1988 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1988 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Boundary disputes
none; Transylvania question with Romania
Climate
temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Indiana
Environment
levies are common along many streams, but flooding occurs almost every year
Ethnic divisions
96.6% Hungarian, 1.6% German, 1.1% Slovak, 0.3% Southern Slav, 0.2% Romanian
Infant mortality rate
19/1,000 (1983)
Labor force
4,913,000 (1985); 31.3% industry; 21.1% agriculture; 7.2% construction; 40.4% services, trade, government, other
Land boundaries
2,242 km total
Land use
54% arable land; 3% permanent crops; 14% meadows and pastures; 18% forest and woodland; 11% other; includes 2% irrigated
Language
98.2% Hungarian, 1.8% other
Life expectancy
men 65.6, women 73.7 (1984)
Literacy
98.9%
Nationality
noun — Hungarian(s); adjective— Hungarian
Population
10,609,447 (July 1987), average annual growth rate —0.19%
Religion
67.5% Roman Catholic, 20.0% Calvinist, 5.0% Lutheran, 7.5% atheist and other
Special notes
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between USSR and Mediterranean basin
Terrain
mostly flat to rolling plains
Total area
93,030 km2; land area: 92,340 km2
Total area
125km Sccrcffonil map V
Government
Administrative divisions
19 megyes (counties), 5 autonomous cities in county status
Branches
executive — Presidential Council (elected by parliament); unicameral legislature— National Assembly (elected by direct suffrage); judicial — Supreme Court (elected by parliament)
Capital
Budapest
Communists
about 870,992 party members (January 1985)
Elections
every five years (last election June 1985); national and local elections are held separately Political parties and leaders: Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party (MSZMP), sole party; Janos Kadar, General Secretary (since November 1956; his title was changed from First Secretary to General Secretary in March 1985)
Government leaders
Pal LOSONCZI, President, Presidential Council (since April 1967); Gyorgy LAZAR, Premier, Council of Ministers (since May 1975)
Legal system
based on Communist legal theory, with both civil law system (civil code of 1960) and common law elements; constitution adopted 1949 amended 1972; Supreme Court renders decisions of principle that sometimes have the effect of declaring legislative acts unconstitutional; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Member of
CEMA, Danube Commission, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ILO, International Lead and Zinc Study Group, IMF, IMO, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, Warsaw Pact, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
National holiday
Liberation Day, 4 April
Official name
Hungarian People's Repub-
Suffrage
universal over age 18
Type
Communist state
Voting strength
(1985 election) 7,700,000 (94%) turnout for multiple-candidate election, with only some leading figures running without opposition
Economy
Agriculture
normally self-sufficient; corn, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, barley
Crude steel
3.6 million metric tons produced (1985), 339 kg per capita
Electric power
6,851,000 kW capacity; 27,250 million kWh produced, 2,570 kWh per capita (1986)
Exports
$13.5 billion (f.o.b., 1985); 34.8% fuels, raw materials, and semifinished products; 28.8% machinery and equipment; 21.3% agricultural and forestry products; 15.1% manufactured consumer goods
Fiscal year
calendar year
GNP
$80.1 billion in 1985 (at 1985 US dollars), $7,520 per capita; 1985 growth rate, - 0.8%
Imports
$13.0 billion (c.i.f., 1985); 66.7% fuels, raw materials, and semifinished products; 15.8% machinery and equipment; 10.4% manufactured consumer goods; 7.1% agricultural and forestry products
Major industries
mining, metallurgy, engineering industries, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals)
Major trade partners
31.8% USSR, 9.6% FRG (1985)
Monetary conversion rate
46.50 forints=US$l (October 1986)
Natural resources
bauxite, brown coal, natural gas
Shortages
metallic ores (except bauxite), copper, high grade coal, forest products, crude oil