Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004.
Location
Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic coordinates
47 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total
93,030 sq km
land
92,340 sq km
water
690 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries
total
2,171 km
border countries
Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Tisza River 78 m
highest point
Kekes 1,014 m
Natural resources
bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land
Land use
arable land
49.58%
permanent crops
2.06%
other
48.36% (2005)
Irrigated land
2,300 sq km (2003)
Environment - current issues
the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU requirements will require large investments
Environment - international agreements
party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions
Population
9,956,108 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
15.3% (male 785,643/female 741,907)
15-64 years
69.3% (male 3,399,926/female 3,498,403)
65 years and over
15.4% (male 554,356/female 975,873) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
38.9 years
male
36.5 years
female
41.5 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.253% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
9.66 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
13.05 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.059 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.972 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.568 male(s)/female
total population
0.909 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
8.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male
8.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female
7.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
72.92 years
male
68.73 years
female
77.38 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.33 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
2,800 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality
noun
Hungarian(s)
adjective
Hungarian
Ethnic groups
Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)
Religions
Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)
Languages
Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
99.4%
male
99.5%
female
99.3% (2003 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of Hungary
conventional short form
Hungary
local long form
Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form
Magyarorszag
Government type
parliamentary democracy
Capital
name
Budapest
geographic coordinates
47 30 N, 19 05 E
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions
19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 22 urban counties (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system
Legal system
based German-Austrian legal system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)
head of government
Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29 September 2004)
cabinet
Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president
elections
president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6-7 June 2005 (next to be held by June 2010); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004
election results
Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Ferenc GYURCSANY elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 197 to 12
note
to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the third round
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - MSzP 43.2%, Fidesz-KDNP 42%, SzDSz 6.5%, MDF 5%, other 3.3%; seats by party - MSzP 190, Fidesz 141, KDNP 23, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, independent 1
Judicial branch
Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly for nine-year terms)
Political parties and leaders
Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Janos KOKA]; Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Ferenc GYURCSANY]
pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
telephone
[36] (1) 475-4400
FAX
[36] (1) 475-4764
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green
Economy - overview
Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of the EU-25 average. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and acceded to the EU in May 2004. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more than $60 billion since 1989. Hungary issues investment-grade sovereign debt. International observers, however, have expressed concerns over Hungary's fiscal and current account deficits. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 3.7% in 2006. Unemployment has persisted above 6%. Hungary's labor force participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy challenges include cutting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by 2008, from about 6.5% in 2006, and tackling a persistent trade deficit. The current government has announced and begun to implement an austerity program designed to address these issues, leading to eventual adoption of the euro.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$175.2 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$113.2 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$17,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
3.1%
industry
32.1%
services
64.8% (2006 est.)
Labor force
4.2 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
5.5%
industry
33.3%
services
61.2% (2003)
Unemployment rate
7.4% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
8.6% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
4.1%
highest 10%
22.2% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
26.9 (2002)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.7% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
23.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$48.73 billion
expenditures
$59.62 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate
9.5% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
31.83 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
60.1%
hydro
0.5%
nuclear
39%
other
0.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
37.1 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
6.3 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
13.8 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production
47,530 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
132,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
47,180 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports
94,000 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves
110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production
2.963 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
14.46 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
11.42 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
34.26 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance
-$8.392 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$67.99 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)
Exports - partners
Germany 29.5%, Italy 5.6%, Austria 5%, France 5%, UK 4.5%, Romania 4.2%, Poland 4% (2006)
Imports
$69.75 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%, fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% (2003)
Imports - partners
Germany 27.2%, Russia 8.4%, China 7.1%, Austria 6.2%, France 4.7%, Italy 4.5%, Netherlands 4.3%, Poland 4.2% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$21.05 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$107.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$3.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)
Currency (code)
forint (HUF)
Currency code
HUF
Exchange rates
forints per US dollar - 210.39 (2006), 199.58 (2005), 202.75 (2004), 224.31 (2003), 257.89 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
3.356 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
9.32 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
the telephone system has been modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service
domestic
the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
international
country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals
Radio broadcast stations
AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios
7.01 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
35 (plus 161 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions
4.42 million (1997)
Internet country code
.hu
Internet hosts
608,085 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
16 (2000)
Internet users
3.05 million (2005)
Airports
46 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
20
over 3,047 m
2
2,438 to 3,047 m
8
1,524 to 2,437 m
4
914 to 1,523 m
4
under 914 m
2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
26
2,438 to 3,047 m
2
1,524 to 2,437 m
3
914 to 1,523 m
11
under 914 m
10 (2006)
Heliports
5 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2006)
Railways
total
7,937 km
broad gauge
36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge
7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
narrow gauge
219 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
159,568 km
paved
70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads including 626 km of expressways)
unpaved
89,518 km (2005)
Waterways
1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2007)
Ports and terminals
Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003)
Military branches
Ground Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML) (2006)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004 (2004)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
2,303,116
females age 18-49
2,265,463 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
1,780,513
females age 18-49
1,864,580 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
63,847
females age 18-49
61,037 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.75% (2005 est.)
Disputes - international
bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continue in 2006 with Slovakia over Hungary's failure to complete its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary must implement the strict Schengen border rules
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and methamphetamine; efforts to counter money laundering, related to organized crime and drug trafficking, are improving, but remain vulnerable; significant consumer of ecstasy
