Hungary

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

16 (2000)

Internet country code

.hu

Internet users

1.2 million (2001)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios

7.01 million (1997)

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: 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)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $13 billion expenditures: $14.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Currency

forint (HUF)

Currency code

HUF

Debt - external

$31.5 billion (2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

24 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA $250 million (2000)

Economy - overview

Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and to work toward accession to the European Union. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms is 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 and unemployment - both priority concerns in 2001 - have declined substantially. The key short-term issue is the reduction of the public sector deficit from its current 6% of GDP to 4.5% in 2003 and 3% in 2004.

Electricity - consumption

35.095 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

1.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

5.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

33.436 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 59% hydro: 1% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 40%

Exchange rates

forints per US dollar - 275.920 (January 2002), 286.490 (2001), 282.179 (2000), 237.146 (1999), 214.402 (1998), 186.789 (1997)

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 34.9%, Austria 8.7%, Italy 5.9%, US 5.6% (2001)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $134.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 4% industry: 34% services: 62% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

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

GDP - real growth rate

3.2% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 21% (1998)

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 26.4%, Italy 8.3%, Austria 7.9%, Russia 6.8% (2001)

Industrial production growth rate

3.1% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force

4.2 million (1997) (1997)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

9% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.8% (2002 est.)

Area

total: 93,030 sq km water: 690 sq km land: 92,340 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Indiana

Climate

temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Tisza River 78 m highest point: Kekes 1,014 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

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

Irrigated land

2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

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

Land use

arable land: 52.2% other: 45.34% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 2.46%

Location

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

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*

Capital

Budapest

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 short form: Magyarorszag local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy Goodman BRINKER embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 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

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

Executive branch

chief of state: Ferenc MADL (since NA 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%

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

International organization participation

ABEDA, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

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

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/MDF 188, MSZP 178, SZDSZ 20 elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2006)

National holiday

St. Stephen's Day, 20 August

Political parties and leaders

Alliance of Free Democrats or SZDSZ [Gabor KUNCZE]; Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Gyorgy GICZY, president]; Hungarian Civic Party or FIDESZ [Zoltan POKORNI]; 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]; Independent Smallholders or FKGP [Jozsef TORGYAN, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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. In the more open GORBACHEV years, Hungary led the movement to dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily shifted toward multiparty democracy and a market-oriented economy. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Hungary developed close political and economic ties to Western Europe. It joined NATO in 1999 and is a frontrunner in a future expansion of the EU.

Military branches

Ground Forces, Air Forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.75% (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,559,260 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,039,710 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 64,121 (2002 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.4% (male 847,081; female 802,340) 15-64 years: 68.8% (male 3,406,701; female 3,528,087) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 544,956; female 945,869) (2002 est.)

Birth rate

9.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

13.09 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,500 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.9 years female: 76.55 years (2002 est.) male: 67.55 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1980 est.)

Nationality

noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian

Net migration rate

0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

10,075,034 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.3% (2002 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.25 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international

Slovakia requested additional ICJ judgment in 1998 and talks continue to set modalities to assure Hungarian compliance with 1997 ICJ decision to proceed with construction of Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Dam, abandoned by Hungary in 1989; Hungary opposes Croatian plan to build a hydropower dam on the boundary stream Drava

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

Airports

43 (2001)

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 (2002) 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: 8 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 12

Heliports

5 (2002)

Highways

total: 188,203 km paved: 81,680 km (including 448 km of expressways) unpaved: 106,523 km (1998 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991)

Ports and harbors

Budapest, Dunaujvaros

Railways

total: 7,869 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge standard gauge: 7,614 km 1.435-m gauge (2,423 km electrified; 1,236 km double-tracked) note: Hungary and Austria jointly manage the cross-border, standard-gauge railway connecting Gyor, Sopron, and Ebenfurt (Gysev railroad) which has a route length of about 101 km in Hungary and 65 km in Austria (2001)

Waterways

1,373 km (permanently navigable) (1997)