{{Short description|County in northern Croatia}} {{For|the historical county|Varaždin County (former)}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Varaždin County | native_name = {{native name|hr|Varaždinska županija|italics=off}} | native_name_lang = hr | settlement_type = County | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Croatia | image_skyline = {{Photomontage|position=center |photo1a =Varaždinska županija, sjedište.jpg |photo1b =Stari grad Varaždin.JPG |photo2a =Arboretum Opeka (39).jpg |photo2b =Dvorac Klenovnik 1.jpg |photo2c =Lepoglava - Pavlinski samostan 05.jpg |photo2d =DSCF44313 02 07 10 budinscina-podrute.jpg |photo3a =Dvorac Bela.JPG |photo3b =Trakošćan01.jpg |photo3c =Center of the world - Centar svijeta Ludbreg ^ Lepers Group 09 - panoramio.jpg |photo4a =Usce Plitvice u rijeku Dravu - Mali Bukovec.jpg |photo4b =Dvorac Marusevec2.JPG |photo5a =VarasdFotoThalerTamas1.jpg |size = 270 |spacing = 1 |color = #FFFFFF |border = 1 }} | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_flag = Flag of Varaždin County.svg | flag_alt = | image_shield = Varaždin County coat of arms.svg | shield_alt = | image_map = Varaždinska županija in Croatia.svg | map_alt = | map_caption = Varaždin County within Croatia | seat_type = County seat | seat = Varaždin | leader_title = Župan (Prefect) | leader_name = Anđelko Stričak | leader_party = HDZ | leader_title1 = Assembly | leader_name1 = {{Collapsible list |title = 41 members |frame_style= border: none; padding: 0; |list_style=text-align:left;display:all; |1 =• SDP, HNS, HSS, HSU, HL (19) |2 =• HDZ, HSLS (13) |3 =• NS-R (7) |4 =• PiP (2) }} | area_total_km2 = 1262 | area_footnotes = <ref name="DZS">{{Croatia Yearbook 2015|page=62}}</ref> | population_as_of = 2021 | population_total = 159,747 | population_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Census">{{Croatian Census 2021|S|05}}</ref> | population_density_km2 = auto | coordinates = | iso_code = HR-05 | blank_name_sec1 = HDI (2022) | blank_info_sec1 = 0.862<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web|url=https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref><br/>{{color|#090|very high}} · 6th | website = {{URL|varazdinska-zupanija.hr}} | footnotes = | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 042 }} '''Varaždin County''' ({{langx|hr|Varaždinska županija}}) is a county in Hrvatsko Zagorje. It is named after its county seat, the city of Varaždin.
County day (''Dan županije'') is celebrated on 5 September.<ref name=HNZ>{{cite web|url=https://www.vlada-hnz-k.ba/hr/potpisan-sporazum-o-suradnji-varazdinske-i-hercegovacko-neretvanske-zupanije|website=vlada-hnz-k.ba|title=Potpisan sporazum o suradnji Varaždinske i Hercegovačko-neretvanske županije|publisher=Government of the Herzegovina-Neretva County|date=5 September 2025|language=hr}}</ref>
==Geography== The county contains the city of Varaždin, the towns of: Ivanec, Ludbreg, Lepoglava, Novi Marof and Varaždinske Toplice, as well as 22 municipalities. It covers an area of {{convert|1262|km2}} and had a population of 175,951 in the 2011 census.
Varaždin County borders Slovenia to the northwest, Međimurje County to the north, Krapina-Zagorje County to the southwest, Zagreb County to the south, and Koprivnica-Križevci County to the southeast, with a small portion of the latter separating it from Hungary.
The Drava flows along the northern border of the county. There are three reservoirs on the river – Lake Ormož, Lake Varaždin and Lake Dubrava. All of them are partially located within the county. Another river flowing through the county is the Bednja, which also confluences with the Drava within the county. There are also the mountains of Ivanščica (also known as Ivančica) and Kalnik.
==Transport== The highway A4 (part of Pan-European Corridor Vb and European route E65) passes through the county, connecting the Hungarian border (in the north) with Zagreb (in the south), and which has exits in Varaždin, Varaždinske Toplice and Novi Marof. In the longitudinal (east-west) direction, a magistral road passes along the Drava river, spanning from Maribor (Slovenia) to Osijek. Railways (not yet modernised) passing through the county lead to Zagreb in the south, Čakovec and Budapest (Hungary) in the north and Koprivnica in the east.
