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Background Note: Hungary
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Hungary
Geography
Area: 93,030 sq. km. (35,910 sq. mi.); about the size of
Indiana.
Cities: Capital--Budapest (est. pop. 2 million). Other
cities--Debrecen (220,000); Miskolc (208,000); Szeged
(189,000); Pecs (183,000).
Terrain: Mostly flat, with low mountains in the north and
northeast and north of Lake Balaton.
Climate: Temperate.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Hungarian(s).
Population (2006 est.): 9,981,334.
Ethnic groups: Magyar 89.9%, Romany 4% (est.), German 2.6%, Serb
2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 68%, Calvinist 21%, Lutheran 4%,
Jewish 1%, others, including Baptist Adventist, Pentecostal,
Unitarian 3%.
Languages: Magyar 98.2%, other 1.8%.
Education: Compulsory to age 16. Attendance--96%.
Literacy--99%.
Health (2006 est.): Infant mortality rate--8.39/1,000.
Life expectancy--men 68.45 yrs., women 77.14 yrs.
Work force (2004 est. 5.2 million): Agriculture--8%;
industry and commerce--42%; services--32%;
government--7%.
Government
Type: Republic.
Constitution: August 20, 1949. Substantially rewritten in 1989,
amended in 1990.
Branches: Executive--president of the Republic (head of
state), prime minister (head of government), Council of
Ministers. Legislative--National Assembly (386 members,
4-year term). Judicial--Supreme Court and Constitutional
Court.
Administrative regions: 19 counties plus capital region of
Budapest.
Principal political parties: Fidesz-Hungarian Civic
Party--center-right; Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP)--center-left;
Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ)--center-left; Hungarian
Democratic Forum (MDF)--center-right.
Economy
GDP (2005): $106.4 billion.
Annual growth rate (2005): 4.1%
Per capital GDP (PPP 2005 est.): $16,300.
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils,
arable land.
Agriculture/forestry (2005, 3.9% of GDP): Products--meat,
corn, wheat, sunflower seeds, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables,
fruits.
Industry and construction (2005, 30.9% of GDP): Types--machinery,
vehicles, chemicals, precision and measuring equipment, computer
products, medical instruments, pharmaceuticals.
Trade (2005): Exports ($61.75 billion)--machinery,
vehicles, food, beverages, tobacco, crude materials,
manufactured goods, fuels and electric energy. Imports
($64.83 billion)--machinery, vehicles, manufactured goods, fuels
and electric energy, food, beverages, and tobacco. Major
markets--EU (Germany, Austria, Italy), CEFTA, CIS, U.S.
Major suppliers--EU (Germany, Austria, Italy, France), CIS,
CEFTA, U.S.
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
Ethnic groups in Hungary include Magyar (nearly 90%), Romany,
German, Serb, Slovak, and others. The majority of Hungary's
people are Roman Catholic; other religions represented are
Calvinist, Lutheran, Jewish, Baptist, Adventist, Pentecostal,
and Unitarian. Magyar is the predominant language. |