Map of Europe       Map of Hungary       Map of Budapest

Hungary, facts and history in brief           Budapest, facts and history in brief

Hungary, facts and history in brief

Hungary (Republic of Hungary)


Brief facts.

Location: Central Europe 47°N, 20°E, (borders with Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia)
Background: Hungary was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until World War I. It lost over 2/3 of its land and population after W.W.I in the Allies dictated Trianon Peace Agreement. After W.W.II, it was ruled by Communists. Moscow met the 1956 popular uprising, announcing the withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact with a massive military intervention. During the Gorbachev years, Hungary led the movement to dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily shifted toward multiparty democracy and a market-oriented economy. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Hungary developed close political and economic ties to Western Europe. It joined NATO in 1999 and is a front-runner in a future expansion of the EU.
Climate: Continental with Mediterranean and Atlantic influences, cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers.
Average temperatures: January -2C (28F), July 23C (73F)
Elevation: lowest point: Tisza River 78 m, highest point: Kékes 1,014 m
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, and arable land
Land use: arable land: 51%, crops: 3.6%, pastures: 12.4%, forests: 19%, other: 14%
Population: 10,106,017 (July 2001 est.)
Ethnic groups: Hungarian 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%, Romanian 0.7%
Religions: Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other 7.5%
Languages: Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%
Literacy: total population: 99%
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Budapest (2 million inhabitants)
Administration: 19 counties, 169 towns, and 2904 villages
Urban population ratio: 60 percent
Flag: three equal sized horizontal colours, red (top), white and green.

The Hungarian national anthem

Population increment: -0.1 percent (decreasing!)
Life expectancy: men 66, women 74 (decreasing!!!)
Local time: winter GMT+1 hour, summer GMT+2 hours, as in West Europe.
Public holidays: January 1, March 15, May 1, August 20, October 23, December 25, 26
Established: AD 996. King Stephen I, (Saint Stephen) first legal ruler.
Legal system: rule of law based on Western model (President, Prime Minister, Cabinet, National Assembly, 366 seats. by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation for 4 year term. Cc. 9 parties represented.
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green
International organisation participation: Member of all International Organisations and signatory to most international and environmental treaties.
Economy - overview: Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and to work toward accession to the European Union. Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all the Central European economies. Inflation - a top economic concern in 2000 - is still high at almost 10%, pushed upward by higher world oil and gas and domestic food prices.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $113.9 billion (2000 est.) GDP - real growth: 5.5% GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,200 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5%, industry: 35%, services: 60% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2000 est.)
Budget: revenues: $13 billion
Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals
Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Exports: $25.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) machinery and equipment 59.5%, other manufactures 29.4%, food products 6.9%, raw materials 2.4%, fuels and electricity 1.8% (2000) Germany 37%, Austria 9%, Italy 6%, Netherlands 5% (2000)
Imports: $27.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) machinery and equipment 51.1%, other manufactures 35.9%, fuels and electricity 8.1%, food products 2.8%, raw materials 2.1% (2000) Germany 25%, Russia 8%, Austria 7%, Italy 7% (2000)
Electricity - production: 36.75 billion kWh (1999), fossil; 61.09%, hydro: 0.51%, nuclear: 38.4%
Debt - external: $29.6 billion (2000)
Currency: forint (HUF)
Exchange rates: forints per US dollar - 282.240 (January 2001)
Telephones: - main lines in use: 3.095 million (1997), cellular: 1.269 million (July 1999) both system modern and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service
Internet: Well established, widely used.
International country telephone code: 36
Travelling in Hungary: Hungary has an excellent transport network. Every part of the country can be visited within one day trip from Budapest. There are two main railway stations in Budapest, where both international and intercity trains. The main central bus stations are also centrally situated. Regular boat and Hydrofoil services on the Danube to Vienna etc.
Hungarians in the World: Czech and Slovakia 700.000, former Yugoslavia 650.000, Romania 2,000.000, former Soviet Union 200.000, Austria 70.000, Belgium 10.000, France 35.000, Holland 5.000, Great Britain 10.000, Italy 10.000, Germany 50.000, Switzerland 10.000, Sweden 16.000, Other West European countries 10.000, United States 730.000, Canada 140.000, Argentina 10.000, Brazil 70.000, Uruguay 5.000, Other South American countries 10.000, South African Republic 5.000, Australia 55.000, Israel 220.000. Total=5m.

