Regions description

Del-Alfold Region in Hungary has an area of ​​18,000 km2 and the surface of Western Region in Romania is 32 000 km2. Common border of the two regions is 176 km; the Hungarian side is Békés and Csongrád counties and on the Romanian side is Arad and Timis.

Geographical features

In 2008, Del-Alfold region, 28 villages had the title of city, becoming the second region in terms of urbanization of the country. Among cities - Békéscsaba, Hódmezővásárhely, Kecskemét and Szeged - are municipalities.

In the Western Region in 2008, 42 localities had the rank of city, of which 12 also had the title of municipalities. Municipalities are the following cities: Arad in Arad county; Resita and Caransebes in Caras-Severin County; Deva, Hunedoara, Brad, Drastic, Petrosani and Vulcan in Hunedoara County; Lupeni, Lugoj and Timisoara in Timis County.

Demographic characteristics

Del-Alfold Region with 1.3 million of its people is the third region in number of population in Hungary, where in early 2009, 13% of the population lived.

Compared to the same time, the West Region with its 1.9 million inhabitants had the smallest number of inhabitants, only 9% of the population living here.

Economic activity, employment

In terms of employment, Del-Alfold and the West Region are located approximately around the national average.

In 2008 more than 60% of the Del-Alfold region aged between 15-64 years (533.000 people) belongs to the economically active, while in the Western region this percentage was 63%. In Del-Alfold employment level is somewhat lower than in the West Region being characterized by higher unemployment.

In both regions most active persons are working as employees. Their number in 2008 exceeded 360.000 people in Del-Alfold, while in the West Region the figure was closer to 534.000.

The size of the gross domestic product (GDP) express  in a complex way the economic development. In 2007 the gross domestic product in the region of Del-Alfold was approaching 9 billion euros, while in the Western region was of 13 billion euros.

Agriculture: The three counties of Del-Alfold region have an important role in the economy in terms of agricultural production. In the Western Region, Hunedoara and Caras-Severin counties are largely covered by mountains, but going to the west, their height decreases more and more, so that the agricultural potential of Timis and Arad counties is significant.

The percentage of industry in the region's GDP in counties shows a fairly large variety: in the Del-Alfold Region Békés County has 13.6%, and in the West Region Caras-Severin has 14.4% although the proportion of agriculture in these counties was highest in the two regions.

Tourism: In view of the natural frame, the Del-Alfold Region and the Western Region have a significant tourism potential.

In the West Region 398 accommodation awaits visitors whose number in 2008 was about 674.000, more than four-tenths choosing Timis county and a rate of more than a quarter - Arad County. Those interested in Del-Alfold exceeded 536.000, four-tenths were staying in Csongrád county and three-tenths in Békés.

Infrastructure: In 2008, in the counties of Del-Alfold region, the length of the national roads was 5.100 km, of which in Bács-Kiskun and Csongrád counties have a total of 127 km of highways, and also have 300 km (6%) of national roads of I grade, 841 km (16%) of national roads of II grade. From the  road network of Western Region of  10.300 km of roads, 18% (and then 1900 km) are the so-called national roads and the rest are county and local roads.

Cross-border cooperation

The cross-border business environment from Arad - Bekes is structured in the mirror for both counties, this being an asset for zonal development of Romanian - Hungarian relations. Strong share of services, transport and telecommunications indicate areas in which the cooperation on the border can be strengthened.

The fact that Bekescsaba is situated between Debrecen and Szeged, cities with strong cultural personalities, and Arad between Timisoara and Bihor, with the same type of cultural identity, can be advantages in developing a type of cross-border cooperation in which, besides the well highlighted areas, those hospitality and tourism to grow. In addition, Arad is one of Romania's road and rail doors - European transport corridor IV. This, taken in the mirror with Bekes county, can cement the cross-border cooperation.