Introduction

Pest County, lying in the North-South axis of the country came into existence as a result of a territorial reorganization. This county with its 6394 km2 is the third biggest county of Hungary. The present administrative border joins 187 settlements, including 40 towns. The number of its inhabitants reaches 1 700 000. It is the only administrative unit of the country, of which the centre is at the same time the capital of the country.

Business activities

Pest County plays an important role in the economy of Hungary. The businesses of the county are gradually strengthening each year, which tendency is reflected in the increasing number of businesses a higher share of foreign investments and a more advanced economic structure. A bigger fraction of the population undertakes work in the capital, but the always developing entrepreneurial infrastructure gives more and more possibility for employment in the county as well.

Nearly 65% of the employees work in the service sector, approximately 30 % operate in industry and construction industry and remaining 5% are employed in agriculture. The most important industries of the county include the machine industry, construction industry, electronic and motor industry as well as manufacturing industry.

One of the most typical sectors of the county is creative business. This category includes software and database development, press and literature, music, theatre and opera, radio and television, advertising and promotion and activities of the construction studios.

Health services

The health services are also developing the health institutions of Pest County. These days, these institutions treat more than 1 million people and focus increasingly on the prevention of diseases. Pest County Government operates an increasing number of health institutions continuously modernizing their activities.

Status of the environment

Pest County is one of the fortunate regions that have large and valuable green areas. More than 76,00 hectares of the territory of the county belong to national reserves, representing almost 12% of the total territory of the county. This includes two national parks and eleven nature preserves.

Tourism

While Budapest is a target spot favoured by foreign tourists, Pest County primarily satisfies the recreation requirements. Tourists coming to Pest County will visit the Danube Bend, Visegrád and Szentendre, the latter paying an important role in the cultural and artistic life of the county. In the county there are more than a hundred museums and exhibition halls, and there are more than six hundred monuments and historic buildings.

Training and education

One of the basic factors of economic development is the qualification of the workforce and the population. In the county there are more than one hundred educational institutions, six universities and colleges.

An extensive education supply has developed in the last ten years introducing several types of school models, curricula and teaching methods in the institutions operated by municipalities. Apart from schools run by foundations and private schools religious education has also increased. There are multipurpose institutions satisfying the needs of children and students requiring special educational methods and tools.

Pest County Government operates 40 public education institutions attended by 21,000 students. In the framework of the county compulsory tasks, these institutions provide secondary general education and vocational training.

In terms of higher education approximately 12,000 university and college students attend the higher education institutions of 7 towns in Pest County. The Gödöllő University of Agricultural Studies and Pázmány Péter Catholic University of Piliscsaba are outstanding campuses in our county.