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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $620 million, 1.7% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 2,552,794 males fit for military service: 2,036,399 males reach military age (18) annually: 82,040 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 32, FM 15, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

6 million (1993 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

14,213 telex lines; automatic telephone network based on microwave radio relay system; 608,000 telephones on order; 12-15 year wait for a telephone; 49% of all telephones are in Budapest (1991 est.); note - the former state-owned telecommunications firm MATAV - now privatized and managed by a US/German consortium - has ambitious plans to upgrade the inadequate system, including a contract with the German firm Siemens and the Swedish firm Ericsson to provide 600,000 new phone lines during 1996-98 domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

1.52 million (1993 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

41 (Russian repeaters 8)

Televisions [time series]

4.38 million (1993 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $12.6 billion expenditures: $13.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $136 million (1993) note: assistance received from OECD countries and international organizations, $3,700 million (1990-93)

Economic overview [time series]

Hungary, probably the most Western-oriented economy in East Europe before the transition to a market system began in 1990, made good progress in the initial years of transition. The reform process slowed in 1993-94, however, in part because of the May 1994 elections and the resulting change in government. By 1994 the privatization of state firms had ground to a halt, while both the budget and current account deficits soared to unsustainable levels - about 8% and 10% of GDP, respectively. The situation improved sharply in 1995; an austerity program introduced in March reduced both deficits, and a renewed privatization effort later in 1995 resulted in more than $3 billion worth of sales of state firms to foreign investors - money that will be used to reduce Hungary's large foreign debt. As for other macroeconomic developments, real GDP increased 2.9% in 1994 - following several years of steep decline - and about 1.5% in 1995. Unemployment reached 14% in early 1993 before gradually falling back to 10% in 1995. Inflation has oscillated; it reached 40% in mid-1991, dropped to 17% in early 1994, and then jumped back to 31% by mid-1995. Prospects for 1996 are good. With the government still committed to austerity, both the budget and current account deficits should fall to about 4% of GDP. Economic growth is expected to be about 2% and unemployment at about 10%, with inflation falling to 20% by yearend. In March 1996 the IMF signed a new standby loan agreement with Budapest, and the OECD approved Hungary's application for admission.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 6,740,000 kW production: 31 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,012 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

forints per US$1 - 144 (January 1996), 125.681 (1995),105.160 (1994), 91.933 (1993), 78.988 (1992), 74.735 (1991)

Exports [time series]

$13 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: raw materials and semi-finished goods 36.4%, consumer goods 26.7%, food and agriculture 20.5%, capital goods 13.1%, fuels and energy 3.3% (1994) partners: Germany 28.2%, Austria 10.9%, Italy 8.5%, Russia 7.5%, US 4.0% (1994)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$32.7 billion (October 1995)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $72.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 7.3% industry: 37.5% services: 55.2%

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

$7,000 (1995 est.)

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

1.5% (1995)

Illicit drugs [time series]

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and transit point for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer of precursor chemicals

Imports [time series]

$15 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: fuels and energy 11.0%, raw materials and semi-finished goods 36.9%, capital goods 23.3%, consumer goods 22.0%, food and agriculture 6.8% (1994) partners: Germany 23.4%, Austria 12.0%, Russia 12.0%, Italy 7.0%, UK 4.0% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

6% (1995 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

28.3% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

4.8 million (1995) by occupation: services, trade, government, and other 47.2%, industry 29.7%, agriculture 16.1%, construction 7.0% (1991)

Unemployment rate [time series]

10.4% (yearend 1995)

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: an early-1996 government study identified 179 areas that suffer from air pollution, 54 areas with polluted soil, and 32 areas with polluted underground water; the study estimated clean-up costs at $350 million, but the 1996 government budget allocates only about $7 million for this purpose international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, 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-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

47 00 N, 20 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

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

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: 2,009 km border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km (all with Serbia), Slovakia 515 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 51% permanent crops: 6% meadows and pastures: 13% forest and woodland: 18% other: 12%

Location [time series]

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural resources [time series]

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border lowest point: Tisza River 78 m highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

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

Data code [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Gyorgy BANLAKI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim president from 2 May 1990) was elected for a four-year term by the National Assembly; election last held 19 June 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results - President GONCZ elected by parliamentary vote with a total of 259 votes out of 335 head of government: Prime Minister Gyula HORN (since 15 July 1994) was elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president cabinet: Council of Ministers was elected by the National Assembly on recommendation of the president

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

[1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

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

[36] (1) 269-9326

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

International organization participation [time series]

Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the National Assembly

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

Country name (Name of country) [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) MSzP 209, SzDSz 70, MDF 37, FKgP 26, KDNP 22, FiDeSz 20, other 2

National holiday [time series]

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

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

Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF), Lajos FUR, chairman; Independent Smallholders (FKgP), Jozsef TORGYAN, president; Hungarian Socialist Party (MSzP), Gyula HORN, president; Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), Gyorgy GICZY, 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 MMP

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

republic

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald M. BLINKEN embassy: V. Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest mailing address: Am Embassy, Unit 1320, APO AE 09213-1320 telephone: [36] (1) 267-4400, 269-9331

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 18% (male 907,963; female 867,536) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,325,529; female 3,464,588) 65 years and over: 14% (male 538,106; female 898,819) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

10.72 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

15.06 deaths/1,000 population (1996 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]

12.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 69.02 years male: 64.23 years female: 74.04 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

10,002,541 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.68% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female all ages: 0.91 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.51 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 78 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 7 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 7 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 9 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 14 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 34 (1994 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 158,711 km paved: 69,992 km (including 441 km of expressways) unpaved: 88,719 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 10 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 46,121 GRT/61,613 DWT (1995 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Budapest, Dunaujvaros

Railways [time series]

total: 7,685 km broad gauge: 35 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,474 km 1.435-m gauge (2,162 km electrified; 1,236 km double track) narrow gauge: 176 km mostly 0.760-m gauge (1995) note: Hungry and Austria jointly manage the cross-border standard-gauge railway between Gyor, Sopron, Ebenfurti, and Vasut, a distance of about 100 km

Waterways [time series]

1,622 km (1988)