Who are the Hungarians?

Do extraterrestrial beings exist? - the Nobel Prize winning Italian physicist, Enrico Fermi, was once asked by his disciples in California.
Of course, Fermi answered - they are already here among us, they are called Hungarians.
Why did Fermi think this about Hungarians?
Because Hollywood's dream factories were partly built by Hungarian producers, directors, writers and cameramen? Or because - as the saying goes - Hungarians were created by God to sit on horseback?
Perhaps because Béla Bartók's music in his own time was considered extraterrestrial by many? Or because of the Hungarian language, which does not resemble any world language and sounds so strange?
So, who are these Hungarians? It is not (yet) known quite precisely. It seems certain they arrived somewhere from Asia. With regard to Hungary's location, world languages generally define it as: Eastern Europe. In fact, our country is situated in the centre of the continent, in Central Europe, in its eastern part: this is the Carpathian Basin, where one thousand years ago, visitors already found a Hungarian state.
This small country is one of the great survivors of history: states and empires emerged, expanded or disintegrated and disappeared around it. Hungary and the Hungarian nation survived the devastation of the Tartars and Turks, Habsburgs and Russians in the Carpathian Basin; survived the fact that it belonged among the losers of both world wars. The national anthem describes the Hungarians as "people torn by fate".
So we are not extra-terrestrials. They learnt and became tempered in the tormenting storms of the world: you can experience a particular organic link between the old and new, between history and the present-day in this country, which is still keenly safeguarding its traditions, culture and arts, but was always perceptive to what is new, different and the future.
Do you know that one of the centres of the Renaissance was in Hungary in the 15th century? That the Hungarian statehood is over 1,000 years old? That after 1945, the first armed revolution against Stalinism took place in Hungary? That the iron curtain was dismantled on the frontier of Hungary and Austria?
In Hungary, you can see regions with a particular atmosphere, fabulous villages, churches and castles. You are welcome in Budapest, which many consider to be one of the finest cities of Europe. If you are fond of tasty food, and exclusive wines, this is the place that you will like!

