Introduction :: Hungary

Background

Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The kingdom eventually became 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 an 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 five years later.

Geography :: Hungary

Location

Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total: 93,028 sq km

land: 89,608 sq km

water: 3,420 sq km

Area – comparative

Land boundaries

total: 2,106 km

border countries (7): Austria 321 km, Croatia 348 km, Romania 424 km, Serbia 164 km, Slovakia 627 km, Slovenia 94 km, Ukraine 128 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Terrain

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

Elevation

mean elevation: 143 m

lowest point: Tisza River 78 m

highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources

bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use

agricultural land: 58.9% (2011 est.)

arable land: 48.5% (2011 est.) /** permanent crops:** 2% (2011 est.) /** permanent pasture:** 8.4% (2011 est.)

forest: 22.5% (2011 est.)

other: 18.6% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

1,721 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Environment – current issues

air and water pollution are some of Hungary’s most serious environmental problems; water quality in the Hungarian part of the Danube has improved but is still plagued by pollutants from industry and large-scale agriculture; soil pollution

Environment – international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, 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, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography – note

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

People and Society :: Hungary

Population

9,771,827 (July 2020 est.)

Nationality

noun: Hungarian(s)

adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups

Hungarian 85.6%, Romani 3.2%, German 1.9%, other 2.6%, unspecified 14.1% (2011 est.)

note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic group; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 510% of Hungary’s population

Languages

Hungarian (official) 99.6%, English 16%, German 11.2%, Russian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, French 1.2%, other 4.2% (2011 est.)

note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; Hungarian is the mother tongue of 98.9% of Hungarian speakers

Religions

Roman Catholic 37.2%, Calvinist 11.6%, Lutheran 2.2%, Greek Catholic 1.8%, other 1.9%, none 18.2%, no response 27.2% (2011 est.)

Age structure

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 46.9

youth dependency ratio: 22

elderly dependency ratio: 30.8

potential support ratio: 3.2 (2020 est.)

Median age

total: 43.6 years

male: 41.5 years

female: 45.5 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.28% (2020 est.)

Birth rate

8.8 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Death rate

12.9 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Net migration rate

1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Urbanization

urban population: 71.9% of total population (2020)

rate of urbanization: 0.07% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas – population

1.768 million BUDAPEST (capital) (2020)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mother’s mean age at first birth

28.3 years (2014 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

12 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.7 years

male: 73 years

female: 80.6 years (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.47 children born/woman (2020 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

61.6% (2008/09)

note: percent of women aged 25-49

Drinking water source

improved:** urban:** 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:** urban:** 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

6.9% (2017)

Physicians density

3.34 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

7 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access

improved:** urban:** 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:** urban:** 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

<.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

3,700 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS – deaths

<100 (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate (2016)

vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2016)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

26.4% (2016)

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2016)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.1%

male: 99.1%

female: 99% (2015)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2016)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 10.2%

male: 9.8%

female: 10.7% (2018 est.)

Government :: Hungary

Country name

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Hungary

local long form: none

local short form: Magyarorszag

former: Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian People’s Republic, Hungarian Soviet Republic, Hungarian Republic

etymology: the Byzantine Greeks refered to the tribes that arrived on the steppes of Eastern Europe in the 9th century as the “Oungroi,” a name that was later Latinized to “Ungri” and which became “Hungari”; the name originally meant an “[alliance of] ten tribes”; the Hungarian name “Magyarorszag” means “Country of the Magyars”; the term may derive from the most prominent of the Hungarian tribes, the Megyer

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Budapest

geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: the Hungarian capital city was formed in 1873 from the merger of three cities on opposite banks of the Danube: Buda and Obuda (Old Buda) on the western shore and Pest on the eastern; the origins of the original names are obscure, but according to the second century A.D. geographer, Ptolemy, the settlement that would become Pest was called “Pession” in ancient times; “Buda” may derive from either a Slavic or Turkic personal name

Administrative divisions

19 counties (megyek, singular – megye), 23 cities with county rights (megyei jogu varosok, singular – megyei jogu 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

cities with county rights: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Erd, Gyor, Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg

capital city: Budapest

Independence

16 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established)

National holiday

Saint Stephen’s Day, 20 August (1083); note – commemorates his canonization and the transfer of his remains to Buda (now Budapest) in 1083

Constitution

history: previous 1949 (heavily amended in 1989 following the collapse of communism); latest approved 18 April 2011, signed 25 April 2011, effective 1 January 2012

