The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Hungary

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Hungary

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Map

Location: 47 00 N, 20 00 E -- Central Europe, northwest of Romania

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

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Geography

Location: Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total area: 93,030 sq km
land area: 92,340 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
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
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
International disputes: Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Slovakia
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Terrain: 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
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils
Land use:
arable land: 51%
permanent crops: 6%
meadows and pastures: 13%
forest and woodland: 18%
other: 12%
Irrigated land: 1,750 sq km (1989)
Environment:
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 note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin

People

Population: 10,002,541 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
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.)
Population growth rate: -0.68% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 10.72 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 15.06 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
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.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.02 years
male: 64.23 years
female: 74.04 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian
Ethnic divisions: Hungarian 89.9%, Gypsy 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: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 98%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form: Magyarorszag
Data code: HU
Type of government: republic
Capital: Budapest
Administrative divisions: 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
Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
National holiday: St. Stephen's Day (National Day), 20 August (commemorates the founding of Hungarian state circa 1000 AD)
Constitution: 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
Legal system: in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Orszaggyules): 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
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: 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
International organization participation: 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
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gyorgy BANLAKI
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
US diplomatic representation:
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
FAX: [36] (1) 269-9326
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy

Economic overview: 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $72.5 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 1.5% (1995)
GDP per capita: $7,000 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.3%
industry: 37.5%
services: 55.2%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 28.3% (1995)
Labor force: 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: 10.4% (yearend 1995)
Budget:
revenues: $12.6 billion
expenditures: $13.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)
Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1995 est.)
Electricity:
capacity: 6,740,000 kW
production: 31 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 3,012 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and transit point for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer of precursor chemicals
Exports: $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)
Imports: $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)
External debt: $32.7 billion (October 1995)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $136 million (1993)
note: assistance received from OECD countries and international organizations, $3,700 million (1990-93)
Currency: 1 forint (Ft) = 100 filler
Exchange rates: forints per US$1 - 144 (January 1996), 125.681 (1995),105.160 (1994), 91.933 (1993), 78.988 (1992), 74.735 (1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation

Railways:
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
Highways:
total: 158,711 km
paved: 69,992 km (including 441 km of expressways)
unpaved: 88,719 km (1992 est.)
Waterways: 1,622 km (1988)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,204 km; natural gas 4,387 km (1991)
Ports: Budapest, Dunaujvaros
Merchant marine:
total: 10 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 46,121 GRT/61,613 DWT (1995 est.)
Airports:
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.)

Communications

Telephones: 1.52 million (1993 est.)
Telephone system: 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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 32, FM 15, shortwave 0
Radios: 6 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 41 (Russian repeaters 8)
Televisions: 4.38 million (1993 est.)

Defense

Branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, Territorial Defense
Manpower availability:
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.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $620 million, 1.7% of GDP (1995)

Hungary

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).