World Facts Index > Hungary > Budapest
 Hungary
became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a
bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The kingdom eventually
became 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.
Geography of Hungary
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Location:
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Central Europe, northwest
of Romania |
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Coordinates:
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47 00 N, 20 00 E |
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Area:
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total: 93,030 sq km
water: 690 sq km
land: 92,340 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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slightly smaller than
Indiana |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,171 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine
103 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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temperate; cold, cloudy,
humid winters; warm summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to rolling
plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Tisza
River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, coal, natural gas,
fertile soils, arable land |
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Environment current issues:
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the approximation of
Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air,
soil, and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU
accession will require large investments |
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Geography - note:
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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
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More Geography
Population of Hungary
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Population:
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9,930,915 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 15.6% (male 799,163/female 755,389)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,403,375/female 3,505,640)
65 years and over: 15.2% (male 550,297/female 967,470) |
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Median age:
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38.7 years |
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Growth rate:
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-0.25% |
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Infant mortality:
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8.39 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 72.66 years
male: 68.45 years
female: 77.14 years |
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Fertility rate:
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1.32 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek
Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% |
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Languages:
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Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.5%
female: 99.3%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of
Hungary
local short form: Magyarorszag
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Budapest |
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Administrative divisions:
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19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20
urban counties* (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun,
Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*,
Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Hodmezovasarhely*, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom,
Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy, Sopron*,
Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*, Szombathely*, Tatabanya*,
Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala, Zalaegerszeg* |
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Independence:
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1001 (unification by King Stephen I) |
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National holiday:
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Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August |
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Constitution:
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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 |
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Legal system:
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rule of law based on Western model |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5
August 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29 September 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers prime minister elected by the National Assembly on
the recommendation of the president; other ministers proposed by the prime
minister and appointed and relieved of their duties by 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. |
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Legislative branch:
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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) |
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional Court (judges are elected by
the National Assembly for nine-year terms) |
Economy
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.
The private sector accounts for more than 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. In
2007, Hungary eliminated a trade deficit that had persisted for several years.
Inflation declined from 14% in 1998 to a low of 3.7% in 2006, but jumped to
7.8% in 2007. 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 4% of GDP by 2008, from about 6% in 2007. The government's
austerity program of tax hikes and subsidy cuts has reduced Hungary's large
budget deficit, but the reforms have dampened domestic consumption, slowing
GDP growth to about 2% in 2007. The government will need to pass additional
reforms to ensure the long-term stability of public finances. The government
plans to eventually lower its public sector deficit to below 3% of GDP to
adopt the euro.
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GDP:
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$191.7 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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4.1% |
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GDP per capita:
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$16,300 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3.7%
industry: 31.2%
services: 65.1% |
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Inflation rate:
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3.6% |
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Labor force:
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4.18 million |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 6.2%
industry: 27.1%
services: 66.7% |
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Unemployment:
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7.2% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $51.4 billion
expenditures: $58.34 billion |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 60.1%
hydro: 0.5%
other: 0.3%
nuclear: 39% |
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Industries:
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mining, metallurgy, construction materials,
processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles |
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Agriculture:
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wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes,
sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products |
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Exports:
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machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%,
food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% |
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Export partners:
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Germany 29.2%, Austria 6.4%, Italy 5.5%, France 4.9%, UK
4.7% |
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Imports:
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machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%,
fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% |
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Import partners:
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Germany 27.5%, Russia 7.2%, China 7%, Austria 6.7%, Italy
5%, France 4.7%, Netherlands 4.4% |
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Currency:
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forint (HUF) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |