Hungary

Republic of HungaryMagyar Koztarsasag

republicIndependence 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

Hungary as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBudapest

Area93,030 km2

LocationEastern Europe, between Slovakia and Romania

Populationas each edition published it

10.32 million July 1993 est. · 10.57m in 1990

Population growth% a year

-0.07% 1993 est. · -0.29% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 38.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.86 years 1993 est. · 76 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.83 children per woman 1993 est. · 1.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

13.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 15 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$5,380 1992 est. · $40,700 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

-5% 1992 est. · 0.5% in 2025

Geography

Eastern Europe, between Slovakia and Romania

14 fields

Land useshare of 93,030 km2

arable land 50.7%permanent crops 6.1%meadows and pastures 12.6%forest and woodland 18.3%other 12.3%irrigated 1,750 km2 (1989)

Area

93,030km2

land area: 92,340 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

1,952km

total · Austria 366 km, Croatia 292 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 82 km, Ukraine 103 km

Location

Eastern Europe, between Slovakia and Romania

International disputes

Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia; Vojvodina taken from Hungary and awarded to the former Yugoslavia by treaty of Trianon in 1920

Climate

temperate;
cold, cloudy, humid winters;
warm summers

Natural resources

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils

Environment

levees are common along many streams, but flooding occurs almost every year

Note

landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin

People

14 fields

Population

10,324,018

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: -0.07% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

12.33Death

13.02Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years70.86

66.81 · 75.12

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy99%

99% · 98%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

Ethnic divisions

Hungarian 89.9%Gypsy 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%

Labor force

5.4million

by occupation: services, trade, government, and other 44.8%, industry 29.7%, agriculture 16.1%, construction 7.0% (1991)

Infant mortality rate

13.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Hungarian(s)
adjective:: Hungarian

Government

Republic

20 fields

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form:: Hungary
local long form:: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form:: Magyarorszag

38 counties (megyek, singular - megye) and 1 capital city* (fovaros);, Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, 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, Zala, Zalaegerszeg

Independence

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

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

Legal system

in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model

National holiday

October 23 (1956) (commemorates the Hungarian uprising)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Forum, Jozsef ANTALL, chairman, Dr. Lajos FUR, executive chairman;
Independent Smallholders (FKGP), Jozsef TORGYAN, president;
Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), Gyula HORN, chairman;
Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), Dr. Lazlo SURJAN, president;
Federation of Young Democrats (FIDESZ), Viktor ORBAN, chairman;
Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), Ivan PETO, chairman

note: the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party (MSZMP) renounced Communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSP) in October 1989; there is still a small (fringe) MSZMP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

President:: last held 3 August 1990 (next to be held NA 1995);
results - President GONCZ elected by parliamentary vote;
note - President GONCZ was elected by the National Assembly with a total of 295 votes out of 304 as interim President from 2 May 1990 until elected President
National Assembly:: last held on 25 March 1990 (first round, with the second round held 8 April 1990);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (386 total) Democratic Forum 162, Free Democrats 90, Independent Smallholders 45, Hungarian Socialist Party (MSP) 33, Young Democrats 22, Christian Democrats 21, independents or jointly sponsored candidates 13

Executive branch

president, prime minister

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Orszaggyules)

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim president from 2 May 1990)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Jozsef ANTALL (since 21 May 1990)

Member of

Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-9, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Pal TAR
chancery:: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington DC 20008
telephone:: (202) 362-6730
FAX:: (202) 966-8135
consulate general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Charles H. THOMAS
embassy:: V. Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest
mailing address:: Am Embassy, Unit 25402, APO AE 09213-5270
telephone:: [36] (1) 112-6450
FAX:: [36] (1) 132-8934

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy

Hungary is in the midst of a difficult transition from a command to a market | economy.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$5,380

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

-5%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -10% (1992)

Inflation, consumer prices

23%

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

12.3%

(1992)

Budget

Revenues

$13.2 billionExpenditures

$15.4 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures $NA (1993 est.)

Overview

Hungary is in the midst of a difficult transition from a command to a market economy. Agriculture is an important sector, providing sizable export earnings and meeting domestic food needs. Industry accounts for about 40% of GDP and 30% of employment. Hungary claims that less than 25% of foreign trade is now with former CEMA countries, while about 70% is with OECD members.

Hungary's economic reform programs during the Communist era gave it a head start in creating a market economy and attracting foreign investment. In 1991, Hungary received 60% of all foreign investment in Eastern Europe, and in 1992 received the largest single share. The growing private sector accounts for about one-third of national output according to unofficial estimates.

Privatization of state enterprises is progressing, although excessive red tape, bureaucratic oversight, and uncertainties about pricing have slowed the process. Escalating unemployment and high rates of inflation may impede efforts to speed up privatization and budget reform, while Hungary's heavy foreign debt will make the government reluctant to introduce full convertibility of the forint before 1994 and to rein in inflation. The government is projecting an end to the 5-year recession in 1993, and GDP is forecast to grow 0%-3%.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $55.4 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$10.9 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: raw materials, semi-finished goods, chemicals 35.5%, machinery 13.5%, light industry 23.3%, food and agricultural 24.8%, fuels and energy 2.8%
partners:: OECD 70.7%, (EC 50.1%, EFTA 15.0%), LDCs 5.1%, former CEMA members 23.2%, others 1.0% (1991)

Imports

$11.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: fuels and energy 14.9%, raw materials, semi-finished goods, chemicals 37.6%, machinery 19.7%, light industry 21.5%, food and agricultural 6.3%
partners:: OECD 71.0%, (EC 45.4%, EFTA 20.0%), LDCs 3.9%, former CEMA members 23.9%, others 1.2% (1991)

External debt

$23.5 billion (September 1992)

Electricity

7,200,000 kW capacity; 30,000 million kWh produced, 3,000 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), buses, automobiles

Agriculture

including forestry, accounts for 15% of GDP and 16% of employment;
highly diversified crop and livestock farming;
principal crops - wheat, corn, sunflowers, potatoes, sugar beets;
livestock - hogs, cattle, poultry, dairy products;
self-sufficient in food output

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southeast Asia heroin transiting the Balkan route

Economic aid

recipient - $9.1 billion in assistance from OECD countries (from 1st quarter 1990 to end of 2nd quarter 1991)

Currency

1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler

Exchange rates

forints per US$1 - 83.97 (December 1992), 78.99 (1992), 74.74 (1991), 63.21 (1990), 59.07 (1989), 50.41 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Networkskm

Railroads

7,765 (1990)Inland waterways

1,622 (1988)

Railroads: ; 7,508 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 222 km narrow gauge (mostly 0.760-meter), 35 km 1.520-meter broad gauge; 1,236 km double track, 2,249 km electrified; all government owned

Railroads

7,765 km total;
7,508 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 222 km narrow gauge (mostly 0.760-meter), 35 km 1.520-meter broad gauge;
1,236 km double track, 2,249 km electrified;
all government owned (1990)

Highways

130,218 km total;
29,919 km national highway system (27,212 km asphalt, 126 km concrete, 50 km stone and road brick, 2,131 km macadam, 400 km unpaved);
58,495 km country roads (66% unpaved), and 41,804 km other roads (70% unpaved) (1988)

Pipelines

crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991)

Ports

Budapest and Dunaujvaros are river ports on the Danube;
coastal outlets are Rostock (Germany), Gdansk (Poland), Gdynia (Poland), Szczecin (Poland), Galati (Romania), and Braila (Romania)