Hungary

Republic of HungaryMagyar Koztarsasag

republicIndependence 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

Hungary as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 106 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

Position47 00 N, 20 00 E

Area93,030 sq km

LocationCentral Europe, northwest of Romania

Populationas each edition published it

10.19 million July 1999 est. · 10.57m in 1990

Population growth% a year

-0.2% 1999 est. · -0.07% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 38.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

71.18 years 1999 est. · 70.86 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.45 children per woman 1999 est. · 1.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

9.46 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 15 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$7,400 1998 est. · $5,380 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1998 est. · -5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

After World War II Hungary became part of Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe, and its government and economy were refashioned on the communist model. Increased nationalist opposition, which culminated in the government's announcement of withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact in 1956, led to massive military intervention by Moscow and the swift crushing of the revolt. In the more open GORBACHEV years, Hungary led the movement to dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily moved toward multiparty democracy and a market-oriented economy.

Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Hungary has developed close political and economic relations with western Europe and is now being considered a possible future member of the European Union.

Geography

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

17 fields

Land useshare of 93,030 sq km

arable land 51%permanent crops 2%permanent pastures 13%forests and woodland 19%other 15% (1993 est.)irrigated 2,060 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

93,030sq km

land: 92,340 sq kmwater: 690 sq kmslightly smaller than Indiana

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

1,014m

Kekeslowest point: Tisza River 78 m

Land boundaries

2,009km

border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

Location

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references

Europe

Climate

temperate;
cold, cloudy, humid winters;
warm summers

Terrain

mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border

Natural resources

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils

Environment--current issues

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, estimated by the Government of Hungary at $4 billion over six years;
the 1997 budget allocated $9.7 million for this purpose;
the 1998 budget allocated $11.3 million;
the Central Environmental Fund, which collects monies from product charges, environmental fines, and mining taxes, provided approximately $76.2 million in 1997 and is expected to provide $109.5 million in 1998

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography--note

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

People

15 fields

Population

10,186,372

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: -0.2% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

10.8Death

13.29Net migration

0.5

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)71.18

66.85 · 75.74

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1980 est.)99%

99% · 98%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 17% (male 908,434; female 865,621)
15-64 years:: 68% (male 3,406,512; female 3,524,260)
65 years and over:: 15% (male 552,337; female 929,208) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.92 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

9.46 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.45 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Hungarian(s)
adjective:: Hungarian

Languages

Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Government

Republic; President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 6 July 1998)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

32.0%

-MSZP 32.0%FIDESZ 28.2%FKGP 13.8%SZDSZ 7.9%MIEP 5.5%MMP 4.1%MDF 2.8%KDNP 2.3%MDNP 1.5%last held on 10 and 24 May 1998 (next to be held May/June 2002)

Legislature, 386 seats, elected 10 and 24 May 1998seats by party

-MSZP 134FIDESZ 148FKGP 48SZDSZ 24MDF 17MIEP 14independent 1

Country name

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

Data code

Government type

republic

Capital

Budapest

Administrative divisions

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*

Independence

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday

St. Stephen's Day, 20 August (commemorates the coronation of King Stephen in 1000 AD)

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim president since 2 May 1990)
head of government:: Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 6 July 1998)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president
elections:: president elected by the National Assembly for a four-year term;
election last held 19 June 1995 (next to be held NA 1999);
prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president
election results:: Arpad GONCZ reelected president;
a total of 335 votes were cast by the National Assembly, Arpad GONCZ received 259;
Viktor ORBAN elected prime minister;
percent of legislative vote--NA

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 on 10 and 24 May 1998 (next to be held May/June 2002)
election results:: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round)--MSZP 32.0%, FIDESZ 28.2%, FKGP 13.8%, SZDSZ 7.9%, MIEP 5.5%, MMP 4.1%, MDF 2.8%, KDNP 2.3%, MDNP 1.5%;
seats by party--MSZP 134, FIDESZ 148, FKGP 48, SZDSZ 24, MDF 17, MIEP 14, independent 1;
note--the MDF won 17 single-member district seats

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the National Assembly for a nine-year term

Political parties and leaders

Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF GICZY, president]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP

note: the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party or MSZMP renounced communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP in October 1989;

the MDNP was formed in March 1996 by breakaway members of the Hungarian Democratic Forum

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Geza JESZENSZKY
chancery:: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general:: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Peter F. TUFO
embassy:: V. 1054 Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest
mailing address:: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270

Flag description

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

Economy

Hungary has consolidated its March 1995 | stabilization program and undergone enough restructuring to become | an established market economy.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$7,400

