Csongrád-Csanád County

This article is about the current administrative entity called Csongrád-Csanád county. For the historical county, see Csongrád County (former). For the town, see Csongrád.

Csongrád-Csanád (Hungarian: Csongrád-Csanád vármegye [ˈt͡ʃoŋɡraːd ˈt͡ʃɒnaːd]) is an administrative county (comitatus or vármegye) in southern Hungary, straddling the river Tisza, on the border with Serbia and Romania. It shares borders with the Hungarian counties Bács-Kiskun County, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County and Békés. The administrative centre of Csongrád-Csanád county is Szeged. The county is also part of the Danube–Criș–Mureș–Tisa Euroregion.

Csongrád-Csanád County Csongrád-Csanád vármegye
Counties of Hungary
Descending, from top: Maros river embankment near Makó, Ópusztaszer National Heritage Park, and Cathedral of Szeged
Flag Coat of arms
Csongrád-Csanád County within Hungary
Country	Hungary
Region	Southern Great Plain
County seat	Szeged
Districts	7 districts Csongrád District Hódmezővásárhely District Kistelek District Makó District Mórahalom District Szeged District Szentes District
Government
• President of the General Assembly	Béla Kakas (Fidesz-KDNP)
Area
• Total	4,262.71 km2 (1,645.84 sq mi)
• Rank	12th in Hungary
Population  (2018)
• Total	400,238[1]
• Rank	8th in Hungary
GDP [2]
• Total	HUF 1,091 billion €3.504 billion (2016)
Postal code	66xx – 69xx
Area code(s)	(+36) 62, 63
ISO 3166 code	HU-CS
Website	www.csongrad-megye.hu

History

On October 3, 2017, the Hungarian Parliament passed a resolution to rename Csongrád County to Csongrád-Csanád County, which took effect on June 4, 2020.^[3] The resolution was submitted by János Lázár, then-Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, who called the renaming symbolic as more than a dozen settlements in the area still share Csanád County's identity.^[4]

Geography

This county has a total area of 4,263 km² (1,646 sq mi) – 4,58% of Hungary.

The area of Csongrád-Csanád County is flat. It has a high number of sunshine hours and excellent soil, which makes it the most important agricultural area of Hungary. Its most famous products are paprika from Szeged and onions from Makó, but grain, vegetables, and fruits are also significant. Half of the onions, paprika, and vegetables produced in Hungary are from Csongrád-Csanád. The county is also rich in oil and natural gas.

The highest point is Ásotthalom (125 m), the lowest is Gyálarét (78 m; lowest point of Hungary).

Neighbours

• Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County in the North.
• Békés County in the East.
•  Romania and  Serbia in the South – Timiș County, Arad County, North Banat District and North Bačka District
• Bács-Kiskun County in the West.

Demographics

See also: Demographics of Hungary

After the end of the Ottoman occupation in 1715, the county was nearly uninhabited, with a population density of less than 5/km². In the 18th and 19th centuries, the county was repopulated by ethnic Hungarians from the relatively overpopulated northern and western counties of the Kingdom of Hungary.^[5] According to the 2001 census, the county is home for 423,826 people (216,936 people live in urban counties) with a population density is 100/km². It has a Hungarian majority.^[6]

In 2015, it had a population of 406,205 and the population density was 95/km².

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1870 269,803 —     1880 286,636 +6.2% 1890 327,273 +14.2% 1900 363,821 +11.2% 1910 395,361 +8.7% 1920 407,831 +3.2%	Year Pop. ±% 1930 426,374 +4.5% 1941 434,749 +2.0% 1949 429,083 −1.3% 1960 434,046 +1.2% 1970 445,220 +2.6% 1980 456,300 +2.5%	Year Pop. ±% 1990 438,842 −3.8% 2001 433,344 −1.3% 2011 417,456 −3.7% 2022 391,184 −6.3%
Source: Censuses[7][8]

Ethnicity

Religion in Csongrád-Csanád County (2022 census – of those who declared their religion (58.1%)

1. Roman Catholic (47.8%)
2. Greek Catholic (0.80%)
3. Calvinistic (9.60%)
4. Lutheran (1.30%)
5. Other Christian denomination (4.60%)
6. Other religion (0.70%)
7. Not religious (35.2%)

Besides the Hungarian majority, the main minorities are the Roma (approx. 5,000), Romanian (1,500), German (1,300) and Serb (1,300).

Total population (2011 census): 417,456
Ethnic groups (2011 census):^[9] Identified themselves: 367,193 persons:

• Hungarians: 355,554 (96.83%)
• Gypsies: 4,720 (1.29%)
• Others and indefinable: 6,919 (1.88%)

Approximately 59,000 persons in Csongrád-Csanád County did not declare their ethnic group on the 2011 census.

Religion

See also: Religion in Hungary

Religious adherence in the county according to the 2011 census:^[10]

• Catholic – 165,955 (Roman Catholic – 164,060; Greek Catholic – 1,855);
• Reformed – 29,289;
• Evangelical – 3,488;
• Orthodox – 923;
• Judaism – 263;
• Other religions – 7,278;
• Non-religious – 90,836;
• Atheism – 6,585;
• Undeclared – 112,839.

