2003 Edition

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*

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.1% (male 832,033; female 787,336) 15-64 years: 69% (male 3,406,046; female 3,523,118) 65 years and over: 14.9% (male 544,099; female 952,775) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

49 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1

total

17

under 914 m

1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

under 914 m

8 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 16

Area

land

92,340 sq km

total

93,030 sq km

water

690 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Indiana

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 is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other states on 1 May 2004. In an April 2003 referendum, 84 percent voted in favor of joining the EU. Geography Hungary

Birth rate

9.32 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$13 billion

Capital

Budapest

Climate

temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Hungary

conventional short form

Hungary

local long form

Magyar Koztarsasag

local short form

Magyarorszag

Currency

forint (HUF)

Currency code

HUF

Death rate

13 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$31.5 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Nancy Goodman BRINKER

embassy

1054 Szabadsag ter 12, Budapest

mailing address

pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270

telephone

[36] (1) 475-4400

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Andras SIMONYI

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles and New York

Disputes - international

Hungary has yet to amend status law extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in neighboring states, who protest the law

Distribution of family income - Gini index

24.4 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA $250 million (2000)

Economy - overview

Hungary has made the transition from a centrally 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 to work toward accession to the European Union 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 $23 billion since 1989. Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all the Central European transition economies. Inflation has declined substantially, from 14% in 1998 to 4.7% in 2003; unemployment has persisted around the 6% level. Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Short-term issues include the reduction of the public sector deficit to 3% in 2004 and avoiding unjustified increases in wages.

Electricity - consumption

35.15 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

7.261 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

10.43 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

34.39 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

60.1%

hydro

0.5%

nuclear

39%

other

0.3% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Kekes 1,014 m

lowest point

Tisza River 78 m

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

Ethnic groups

Hungarian 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7%

Exchange rates

forints per US dollar - 257.89 (2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.18 (2000), 237.15 (1999), 214.4 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president

chief of state

Ferenc MADL (since 4 August 2000)

election results

Ferenc MADL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round of voting); Peter MEDGYESSY elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Peter MEDGYESSY (since 27 May 2002)

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

Exports

$31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment 57.6%, other manufactures 31.0%, food products 7.5%, raw materials 1.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9% (2001)

Exports - partners

Germany 34.3%, Austria 8.5%, Italy 5.5%, France 5.4%, US 4.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 966-8135

[36] (1) 475-4764

telephone

[1] (202) 362-6730

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Hungary

Flag description

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $134 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4.1%

industry

33.8%

services

62.1% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $13,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 20 00 E

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 People Hungary

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Heliports

5 (2002) Military Hungary

Highways

paved

81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways)

total

188,203 km

unpaved

106,523 km (1999)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,800 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

20.5% (1998)

lowest 10%

4.1%

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 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$33.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.3%, fuels and electricity 8.2%, food products 2.9%, raw materials 2.0% (2001)

Imports - partners

Germany 25.3%, Austria 7.7%, Italy 7.5%, Russia 6%, China 5%, France 5% (2002)

Independence

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

Industrial production growth rate

3.1% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

9.73 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.3% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ABEDA, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, 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, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.hu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

16 (2000)

Internet users

1.2 million (2001) Transportation Hungary

Irrigated land

2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly for nine-year terms)

Labor force

4.2 million (1997)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Land boundaries

border countries

Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

total

2,171 km

Land use

arable land

52.2%

other

45.34% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

2.46%

Languages

Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Legal system

rule of law based on Western model

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)

election results

percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20

elections

last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2006)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.81 years (2003 est.)

male

67.84 years

total population

72.17 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.3% (2003 est.) Government Hungary

male

99.5%

total population

99.4%

Location

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

41.1 years (2002)

male

35.7 years

total

38.4 years

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 1

total

1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 3,784 GRT/5,500 DWT

Military branches

Ground Forces, Air Forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.75% (2002 est.) Transnational Issues Hungary

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

2,541,426 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

2,026,912 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

64,305 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Nationality

adjective

Hungarian

noun

Hungarian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

50.45 billion cu m (37257)

Natural resources

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Net migration rate

0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

110.7 million bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Laszlo VARGA, chairman]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz-MPP [Jozsef SZASER, chairman]; 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

10,045,407 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

8.6% (1993 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.29% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Budapest, Dunaujvaros

Radio broadcast stations

AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios

7.01 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

36 km 1.524-m gauge

narrow gauge

219 km 0.760-m gauge

note

Hungary and Austria jointly manage a cross-border, standard-gauge railway connecting Gyor, Sopron, and Ebenfurt (Gysev railroad) with a route length of 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in Austria; 156 km of this line is electrified (2002)

standard gauge

7,620 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)

total

7,875 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other 7.5%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

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

general assessment

the telephone system has been modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service

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

Telephones - main lines in use

3.095 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.269 million (July 1999)

Television broadcast stations

35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

4.42 million (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.8% (2002 est.)

Waterways

1,373 km (permanently navigable) (1997)