# Nógrád County

Nógrád (Hungarian: Nógrád vármegye, pronounced; Slovak: Novohradská župa) is a county (Hungarian: vármegye) of Hungary. It sits on the northern edge of Hungary and borders Slovakia.

## Description

Nógrád county lies in northern Hungary. It shares borders with Slovakia and the Hungarian counties Pest, Heves and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén. The capital of Nógrád county is Salgótarján. Its area is 2,544 km². It is the smallest county by population and the second smallest by area (after Komárom-Esztergom).
Nógrád is famous for its historic architecture of ancient Gothic churches and stone castles dated to the 13th century. Some historic landmarks includes the Salgó Castle and several baroque buildings constructed in the 18th century and the Vay, Teleki. Much of the northern border of the county is formed by the river Ipoly. The mountain ranges Börzsöny, Cserhát and Mátra lie partly in the county.
Due to the mountains, the county is characterised by small villages nestled in the valleys. The two largest settlements are Balassagyarmat, the former county seat, and Salgótarján, which has become a center of industry in the early 20th century due to coal mines nearby.

## History

Nógrád (-Hungarian, in Latin: comitatus Neogradiensis, in German: Neuburg or Neograd, in Slovak: Novohrad) was also the name of a historic administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. The name stems from the former Nógrád castle (Slovak: Novohrad - this name is still used in Slovakia as well as the informal designation of the corresponding territory, now located in southern Slovakia and in northern Hungary). In turn, Novohrad means "new castle" in Slovak.

## Demographics

Religion in Nógrád County (2022 census – of those who declared their religion (63.6%))
In 2015, it had a population of 195,923 and the population density was 77/km².
| Year | County population | Change |
| 1949 | 214,757 | n/a |
| 1960 | 235,675 | 9.74% |
| 1970 | 234,430 | -0.53% |
| 1980 | 240,251 (record) | 2.48% |
| 1990 | 227,137 | -5.46% |
| 2001 | 220,261 | -3.03% |
| 2011 | 202,427 | -8.10% |
| 2015 | 195,923 | -3.31% |
| 2018 | 190,947 | -2.60% |

### Ethnicity

Besides the Hungarian majority, the main minorities are the Roma (approx. 15,000), Slovak (2,500) and German (1,000).
Total population (2011 census): 202,427 Ethnic groups (2011 census): Identified themselves: 192,438 persons:
* Hungarians: 172,946 (89.87%)
* Gypsies: 15.177 (7.89%)
* Slovaks: 2,644 (1.37%)
* Others and indefinable: 1,671 (0.87%)
Approx. 26,000 persons in Nógrád County did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.

### Religion

Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:
* Catholic – 112,640 (Roman Catholic – 112,241; Greek Catholic – 389);
* Evangelical – 7,858;
* Reformed – 4,167;
* Other religions – 3,672;
* Non-religious – 24,717;
* Atheism – 1,740;
* Undeclared – 47,633.

## Regional structure

| № | English and Hungarian names | Area (km²) | Population (2011) | Density (pop./km²) | Seat | № of municipalities |
| 1 | Balassagyarmat District Balassagyarmati járás | 532.94 | 40,326 | 76 | Balassagyarmat | 29 |
| 2 | Bátonyterenye District Bátonyterenyei járás | 215.45 | 21,789 | 101 | Bátonyterenye | 8 |
| 3 | Pásztó District Pásztói járás | 551.56 | 31,729 | 58 | Pásztó | 26 |
| 4 | Rétság District Rétsági járás | 435.03 | 24,395 | 56 | Rétság | 25 |
| 5 | Salgótarján District Salgótarjáni járás | 525.23 | 64,601 | 123 | Salgótarján | 29 |
| 6 | Szécsény District Szécsényi járás | 285.26 | 19,587 | 69 | Szécsény | 14 |
| Nógrád County | Nógrád County | 2,545.48 | 202,427 | 80 | Salgótarján | 131 |