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by parliamentary committee, or by Parliament members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament members and approval by the president; amended several times, last in 2018

Legal system

civil legal system influenced by the German model

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICC jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Hungary

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Suffrage

18 years of age, 16 if married and marriage is registered in Hungary; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Janos ADER (since 10 May 2012)

head of government: Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 29 May 2010)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly with two-thirds majority vote in first round or simple majority vote in second round for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 13 March 2017 (next to be held spring 2022); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; election last held on 10 May 2018 (next to be held by spring 2022)
election results: Janos ADER (Fidesz) reelected president; National Assembly vote – 131 to 39; Viktor ORBAN (Fidesz) reelected prime minister; National Assembly vote – 134 to 28

Legislative branch

description: unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (199 seats; 106 members directly elected in single-member constituencies by simple majority vote and 93 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by party list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 8 April 2018 (next to be held in April 2022)

election results: percent of vote by party list – Fidesz-KDNP 49.3%, Jobbik 19.1%, MSZP-PM 11.9%, LMP 7.1%, DK 5.4%, Momentum Movement 3.1%, Together 0.7%, LdU 0.5%, other 2.9%; seats by party – Fidesz 117, Jobbik 26, KDNP 16, MSZP 15, DK 9, LMP 8, PM 5, Together 1, LdU 1, independent 1; composition – men 174, women 25, percent of women 12.6%

Judicial branch

highest courts: Curia or Supreme Judicial Court (consists of the president, vice president, department heads, and approximately 91 judges and is organized into civil, criminal, and administrative-labor departments; Constitutional Court (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president)

judge selection and term of office: Curia president elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president of the republic; other Curia judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, a separate 15-member administrative body; judge tenure based on interim evaluations until normal retirement at age 62; Constitutional Court judges, including the president of the court, elected by the National Assembly; court vice president elected by the court itself; members serve 12-year terms with mandatory retirement at age 62

subordinate courts: 5 regional courts of appeal; 19 regional or county courts (including Budapest Metropolitan Court); 20 administrative-labor courts; 111 district or local courts

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic People’s Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]
Democratic Coalition or DK [Ferenc GYURCSANY]
Dialogue for Hungary (Parbeszed) or PM [Gergely KARACSONY, Timea SZABO]
Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN]
Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP [Bertalan TOTH]
Momentum Movement (Momentum Mozgalom) [Andras FEKETE-GYOR]
Movement for a Better Hungary or Jobbik [Tamas SNEIDER]
National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary or LdU [Olivia SCHUBERT]
Politics Can Be Different or LMP [Marta DEMETER, Laszlo LORANT-KERESZTES]
Together (Egyutt)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

Charge d’Affaires Dora ZOMBORI (since 14 April 2020)
chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: 1 362-6730

FAX: 1 966-8135
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador David B. CORNSTEIN (since 25 June 2018)

telephone: 36 475-4400

embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest

mailing address:** pouch:** American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270

FAX: 36 475-4248

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green; the flag dates to the national movement of the 18th and 19th centuries, and fuses the medieval colors of the Hungarian coat of arms with the revolutionary tricolor form of the French flag; folklore attributes virtues to the colors: red for strength, white for faithfulness, and green for hope; alternatively, the red is seen as being for the blood spilled in defense of the land, white for freedom, and green for the pasturelands that make up so much of the country

National symbol(s)

Holy Crown of Hungary (Crown of Saint Stephen); national colors: red, white, green

National anthem

None

Economy :: Hungary

Economy – overview

Hungary has transitioned from a centrally planned to a market-driven economy with a per capita income approximately two thirds of the EU-28 average; however, in recent years the government has become more involved in managing the economy. Budapest has implemented unorthodox economic policies to boost household consumption and has relied on EU-funded development projects to generate growth.

Following the fall of communism in 1990, Hungary experienced a drop-off in exports and financial assistance from the former Soviet Union. Hungary embarked on a series of economic reforms, including privatization of state-owned enterprises and reduction of social spending programs, to shift from a centrally planned to a market-driven economy, and to reorient its economy towards trade with the West. These efforts helped to spur growth, attract investment, and reduce Hungarys debt burden and fiscal deficits. Despite these reforms, living conditions for the average Hungarian initially deteriorated as inflation increased and unemployment reached double digits. Conditions slowly improved over the 1990s as the reforms came to fruition and export growth accelerated. Economic policies instituted during that decade helped position Hungary to join the European Union in 2004. Hungary has not yet joined the euro-zone. Hungary suffered a historic economic contraction as a result of the global economic slowdown in 2008-09 as export demand and domestic consumption dropped, prompting it to take an IMF-EU financial assistance package.

