Budapest has over 1.7 million inhabitants, down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with the amalgamation in 17 November 1873 of right-bank Buda (Ofen in German) and Óbuda (Old Buda or Alt-Ofen) together with Pest on the left (east) bank. It is the seventh largest city in the European Union.

Budapest's districts are numbered clockwise, in widening circles, and are organized similarly to the arrondissements in Metropolitan Paris.

Originally Budapest had 10 districts after coming into existence upon the unification of the three cities in 1873. On 1 January 1950 Budapest was united with several neighboring towns and the number of its districts was raised to 22. At that time there were changes both in the order of districts and in their sizes. Now there are 23 districts, 6 in Buda, 16 in Pest and 1 on an island between them. Each district can be associated with one or more city parts named after former towns within Budapest

• Andrássy Avenue with its several sights including the State Opera House, the Pest Broadway and the House of Terror
• Buda Castle with the Royal Palace, the Funicular, Hungarian National Gallery and National Széchényi Library, Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion
• City Park with Széchenyi Medicinal Bath, Vajdahunyad Castle, the Timewheel, the Zoo, the Municipal Grand Circus and the Amusement Park
• Danube Promenade (Duna-korzó) with Vigadó Concert Hall
• Dohány Street Synagogue with the Holocaust Memorial (weeping willow statue)
• Ferenciek tere with Paris Courtyard and Erzsébet Bridge with Inner City Parish Church nearby
• Franz Liszt Academy of Music
• Gellért Baths, Gellért Hill with Gellért Statue, Cave Church and Citadel with Liberty Statue
• Grand Market Hall and Liberty Bridge
• Heroes' Square with the Millenary Monument, the Palace of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts
• Margaret Island with the Centennial Memorial, a Japanese garden, a Musical Fountain, several recreation facilities and Franciscan, Dominican and Premonstratensian ruins from the Middle Ages
• Museum of Applied Arts
• National Museum
• New York Café
• Óbuda
• Palace of Arts and National Theatre
• Parliament Building with King Stephen's crown and sceptre, Kossuth Memorial, Ethnographical Museum, Attila József statue, Imre Nagy statue
• Saint Stephen's Basilica
• Statue Park
• Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Academy of Sciences and Gresham Palace
• Tomb of Gül Baba
• Váci Street and Vörösmarty Square
• Western Railway Station

Airport

Budapest Ferihegy International Airport, which has 3 different passenger terminals: Ferihegy 1, Ferihegy 2/A and Ferihegy 2/B. The airport is located to the east of the centre in the XVIII. district in Pestszentlőrinc.