Topic: Photos of Libya

Topic: Introduction
Background: Berbers have inhabited central north Africa since ancient times, but the region has been settled and ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Vandals. In the the 7th century, Islam spread through the region; in the mid-16th century, Ottoman rule began. The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when they were defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership and began to espouse his political system at home, which was a combination of socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners - one over Scotland, another in Northern Africa - and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically following the attacks; sanctions were lifted in 2003 following Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombings and agreement to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in late 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in early 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned an eight-month civil war that saw the emergence of a National Transitional Council (NTC), UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community, and the toppling of the QADHAFI regime. In 2012, the NTC handed power to an elected parliament, the General National Congress (GNC). Voters chose a new parliament to replace the GNC in June 2014 - the House of Representatives (HoR) - which relocated to the eastern city of Tobruk after fighting broke out in Tripoli and Benghazi in July 2014. In December 2015, the UN brokered an agreement among a broad array of Libyan political parties and social groups - known as the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) - establishing an interim executive body, the Government of National Accord (GNA). However, the HoR and defunct-GNC-affiliated political hardliners continued to oppose the GNA and hamper the LPA’s implementation, leaving Libya with eastern and western-based rival governments. In September 2017, UN Special Representative Ghassan SALAME announced a new roadmap for national political reconciliation. In November 2018, the international community supported SALAME’s recalibrated Action Plan for Libya that aimed to break the political deadlock by holding a National Conference in early 2019. These plans, however, were derailed when the eastern-based self-described Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive to seize Tripoli in April 2019. Several countries sent armed personnel and advanced military equipment into Libya. The LNA's offensive collapsed in June 2020, and a subsequent UN-sponsored ceasefire in October 2020 helped formalize the pause in fighting between rival factions, although foreign forces, fighters, and mercenaries that aided eastern and western factions during the fighting remain in Libya.

In early 2021, the UN-facilitated Libyan Political Dialogue Forum selected a new prime minister for an interim government, the Government of National Unity (GNU), and a new presidential council charged with preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections in December 2021 and uniting the country’s state institutions. The HoR approved the GNU and its cabinet in March 2021, providing Libya with its first unified government since 2014. On 22 December 2021, Libya's parliament postponed the first round of the presidential election to an undetermined date in the future.Berbers have inhabited central north Africa since ancient times, but the region has been settled and ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Vandals. In the the 7th century, Islam spread through the region; in the mid-16th century, Ottoman rule began. The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when they were defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership and began to espouse his political system at home, which was a combination of socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners - one over Scotland, another in Northern Africa - and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically following the attacks; sanctions were lifted in 2003 following Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombings and agreement to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations.Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in late 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in early 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned an eight-month civil war that saw the emergence of a National Transitional Council (NTC), UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community, and the toppling of the QADHAFI regime. In 2012, the NTC handed power to an elected parliament, the General National Congress (GNC). Voters chose a new parliament to replace the GNC in June 2014 - the House of Representatives (HoR) - which relocated to the eastern city of Tobruk after fighting broke out in Tripoli and Benghazi in July 2014.In December 2015, the UN brokered an agreement among a broad array of Libyan political parties and social groups - known as the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) - establishing an interim executive body, the Government of National Accord (GNA). However, the HoR and defunct-GNC-affiliated political hardliners continued to oppose the GNA and hamper the LPA’s implementation, leaving Libya with eastern and western-based rival governments. In September 2017, UN Special Representative Ghassan SALAME announced a new roadmap for national political reconciliation. In November 2018, the international community supported SALAME’s recalibrated Action Plan for Libya that aimed to break the political deadlock by holding a National Conference in early 2019. These plans, however, were derailed when the eastern-based self-described Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive to seize Tripoli in April 2019. Several countries sent armed personnel and advanced military equipment into Libya. The LNA's offensive collapsed in June 2020, and a subsequent UN-sponsored ceasefire in October 2020 helped formalize the pause in fighting between rival factions, although foreign forces, fighters, and mercenaries that aided eastern and western factions during the fighting remain in Libya.