Brief History

The Roman Empire's provinces of Dacia and Pannonia fell to Germanic tribes in the late 2nd century. The Germanic tribes were driven out by Attila the Hun later. The Huns, a nomadic people, ranged over much of Europe until Attila's death. First the Germanic tribes, than the Avars, later the Moravians, (Slavic people), and also the Franks took over the land. In the late ninth century, the Hungarians (Magyarok) under the legendary Árpád re-conquered the rich alluvial plains (There used to be a huge inland lake many thousands of years ago) interspersed by some rolling hills and enclosed by the Carpathian Mountains, giving protection on the north, east and southeast. The land was sparsely populated and suitable to their pastoral, agricultural lifestyle. Under Árpád's leadership and after his death the Hungarians made regular incursions in parts of Europe, until their defeat in 955 by the Roman Emperor Otto I. After this defeat Duke Géza converted himself and the Hungarian people to Christianity and Western culture. His son Stephen I, the founder of the Árpád dynasty, and modern Hungary, was made King of Hungary in 1001 by Pope Sylvester II who also gave him the Holy Crown of Hungary (Which is revered by all Hungarians even to this day) and the 'Apostolic Majesty' title. The Hungarian kings used the title for over nine centuries. King Stephen was canonised in 1083. He set the foundation of a modern Hungary. Christianity and Western culture was firmly established. After his death, there were invasions by Germans and by some barbarians. His successor Ladislas I, enacted very enlightened laws, aligned himself with Pope Gregory VII. and Hungary became a powerful kingdom again. He conquered Croatia, Bosnia, and part of Transylvania while one of his successors conquered part of Dalmatia.
In the 12th century the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus seized the Hungarian throne. During this time, a feudal system was established, diminishing the King's power. King Andrew II re-establish the King's power and issued the Golden Bull in 1222, (The Hungarian Magna Carta) giving the nobility some rights and some tax exemptions, for their acceptance of Royal power, with some success.
In 1241 while Béla IV was king, the Mongols invaded Hungary for a short while. The defence and occupation of the country weakened it and the royal power and after the death of Andrew III in 1301, the line of the House of Árpád died. In 1308, Charles Robert of Anjou became Charles I of Hungary, starting the Anjou dynasty in Hungary. He restored order, limited the large landowners power and re-established royal prerogative.
His son Louis I conquered Venice and was king of Poland as well. Hungary became one of the largest Kingdoms of Europe. He affirmed royal rule, developed commerce, science, and industry. The Ottoman Empire begins its advance on Hungary's southern parts, on the Balkan Peninsula in his later years.
In 1387 Sigismund became King and led a crusade against the Turks, but was defeated in 1396. He suffered another defeat to the Venetians. In 1411, he was made Holy Roman Emperor and for years battled against the Hussites, the religious reformers. After Sigismund's death his Habsburg son-in-law Albert II became Hungary's King. The Turks made a number of incursions into Hungary during these years, but the brilliant leadership of János Hunyadi and his victory in Belgrade in 1456 saved the country.
In 1458 Matthias Corvinus, Hunyadi's son was crowned King. He was one of the most able and enlightened rulers of his time. He established a standing army, and accelerated the commercial and cultural development of Hungary. He was also a brilliant military leader, and gained control of Austria, Moravia, Silesia, and Lusatia and moved to Vienna. During his reign, Hungary was the most formidable kingdom of central Europe.
After his death in 1490, the large landowners re-established their power and the country became embroiled in feudal wars and peasant rebellion.
In 1521, the Turks captured Belgrade. In 1526, they defeated the Hungarian army at Mohács. King Louis II the infant King and many thousands of the Hungarian army died, and Buda fell to Turkish hands.
In the following 150 years, Hungary was divided into three parts. The Turks ruled the central part. The Hungarians retreated mainly to Transylvania. The Austrian Habsburgs ruled the western parts. During this time, Reformation and counterreformation further divided the population. The Hungarians embraced the Protestant Reformation and so the Long Wars followed between the Protestant Hungarians and the Catholic Habsburgs. To settle the aggrieved Hungarians, Emperor Rudolf II granted large concessions such as political and religious independence and extra territory.
Soon the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) broke out, led at first by Gabriel Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania and King of Hungary and then George I Rákóczy, and continued the fight to regain western Hungary from the Habsburgs. With the Swedes and French, Rákóczy invaded Austria. In 1644, Emperor Ferdinand III granted many of the Hungarians demands.
During George II Rákóczy's reign as Prince of Transylvania, the Turks conquered most of Transylvania. In the western (Habsburg) section of Hungary returned to the Roman Catholic Church. The Habsburgs used religious persecutions against Protestants. These provoked a uprising led by Count Imre Thököly, with major victories over Emperor Leopold I's armies, at times with the Turkish army's help. The Habsburg armies managed to expel the Turks from most of Hungary and beat Thököly's army too. There were severe reprisals against the Hungarians including the declaration that the Crown of Hungary be hereditary to the Habsburgs in eternity by the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699.
In 1703, Rákóczy II organised an uprising while the Austrians were involved with their Spanish War with the help of France but suffered a defeat at Trencín. The uprising continued until the 1711 peace treaty with general amnesty, religious freedom, and many political concessions. The peace lasted over a century.
Following the French Revolution in 1789, Hungarian nationalism gained enormous support. In 1815 the Liberal Party was formed and the movement was headed by many well-known Hungarian statesmen like Count István Széchenyi, József Eötvös, Ferenc Deák, Lajos Kossuth, and Lajos Batthyány. Many enlightened bills were passed, despite opposition by the government. Literature and arts flourished.
In March 1848 a Hungarian ministry, Batthyány as premier was established, cutting all ties with Austria. Hungarian was made the official language, causing rebellions with some of the non-Hungarian population, like the Romanians and Croats. In April 1849, the Hungarian Diet voted for the independence of Hungary and the dethronement of the Habsburgs.
In August 1849 the Austrian and Russian armies defeated the Hungarians. On October 6, 1849, (A day of national remembrance), Batthyány and 13 other leaders were executed.
In March 1867, after the Emperor was defeated in Italy and Prussia and the resurging Hungarian nationalism, a Hungarian Compromise was reached making Austria and Hungary a dual monarchy, granting Hungary full sovereignty. Soon Emperor Francis Joseph was crowned King of Hungary. The dual monarchy lasted until the end of the World War I.
Francis Joseph died on November 21, 1916, succeeded by Emperor Charles I. Under his reign many ties with the monarchy were broken, nationalism increased, and unrest increased.
On October 25, 1917, Count Mihály Károlyi formed the national council, established general suffrage, dissolved parliament, and started peace negotiations with the Allies.
On November 16, 1918, the Hungarian Democratic Republic was announced, Károlyi as president.
In March 1919, after further political and social unrest the Communists with Béla Kun as leader overthrew Károlyi's government. The Communists nationalised all banks, commerce and industry. In the meantime, the Czechs invaded Hungary in the north and the Romanians in the south.
Béla Kun fled to Austria on August 1, 1919, unable to cope with the internal unrest and occupations. On August 4, the Romanians occupied Budapest until November 14.
On November 25, 1919 with Allied supervision an interim government was formed, led by Miklós Horthy, a former admiral. General elections were held, and all links with Austria were severed. Hungary became a monarchy and Horthy was regent.

