Hungary

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

parliamentary democracyIndependence 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

Hungary as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 117 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 land: 92,340 sq km water: 690 sq km
LocationCentral Europe, northwest of Romania
2001

Every edition of Hungary

Populationas each edition published it
10.11 million July 2001 est. · 10.57m in 1990
Population growth% a year
-0.32% 2001 est. · -0.07% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 38.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
71.63 years 2001 est. · 70.86 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.25 children per woman 2001 est. · 1.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
8.96 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 15 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$11,200 2000 est. · $5,380 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5.5% 2000 est. · -5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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. In the more open GORBACHEV years, Hungary led the movement to dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily shifted toward multiparty democracy and a market-oriented economy. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Hungary developed close political and economic ties to Western Europe. It joined NATO in 1999 and is a frontrunner in a future expansion of the EU.

Geography

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

17 fields
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Irrigated land
2,060sq km
(1993 est.)

Location

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 20 00 E

Area

total: 93,030 sq km land: 92,340 sq km water: 690 sq km

Land boundaries

total: 2,009 km border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Yugoslavia 151 km, Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

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: 51% permanent crops: 3.6% permanent pastures: 12.4% forests and woodland: 19% other: 14% (1999)

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

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, Desertification, 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

18 fields
Population
10,106,017
(July 2001 est.)growth rate: -0.32% (2001 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2001 est.)

Birth
9.32Death
13.21Net migration
0.74

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%

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.63% (male 862,468; female 818,052) 15-64 years: 68.66% (male 3,406,717; female 3,532,008) 65 years and over: 14.71% (male 546,992; female 939,780) (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

8.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.63 years male: 67.28 years female: 76.3 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian

Languages

Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1980 est.)

Government

Parliamentary democracy

20 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%

National Assembly or Orszaggyules, 386 seatsseats 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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • Ferenc MADL (since NA August 2000) 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 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 results: Ferenc MADL elected president;
  • percent of legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round of voting);
  • Viktor ORBAN elected prime minister;
  • percent of legislative vote - NA% 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 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 - seating as of 2000 by party - MSZP 136, FIDESZ 141, FKGP 48, SZDSZ 24, MDF 16, MIEP 12, independents 9

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 DEMSZKY];
  • Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Gyorgy GICZY, president];
  • Federation of Young Democrats-Hungarian Civic Party or FYD-HCP [Laszlo KOVER];
  • note - used to be Hungarian Civic Party or FIDESZ;
  • Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID];
  • Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman];
  • Hungarian Justice and Life Party or MIEP [Istvan CSURKA, chairman];
  • Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP [Laszlo KOVACS, chairman];
  • Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman];
  • Independent Smallholders or FKGP [Jozsef TORGYAN, president]

International organization participation

ABEDA, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate), 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 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 Peter F. TUFO 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, 475-4703 (after hours)

FAX

[36] (1) 475-4764

Flag description

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

Economy

Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and to work toward accession to the European Union.

32 fields
Real growth rate
5.5%
(2000 est.)industrial production growth: 18% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
9.4%
(2000 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

37%
Germany
25%
9%
Austria
7%
Russia
8%
6%
Italy
7%
5%
Netherlands
Exports $25.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)Imports $27.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)(2000)

Electricity

Electricity production
36.75 billion (1999)Electricity consumption
35.234 billion (1999)Electricity exports
2.35 billion (1999)Electricity imports
3.406 billion (1999)

Economy - overview

Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and to work toward accession to the European Union. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms is widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling $23 billion by 2000.

Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all the Central European transition economies. Inflation - a top economic concern in 2000 - is still high at almost 10%, pushed upward by higher world oil and gas and domestic food prices. Economic reform measures such as health care reform, tax reform, and local government financing have not yet been addressed by the ORBAN government.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $113.9 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $11,200 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5% industry: 35% services: 60% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 24.8% (1996)

Labor force

4.2 million (1997)

Labor force - by occupation

services 65%, industry 27%, agriculture 8% (1996)

Budget

revenues: $13 billion expenditures: $14.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 61.09% hydro: 0.51% nuclear: 38.4% other: 0% (1999)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

$25.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment 59.5%, other manufactures 29.4%, food products 6.9%, raw materials 2.4%, fuels and electricity 1.8% (2000)

Imports

$27.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment 51.1%, other manufactures 35.9%, fuels and electricity 8.1%, food products 2.8%, raw materials 2.1% (2000)

Debt - external

$29.6 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$122.7 million (1995)

Currency

forint (HUF)

Exchange rates

forints per US dollar - 282.240 (January 2001), 282.179 (2000), 237.146 (1999), 214.402 (1998), 186.789 (1997), 152.647 (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields
Mobile cellular
1.269 million
(July 1999)
Fixed lines
3.095 million
(1997) · country code .hu

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: 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 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

4.42 million (1997)

Internet users

650,000 (2000)

Transportation

10 fields

Railways

total: 7,606 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,394 km 1.435-m gauge (2,270 km electrified; 1,236 km double track) narrow gauge: 176 km 0.760-m gauge (1998) note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage the cross-border standard-gauge railway connecting Gyor, Sopron, and Ebenfurt (Gysev railroad) a distance of about 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in Austria

Highways

total: 188,203 km paved: 81,680 km (including 448 km of expressways) unpaved: 106,523 km (1998 est.)

Waterways

1,373 km (permanently navigable) (1997)

Pipelines

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

Ports and harbors

Budapest, Dunaujvaros

Merchant marine

total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,199 GRT/1,050 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Airports

43 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 8 (2000 est.)

Heliports

5 (2000 est.)

Military

Ground Forces, Air Force; note - there is a paramilitary Border Guard which is under the Ministry of Interior

7 fields

Military branches

Ground Forces, Air Force; note - there is a paramilitary Border Guard which is under the Ministry of Interior

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,573,119 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,050,404 (2001 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

Gabcikovo/Nagymaros Dam dispute with Slovakia is before the ICJ

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 amphetamine and methamphetamine

Central Intelligence Agency. “Hungary.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/hungary/2001.

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