Zala

Zala is a Hungarian toponym and surname. In geography and administration, it most often refers to Zala County and the Zala River in western Hungary. The name is also used outside Hungary as a family name and occasionally as a given name.

Zala County (Zala megye) is one of Hungary's administrative counties, located in the Western Transdanubia region. Its county seat is Zalaegerszeg, a regional center for government, industry, and culture. The county's landscape combines low hills, forests, and agricultural land, with several thermal springs and nature reserves. The western border of the county lies along Austria, and it includes part of the Balaton region near its eastern fringe.

Zala River (Zala folyó) is a river in western Hungary. It runs through parts of Zala County before draining into the Drava River, contributing to the Drava basin. The river has historical significance for local communities and is used for irrigation and small-scale hydropower in parts of its course.

As a name, Zala appears in various languages and is used for people as a surname or given name. The term can also be found in other geographical contexts as a place name or historic reference.