Gödöllő Hill Region

Hills of Gödöllő

The Hills of Gödöllő is a small-region in Pest county, from the east of Budapest to the River Galga. To the north the Cserhát, to the south and to the east the Alföld and finally to the west the River Danube and the Hills of Buda borders it. As a big landscape, it is part of the Északi-középhegység, but its form is rather a transition between mountains and plains.

The average height of 150 to 250 m (492 to 820 ft) above sea level hills are mostly covered with sand and loess. The highest point of this small-region is Margita in Szada with its 345 m (1,132 ft). There is a watershed which also extends through Margita and runs to Albertirsa. From this line, to the west brooks streams into the Danube and to the east into the River Galga which goes into the Tisza.

The most common forest-compositions are maple-oak forest, and lime-oak forest. These forest patches are separated by loess-covered moorlands. Perhaps the most well-known swampy area is the Merzse-mocsár which is located on the edge of Budapest's XVII. district. Mammals found in the area include deer, roe deer and boar whilst the birdlife contains species such as eagles. Very common bird species are European bee-eater, black woodpecker, green woodpecker, common kingfisher, common pheasant, honey buzzard, Eurasian hobby, and saker falcon.

A smaller region of the Hills became protected in the summer of 1990. The "Gödöllői Dombvidék Tájvédelmi Körzetet" (Hills of Gödöllő Conservation Area) was established here.

Ethnicity

Besides the Hungarian majority, the main minorities are the Roma (approx. 2,800), German (1,600), Slovak (1,000), Romanian (650), Russian (300), Polish (150), Ukrainian and Bulgarian (100).

Total population (2011 census): 139,826
Ethnic groups (2011 census):^[3] Identified themselves: 129,792 persons:

• Hungarians: 120,988 (93.22%)
• Gypsies: 2,774 (2.14%)
• Germans: 1,641 (1.26%)
• Others and indefinable: 4,389 (3.38%)

Approx. 10,000 persons in Gödöllő District did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.

Religion

Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:^[4]

• Catholic – 51,043 (Roman Catholic – 49,899; Greek Catholic – 1,128);
• Reformed – 14,691;
• Evangelical – 3,871;
• other religions – 4,244;
• Non-religious – 22,780;
• Atheism – 2,584;
• Undeclared – 40,613.