Regional structure

District of Csongrád-Csanád County

No.	English and Hungarian names	Area (km2)	Population (2011)	Density (pop./km2)	Seat	No. of municipalities
1	Csongrád District Csongrádi járás	339.24	22,996	68	Csongrád (town)	4
2	Hódmezővásárhely District Hódmezővásárhelyi járás	707.77	56,560	80	Hódmezővásárhely	4
3	Kistelek District Kisteleki járás	410.20	18,185	44	Kistelek	6
4	Makó District Makói járás	688.85	45,138	66	Makó	15
5	Mórahalom District Mórahalmi járás	561.71	28,986	52	Mórahalom	10
6	Szeged District Szegedi járás	741.10	204,263	276	Szeged	13
7	Szentes District Szentesi járás	813.84	41,328	51	Szentes	8
Csongrád-Csanád County		4,262.71	417,456	98	Szeged	60

Transport

Road network

M5 motorway near Röszke.

Main road 45 near Szentes.

See also: Roads in Hungary and Highways in Hungary

In 2012, Csongrád-Csanád County had a dense network of public roads, in total length of 1,350 km, of which 281 km were main roads.^[11] Inland, connections were provided by 1,049 km of county and communal roads and 20 km were covered with light road surfaces.

Highway network

• runs from Budapest to Röszke (Serbian border). ~ 47 km
• runs from Szombathely to Szeged. (planned)
• runs from Szeged to Csanádpalota (Romanian border). - 58 km

Road network

• runs from Budapest to Röszke (Serbian border), via Kistelek and Szeged. - 52 km
• runs from Szeged to Nagylak (Romanian border), via Makó. - 55 km
• runs from Makó to Hódmezővásárhely. - 30 km
• runs from Makó to Kiszombor (Romanian border). - 6 km
• runs from Kunszentmárton to Hódmezővásárhely, via Szentes. - 43 km
• runs from Szeged to Debrecen, via Hódmezővásárhely.
• runs from Szeged to Bátaszék, via Mórahalom.
• runs from Kiskunfélegyháza to Szentes, via Csongrád.
• western bypass of Szeged.

Politics

County Assembly

Main article: Csongrád-Csanád County Assembly

The Csongrád-Csanád County Council, elected at the 2024 local government elections,^[12] is made up of 20 counselors,^[13] with the following party composition:

Party		Seats	Current County Assembly
	Fidesz-KDNP	10
	Our Homeland Movement	5
	Democratic Coalition	2
	Momentum Movement	2

Presidents of the County Assembly

President[14]	Terminus
István Lehmann (MSZP)	1990–1998
Dr. József Frank (Fidesz)	1998–2006
Anna Magyar (Fidesz-KDNP)	2006–2014
Béla Kakas (Fidesz-KDNP)	2014–

Members of the National Assembly

The following members elected of the National Assembly during the 2022 parliamentary election:^[15]

Constituency	Member	Party
Csongrád-Csanád County 1st constituency	Sándor Szabó		MSZP
Csongrád-Csanád County 2nd constituency	Béla Mihálffy		Fidesz–KDNP
Csongrád-Csanád County 3rd constituency	Sándor Farkas		Fidesz–KDNP
Csongrád-Csanád County 4th constituency	János Lázár		Fidesz–KDNP

Municipalities

Csongrád-Csanád County has 2 urban counties, 8 towns, 7 large villages and 43 villages.

As a typical Great Plain county, Csongrád-Csanád has a relatively small number of municipalities. 72.5% of the population lives in cities/towns, so it is one of the most urbanized county in Hungary.^[16]

Cities with county rights

(ordered by population, as of 2011 census)

• Szeged (168,048) – county seat
• Hódmezővásárhely (46,047)

Towns

• Szentes (28,509)
• Makó (23,683)
• Csongrád (17,242)
• Sándorfalva (7,871)
• Kistelek (7,103)
• Mindszent (6,914)
• Mórahalom (5,804)
• Csanádpalota (2,923)

Villages

• Algyő
• Ambrózfalva
• Apátfalva
• Árpádhalom
• Ásotthalom
• Baks
• Balástya
• Bordány
• Csanádalberti
• Csanytelek
• Csengele
• Derekegyház
• Deszk
• Domaszék
• Dóc
• Eperjes
• Fábiánsebestyén
• Felgyő
• Ferencszállás
• Forráskút
• Földeák
• Királyhegyes
• Kiszombor
• Klárafalva
• Kövegy
• Kübekháza
• Magyarcsanád
• Maroslele
• Mártély
• Nagyér
• Nagylak
• Nagymágocs
• Nagytőke
• Óföldeák
• Ópusztaszer
• Öttömös
• Pitvaros
• Pusztamérges
• Pusztaszer
• Röszke
• Ruzsa
• Szatymaz
• Szegvár
• Székkutas
• Tiszasziget
• Tömörkény
• Újszentiván
• Üllés
• Zákányszék
• Zsombó

municipalities are large villages.

Gallery

• 
  Szeged, the capital of the county
• 
  County hall in Szentes
• 
  Great Hungarian Plain in Csongrád-Csanád County
• 
  Windmill near Szeged
• 
  Károlyi Mansion in Nagymágocs
• 
  Traditional house in Csongrád
• 
  River Kurca
• 
  Church of Forests in Ópusztaszer