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 11.1% (1997 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

14%

(1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

10.8%

(1997)

GDP--composition by sector(1996)

agriculture 3%industry 30.3%services 66.7% (1996)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

37.3%

Germany

26.7%

11.4%

Austria

10.5%

6.1%

Italy

9.5%

5.0%

Russia

7.4%

Exports $20.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)Imports $22.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)(1997)

Budget

Revenues

$11.2 billionExpenditures

$13.2 billion (1998 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 58.76%hydro 0.62%nuclear 40.62%other 0%

Electricity production

33.162 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

35.362 billion (1996)Electricity exports

2.2 billion (1996)Electricity imports

4.4 billion (1996)

Economy--overview

Hungary has consolidated its March 1995 stabilization program and undergone enough restructuring to become an established market economy. The country appears to have entered a period of sustainable growth, gradually falling inflation, and stable external balances. The government's main economic priorities are to complete structural reforms, particularly the implementation of the 1997 pension reform act (the first in the region), taxation reform, and planning for comprehensive health care, local government finance reform, and the reform of education at all levels.

Foreign investment has totaled more than $17 billion through 1998. In recognition of Hungary's improved macroeconomic situation, all major credit-rating agencies listed the country's foreign currency debt issuances as investment grade in 1996. The current IMF stand-by arrangement expired in February 1998, and Budapest and the IMF agree that there is no need to renew it.

The OECD welcomed Hungary as a member in May 1996, and in December 1997 the EU invited Hungary to begin the accession process. Forecasters expect 4%-5% growth in 1999.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$75.4 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

25.3% (1993 est.)

Labor force

4.2 million (1997)

Labor force--by occupation

services 65%, industry 26.7%, agriculture 8.3 (1996)

Industries

mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Agriculture--products

wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products

Exports

$20.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities

machinery and equipment 51.9%, other manufactures 32.7%, agriculture and food products 10.5%, raw materials 2.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9% (1998)

Imports

$22.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities

machinery and equipment 46.5%, other manufactures 40.2%, fuels and electricity 6.6%, agricultural and food products 3.7%, raw materials 3.0% (1998)

Debt--external

$22.1 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient

$122.7 million (1995)

Currency

1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler

Exchange rates

forints per US$1--215.960 (January 1999), 214.402 (1998), 186.789 (1997), 152.647 (1996), 125.681 (1995),105.160 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

2.16 million

(267,000 cellular telephone subscribers) (1996)

Telephone system

14,213 telex lines;
automatic telephone network based on microwave radio relay system;
the average waiting time for telephones is expected to drop to one year by the end of 1997 (down from over 10 years in the early 1990s);
note--the former state-owned telecommunications firm MATAV--now privatized and managed by a US/German consortium--has ambitious plans to upgrade the inadequate system, including a contract with the German firm Siemens and the Swedish firm Ericsson to provide 600,000 new telephone lines

domestic:: microwave radio relay
international:: satellite earth stations--1 Intelsat and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 32, FM 15, shortwave 0

Radios

6 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

39 (in addition, there are low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions

4.38 million (1993 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Networkskm

Highways

188,203Railways

7,606Waterways

1,622 (1988)

Highways: paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways) · unpaved: 106,523 km (1997 est.) · Railways: broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge · standard gauge: 7,394 km 1.435-m gauge (2,207 km electrified; 1,236 km double track) · narrow gauge: 176 km 0.760-m gauge (1996) note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage the cross-border standard-gauge railway between Gyor, Sopron, Ebenfurt (Gyor-Sopron-Ebenfurti Vasut Rt) a distance of about 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in Austria

Railways

total:: 7,606 km
broad gauge:: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge:: 7,394 km 1.435-m gauge (2,207 km electrified; 1,236 km double track)
narrow gauge:: 176 km 0.760-m gauge (1996)

note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage the cross-border standard-gauge railway between Gyor, Sopron, Ebenfurt (Gyor-Sopron-Ebenfurti Vasut Rt) a distance of about 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in Austria

Highways

total:: 188,203 km
paved:: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways)
unpaved:: 106,523 km (1997 est.)

Military

Ground Forces, Air Force, Border Guard

7 fields

Military expenditures--percent of GDP

1.4%

(1997)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes--international

ongoing Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia is before the International Court of Justice

Illicit drugs

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and transit point for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe;
limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamines and methamphetamines

Central Intelligence Agency. “Hungary.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/hungary/1999.

How to cite ← 1998 edition 2000 edition →