Country Information on Hungary 

Terrain

There are three basic physical units: The low-lying regions of the Great Plain in the east, centre and south-east, and the Little Plain in the north-west; the northern mountain ranges, which include Hungary's highest peak (the 1015-metre-high Kékesteto); and the hilly regions of Transdanubia in the west and south-west. The biggest rivers are the Danube and the Tisza, which divide the country into thirds, and the Dráva, which forms the south-western border with Croatia. The country has over 1000 lakes - the largest, Balaton, is strewn with thermal springs.

Climate

Hungary's climate is temperate, and the country can be divided into three climatic zones: Mediterranean in the south, continental in the east, and Atlantic in the west. In Southern Transdanubia, summers are long and winters mild and wet. The Great Plain has the most extreme seasonal differences with cold, windy winters and hot, usually dry summers. Summers can be very hot in Budapest and Western Transdanubia, with winters relatively short and cold. January is the coldest month (-2°C) and July the hottest (28°C).

Fauna/Flora

Almost 70% of Hungary is under cultivation and only 14% remains forested. Most of the forests are dominated by beech and oak, and there is a small percentage of fir. Common animals include deer, wild hare, boar and otter, rare species comprise wild cat, lake bat and the Pannonian lizard. However, the majority of the country's vertebrates are birds, especially waterfowl attracted by the numerous rivers, lakes and wetlands. There are five national parks and almost 1000 protected areas.

History/Politics

In the 9th century, Magyar tribes moved to the area of present-day Hungary and the Árpad Dynasty was established. In the year 1000, the Magyar prince Stephen was crowned King Stephen I, with a crown sent from Rome by the pope, and Hungary, kingdom and nation, was officially born. In 1526, the Ottoman Turks crushed Hungary's army at the Battle of Mohács. The defeat marked the end of a relatively prosperous and independent Hungary, and sent the nation into a tailspin of partition and foreign domination. After the end of Turkish occupation in 1699, the country became a province of the Austrian Habsburg Empire. Hungary blossomed economically and culturally under the Habsburgs, but so did thoughts of nationalism.

In 1849, under the rebel leadership of Lajos Kossuth, Hungary declared full independence and the dethronement of the Habsburgs. The Habsburgs replied by quickly crushing the revolution, Hungary was again merged into the empire as a conquered province, and absolutism was reinstated. However, passive resistance among Hungarians and a couple of disastrous military defeats for the Habsburgs prompted negotiations between the two sides. The outcome was the Compromise of 1867, which created the Dual Monarchy of Austria (the empire) and Hungary (the kingdom). This "Age of Dualism" set off an economic, cultural and intellectual rebirth in Hungary. The Dual Monarchy entered World War I as an ally of Germany. Immediately after the war, Austria and Hungary both became republics. Hungarian Communists then seized power, but were overthrown five months later by Romanian troops.

In 1920, the Allies drew up a post-war settlement under the Treaty of Trianon, which drastically reduced Hungary's size. Hungary sought help from the fascist governments of Germany and Italy to get its land back. In 1947, elections brought the Communists to power. The 1956 uprising, an anti-Soviet revolution, left thousands dead. János Kádár began a programme of "goulash" (consumer-oriented) Communism. His reforms worked, and by the mid-1970s, Hungary was the most developed, most liberal and richest nation within the CMEA (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) organization. However, the continuing spectre of unemployment, a soaring inflation rate and mounting debt meant Kádár was ousted in 1988.

After accelerating the collapse of Communism by dismantling the fence along its border with Austria, the nation became the Republic of Hungary in 1989. In the spring of 1990, free elections were held, the Hungarian Democratic Forum winning by a large majority. Elections in 1994 saw the Hungarian Socialist Party win a majority, establishing a coalition government with the Alliance of Free Democrats. After the 1998 elections, the Alliance of Young Democrats (FIDESZ - MPP) formed a coalition with the Independent Smallholder's Party (FKgP) and the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF). Ferenc Mádl is current President of the Republic of Hungary, with Viktor Orbán being the current Prime Minister. Further, Hungary is preparing for swift accession to the European Union.

Economy

In the year 1998, approximately 58.3% of the country's active population was employed in the services sector, 34.2% in manufacturing, and 7.5% in agriculture. Major products include steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cement, processed foods, textiles, and motor vehicles. In 2000, real gross domestic product growth amounted to 5.2%, unemployment was 6.4%.

Culture

Hungary's most important composers include Franz Liszt, Ernst von Dohnanyi, Bela Bartok, and Zoltan Kodaly. The first Hungarian opera and the country's national anthem were written by Ferenc Erkel. Working class poet Jozsef Attila and nineteenth-century poet Sandor Petofi are among the most-widely acclaimed Hungarian authors.