Zala County (former)

Zala was an administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary, bordered by the river Drave to the south. The territory of the former county is now divided between Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia. The capital of the county was Zalaegerszeg.

Zala County
Comitatus Zaladiensis  (Latin)
Zala vármegye  (Hungarian)
Komitat Zala  (German)
Zalska županija  (Croatian)
County of the Kingdom of Hungary
(11th century-1596, 1715-1946)
Coat of arms

CapitalZalavár; Zalaegerszeg (1730-1946)
Area
 • Coordinates46°51′N 16°51′E
 
• 1910
5,995 km2 (2,315 sq mi)
• 1930
4,877 km2 (1,883 sq mi)
Population 
• 1910
466333
• 1930
365266
History 
• Established
11th century
• Merged to Zala-Somogy County
1596
• County recreated
1715
• Treaty of Trianon
4 June 1920
11 April 1941
• Monarchy abolished
1 February 1946
Today part of Hungary
(4,877 km2)

 Croatia
(729 km2)

 Slovenia
(389 km2)

Geography

Zala county shared borders with the Austrian land Styria and the Hungarian counties Vas, Veszprém, Somogy, Belovár-Körös and Varasd (the latter two in Croatia-Slavonia). The river Drava (Hungarian: Dráva) river formed its southern border, Lake Balaton its eastern border. The rivers Mura and Zala flowed through the county. Its area was 5974 km² around 1910.

History

Zala county arose as one of the first comitatuses of the Kingdom of Hungary.

In 1920, by the Treaty of Trianon, the south-west of the county became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (from 1929 as Yugoslavia). The remainder stayed in Hungary. Yugoslavian part of it was occupied and annexed again by Hungary between 1941 and 1945 during World War II. In 1950, as part of the Communist reforms of local government, the county's borders were re-drawn again. A small part of former Vas county, north of Zalaegerszeg, went to Zala County. The part of Zala county north of Lake Balaton went to Veszprém County.

The formation of modern Zala County. (1) and (2) territories assigned from Zala County to Veszprém County in 1950. (2) territory reincorporated into Zala County in 1978. (3) territory assigned from Somogy County to Zala County in 1950. (4) territory assigned from Vas County to Zala County in 1950.

Since 1991, when Slovenia and Croatia became independent from Yugoslavia, the part of former Zala county between the rivers Mura and Drava is part of Croatia (region of Međimurje). The area around Lendava is in Slovenia.

Demographics

In 1900, the county had a population of 437,116 people and was composed of the following linguistic communities:[1]

Total:

According to the census of 1900, the county was composed of the following religious communities:[2]

Total:


In 1910, the county had a population of 466,333 people and was composed of the following linguistic communities:[3]

Ethnic map of the county with data of the 1910 census (see the key in the description).

Total:

According to the census of 1910, the county was composed of the following religious communities:[4]

Total:

Subdivisions

In the early 20th century, the subdivisions of Zala county were:

Districts (járás)
DistrictCapital
AlsólendvaAlsólendva, SI Lendava
BalatonfüredBalatonfüred
CsáktornyaCsáktornya, HR Čakovec
KeszthelyKeszthely
LetenyeLetenye
NagykanizsaNagykanizsa
NovaNova
PacsaPacsa
PerlakPerlak, HR Prelog
SümegSümeg
TapolcaTapolca
ZalaegerszegZalaegerszeg
ZalaszentgrótZalaszentgrót
Urban districts (rendezett tanácsú város)
Nagykanizsa
Zalaegerszeg

The towns of Prelog and Čakovec are in Croatia; Lendava is in Slovenia.

  1. "KlimoTheca :: Könyvtár". Kt.lib.pte.hu. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  2. "KlimoTheca :: Könyvtár". Kt.lib.pte.hu. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  3. "KlimoTheca :: Könyvtár". Kt.lib.pte.hu. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  4. "KlimoTheca :: Könyvtár". Kt.lib.pte.hu. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
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