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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.hu

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

383,071 (2004)

Internet users [time series]

1.6 million (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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: country code - 36; 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 - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

3,666,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

6,862,800 (2002)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $46.07 billion expenditures: $51.36 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

forint (HUF)

Current account balance [time series]

$-7.941 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$57 billion (2004 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

24.4 (1998)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$4.2 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and acceded to the European Union in May 2004. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more than $23 billion since 1989. Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 and together with the Czech Republic holds the highest rating among the Central European transition economies; however, ratings agencies have expressed concerns over Hungary's unsustainable budget and current account deficits. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 7% in 2004. Unemployment has persisted around the 6% level, but Hungary's labor force participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the OECD. Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy challenges include cutting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by 2008, from about 5% in 2004, and orchestrating an orderly interest rate reduction without sparking capital outflows.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

35.99 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports [time series]

8.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports [time series]

12.6 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production [time series]

34.07 billion kWh (2002)

Exchange rates [time series]

forints per US dollar - 202.75 (2004), 224.31 (2003), 257.89 (2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.18 (2000)

Exports [time series]

$54.62 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)

Exports - partners [time series]

Germany 31.4%, Austria 6.8%, France 5.7%, Italy 5.6%, UK 5.1% (2004)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

$149.3 billion (2004 est.)

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

agriculture: 3.3% industry: 31.4% services: 65.3% (2004 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $14,900 (2004 est.)

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

3.9% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Imports [time series]

$58.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%, fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% (2003)

Imports - partners [time series]

Germany 29.2%, Austria 8.3%, Russia 5.7%, Italy 5.5%, Netherlands 4.9%, China 4.8%, France 4.7% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

9.6% (2004 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

22.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Labor force [time series]

4.17 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 6.2%, industry 27.1%, services 66.7% (2002)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

50.45 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption [time series]

140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line [time series]

8.6% (1993 est.)

Public debt [time series]

58.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$14.8 billion (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.9% (2004 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Indiana

Climate [time series]

temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU requirements will require large investments

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geographic coordinates [time series]

47 00 N, 20 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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 [time series]

2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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 [time series]

arable land: 50.09% permanent crops: 2.06% other: 47.85% (2001)

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, arable land

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros) : counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala : urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor, Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg : capital city: Budapest

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; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER 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 [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29 September 2004) 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 6-7 June 2005 (next to be held by June 2010); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004 election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Ferenc GYURCSANY elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 197 to 12 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

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

International organization participation [time series]

Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

rule of law based on Western model

Legislative branch [time series]

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) elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2006) 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 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20

National holiday [time series]

Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

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

Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Istvan HILLER, chairman]; Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 2,303,116 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 1,780,513 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males: 63,847 (2005 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Ground Forces, Air Forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.75% (2002 est.)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004 (June 2004)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 15.8% (male 813,203/female 769,687) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 3,405,559/female 3,511,141) 65 years and over: 15.1% (male 547,323/female 959,922) (2005 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

9.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate [time series]

13.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

2,800 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 8.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Languages [time series]

Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 72.4 years male: 68.18 years female: 76.89 years (2005 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.5% female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 38.57 years male: 36.1 years female: 41.24 years (2005 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian

Net migration rate [time series]

0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population [time series]

10,006,835 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.26% (2005 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

in 2004, Hungary amended the status law extending special social and cultural benefits and voted down a referendum to extend dual citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living in neighboring states, which have objected to such measures; consultations continue between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

44 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Heliports [time series]

5 (2004 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 159,568 km paved: 70,050 km (including 533 km of expressways) unpaved: 89,518 km (2002)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2004)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003)

Railways [time series]

total: 7,937 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified) narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)

Waterways [time series]

1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2004)