Countryinfo

Republic of Hungary

Area:93,030 square kilometres
Total length of the state borders: 2,216.8 km
Highest peak: Kékes (1014 m)
Lowest point: Gyálarét (78 m)
Main rivers: Duna (Danube) (length in Hungary: 417 km), Tisza (length in Hungary: 596 km), Lajta, Rábca, Rába, Zala, Dráva, Ipoly, Zagyva, Sajó, Hernád, Bodrog, Szamos, Hármas-Körös and Maros
Largest lakes: Balaton (596 square kilometres), Velencei-tó (26 square kilometres), Fertő tó (southern part, 75 square kilometres)
Geographic regions: Alföld (Great Plain), Kisalföld (Small Plain), Nyugat-Magyarországi peremvidék or Alpokalja (Western Hungary or Lower Alps), Dunántúli-dombság (Transdanubia hills), Dunántúli-középhegység (Transdanubia mountain range) and Északi-középhegység (Northern mountain range).
Population (1 February 2001) : 10,197,119 persons
Density of population (31 January 2001) : 109.6 residents/square kilometre
Main national and ethnic groups: Hungarian, Croatian, German, Roma, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak and Slovene.
Official language: Hungarian
Capital: Budapest
State form: republic
Administration structure: 19 counties and the capital city
Urban population: 64.6%
Employment (2000): agriculture 6.5 %, industry 33.7 %, other 59.7 %
Main religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant (Calvinist and Lutheran), Greek Catholic, Jewish and Orthodox
Largest cities: (31 January 2001) Budapest (1,775,203 residents), Debrecen (211,038 residents), Miskolc (184,129 residents), Szeged (168,276 residents), Pécs (162,502 residents) and Győr (129,415 residents)
Transport network (31 December 1999): railways 7,768 km (2,530 km electrified), roads 30,267 km
Per capita GDP (gross domestic product, 2000): USD 4,528*, EUR 4,940 (*calculated at the official medium exchange rate of the National Bank of Hungary)
Official currency: Forint
Official holidays
-1 January (New Year's Day),
- 15 March (start of the 1848/49 revolution and war of independence, national holiday)
- 1 May (Labour Day),
- 20 August (foundation of state, celebration of King Saint Stephen, national and state holiday),
- 23 October (start of the 1956 revolution and war of independence, date of the declaration of the Republic of Hungary in 1989, national holiday),
- 25-26 December (Christmas),
- Easter (15-16 April 2001, 31 March-1 April 2002),
- Whitsun (3-4 June 2001, 19-20 May 2002),
- 1 November (All Saints' Day).
Parts of the World Heritage
Hungarian treasures included in the World Heritage list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO):
- In Budapest, the panorama of the two banks of the River Danube in Budapest and the Buda Castle District (on the Buda side, the section from the Buda bridgehead of Petőfi bridge to Víziváros (Water Town) and the Castle Hill including the Gellért Hill and the Tabán, and on the Pest side the area between the Pest bridgehead of Margaret bridge and Petőfi bridge including the Parliament (1987),
- Hollókő, the 55 authentic houses in the old village among the Cserhát hills (1987),
- Aggtelek stalactite cave system, stretching into Slovakia (1995),
- the Benedictine Abbey and church in Pannonhalma, the Millenary Monument, the Stations of the Cross and the Blessed Virgin's chapel (1996),
- Hortobágy National Park, one of the largest and protected short-grass plains in Europe, including the Nine-hole bridge in Hortobágy, the Hortobágy Inn and the Shepherd Museum (1999),
- the complex of early Christian monuments in Pécs: the burial hall and its painted chambers (2000).

Geographic Data

Hungary is located in Central Europe, in the Carpathian Basin surrounded by the Carpathians, the Alps and the Dinara Mountains, between northern latitudes of 45°44' and 48°35' and eastern longitudes of 16°07' and 22°54'. The territory of the country is 93,030 square kilometres, covering about 1 per cent of Europe.
The total length of the borders of the country is 2,216.8 kilometres, of which 655.1 kilometres is the common border with Slovakia, 136.6 kilometres is shared with the Ukraine, 448 kilometres with Romania, 621.1 kilometres with the successor states of Yugoslavia (165.8 kilometres with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, 355.3 km with Croatia and 100 km with Slovenia) and the border with Austria stretches on 356 kilometres. Almost three quarters of the territory of the country is a low plain, one fifth is hilly with the maximum altitude of 400 metres, and approximately 5% of the total territory of the country is mountainous, altitudes varying between 400(1000 metres.
The highest peak in the country is the Peak of Kékes in the Mátra Hills, rising to 1014 metres. The lowest part of the country is located in the valley of the River Tisza, south of Szeged, in Gyálarét (78 metres). The Great Plain (Alföld) and the Small Plain (Kisalföld) are flat, the Zala and Somogy hills, the Tolna saddles in Transdanubia are hilly areas, while the mountains are represented by the Sopron and the Kőszeg mountains, the Mecsek, the Transdanubia and the Northern mountain ranges .