In early 2021, the UN-facilitated Libyan Political Dialogue Forum selected a new prime minister for an interim government, the Government of National Unity (GNU), and a new presidential council charged with preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections in December 2021 and uniting the country’s state institutions. The HoR approved the GNU and its cabinet in March 2021, providing Libya with its first unified government since 2014. On 22 December 2021, Libya's parliament postponed the first round of the presidential election to an undetermined date in the future.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria
Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1,759,540 sq km

land: 1,759,540 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 4,339 km

border countries (6): Algeria 989 km; Chad 1,050 km; Egypt 1,115 km; Niger 342 km; Sudan 382 km; Tunisia 461 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm

note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation: highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m

mean elevation: 423 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use: agricultural land: 8.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 7.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 0.1% (2018 est.)

other: 91.1% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers: Nubian Aquifer System, North Western Sahara Aquifer System, Murzuk-Djado Basin
Population distribution: well over 90% of the population lives along the Mediterranean coast in and between Tripoli to the west and Al Bayda to the east; the interior remains vastly underpopulated due to the Sahara and lack of surface water as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Geography - note: note 1: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

note 2: the volcano Waw an Namus lies in south central Libya in the middle of the Sahara; the caldera is an oasis - the name means "oasis of mosquitoes" - containing several small lakes surrounded by vegetation and hosting various insects and a large diversity of birds
Map description: Libya map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Mediterranean Sea.  Libya map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Mediterranean Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 7,137,931 (2022 est.)

note: immigrants make up just over 12% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)
Nationality: noun: Libyan(s)

adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Egyptian, Greek, Indian, Italian, Maltese, Pakistani, Tunisian, and Turkish)
Languages: Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Berber (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq)

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Muslim (official; virtually all Sunni) 96.6%, Christian 2.7%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, folk religion <1%, other  <1%, unafilliated <1% (2020 est.)

note: non-Sunni Muslims include native Ibadhi Muslims (<1% of the population) and foreign Muslims
Demographic profile: Despite continuing unrest, Libya remains a destination country for economic migrants. It is also a hub for transit migration to Europe because of its proximity to southern Europe and its lax border controls. Labor migrants have been drawn to Libya since the development of its oil sector in the 1960s. Until the latter part of the 1990s, most migrants to Libya were Arab (primarily Egyptians and Sudanese). However, international isolation stemming from Libya’s involvement in international terrorism and a perceived lack of support from Arab countries led QADHAFI in 1998 to adopt a decade-long pan-African policy that enabled large numbers of Sub-Saharan migrants to enter Libya without visas to work in the construction and agricultural industries. Although Sub-Saharan Africans provided a cheap labor source, they were poorly treated and were subjected to periodic mass expulsions.By the mid-2000s, domestic animosity toward African migrants and a desire to reintegrate into the international community motivated QADHAFI to impose entry visas on Arab and African immigrants and to agree to joint maritime patrols and migrant repatriations with Italy, the main recipient of illegal migrants departing Libya. As his regime neared collapse in 2011, QADHAFI reversed his policy of cooperating with Italy to curb illegal migration and sent boats loaded with migrants and asylum seekers to strain European resources. Libya’s 2011 revolution decreased immigration drastically and prompted nearly 800,000 migrants to flee to third countries, mainly Tunisia and Egypt, or to their countries of origin. The inflow of migrants declined in 2012 but returned to normal levels by 2013, despite continued hostility toward Sub-Saharan Africans and a less-inviting job market.While Libya is not an appealing destination for migrants, since 2014, transiting migrants – primarily from East and West Africa – continue to exploit its political instability and weak border controls and use it as a primary departure area to migrate across the central Mediterranean to Europe in growing numbers. In addition, more than 200,000 people were displaced internally as of August 2017 by fighting between armed groups in eastern and western Libya and, to a lesser extent, by inter-tribal clashes in the country’s south.Despite continuing unrest, Libya remains a destination country for economic migrants. It is also a hub for transit migration to Europe because of its proximity to southern Europe and its lax border controls. Labor migrants have been drawn to Libya since the development of its oil sector in the 1960s. Until the latter part of the 1990s, most migrants to Libya were Arab (primarily Egyptians and Sudanese). However, international isolation stemming from Libya’s involvement in international terrorism and a perceived lack of support from Arab countries led QADHAFI in 1998 to adopt a decade-long pan-African policy that enabled large numbers of Sub-Saharan migrants to enter Libya without visas to work in the construction and agricultural industries. Although Sub-Saharan Africans provided a cheap labor source, they were poorly treated and were subjected to periodic mass expulsions.By the mid-2000s, domestic animosity toward African migrants and a desire to reintegrate into the international community motivated QADHAFI to impose entry visas on Arab and African immigrants and to agree to joint maritime patrols and migrant repatriations with Italy, the main recipient of illegal migrants departing Libya. As his regime neared collapse in 2011, QADHAFI reversed his policy of cooperating with Italy to curb illegal migration and sent boats loaded with migrants and asylum seekers to strain European resources. Libya’s 2011 revolution decreased immigration drastically and prompted nearly 800,000 migrants to flee to third countries, mainly Tunisia and Egypt, or to their countries of origin. The inflow of migrants declined in 2012 but returned to normal levels by 2013, despite continued hostility toward Sub-Saharan Africans and a less-inviting job market.While Libya is not an appealing destination for migrants, since 2014, transiting migrants – primarily from East and West Africa – continue to exploit its political instability and weak border controls and use it as a primary departure area to migrate across the central Mediterranean to Europe in growing numbers. In addition, more than 200,000 people were displaced internally as of August 2017 by fighting between armed groups in eastern and western Libya and, to a lesser extent, by inter-tribal clashes in the country’s south.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.65% (male 1,184,755/female 1,134,084)