Since 2010, the government has backpedaled on many economic reforms and taken a more populist approach towards economic management. The government has favored national industries and government-linked businesses through legislation, regulation, and public procurements. In 2011 and 2014, Hungary nationalized private pension funds, which squeezed financial service providers out of the system, but also helped Hungary curb its public debt and lower its budget deficit to below 3% of GDP, as subsequent pension contributions have been channeled into the state-managed pension fund. Hungarys public debt (at 74.5% of GDP) is still high compared to EU peers in Central Europe. Real GDP growth has been robust in the past few years due to increased EU funding, higher EU demand for Hungarian exports, and a rebound in domestic household consumption. To further boost household consumption ahead of the 2018 election, the government embarked on a six-year phased increase to minimum wages and public sector salaries, decreased taxes on foodstuffs and services, cut the personal income tax from 16% to 15%, and implemented a uniform 9% business tax for small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies. Real GDP growth slowed in 2016 due to a cyclical decrease in EU funding, but increased to 3.8% in 2017 as the government pre-financed EU funded projects ahead of the 2018 election.

Systemic economic challenges include pervasive corruption, labor shortages driven by demographic declines and migration, widespread poverty in rural areas, vulnerabilities to changes in demand for exports, and a heavy reliance on Russian energy imports.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$289.6 billion (2017 est.)
$278.5 billion (2016 est.)
$272.5 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$139.2 billion (2017 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

4% (2017 est.)
2.2% (2016 est.)
3.4% (2015 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$29,600 (2017 est.)
$28,300 (2016 est.)
$27,600 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

25.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
25.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
25.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 49.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 20% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 21.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 90.2% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -82.4% (2017 est.)

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 3.9% (2017 est.)

industry: 31.3% (2017 est.)

services: 64.8% (2017 est.)

Agriculture – products

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

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

7.4% (2017 est.)

Labor force

4.599 million (2017 est.)

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 4.9%

industry: 30.3%

services: 64.5% (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.2% (2017 est.)
5.1% (2016 est.)

Population below poverty line

14.9% (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 22.4% (2015)

Budget

revenues: 61.98 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 64.7 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

44.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

note: Hungary has been under the EU Excessive Deficit Procedure since it joined the EU in 2004; in March 2012, the EU elevated its Excessive Deficit Procedure against Hungary and proposed freezing 30% of the country’s Cohesion Funds because 2011 deficit reductions were not achieved in a sustainable manner; in June 2012, the EU lifted the freeze, recognizing that steps had been taken to reduce the deficit; the Hungarian deficit increased above 3% both in 2013 and in 2014 due to sluggish growth and the government’s fiscal tightening

Public debt

73.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
76% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities: currency and deposits, securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives, and national, state, and local government and social security funds.

Fiscal year

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (2017 est.)
0.4% (2016 est.)

Current account balance

$4.39 billion (2017 est.)
$7.597 billion (2016 est.)

Exports

$98.74 billion (2017 est.)
$91.6 billion (2016 est.)

Exports – partners

Germany 27.7%, Romania 5.4%, Italy 5.1%, Austria 5%, Slovakia 4.8%, France 4.4%, Czech Republic 4.4%, Poland 4.3% (2017)

Exports – commodities

machinery and equipment (55.8%), other manufactures (32.7%), food products (6.8%), raw materials (2.4%), fuels and electricity (2.3%) (2017 est.)

Imports

$96.3 billion (2017 est.)
$83.5 billion (2016 est.)

Imports – commodities

machinery and equipment 45.4%, other manufactures 34.3%, fuels and electricity 12.6%, food products 5.3%, raw materials 2.5% (2012)

Imports – partners

Germany 26.2%, Austria 6.3%, China 5.9%, Poland 5.5%, Slovakia 5.3%, Netherlands 5%, Czech Republic 4.8%, Italy 4.7%, France 4% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$28 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$25.82 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt – external

$138.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$131.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Exchange rates

forints (HUF) per US dollar –
279.5 (2017 est.)
281.52 (2016 est.)
281.52 (2015 est.)
279.33 (2014 est.)
232.6 (2013 est.)

