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 an 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.

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N 20 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 93,030 km²
Land: 92,340 km²
Water: 690 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries
Total: 2,171 km
Border countries: (7) 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 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
Extremes highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources: bauxite coal natural gas fertile soils arable land

Land use
Arable land: 49.58%
Permanent crops: 2.06%
Other: 48.36% (2005)

Irrigated land: 2,300 km² (2003)

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

Population: 9,956,108 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: -0.253% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: 8.6% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Hungarian
Adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups: Hungarian 92.3% Roma 1.9% other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)

Languages: Hungarian 93.6% other or unspecified 6.4% (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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.3% (male 785,643/female 741,907)
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,399,926/female 3,498,403)
65 years and over: 15.4% (male 554,356/female 975,873) (2007 est.)

Median age
Total: 38.9 years
Male: 36.5 years
Female: 41.5 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.253% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 9.66 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 13.05 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.86 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Environment
Current issues: the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management energy efficiency and air soil and water pollution to meet EU requirements will require large investments
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, 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, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.059 male/female
15-64 years: 0.972 male/female
65 years and over: 0.568 male/female
Total population: 0.909 male/female (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.21 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 8.91 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.46 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.92 years
Male: 68.73 years
Female: 77.38 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 2,800 (2001 est.)
Deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.4%
Male: 99.5%
Female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

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
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 divisions
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, Erd, 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 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: based German-Austrian legal system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)
Head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29 September 2004)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; other ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed and relieved of their duties by 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 branch
Elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be held in 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 branch: Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Janos KOKA]; Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN chairman]; Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Ferenc GYURCSANY]

International organization participation: ACCT (observer) Australia Group BIS CE CEI CERN EAPC EBRD EIB ESA (cooperating state) EU FAO G- 9 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MINURSO NAM (guest) NATO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OIF (observer) OPCW OSCE PCA SECI UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNFICYP UNHCR UNIDO UNOMIG UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WEU (associate) WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ferenc SOMOGYI
In the us chancery: 3,910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 362-6,730
In the us fax: [1] (202) 966-8,135
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador April H. FOLEY
From the us embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest
From the us mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5,270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20,521-5,270
From the us telephone: [36] (1) 475-4,400
From the us fax: [36] (1) 475-4,764

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top) white and green

Economy overview: Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of the EU-25 average. 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. Hungary issues investment-grade sovereign debt. International observers however have expressed concerns over Hungary's fiscal and current account deficits. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 3.7% in 2006. Unemployment has persisted above 6%. 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 2006 and tackling a persistent trade deficit. The current government has announced and begun to implement an austerity program designed to address these issues leading to eventual adoption of the euro.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $175 billion (2006 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 3.9% (2006 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $17,500 (2006 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.4%
Industry: 31.5%
Services: 65.1% (2006 est.)

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: 9.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 4.21 million (2006 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 5.5%
By occupation industry: 33.3%
By occupation services: 61.2% (2003)

Unemployment rate: 7.4% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: 8.6% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 4%
Highest 10: 22.2% (2002)

Distribution of family income gini index: 26.9 (2002)

Budget
Revenues: $50.51 billion
Expenditures: $60.71 billion (2006 est.)

Public debt: 64.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.1% (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $41.93 billion (2006)

Current account balance: $-6.211 billion (2006 est.)

Exports: $73.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment 61.1% other manufactures 28.7% food products 6.5% raw materials 2% fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)
Partners: Germany 29.5% Italy 5.6% France 5% Austria 5% UK 4.5% Romania 4.2% Poland 4.1% (2006)

Imports: $74.02 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment 51.6% other manufactures 35.7% fuels and electricity 7.7% food products 3.1% raw materials 2.0% (2003)
Partners: Germany 27.1% Russia 8.2% China 6.9% Austria 6.2% France 4.7% Italy 4.6% Netherlands 4.3% Poland 4.3% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $21.59 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external: $82.02 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $96.61 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $36.24 billion (2006 est.)

Exchange rates: forints per US dollar - 210.39 (2006) 199.58 (2005) 202.75 (2004) 224.31 (2003) 257.89 (2002)

Electricity
Production: 33.69 billion kWh (2005)
Consumption: 35.98 billion kWh (2005)
Exports: 9.41 billion kWh (2005)
Imports: 15.64 billion kWh (2005)

Natural gas
Production: 2.904 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: 14.37 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Imports: 11.51 billion m³ (2005)
Proven reserves: 32.86 billion m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 3.35 million (2006)
Mobile cellular: 9.965 million (2006)

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; competition among mobile-cellular service providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile cellular phones since 2000 and a decrease in the number of fixed-line connections
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

Internet
Country code: .hu
Hosts: 2.313 million (2007)
Users: 3.5 million (2006)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 1.75% (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004; 6-month service obligation with reserve obligation to age 50 (2006)

Airports: 46 (2007)
With paved runways total: 20
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 26
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 11
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 10 (2007)

Heliports: 5 (2007)

Pipelines: gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2006)

Railways
Total: 8,057 km
Broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
Standard gauge: 7,802 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)

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: 1622 km (most on Danube River) (2007)

Ports and terminals: Budapest Dunaujvaros Gyor-Gonyu Csepel Baja Mohacs (2003)

Disputes international: bilateral government legal technical and economic working group negotiations continue in 2006 with Slovakia over Hungary's failure to complete its portion of 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; efforts to counter money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking are improving but remain vulnerable; significant consumer of ecstasy