Climate

Hungary is situated in the temperate zone, on the borderline of, and affected by, three large climatic zones: oceanic, continental and Mediterranean. It is prone to rhapsodic weather changes and, due to the relative isolation of the Carpathian Basin, the climate has a tendency for droughts, especially on the Great Plain.
The annual average mean temperature is 9.7 °C in the whole of the country and 11.2 °C in Budapest. The mean temperature in the hottest month, July, is 20.0 °C, in the coldest month, January, 2.1 °C. On a hot summer day temperatures may reach 33-38 °C, while in cold winters temperature may drop to 25.0. -30.0 °C.
In the central part of the Great Plain the annual average rainfall varies between 470-550 mm, in the mountains, 700-800 mm. The number of days when the land is covered with snow is relatively few.
The number of hours of sunshine varies between 1700-2200 hours per year, the area between the rivers Danube and Tisza being the most sunny, while the regions with the least amount of sunshine are the Alpokalja (Lower Alps) and the Northern mountains.The annual average wind speed is 2.4 m/sec.

Thermal Waters

Hungary is rich in thermal waters: its thermal water stock is significant even on the global level, and it is unique in Europe. At the moment, Hungary has more than 1,000 wells producing thermal water over 30 °C. Three quarters of the wells are located on the Great Plain.
Most mineral and thermal waters contain dissolved minerals too, and therefore these waters have medicinal effect, i.e. they are suitable for bathing and drinking cures. At the moment, Hungary has more than 1,000 wells producing thermal water over 30 °C, of which most of the wells produce water with medicinal effect. Three quarters of the wells are located on the Great Plain.
The country has approximately 150 thermal spas, including 36 special spas, with water containing radioactive components, sulphur and acids, salt-bromide-carbonate and iodine. is The Tapolca bath in Northeast Hungary is the only cave bath in Europe. Hévíz near Lake Balaton is the best known thermal lake in Europe (with 33 °C water temperature). Internationally renowned spas: Budapest, Hévíz, Balatonfüred, Harkány, Bük, Sárvár, Hajdúszoboszló, Gyula etc.
In the year 2000 the country produced 385 million litres of mineral water.

Tourism

Geographical location: Hungary is located in Central Europe, in the Carpathian basin, among seven neighbouring countries (Slovakia, the Ukraine, Romania, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria).
The territory of the country is smaller than 100,000 square kilometres, the Hungarian language is spoken only by Hungarians, Hungarian folk songs are not similar to those of any other nation - yet the Hungarians have been living in the middle of Europe for over 1100 years. Despite the numerous disastrous turns of its history Hungary is still rich in values attracting many visitors from all over the world.
For its wonderful scenic values, Budapest, the capital city of Hungary - the ?gem of the Danube' - is included in the World Heritage list of UNESCO. Hungary has the largest surface thermal water supply - after Iceland - and the hundreds of thermal springs enable thousands of people to cure a variety of conditions. Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe, is a paradise for families with small children, fans of sailing and those who simply like to spend their vacation near a lake.
Facts, data
Territory: 93,030 km2
Population: 10,043,000 ( 2001.01.01.)
Population density:108 persons/km2
Time zone: CET: GMT + 1 hour
Summer daylight savings: March to September + 1 hour
Official language: Hungarian
Constitutional form: republic
Public administration: 19 counties, 22 county right town, 214 towns, 2898 villages
Currency: HUF
Coins: HUF 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100
Banknotes: HUF 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10 000, 20 000
Voltage: 220 V
Telephone, fax: International telephone area code of Hungary: 36, Budapest: 1
International calls: 00 + country code + phone number Domestic long distance calls: 06 + area code + local phone number
Aid services: General aid: 112 Ambulance: 104 Police: 107 Fire department: 105 Enquiry: 198, International enquiry: 199 Special enquiry: 197
Budapest phone numbers are comprised of seven digits, rural ones are comprised of 8 digits. Public phones use HUF 10, 20,50 or 100 coins or phone cards.