from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Hungary
Introduction
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
Location: Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic 47 00 N, 20 00 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 93,030 sq km
land: 92,340 sq km
water: 690 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Indiana
comparative:
Land total: 2,171 km
boundaries: border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km,
Romania 443 km, Serbia 151 km, Slovakia 677 km,
Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime none (landlocked)
claims:
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains
on the Slovakian border
Elevation lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
extremes: highest point: Kekes 1,014 m
Natural bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land
resources:
Land use: arable land: 49.58%
permanent crops: 2.06%
other: 48.36% (2005)
Irrigated 2,300 sq km (2003)
land:
Environment - the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste
current management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water
issues: pollution to meet EU requirements will require large
investments
Environment - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
international Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
agreements: 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-Sulfur 94
Geography - landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes
note: 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
Population: 9,981,334 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 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)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 38.7 years
male: 36.3 years
female: 41.4 years (2006 est.)
Population -0.25% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 9.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 13.11 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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 (2006 est.)
Infant total: 8.39 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 7.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 72.66 years
expectancy at male: 68.45 years
birth: female: 77.14 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.32 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 2,800 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 100 (2001 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian
Ethnic groups: Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001
census)
Religions: Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%,
Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or
unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)
Languages: Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001
census)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.5%
female: 99.3% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form: Magyarorszag
Government parliamentary democracy
type:
Capital: name: Budapest
geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in
March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative 19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 22 urban
divisions: 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, Salgotarjan,
Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szekszard, Szolnok,
Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
capital city: Budapest
Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
National Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August
holiday:
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; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)
branch: 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 (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
election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a
simple majority in the third round of voting, 185 to
182; Ferenc GYURCSANY elected prime minister; result 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 unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386
branch: seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
system of proportional and direct representation to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be
held April 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more
of the vote required for parliamentary representation
in the first round) - MSzP 43.2%, Fidesz-KDNP 42%,
SzDSz 6.5%, MDF 5%, other 3.3%; seats by party - MSzP
190, Fidesz 141, KDNP 23, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, independent
1
Judicial Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the
branch: National Assembly for nine-year terms)
Political Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE];
parties and Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt
leaders: SEMJEN]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor
ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF
[Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP
[Istvan HILLER, chairman]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN,
organization EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU (new
participation: member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer),
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI
representation chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador April H. FOLEY
representation embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest
from the US: mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270
Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC
20521-5270
telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400
FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764
Flag three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
description: green
Economy
Economy - Hungary has made the transition from a centrally
overview: 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
acceded to the EU 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
$60 billion since 1989. Hungarian sovereign debt was
upgraded in 2000 and together with the Czech Republic
holds the highest rating among the Central European
transition economies; however, ratings agencies have
expressed concerns over Hungary's unsustainable budget
and current account deficits. Inflation has declined
from 14% in 1998 to 3.7% in 2005. Unemployment has
persisted around the 6% level, but 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 3% of GDP by 2008, from about
6.5% in 2005, and orchestrating an orderly interest
rate reduction without sparking capital outflows.
GDP $163.1 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $106.4 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 4.1% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $16,300 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 3.7%
composition by industry: 31.2%
sector: services: 65.1% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 4.18 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 6.2%
by occupation: industry: 27.1%
services: 66.7% (2002)
Unemployment 7.2% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 8.6% (1993 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 4.1%
income or highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 24.4 (1999)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 3.6% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 23.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $51.4 billion
expenditures: $58.34 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 58.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets;
products: pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed
foods, textiles, chemicals (especially
pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial 7.3% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 32.21 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 60.1%
production by hydro: 0.5%
source: nuclear: 39%
other: 0.3% (2001)
Electricity - 36.96 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 7.1 billion kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 14.1 billion kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 43,920 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 134,100 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 47,180 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports: 136,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved 110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 2.94 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 14.58 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 4 million cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 34.26 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $-7.963 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $61.75 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures
commodities: 28.7%, food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and
electricity 1.6% (2003)
Exports - Germany 29.4%, Austria 5.9%, Italy 5.6%, France 5%, UK
partners: 4.7% (2005)
Imports: $64.83 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures
commodities: 35.7%, fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%,
raw materials 2.0% (2003)
Imports - Germany 27.2%, Russia 7.5%, China 7.2%, Austria 6.7%,
partners: Italy 4.9%, France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005)
Reserves of $18.59 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $66.22 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $4.2 billion in available EU structural adjustment and
recipient: cohesion funds (2004-06)
Currency forint (HUF)
(code):
Currency code: HUF
Exchange forints per US dollar - 199.58 (2005), 202.75 (2004),
rates: 224.31 (2003), 257.89 (2002), 286.49 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 3.356 million (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 9.32 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: the telephone system has been
system: 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 AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 7.01 million (1997)
Television 35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 4.42 million (1997)
Internet .hu
country code:
Internet 608,085 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 16 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 3.05 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 46 (2006)
Airports - total: 20
with paved over 3,047 m: 2
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 26
with unpaved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 10 (2006)
Heliports: 5 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km
(2006)
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 (2005)
Roadways: total: 159,568 km
paved: 70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads
including 626 km of expressways)
unpaved: 89,518 km (2005)
Waterways: 1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2006)
Ports and Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs
terminals: (2003)
Military
Military Ground Forces, Air Forces
branches:
Military 18 years of age for voluntary military service;
service age conscription abolished in June 2004 (2004)
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 2,303,116
available for females age 18-49: 2,265,463 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 1,780,513
for military females age 18-49: 1,864,580 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 63,847
reaching females age 18-49: 61,037 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $1.08 billion (2002 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1.75% (2002 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - in 2004, Hungary amended the status law extending
international: special social and cultural benefits - and voted down a
referendum to extend dual citizenship - to ethnic
Hungarians living in neighboring states, which have
objected to such measures; consultations continue
between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion
of its portion the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric
dam project along the Danube; as a member state that
forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary must
implement the strict Schengen border rules
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