15-24 years: 15.21% (male 534,245/female 513,728)

25-54 years: 41.57% (male 1,491,461/female 1,373,086)

55-64 years: 5.52% (male 186,913/female 193,560)

65 years and over: 4.04% (2020 est.) (male 129,177/female 149,526)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 47.7

youth dependency ratio: 41

elderly dependency ratio: 6.7

potential support ratio: 15 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 25.8 years

male: 25.9 years

female: 25.7 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.65% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 21.56 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 3.45 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: well over 90% of the population lives along the Mediterranean coast in and between Tripoli to the west and Al Bayda to the east; the interior remains vastly underpopulated due to the Sahara and lack of surface water as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 81.3% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.176 million TRIPOLI (capital), 953,000 Misratah, 848,000 Benghazi (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 72 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 11.22 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 12.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.18 years

male: 74.94 years

female: 79.53 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.09 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 27.7% (2014)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 99.9% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: NA
Physicians density: 2.09 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Hospital bed density: 3.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 99.3% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0.7% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,500 (2020)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020) <100
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 32.5% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.7% (2014)
Education expenditures: NA
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 91%

male: 96.7%

female: 85.6% (2015)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 48.7%

male: 40.8%

female: 67.8% (2012 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: desertification; limited natural freshwater resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, brings water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities; water pollution is a significant problem; the combined impact of sewage, oil byproducts, and industrial waste threatens Libya's coast and the Mediterranean Sea
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Law of the Sea
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 44.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 50.56 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 45.76 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Land use: agricultural land: 8.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 7.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 0.1% (2018 est.)