Energy :: Hungary

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 100% (2016)

Electricity – production

30.22 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity – consumption

39.37 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity – exports

5.24 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity – imports

17.95 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity – installed generating capacity

8.639 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity – from fossil fuels

64% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity – from nuclear fuels

22% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity – from hydroelectric plants

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity – from other renewable sources

13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Crude oil – production

16,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil – exports

2,713 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil – imports

121,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil – proved reserves

24 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products – production

152,400 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products – consumption

167,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products – exports

58,720 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products – imports

82,110 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Natural gas – production

1.812 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas – consumption

10.39 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas – exports

3.52 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas – imports

13.37 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas – proved reserves

6.598 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

51.28 million Mt (2017 est.)

Communications :: Hungary

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 3,016,878

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2018 est.)

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 10,041,939

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2018 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: telephone system is digital and highly automated; broadband penetration is the highest in Eastern Europe; replacement of all copper infrastructure with fiber nationally; govt. expands e-payment systems; regulator makes preparations for 5G service (2020)

domestic: competition among mobile-cellular service providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile-cellular phones, 102 per 100, and a decrease in the number of fixed-line connections, 31 per 100 persons (2018)

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

note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic’s effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry – mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite – has moderated

Broadcast media

mixed system of state-supported public service broadcast media and private broadcasters; the 5 publicly owned TV channels and the 2 main privately owned TV stations are the major national broadcasters; a large number of special interest channels; highly developed market for satellite and cable TV services with about two-thirds of viewers utilizing their services; 4 state-supported public-service radio networks; a large number of local stations including commercial, public service, nonprofit, and community radio stations; digital transition completed at the end of 2013; government-linked businesses have greatly consolidated ownership in broadcast and print media

Internet country code

.hu

Internet users

total: 7,474,413

percent of population: 76.07% (July 2018 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 3,079,549

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2018 est.)

Military and Security :: Hungary

Military and security forces

Hungarian Defense Forces: Ground Forces and Hungarian Air Force (2019)

note: the Hungarian Defense Forces are organized into a joint force structure with ground, air, and logistic components

Military expenditures

1.21% of GDP (2019 est.)
1.15% of GDP (2018)
1.05% of GDP (2017)
1.02% of GDP (2016)
0.92% of GDP (2015)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Hungarian Defense Forces have approximately 29,000 active duty troops (18,000 Army; 5,000 Air Force; 6,000 other) (2019 est.)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of the Hungarian Defense Forces consists largely of Soviet-era weapons, with a smaller mix of more modern European and US equipment; since 2010, Hungary has received limited quantities of equipment from Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Russia, Sweden, and the US (2019 est.)

Military deployments

160 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 160 Iraq (counter-ISIS coalition); 500 Kosovo (NATO) (June 2020)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 6-month service obligation (2012)

Transportation :: Hungary

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 5 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 145

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 31,226,848 (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HA (2016)

Airports

41 (2013)

Airports – with paved runways

total: 20 (2017)

over 3,047 m: 2 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2017)

under 914 m: 1 (2017)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 21 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2013)

under 914 m: 11 (2013)

Heliports

3 (2013)

Pipelines

5874 km gas (high-pressure transmission system), 83732 km gas (low-pressure distribution network), 850 km oil, 1200 km refined products (2016)

Railways

total: 8,049 km (2014)

standard gauge: 7,794 km 1.435-m gauge (2,889 km electrified) (2014)

narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2014)

broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge (2014)

Roadways

total: 203,601 km (2014)

paved: 77,087 km (includes 1,582 km of expressways) (2014)

unpaved: 126,514 km (2014)

Waterways

1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2011)

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Baja, Csepel (Budapest), Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Mohacs (Danube)

Transnational Issues :: Hungary

Disputes – international

bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continue in 2006 with Slovakia over Hungary’s failure to complete its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU’s external border, Hungary has implemented the strict Schengen border rules

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 5,950 applicants for forms of legal stay other than asylum (Ukraine) (2015)

stateless persons: 144 (2018)

note: 432,744 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2018); Hungary is predominantly a transit country and hosts 137 migrants and asylum seekers as of the end of June 2018; 1,626 migrant arrivals in 2017

Illicit drugs

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; efforts to counter money laundering, related to organized crime and drug trafficking are improving but remain vulnerable; significant consumer of ecstasy

Source: https://www.cia.gov