Hungary




                                 Geography


Location:
     Central Europe, between Slovakia and Romania
Map references:
     Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe
Area:
total area:
     93,030 sq km
land area:
     92,340 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
     total 1,989 km, Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia
     and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 82
     km, Ukraine 103 km
Coastline:
     0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
     none; landlocked
International disputes:
     Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia
Climate:
     temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain:
     mostly flat to rolling plains
Natural resources:
     bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils
Land use:
arable land:
     50.7%
permanent crops:
     6.1%
meadows and pastures:
     12.6%
forest and woodland:
     18.3%
other:
     12.3%
Irrigated land:
     1,750 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues:
     air pollution; industrial and municipal pollution of Lake Balaton
natural hazards:
     levees are common along many streams, but flooding occurs almost every
     year




international agreements:
     party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
     Pollution-Sulphur, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
     Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
     Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
     Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile
     Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
Note:
     landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
     Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
     Mediterranean basin


                                  People


Population:
     10,319,113 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     -0.03% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     12.46 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     12.72 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     12.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     71.37 years
male:
     67.37 years
female:
     75.58 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     1.83 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Hungarian(s)
adjective:
     Hungarian
Ethnic divisions:
     Hungarian 89.9%, Gypsy 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:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
     99%
male:
     99%




female:
     98%
Labor force:
     5.4 million
by occupation:
     services, trade, government, and other 44.8%, industry 29.7%,
     agriculture 16.1%, construction 7.0% (1991)


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Republic of Hungary
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form:
     Magyarorszag
Digraph:
     HU
Type:
     republic
Capital:
     Budapest
Administrative divisions:
     38 counties (megyek, singular - megye) 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, Zala, Zalaegerszeg
Independence:
     1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
National holiday:
     St. Stephen's Day (National Day), 20 August (commemorates the founding
     of Hungarian state circa 1000 A.D.)
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
Legal system:
     in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western
     model
Suffrage:
     18 years of age; universal




Executive branch:
chief of state:
     President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim
     president from 2 May 1990); election last held 3 August 1990 (next to
     be held NA 1995); results - President GONCZ elected by parliamentary
     vote; note - President GONCZ was elected by the National Assembly with
     a total of 295 votes out of 304 as interim President from 2 May 1990
     until elected President
head of government:
     Prime Minister Peter BOROSS (since 12 December 1993 on the death of
     Jozsef ANTALL); new prime minister will probably be Gyula HORN
cabinet:
     Council of Ministers; elected by the National Assembly on
     recommendation of the president
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
National Assembly (Orszaggyules):
     elections last held on 8 and 29 May 1994 (next to be held spring
     1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (386 total)
     Hungarian Socialist Party 209, Alliance of Free Democrats 70,
     Hungarian Democratic Forum 37, Independent Smallholders 26, Christian
     Democratic People's Party 22, Federation of Young Democrats 20, other
     2
Judicial branch:
     Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders:
     Democratic Forum, Sandor LESZAK, chairman; Independent Smallholders
     (FKGP), Jozsef TORGYAN, president; Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP),
     Gyula HORN, president; Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), Dr.
     Lazlo SURJAN, president; Federation of Young Democrats (FIDESZ),
     Viktor ORBAN, chairman; Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), Ivan PETO,
     chairman
note:
     the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party (MSZMP) renounced
     Communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) in October
     1989; there is still a small MSZMP
Member of:
     Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE,
     EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-9, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
     INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM
     (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
     UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
     WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Pal TAR
chancery:
     3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
     (202) 362-6730
FAX:
     (202) 966-8135
consulate(s) general:
     Los Angeles and New York




US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Donald BLINKEN
embassy:
     V. Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest
mailing address:
     Am Embassy, Unit 1320, Budapest; APO AE 09213
telephone:
     [36] (1) 112-6450
FAX:
     [36] (1) 132-8934
Flag:
     three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green


