáti
- Zalabaksa
- Zalabér
- Zalaboldogfa
- Zalacsány
- Zalacséb
- Zalaháshágy
- Zalaigrice
- Zalaistvánd
- Zalakomár
- Zalaköveskút
- Zalamerenye
- Zalasárszeg
- Zalaszabar
- Zalaszántó
- Zalaszentbalázs
- Zalaszentgyörgy
- Zalaszentiván
- Zalaszentjakab
- Zalaszentlászló
- Zalaszentlőrinc
- Zalaszentmárton
- Zalaszentmihály
- Zalaszombatfa
- Zalatárnok
- Zalaújlak
- Zalavár
- Zalavég
- Zebecke
municipalities are large villages.
Gallery
Zalaegerszeg, the capital of the county
River Drava near Drávaszabolcs
Hévíz, the largest thermal lake in Europe
Batthyány Palace in Zalaszentgrót
Castle of Egervár
Traditional Hungarian house in Zalalövő
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References
External links
- Official site in Hungarian and German
- Zalai Hírlap (zaol.hu) - The county portal