Map of Hungary after the Trianon Peace Agreement (Click to enlarge)

On June 4, 1920, the government accepted the humiliating terms of the Treaty of Trianon, which deprived Hungary of Transylvania, Croatia, and Slovakia. Horthy was to rule the country for more than twenty years.
While Gyula von Gömbös was Premier, Hitler made some concessions and returned part of Slovakia and Ruthenia to Hungary.
Hungary declared neutrality at the start of World War II, but was indebted to the Germans and Italians for returning Transylvania in 1940.
In April 1941 the Hungarian troops followed the German attack on Yugoslavia, to the territory it lost by the Treaty of Trianon.
On June 27, 1941, Hungary declared war on the Soviet Union.
On December 13, 1941 it declared war on the United States. But by August 1943 the Hungarian government tried unsuccessfully to make peace with the Allied powers.
In March 1944 Germany occupied the country. A pro-German government was formed and began a terror against all dissidents and Jews.
The Russian armies invaded Hungary on October 7. Budapest fell on February 13. In March 1945, the new regime embarked on a major land reforms. Elections were held on November 4 and won by the Zoltán Tildy led Small Landholders' Party. Hungary was proclaimed a republic, Tildy as President. A coalition government including Ferenc Nagy as Premier, and Mátyás Rákosi, the leader of the Communist party, as Vice-Premier.
For a few months Hungary was on the verge of bankruptcy because of rampant inflation, food shortages, damaged transport system, and most of the Capital and the country in general lay in ruins following the war and occupation.
In January 1947 the Communists charged and arrested many of the other party leaders for conspiracy. The army and public offices were purged unless they were Communist Party members. In 1948, the Social Democratic Party was forced to join with the Communist Party, forming the Hungarian Workers' Party. In 1949, after further purges of the new party the elections were for the Communists candidates only.
In August 1949 the new constitution, established the Hungarian People's Republic.
So began Hungary's conversion to Communist policies in earnest. Economic, military co-operation with the Soviet Union and other Communist countries begins. Religious schools were nationalised; hundreds of priests and nuns were arrested unless they agreed with the actions.
Cardinal Mindszenty was arrested, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment. All industry and commerce was nationalised, farms collectivised. All opposition had their lands confiscated and opponents sent to labour camps.

There were Soviet inspired show trials of the "enemies of the state". Including the head of the Hungarian Catholic Church,

József Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary
(Brief story and my tribute)

After the Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin's death in 1953 the government liberalised many of its policies. Imre Nagy replaced Mátyás Rákosi as Premier, but remained the Communist Party leader. A new economic programme was embarked on. Some amnesties were granted to political prisoners and labour camps were closed. However Hungary joined the Warsaw Pact and the COMECON (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance), with the other Communist countries of Eastern Europe.
In April 1955 Nagy was sacked as Premier and expelled from the party, signalling the end of his liberal policies.
András Hegedüs was made the new Premier with Rákosi Ernö Gerö as Party Secretary. The population's distrust and discontent with the old communist grew rapidly. Influenced by the Polish unrest the students organised demonstrations against the compulsory Russian language courses and other grievances on October 23rd 1956.

o     O    o

o     O    o

I would like to acknowledge the contributors to this page; Ms Encarta, Onko, and the others. Thanks. Webmaster.

Site Index            Back to Top            Photos Index

Thanks for coming, I hope you have enjoyed it, will recommend it to your friends, and will come back later to see my site developing and expanding.

I'm trying to make my pages enjoyable and trouble free for everyone, please let me know of any mistakes or trouble with links, so I can fix any problem as soon as possible.

These pages are best viewed with monitor resolution set at 640x480 and kept simple on purpose so everyone can enjoy them across all media and platforms.

Thank you.

Webmaster