other: 91.1% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 81.3% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.06% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Food insecurity: severe localized food insecurity: due to civil insecurity, economic and political instability, and high food prices - an estimated 800,000 people, 10% of the population, need humanitarian assistance, of which 500,000 require food assistance (2022)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,147,596 tons (2011 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers: Nubian Aquifer System, North Western Sahara Aquifer System, Murzuk-Djado Basin
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 700 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 280 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 4.85 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 700 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: State of Libya

conventional short form: Libya

local long form: Dawiat Libiya

local short form: Libiya

etymology: name derives from the Libu, an ancient Libyan tribe first mentioned in texts from the 13th century B.C.
Government type: in transition
Capital: name: Tripoli (Tarabulus)

geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: originally founded by the Phoenicians as Oea in the 7th century B.C., the city changed rulers many times over the successive centuries; by the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. the region around the city was referred to as Regio Tripolitana by the Romans, meaning "region of the three cities" - namely Oea (i.e., modern Tripoli), Sabratha (to the west), and Leptis Magna (to the east); over time, the shortened name of "Tripoli" came to refer to just Oea, which derives from the Greek words "tria" and "polis" meaning "three cities"
Administrative divisions: 22 governorates (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat); Al Butnan, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jabal al Gharbi, Al Jafarah, Al Jufrah, Al Kufrah, Al Marj, Al Marqab, Al Wahat, An Nuqat al Khams, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi (Benghazi), Darnah, Ghat, Misratah, Murzuq, Nalut, Sabha, Surt, Tarabulus (Tripoli), Wadi al Hayat, Wadi ash Shati
Independence: 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 23 October (2011)
Constitution: history: previous 1951, 1977; in July 2017, the Constitutional Assembly completed and approved a draft of a new permanent constitution; in September 2018, the House of Representatives passed a constitutional referendum law in a session with contested reports of the quorum needed to pass the vote, and submitted it to the High National Elections Commission in December to begin preparations for a constitutional referendum
Legal system: Libya's post-revolution legal system is in flux and driven by state and non-state entities
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Libya

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: varies from 3 to 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Chairman, Presidential Council, Mohammed Al MENFI (since 5 February 2021)

head of government: Interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid DUBAYBAH (since 5 February 2021)

elections/appointments: Libya’s first direct presidential election, scheduled for 24 December 2021, was not heldLibya’s first direct presidential election, scheduled for 24 December 2021, was not held
Legislative branch: description: unicameral House of Representatives (Majlis Al Nuwab) or HoR (200 seats including 32 reserved for women; members directly elected by majority vote; member term NA); note - the High State Council serves as an advisory group for the HoR

elections: last held on 25 June 2014

election results: 25 June 2014 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition; note - only 188 of the 200 seats were filled in the June 2014 election because of boycotts and lack of security at some polling stations; some elected members of the HoR also boycotted the election
Judicial branch: highest courts: Libya's judicial system consists of a supreme court, central high courts (in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sabha), and a series of lower courts; the judicial system is factious given the ongoing tension between Libya's eastern and western regions; since 2011, Libyan political factions and armed groups have targeted judges and courthouses
Political parties and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BDEAC, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, LCBC, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNSMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Khaled DAIEF (since 27 August 2021)

chancery: 1460 Dahlia Street NW, Washington, DC 20012

telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601

FAX: [1] (202) 944-9606

email address and website:
info@embassyoflibyadc.com

https://www.embassyoflibyadc.org/1460 Dahlia Street NW, Washington, DC 20012
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard B. NORLAND (since 22 August 2019)

embassy: operations suspended

mailing address: 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC  20521-8850

telephone: [216] 71-107-000

email address and website:
LibyaACS@state.gov

https://ly.usembassy.gov/

note: the US Embassy in Tripoli closed in July 2014 due to fighting near the embassy related to Libyan civil unrest; embassy staff and operations temporarily first relocated to Valetta, Malta and currently are temporarily relocated to Tunis, Tunisia
Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), black (double width), and green with a white crescent and star centered on the black stripe; the National Transitional Council reintroduced this flag design of the former Kingdom of Libya (1951-1969) on 27 February 2011; it replaced the former all-green banner promulgated by the QADHAFI regime in 1977; the colors represent the three major regions of the country: red stands for Fezzan, black symbolizes Cyrenaica, and green denotes Tripolitania; the crescent and star represent Islam, the main religion of the country
National symbol(s): star and crescent, hawk; national colors: red, black, green
National anthem: name: "Libya, Libya, Libya"

lyrics/music: Al Bashir AL AREBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB

note: also known as "Ya Beladi" or "Oh, My Country!"; adopted 1951; readopted 2011 with some modification to the lyrics; during the QADHAFI years between 1969 and 2011, the anthem was "Allahu Akbar," (God is Great) a marching song of the Egyptian Army in the 1956 Suez War
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Archaeological Site of Cyrene, Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna, Archaeological Site of Sabratha, Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus, Old Town of Ghadamès

