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In general, information available as of 1 January, 2004 was used in the preparation of The World Factbook. This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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| Introduction | Hungary | Top of Page
Background: | 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 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 | Hungary | Top of Page
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 and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: | none (landlocked)
Climate: | temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain: | 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: 50.09% permanent crops: 2.06% other: 47.85% (2001)
Irrigated land: | 2,100 sq km (1998 est.)
Environment - current issues: | the upgrading 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
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, 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 signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
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
| People | Hungary | Top of Page
Population: | 10,032,375 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 16% (male 826,032; female 782,687) 15-64 years: 69% (male 3,407,931; female 3,517,450) 65 years and over: 15% (male 545,488; female 952,787) (2004 est.)
Median age: | total: 38.4 years male: 35.9 years female: 41.1 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate: | -0.25% (2004 est.)
Birth rate: | 9.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate: | 13.16 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 8.68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 72.25 years male: 68.07 years female: 76.69 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.31 children born/woman (2004 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 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7%
Religions: | Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other 7.5%
Languages: | Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.5% female: 99.3% (2003 est.)
| Government | Hungary | Top of Page
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: | Budapest
Administrative divisions: | 19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 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 : urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor, Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg : capital city: Budapest
Independence: | 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
National holiday: | Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August
Constitution: | 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: | rule of law based on Western model
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: Ferenc MADL (since 4 August 2000) 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; election last held 6 June 2000 (next to be held by June 2005); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004 election results: Ferenc MADL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round of voting); Ferenc GYURCSANY elected prime minister; percent 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 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20
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 [Gabor KUNCZE]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz-MPP [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Istvan HILLER, chairman]; Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, 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 | Hungary | Top of Page
Economy - overview: | Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and joined the European Union 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 $23 billion since 1989. Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all the Central European transition economies. Inflation has declined substantially, from 14% in 1998 to 4.7% in 2003; unemployment has persisted around the 6% level. Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Short-term issues include the reduction of the public sector deficit and further increasing the flexibility of the labor markets.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $139.8 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 2.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $13,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 3.3% industry: 32.5% services: 64.2% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 22% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line: | 8.6% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 24.4 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force: | 4.164 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 8%, industry 27%, services 65% (1996)
Unemployment rate: | 5.9% (2003 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $35 billion expenditures: $39.88 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Public debt: | 57% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products: | wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Industries: | mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: | 6.4% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production: | 34.39 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 35.15 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: | 7.261 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: | 10.43 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production: | 41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | 47,180 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: | 136,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: | 110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: | 3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 4 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 50.45 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: | $-7.347 billion (2003)
Exports: | $42.03 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities: | machinery and equipment 57.6%, other manufactures 31.0%, food products 7.5%, raw materials 1.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9% (2001)
Exports - partners: | Germany 34.1%, Austria 8%, Italy 5.8%, France 5.7%, UK 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)
Imports: | $46.19 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.3%, fuels and electricity 8.2%, food products 2.9%, raw materials 2.0% (2001)
Imports - partners: | Germany 24.5%, Italy 7.1%, China 6.9%, Austria 6.3%, Russia 6.2%, France 4.8%, Japan 4.2% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: | $12.78 billion (2003)
Debt - external: | $42.38 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | ODA $250 million (2000)
Currency: | forint (HUF)
Currency code: | HUF
Exchange rates: | forints per US dollar - 224.307 (2003), 257.887 (2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.179 (2000), 237.146 (1999)
Fiscal year: | calendar year
| Communications | Hungary | Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use: | 3,666,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 6,862,800 (2002)
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)
Television broadcast stations: | 35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code: | .hu
Internet hosts: | 383,071 (2004)
Internet users: | 1.6 million (2002)
| Transportation | Hungary | Top of Page
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 (2003)
Highways: | total: 188,203 km paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways) unpaved: 106,523 km (1999)
Waterways: | 1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2004)
Pipelines: | gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: | Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003)
Merchant marine: | total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,568 GRT/10,025 DWT by type: cargo 2 registered in other countries: 8 (2004 est.)
Airports: | 43 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)
Heliports: | 5 (2003 est.)
| Military | Hungary | Top of Page
Military branches: | Ground Forces, Air Forces
Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004 (June 2004)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 2,519,052 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 2,011,750 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 64,426 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $1.08 billion (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.75% (2002 est.)
| Transnational Issues | Hungary | Top of Page
Disputes - international: | Hungary amended the status law extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in neighboring states, who had objected to the law; Slovakia and Hungary have renewed discussions on ways to resolve differences over the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam on the Danube, with possible resort again to the ICJ for final resolution
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; improving, but remains vulnerable to money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005