                                  Economy


Overview:
     Hungary is still in the midst of a difficult transition from a command
     to a market economy. Its economic reforms during the Communist era
     gave it a head start on this process, particularly in terms of
     attracting foreign investors - Hungary has accounted for about half of
     all foreign direct investment in Eastern Europe since 1989.
     Nonetheless, the economy continued to contract in 1993, with real GDP
     falling perhaps 1%. Although the privatization process has lagged, in
     December 1993 Hungary carried out the largest privatization yet in
     Eastern Europe, selling a controlling interest in the Matav
     telecommunications firm to private investors - including a 30% share
     to a US-German consortium for $875 million. Overall, about half of GDP
     now originates in the private sector. Unemployment rose to about 13%
     in 1993 while inflation remained above 20%, and falling exports pushed
     the trade deficit to about $3 billion. The government hopes that
     economic recovery in Western Europe in 1994 will boost exports, lower
     the trade deficit, and help jump-start the economy. The budget,
     however, is likely to remain a serious concern; depressed tax revenue
     pushed up the budget deficit in 1993.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $57 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     -1% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
     $5,500 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     23% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     13% (1993)
Budget:
revenues:
     $10.2 billion
expenditures:
     $12.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Exports:
     $8.9 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)




commodities:
     raw materials, semi-finished goods, chemicals 39.6%, machinery 14.5%,
     consumer goods 22.3%, food and agriculture 20.0%, fuels and energy
     3.6% (January-June 1993)
partners:
     EC 49.8% (Germany 27.8%, Italy 9.5%), Austria 10.7%, the FSU 13.1%,
     Eastern Europe 9.8% (1992)
Imports:
     $12.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
     fuels and energy 13.9%, raw materials, semi-finished goods, chemicals
     35.9%, machinery 22.4%, consumer goods 21.8%, food and agriculture
     6.0% (January-June 1993)
partners:
     EC 42.8% (Germany 23.6%, Italy 6.3%), Austria 14.4%, the FSU 16.8%,
     Eastern Europe 9.2%
External debt:
     $24.7 billion (November 1993)
Industrial production:
     growth rate 4% (1993 est.)
Electricity:
capacity:
     7,200,000 kW
production:
     30 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
     3,000 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles,
     chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), buses, automobiles
Agriculture:
     including forestry, accounts for 15% of GDP and 16% of employment;
     highly diversified crop and livestock farming; principal crops -
     wheat, corn, sunflowers, potatoes, sugar beets; livestock - hogs,
     cattle, poultry, dairy products; self-sufficient in food output
Illicit drugs:
     transshipment point for Southeast Asia heroin transiting the Balkan
     route
Economic aid:
recipient:
     assistance pledged by OECD countries since 1989 about $9 billion
Currency:
     1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler
Exchange rates:
     forints per US$1 - 93.46 (September 1993), 92.5 (1993), 78.99 (1992),
     74.74 (1991), 63.21 (1990), 59.07 (1989)
Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Railroads:
     7,765 km total; 7,508 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 222 km narrow
     gauge (mostly 0.760-meter), 35 km 1.520-meter broad gauge; 1,236 km
     double track, 2,249 km electrified; all government owned (1990)




Highways:
total:
     130,224 km
paved:
     61,948 km
unpaved:
     68,276 km (1988)
Inland waterways:
     1,622 km (1988)
Pipelines:
     crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991)
Ports:
     Budapest and Dunaujvaros are river ports on the Danube; coastal
     outlets are Rostock (Germany), Gdansk (Poland), Gdynia (Poland),
     Szczecin (Poland), Galati (Romania), and Braila (Romania)
Merchant marine:
     10 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) and 1 bulk totaling 46,121
     GRT/61,613 DWT
Airports:
total:
     126
usable:
     65
with permanent-surface runways:
     12
with runways over 3,659 m:
     1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     18
with runways 1,060-2,439 m:
     31
note:
     a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip
Telecommunications:
     automatic telephone network based on microwave radio relay system;
     1,128,800 phones (1991); telephone density is at 19.4 per 100
     inhabitants; 49% of all phones are in Budapest; 608,000 telephones on
     order (1991); 12-15 year wait for a phone; 14,213 telex lines (1991);
     broadcast stations - 32 AM, 15 FM, 41 TV (8 Soviet TV repeaters); 4.2
     million TVs (1990); 1 satellite ground station using INTELSAT and
     Intersputnik


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, Territorial
     Defense
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 2,636,888; fit for military service 2,105,628; reach
     military age (18) annually 90,134 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
     66.5 billion forints, NA% of GNP (1993 est.); note - conversion of
     defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate
     could produce misleading results