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Libya's economy, almost entirely dependent on oil and gas exports, has struggled since 2014 given security and political instability, disruptions in oil production, and decline in global oil prices. The Libyan dinar has lost much of its value since 2014 and the resulting gap between official and black market exchange rates has spurred the growth of a shadow economy and contributed to inflation. The country suffers from widespread power outages, caused by shortages of fuel for power generation. Living conditions, including access to clean drinking water, medical services, and safe housing have all declined since 2011. Oil production in 2017 reached a five-year high, driving GDP growth, with daily average production rising to 879,000 barrels per day. However, oil production levels remain below the average pre-Revolution highs of 1.6 million barrels per day.   The Central Bank of Libya continued to pay government salaries to a majority of the Libyan workforce and to fund subsidies for fuel and food, resulting in an estimated budget deficit of about 17% of GDP in 2017. Low consumer confidence in the banking sector and the economy as a whole has driven a severe liquidity shortage.Libya's economy, almost entirely dependent on oil and gas exports, has struggled since 2014 given security and political instability, disruptions in oil production, and decline in global oil prices. The Libyan dinar has lost much of its value since 2014 and the resulting gap between official and black market exchange rates has spurred the growth of a shadow economy and contributed to inflation. The country suffers from widespread power outages, caused by shortages of fuel for power generation. Living conditions, including access to clean drinking water, medical services, and safe housing have all declined since 2011. Oil production in 2017 reached a five-year high, driving GDP growth, with daily average production rising to 879,000 barrels per day. However, oil production levels remain below the average pre-Revolution highs of 1.6 million barrels per day. The Central Bank of Libya continued to pay government salaries to a majority of the Libyan workforce and to fund subsidies for fuel and food, resulting in an estimated budget deficit of about 17% of GDP in 2017. Low consumer confidence in the banking sector and the economy as a whole has driven a severe liquidity shortage.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $70.65 billion (2020 est.)

$102.84 billion (2019 est.)

$100.3 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 64% (2017 est.)

-7.4% (2016 est.)

-13% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $10,300 (2020 est.)

$15,200 (2019 est.)

$15,000 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $52.259 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 28.5% (2017 est.)

25.9% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 52.3% (2017 est.)

services: 46.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 71.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 19.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 2.7% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.3% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services: 38.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -33.8% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: potatoes, watermelons, tomatoes, onions, dates, milk, olives, wheat, poultry, vegetables
Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, aluminum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate: 60.3% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 1.114 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 17%

industry: 23%

services: 59% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% (2004 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 48.7%

male: 40.8%

female: 67.8% (2012 est.)
Population below poverty line: note: about one-third of Libyans live at or below the national poverty linenote: about one-third of Libyans live at or below the national poverty line
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
Budget: revenues: 15.78 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 23.46 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -25.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 4.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

7.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 51.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: $2.574 billion (2017 est.)

-$4.575 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $29.96 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$11.99 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - partners: Italy 18%, China 16%, Germany 15%, Spain 15%, United Arab Emirates 6%, France 6%, United States 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, gold, refined petroleum, scrap iron (2019)
Imports: $18.85 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$8.667 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - partners: China 16%, Turkey 14%, Italy 9%, United Arab Emirates 9%, Egypt 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, cigarettes, jewelry (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $74.71 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$66.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $3.02 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.116 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar -

1.413 (2017 est.)

1.3904 (2016 est.)

1.3904 (2015 est.)

1.379 (2014 est.)