==Economy==
The economy of Varaždin County is focused on the manufacturing industry, particularly on the milk products processing, beverage production, meat-packing industry, clothing and textiles industry, metal manufacturing industry, leather footwear industry, manufacturing of high-quality wood furniture and other lumber products.
==Administrative division== Varaždin county is divided into:
* City of Varaždin (county seat) * Town of Ludbreg * Town of Lepoglava * Town of Ivanec * Town of Novi Marof * Town of Varaždinske Toplice * Municipality of Bednja * Municipality of Beretinec * Municipality of Breznica * Municipality of Breznički Hum * Municipality of Cestica * Municipality of Donja Voća * Municipality of Gornji Kneginec * Municipality of Jalžabet * Municipality of Klenovnik * Municipality of Ljubešćica * Municipality of Mali Bukovec * Municipality of Martijanec * Municipality of Maruševec * Municipality of Petrijanec * Municipality of Sračinec * Municipality of Sveti Đurđ * Municipality of Sveti Ilija * Municipality of Trnovec Bartolovečki * Municipality of Veliki Bukovec * Municipality of Vidovec * Municipality of Vinica * Municipality of Visoko
==Demographics== [[File:Varaždin County Population Pyramid Census 2011 ENG.png|thumb|300px|Population pyramid of Varaždin County per 2011 Census.]] {{Historical populations |title = Historical populations of Varaždin County |shading = off | align = none | cols = 2 |1857 |87960 |1869 |99194 |1880 |105612 |1890 |120397 |1900 |131849 |1910 |144720 |1921 |147524 |1931 |159767 |1948 |174682 |1953 |177352 |1961 |179905 |1971 |184380 |1981 |187495 |1991 |187853 |2001 |184769 |2011 |175951 |2021 |159747 |footnote= |source = ''Naselja i stanovništvo Republike Hrvatske 1857–2001'', Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, 2005 }}
According to the 2011 census, Varaždin County has a population of 175,951.<ref name="census2011-counties">{{Croatian Census 2011|S|05}}</ref> Ethnic Croats make up a majority with 97.9% of the population.<ref>{{Croatian Census 2011|E|5}}</ref>
{{Croatian population data graph |popisi=HRV |upisano=2022-06-04 |područje=Varaždin County |p1857=87960 |p1869=99194 |p1880=105612 |p1890=120397 |p1900=131849 |p1910=144720 |p1921=147524 |p1931=159767 |p1948=174682 |p1953=177352 |p1961=179905 |p1971=184380 |p1981=187495 |p1991=187853 |p2001=184769 |p2011=175951 |p2021=159747}}
==Acknowledgements== On September 5, 2025, the President of the Government of the Herzegovina-Neretva County, Marija Buhač, and the County Prefect, Anđelko Stričak, signed an agreement on cooperation between the two counties in the areas of economy, education, agriculture, tourism, culture, sports and youth.<ref name=HNZ/>
;Honorary citizens * Zlatko Dalić (2018)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.varazdinska-zupanija.hr/novosti/iz-%C5%BEupanije/zlatko-dali%C4%87-po%C4%8Dasni-gra%C4%91anin-vara%C5%BEdinske-%C5%BEupanije/|title=Zlatko Dalić počasni građanin Varaždinske županije, vijećnici i župan uputili mu podršku uoči polufinala|language=hr|website=varazdinska-zupanija.hr|publisher=Varaždin County|date=11 July 2018|access-date=9 July 2023|archive-date=14 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714135440/http://www.varazdinska-zupanija.hr/novosti/iz-%C5%BEupanije/zlatko-dali%C4%87-po%C4%8Dasni-gra%C4%91anin-vara%C5%BEdinske-%C5%BEupanije/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==See also== * Roman Catholic Diocese of Varaždin
==References== {{More citations needed|date=May 2013}} {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website}} {{in lang|hr}} *{{Official Facebook page|Varazdinskazupanijasluzbeno}}
{{Commons category|Varaždin County}} {{Varazdin County}} {{Counties of Croatia}} {{Varaždin}} {{coord|46.321|N|16.231|E|display=title|region:HR-05_source:dewiki}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varazdin County}} Category:Varaždin County Category:Counties of Croatia