Hajdú–Bihar County

Hajdú–Bihar is an administrative county in eastern Hungary, right on the border with Romania. It is not to be confused with Bihor County, Bihar County, or Bihar. The county is surrounded by other Hungarian counties, including Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Borsod–Abaúj–Zemplén, Jász–Nagykun–Szolnok, and Békés.

The main city and capital of Hajdú–Bihar county is Debrecen, which is an important cultural and economic center. Together with Bihor County in Romania, Hajdú–Bihar forms the Biharia Euroregion, showing strong connections between the two areas.

Geography

The Hajdú–Bihar county is located in the eastern part of Hungary. It is mostly flat and belongs to the Pannonian Plain, also known as the Grand Plain. The highest point in the county is just a little over 170 metres tall, and the land gently slopes down toward the south, where the lowest point is around 85 metres above sea level.

Over thousands of years, wind and rivers have shaped the land. Long ago, this area was covered by a huge inland sea. Then, the Carpathian Mountains rose up, and fast rivers carried away the water and soil. Today, two important rivers, the Tisza and the Körös, flow through the region. The Hortobágy National Park, a wide flat area also called the "Puszta", was once a place where the Tisza river would flood. After people built structures to control the river, the area became dry and developed unique plants and animals. The western part of the county includes the Hortobágy National Park.

History

Hajdú–Bihar county was formed after World War II by joining two older counties, Hajdú and Bihar. To learn more about the history before World War II, you can read the articles about those two counties.

Demographics

In 2015, Hajdú-Bihar County had a population of 537,268 people, with a population density of 87 people per square kilometer.

The main minority groups in the county are Roma (about 18,000), Romanian (about 2,000), and German (about 1,000).

The largest religious group in the county is Reformed, followed by Catholic (including both Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic), Evangelical, Orthodox, and other religions. Many people also identify as Non-religious or do not declare their religion.

Regional structure

Economy

Infrastructure

Several important highways, including numbers 4, 33, 35, 42, and 47, connect to this county. You can also reach it using the M3 motorway, which now ends in the city of Debrecen. The county has a total of 1,511 kilometers of public roads, with 122 bridges crossing rivers and canals. These roads also lead to Romania through the cities of Ártánd and Nyírábrány.

Politics

County Assembly

Main article: Hajdú-Bihar County Council

The Hajdú–Bihar County Council was elected in 2024 and has 24 counselors representing different parties.

Presidents of the General Assembly

Members of the National Assembly

The following members were elected to the National Assembly in the 2022 parliamentary election:

Municipalities

Hajdú–Bihar County has 1 urban county, 20 towns, 10 large villages, and 51 villages. The largest cities are Debrecen, Hajdúböszörmény, Hajdúnánás, and Hajdúszoboszló. Debrecen is the county seat and the most populous city.

The other towns and villages in the county include many places such as Balmazújváros, Berettyóújfalu, Püspökladány, and Kaba, among others. There are also several villages like Ártánd, Darvas, and Hortobágy.

International relations

Hajdú-Bihar County works together with other places around the world in a special partnership.