1.2724 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2019)
Electricity - production: 34.24 billion kWh (2016 est.)

note: persistent electricity shortages have contributed to the ongoing instability throughout the country
Electricity - consumption: 27.3 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - imports: 376 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 9.46 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 1.039 million bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 337,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)

note: Libyan crude oil export values are highly volatile because of continuing protests and other disruptions across the country
Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 48.36 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 89,620 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 260,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 16,880 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 168,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 9.089 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 4.446 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 4.644 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.505 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1.576 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 2.922 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: political and security instability in Libya has disrupted its telecom sector; much of its infrastructure remains superior to that in most other African countries; rival operators fight for control; investment in fiber backbone and upgrades to international cables; limited LTE and 5G service; some satellite broadband; Chinese companies have heavily invested in Libyan infrastructure and now dominate the telecommunications sector; in 2021 Libya signed deals and projects with US firms to upgrade portions of its infrastructure, increasing the diversity of its telecommunications networks (2021)

domestic: nearly 24 per 100 fixed-line and over 91 per 100 mobile-cellular subscriptions; service generally adequate (2019)

international: country code - 218; landing points for LFON, EIG, Italy-Libya, Silphium and Tobrok-Emasaed submarine cable system connecting Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, Arabsat, and Intersputnik;  microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: state-funded and private TV stations; some provinces operate local TV stations; pan-Arab satellite TV stations are available; state-funded radio (2019)
Internet country code: .ly
Internet users: total: 1,491,040 (2019 est.)

percent of population: 22% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 332,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 9 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 55

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 927,153 (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 5A
Airports: total: 146 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 68

over 3,047 m: 23

2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 30

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 78

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 37

under 914 m: 20 (2021)
Heliports: 2 (2021)
Pipelines: 882 km condensate, 3,743 km gas, 7,005 km oil (2013)
Roadways: total: 37,000 km (2010)

paved: 34,000 km (2010)

unpaved: 3,000 km (2010)
Merchant marine: total: 94

by type: general cargo 2, oil tanker 12, other 80 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Marsa al Burayqah (Marsa el Brega), Tripoli

oil terminal(s): Az Zawiyah, Ra's Lanuf

LNG terminal(s) (export): Marsa el Brega

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Libya lacks a nationwide military and the interim government, the Government of National Unity (GNU), relies on its cooperation with disparate militias that it cannot entirely control for security; the GNU has access to various ground, air, and naval/coast guard forces comprised of a mix of semi-regular military units, militias, civilian volunteers, and foreign troops and mercenaries

the Libyan National Army (LNA), under de facto LNA commander Khalifa HAFTER, also includes various ground, air, and naval units comprised of semi-regular military personnel, militias, and foreign troops and mercenaries; as of 2022, the LNA operated independently from the GNU and exerted influence throughout eastern, central, and southern Libya (2022)

