|
Home
Missions
Ministries
Bible
Institute & School
Contact
Us
Careers,
Opportunities in Ministry
|
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. |
|
Location:
|
Central Europe,
northwest of Romania |
|
Map references:
|
Europe |
|
Area:
|
total:
93,030 sq km
water: 690 sq km
land: 92,340 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly smaller
than Indiana |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
2,171 km
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 |
|
Coastline:
|
0 km (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
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
bauxite, coal,
natural gas, fertile soils, arable land |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
52.2%
other: 45.34% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 2.46% |
|
Irrigated land:
|
2,100 sq km (1998
est.) |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
the upgrading 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-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-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 |
|
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:
|
10,032,375 (July
2004 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
16% (male 826,032; female 782,687)
15-64 years: 69% (male 3,407,931; female 3,517,450)
65 years and over: 15% (male 545,488; female 952,787)
(2004 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
38.4 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 41.1 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
-0.25% (2004
est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
9.77 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
13.16
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0.86 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
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 (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
8.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.34 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 72.25 years
male: 68.07 years
female: 76.69 years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.1% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
2,800 (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
less than 100
(2001 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian |
|
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% |
|
Languages:
|
Hungarian 98.2%,
other 1.8% |
|
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 short form: Magyarorszag
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag |
|
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:
|
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:
|
rule of law based
on Western model |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of
state: Ferenc MADL (since 4 August 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Peter MEDGYESSY
(since 27 May 2002)
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
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
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% |
|
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) |
|
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 KUNCZE]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or
Fidesz-MPP [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic
Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Democratic People's
Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman]; Hungarian
Socialist Party or MSzP [Laszlo KOVACS, chairman]; Hungarian
Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
NA |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI
chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC
20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER
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
FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764 |
|
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. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power
parity - $139.7 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
2.8% (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $13,900 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
4.3%
industry: 28.4%
services: 67.3% (2001 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
8.6% (1993 est.) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
4.7% (2003 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
4.2 million
(1997) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
services 65%,
industry 27%, agriculture 8% (1996) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
6.1% (2003 est.) |
|
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 |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
2.5% (2003 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
34.39 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
60.1%
hydro: 0.5%
other: 0.3% (2001)
nuclear: 39% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
35.15 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
7.261 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
10.43 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
41,190 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
140,700 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
47,180 bbl/day
(2001) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
136,600 bbl/day
(2001) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
110.7 million bbl
(1 January 2002) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
3.231 billion cu
m (2001 est.) |
|
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 - proved reserves:
|
50.45 billion cu
m (1 January 2002) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
wheat, corn,
sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry,
dairy products |
|
Exports:
|
$42.03 billion
f.o.b. (2003 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 35.5%,
Austria 7.1%, Italy 5.8%, France 5.7%, UK 4.7%, Sweden 4.3%,
Netherlands 4.2% (2002) |
|
Imports:
|
$46.19 billion
f.o.b. (2003 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 24.2%,
Italy 7.5%, Austria 6.9%, Russia 6.1%, China 5.6%, France
4.8%, Japan 4.2% (2002) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$41.3 billion
(2003 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
ODA $250 million
(2000) |
|
Currency:
|
forint (HUF) |
|
Currency code:
|
HUF |
|
Exchange rates:
|
forints per US
dollar - 224.31 (2003), 257.89 (2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.18
(2000), 237.15 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
3,666,400 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
6,862,800 (2002) |
|
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: 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 broadcast stations:
|
AM 17, FM 57,
shortwave 3 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
35 (plus 161
low-power repeaters) (1995) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.hu |
|
Internet hosts:
|
194,503 (2002) |
|
Internet users:
|
1.6 million
(2002) |
|
Railways:
|
total:
7,875 km
broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,620 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km
electrified)
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)
narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge |
|
Highways:
|
total:
188,203 km
paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways)
unpaved: 106,523 km (1999) |
|
Waterways:
|
1,373 km
(permanently navigable) (1997) |
|
Pipelines:
|
gas 4,397 km; oil
990 km; refined products 335 km (2003) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Budapest,
Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 2
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,568 GRT/10,025 DWT
by type: cargo 2
registered in other countries: 8 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports:
|
43 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 27
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
under 914 m: 9 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 11 |
|
Heliports:
|
5 (2003 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Ground Forces,
Air Forces |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age
15-49: 2,519,052 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age
15-49: 2,011,750 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males:
64,426 (2004 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$1.08 billion
(2002 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.75% (2002 est.) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
Hungary amended
the status law extending special social and cultural benefits
to ethnic Hungarians in neighboring states, who had objected
to the law; Slovakia and Hungary have renewed discussions on
ways to resolve differences over the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros
hydroelectric dam on the Danube, with possible resort again to
the ICJ for final resolution |
|
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 11 May, 2004
|