Bednja (Croatian pronunciation: [bêdɲa]) is a village and municipality in Croatia in Varaždin County (west of Lepoglava), and also a river in northern Croatia.

According to the 2011 census, there are a total of 3,992 inhabitants, in the following settlements:

• Bednja, population 677
• Benkovec, population 234
• Brezova Gora, population 69
• Cvetlin, population 283
• Jamno, population 86
• Jazbina Cvetlinska, population 337
• Ježovec, population 305
• Mali Gorenec, population 109
• Meljan, population 148
• Osonjak, population 47
• Pašnik, population 65
• Pleš, population 261
• Podgorje Bednjansko, population 20
• Prebukovje, population 97
• Purga Bednjanska, population 119
• Rinkovec, population 284
• Sveti Josip, population 3
• Šaša, population 111
• Šinkovica Bednjanska, population 121
• Šinkovica Šaška, population 111
• Trakošćan, population 18
• Veliki Gorenec, population 50
• Vranojelje, population 131
• Vrbno, population 267
• Vrhovec Bednjanski, population 39

The majority of the population is of Croat descent.