Location: East-Central Europe

Official name: Republic of Hungary

Head of State: Dr. Pál Schmitt

Head of Government: Dr. Viktor Orbán

Area: 93030 km2 

Capital: Budapest

Largest towns: Debrecen, Miskolc, Szeged, Pécs, Győr, Székesfehérvár

Time zone: GMT + 1 hour

 

Population: 10,028,000  (January 2009)

Ethnic groups: Hungarian 96.9%, Roma 1.9%, German (0.6%), Slovakian (0.2%), Croatian (0.2%), other (0.2%)

Religions: Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5%

 

Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers 

Geography: 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

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border. Highest point: Kékes (1,014 meters). Lowest point: Tisza River 78 m

Main rivers and lakes: Danube, Tisza, Lake Balaton, Lake Velence

 

Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use: arable land: 49.58%, permanent crops: 2.06%, other: 48.36% (2005)

Irrigated land: 2,300 sq km

Environment: large ongoing investments to upgrade Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU requirements

 

Per capita GDP (at purchasing power parity): $18,600 (2009 est.)

Currency: Forint (HUF) Official exchange rates
Composition of GDP: agriculture: 3.2%; industry: 31.9%; services: 65% (2008 est., Central Intelligence Agency)

 

Transportation: (2009): railway network: 8,057 km (2,628 km electrified), public road network: 160,680 km, incl. 785 km  motorway, six int'l airports.

 

Public holidays:

• 1st January (New Year)
• 15th March (anniversary of the 1848/49 revolution and war of independence)
• 1st May (Labour Day)
• 20th  August (foundation of the Hungarian statehood)
• 23rd October (anniversary of the 1956 revolution and war of independence)
• 25-26th December (Christmas)
• Easter Sunday and Monday 
• Whit Sunday and Monday
• 1st November (All Hallows' Day)