## Politics

The Nógrád County Council, elected at the 2024 local government elections, is made up of 15 counselors, with the following party composition:
| Party | Seats |
| Fidesz-KDNP | 10 |
| Our Homeland Movement | 3 |
| Democratic Coalition | 1 |
| Momentum Movement | 1 |

### Presidents of the General Assembly

List of presidents since 1990 :
| Ferenc Korill (SZDSZ) | 1990–1994 |
| Sándor Smitnya (SZDSZ) | 1994–1998 |
| Zsolt Becsó (Fidesz) | 1998–2002 |
| Ottó Dóra (MSZP) | 2002–2006 |
| Zsolt Becsó (Fidesz-KDNP) | 2006–2014 |
| Nándor Skuczi (Fides-KDNP) | 2014– |

## Municipalities

Nógrád County has 1 urban county, 5 towns and 125 villages.

### City with county rights

(ordered by population, as of 2011 census)
* Salgótarján (37,262) – county seat

### Towns

* Balassagyarmat (16,397)
* Bátonyterenye (12,841)
* Pásztó (9,689)
* Szécsény (5,962)
* Rétság (2,822)

### Villages

* Alsópetény
* Alsótold
* Bánk
* Bárna
* Becske
* Bercel
* Berkenye
* Bér
* Bokor
* Borsosberény
* Buják
* Cered
* Csécse
* Cserháthaláp
* Cserhátsurány
* Cserhátszentiván
* Csesztve
* Csitár
* Debercsény
* Dejtár
* Diósjenő
* Dorogháza
* Drégelypalánk
* Ecseg
* Egyházasdengeleg
* Egyházasgerge
* Endrefalva
* Erdőkürt
* Erdőtarcsa
* Érsekvadkert
* Etes
* Felsőpetény
* Felsőtold
* Galgaguta
* Garáb
* Herencsény
* Héhalom
* Hollókő
* Hont
* Horpács
* Hugyag
* Iliny
* Ipolyszög
* Ipolytarnóc
* Ipolyvece
* Jobbágyi
* Karancsalja
* Karancsberény
* Karancskeszi
* Karancslapujtő
* Karancsság
* Kazár
* Kálló
* Keszeg
* Kétbodony
* Kisbágyon
* Kisbárkány
* Kisecset
* Kishartyán
* Kozárd
* Kutasó
* Legénd
* Litke
* Lucfalva
* Ludányhalászi
* Magyargéc
* Magyarnándor
* Márkháza
* Mátramindszent
* Mátranovák
* Mátraszele
* Mátraszőlős
* Mátraterenye
* Mátraverebély
* Mihálygerge
* Mohora
* Nagybárkány
* Nagykeresztúr
* Nagylóc
* Nagyoroszi
* Nemti
* Nézsa
* Nógrád
* Nógrádkövesd
* Nógrádmarcal
* Nógrádmegyer
* Nógrádsáp
* Nógrádsipek
* Nógrádszakál
* Nőtincs
* Őrhalom
* Ősagárd
* Palotás
* Patak
* Patvarc
* Piliny
* Pusztaberki
* Rákóczibánya
* Rimóc
* Romhány
* Ságújfalu
* Sámsonháza
* Somoskőújfalu
* Sóshartyán
* Szalmatercs
* Szanda
* Szarvasgede
* Szátok
* Szendehely
* Szente
* Szécsénke
* Szécsényfelfalu
* Szilaspogony
* Szirák
* Szuha
* Szurdokpüspöki
* Szügy
* Tar
* Terény
* Tereske
* Tolmács
* Vanyarc
* Varsány
* Vizslás
* Zabar

## Gallery

* Salgótarján, the capital of the county
* Hollókő village
* Tourist path in the Börzsöny near Diósjenő
* Forgách Mansion in Szécsény
* The Cserhát mountain range
* Our Lady church in Mátraverebély
* Salgó Castle
* Teleki Mansion in Szirák