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Communications

Airports [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 130,224 km paved: 61,948 km unpaved: 68,276 km (1988)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

1,622 km (1988)

Merchant marine [time series]

10 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) and 1 bulk totaling 46,121 GRT/61,613 DWT

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

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)

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

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)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, Territorial Defense

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

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

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 2,636,888; fit for military service 2,105,628; reach military age (18) annually 90,134 (1994 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $10.2 billion expenditures: $12.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: assistance pledged by OECD countries since 1989 about $9 billion

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 7,200,000 kW production: 30 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,000 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

forints per US$1 - 93.46 (September 1993), 92.5 (1993), 78.99 (1992), 74.74 (1991), 63.21 (1990), 59.07 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$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)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$24.7 billion (November 1993)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for Southeast Asia heroin transiting the Balkan route

Imports [time series]

$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%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 4% (1993 est.)

Industries [time series]

mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), buses, automobiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

23% (1993 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $57 billion (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$5,500 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-1% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

13% (1993)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 93,030 sq km land area: 92,340 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana

Climate [time series]

temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia

Irrigated land [time series]

1,750 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 50.7% permanent crops: 6.1% meadows and pastures: 12.6% forest and woodland: 18.3% other: 12.3%

Location [time series]

Central Europe, between Slovakia and Romania

Map references [time series]

Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils

Note [time series]

landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to rolling plains

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Budapest

Constitution [time series]

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

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Pal TAR chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 362-6730

Executive branch [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

(202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[36] (1) 132-8934

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

Judicial branch [time series]

Constitutional Court

Legal system [time series]

in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Hungary conventional short form: Hungary local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag local short form: Magyarorszag

Legislative branch (National Assembly (Orszaggyules)) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

St. Stephen's Day (National Day), 20 August (commemorates the founding of Hungarian state circa 1000 A.D.)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

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

People

Birth rate [time series]

12.46 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

12.72 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

12.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.37 years male: 67.37 years female: 75.58 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

10,319,113 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.03% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.83 children born/woman (1994 est.)