Kecskemét, city, central Hungary, capital of Bács-Kiskun County, near Budapest. It is an important rail junction and the commercial and manufacturing center for a livestock-, grain-, and fruit-producing region. Major products include processed food (especially apricots and other fruit), liqueurs, leather goods, textiles, and farm equipment. Nearby to the south is the Bugac puszta (wasteland), made famous by Hungarian painters and poets. Kecskemét was founded by the 10th century. Population (1999 estimate) 105,464.