note - the Stability Support Authority (SSA) is a state-funded militia established in January 2021 by the GNU; it is tasked with securing government buildings and officials, participating in combat operations, apprehending those suspected of national security crimes, and cooperating with other security bodies
Military expenditures: not available
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimates not available
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: both the forces aligned with the GNU and the LNA are largely equipped with weapons of Russian or Soviet origin; as of 2021, Turkey was the top provider of arms and equipment to the forces supporting the GNU, while the United Arab Emirates was the main supporter of the LNA (2021)
Military service age and obligation: not available
Military - note: in April 2019, Libyan National Army (LNA) forces launched an offensive to seize the capital, Tripoli, from the UN-recognized GNA; the GNA and its local supporting militia forces forced the LNA to withdraw by June 2020; at the signing of a UN-mediated ceasefire in October 2020, the two sides were separated by a line of control running roughly from the coastal city of Sirte south to the vicinity of Al Jufra and Brak; as of 2022, this line had grown increasingly fortified outside actors have played a large role in the fighting in Libya on both sides: GNU forces were backed militarily by Qatar and Turkey; Turkey signed a security agreement with the GNA in 2019, and Turkey’s aid was assessed as vital in turning back the LNA offensive in 2019-2020; Turkey’s support included air defense, unmanned aerial vehicles (aka drones), equipment, weapons, training, and military personnel, including advisors, technicians, and equipment operators; in addition, Turkey provided mercenary fighters from Syria LNA forces (aka Libyan Arab Armed Forces, LAAF) has received varying amounts of military support from Chad, Egypt, France, Jordan, Russia, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE); Russia, Sudan, and the UAE had been the most active; Russia provided equipment, weapons, aircraft, and air defense support, as well as Russian mercenaries/private military contractors and Russian-sponsored Syrian mercenary fighters; Sudan reportedly provided troops from its Rapid Support Forces in 2019-2020, and Sudanese mercenaries were present in Libya as of late 2021; the UAE provided equipment, supplies, weapons, and air support, including air strikes from manned and unmanned aircraft; Egypt provided arms, supplies, and training, as well as facilitated both Emirati and Russian operations in Libya by allowing them to use the country’s western bases and to transport arms over the border as of late 2021, it was estimated that as many as 20,000 third-country nationals were involved in military operations in Libya, despite the confidence building measure of the October 2020 ceasefire that called for all foreign forces to leave the country by early 2021; in addition to the foreign military and proxy forces, foreign fighters from Libya’s neighbors (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Mali, Niger, and Tunisia, as well as Sudan) have travelled to Libya since the civil war began in 2011 to support various armed groups, including those aligned with the GNA/GNU and the LNA, as well as the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham and Al Qa’ida terrorist group affiliates operating in Libya; most of these fighters arrived as individuals, but rebel groups from Chad and Sudan were also reportedly involved in the fighting (2022)in April 2019, Libyan National Army (LNA) forces launched an offensive to seize the capital, Tripoli, from the UN-recognized GNA; the GNA and its local supporting militia forces forced the LNA to withdraw by June 2020; at the signing of a UN-mediated ceasefire in October 2020, the two sides were separated by a line of control running roughly from the coastal city of Sirte south to the vicinity of Al Jufra and Brak; as of 2022, this line had grown increasingly fortifiedoutside actors have played a large role in the fighting in Libya on both sides:GNU forces were backed militarily by Qatar and Turkey; Turkey signed a security agreement with the GNA in 2019, and Turkey’s aid was assessed as vital in turning back the LNA offensive in 2019-2020; Turkey’s support included air defense, unmanned aerial vehicles (aka drones), equipment, weapons, training, and military personnel, including advisors, technicians, and equipment operators; in addition, Turkey provided mercenary fighters from SyriaLNA forces (aka Libyan Arab Armed Forces, LAAF) has received varying amounts of military support from Chad, Egypt, France, Jordan, Russia, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE); Russia, Sudan, and the UAE had been the most active; Russia provided equipment, weapons, aircraft, and air defense support, as well as Russian mercenaries/private military contractors and Russian-sponsored Syrian mercenary fighters; Sudan reportedly provided troops from its Rapid Support Forces in 2019-2020, and Sudanese mercenaries were present in Libya as of late 2021; the UAE provided equipment, supplies, weapons, and air support, including air strikes from manned and unmanned aircraft; Egypt provided arms, supplies, and training, as well as facilitated both Emirati and Russian operations in Libya by allowing them to use the country’s western bases and to transport arms over the borderas of late 2021, it was estimated that as many as 20,000 third-country nationals were involved in military operations in Libya, despite the confidence building measure of the October 2020 ceasefire that called for all foreign forces to leave the country by early 2021; in addition to the foreign military and proxy forces, foreign fighters from Libya’s neighbors (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Mali, Niger, and Tunisia, as well as Sudan) have travelled to Libya since the civil war began in 2011 to support various armed groups, including those aligned with the GNA/GNU and the LNA, as well as the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham and Al Qa’ida terrorist group affiliates operating in Libya; most of these fighters arrived as individuals, but rebel groups from Chad and Sudan were also reportedly involved in the fighting

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Sharia groups; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Libya; al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Libya-Algeria: dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria

Libya-Chad: various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya; Libyan forces clashed with Chadian rebels in September 2021 Libya-Egypt: none identified Libya-Niger: the boundary is poorly defined but has never been disputed by either country Libya-Sudan: none identified Libya-Tunisia: none identifiedLibya-Algeria: dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria

Libya-Chad: various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya; Libyan forces clashed with Chadian rebels in September 2021Libya-Egypt: none identifiedLibya-Niger: the boundary is poorly defined but has never been disputed by either countryLibya-Sudan: none identifiedLibya-Tunisia: none identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 19,348 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 15,207 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)

IDPs: 168,011 (conflict between pro-QADHAFI and anti-QADHAFI forces in 2011; post-QADHAFI tribal clashes 2014) (2022)


Topic: ABEDA

Topic: ACP Group

Topic: ADB

Topic: AfDB

Topic: AFESD

Topic: AG

Topic: Air Pollution

Topic: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

Topic: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Topic: Air Pollution-Sulphur 85

Topic: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

Topic: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds


Topic: Photos of Hungary

Topic: Introduction
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.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
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: slightly smaller than Virginia; about the same size as Indiana
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: highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

lowest point: Tisza River 78 m

mean elevation: 143 m
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 58.9% (2018 est.)

arable land: 48.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 8.4% (2018 est.)

forest: 22.5% (2018 est.)

other: 18.6% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,721 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Balaton - 590 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Danube (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
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
Map description: Hungary map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries.Hungary map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 9,699,577 (2022 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 5–10% 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%; 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 (2011 est.)

major-language sample(s):
A World Factbook nélkülözhetetlen forrása az alapvető információnak.  (Hungarian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
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: 0-14 years: 14.54% (male 731,542/female 689,739)

15-24 years: 10.43% (male 526,933/female 492,388)

25-54 years: 42.17% (male 2,075,763/female 2,044,664)

55-64 years: 12.17% (male 552,876/female 636,107)

65 years and over: 20.69% (2020 est.) (male 773,157/female 1,248,658)
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: -0.3% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 8.65 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 12.88 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Urbanization: urban population: 72.6% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.775 million BUDAPEST (capital) (2022)
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: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 28.4 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 12 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.95 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.2 years

male: 73.55 years

female: 81.06 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
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 (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 6.4% (2019)
Physicians density: 6.06 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 7 beds/1,000 population (2018)
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 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: (2018 est.) <.1%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,700 (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2018 est.) <100
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate (2016)

vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 26.4% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 31.8% (2020 est.)

male: 35.8% (2020 est.)

female: 27.8% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: 4.6% of GDP (2018)
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: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 14 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 12.8%

male: 11.9%

female: 14% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
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-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 15.62 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 45.54 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 7.25 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Land use: agricultural land: 58.9% (2018 est.)

arable land: 48.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 8.4% (2018 est.)

forest: 22.5% (2018 est.)

other: 18.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 72.6% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.1% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate (2016)

vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2016)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.712 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 962,893 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.9% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Balaton - 590 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Danube (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 624.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 3.358 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 518.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 104 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
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-Csanad, 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: Budapest19 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-Csanad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zalacities 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, Zalaegerszegcapital 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 Katalin NOVAK (since 10 May 2022)

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 11 March 2022 (next to be held spring 2027); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; election last held on 3 April 2022 (next to be held April or May 2027)

election results: 2022: Katalin NOVAK (Fidesz) elected president; National Assembly vote - 137 to 51

2017: Janos ADER (Fidesz) reelected president; National Assembly vote - 131 to 39

Viktor ORBAN (Fidesz) reelected prime minister
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, using the d’Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 3 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2026)

election results: percent of vote by party list - Fidesz-KDNP 54.1%, United for Hungary 34.5%, Mi Hazank 5.9%, other 5.5%; seats by party - Fidesz-KDNP 135, United for Hungary 57, Mi Hazank 6, independent 1; composition - men 175, women 24, percent of women 12.1%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Curia or Supreme Judicial Court (consists of the president, vice president, department heads, and has a maximum of 113 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, Agnes KUNHALMI]
LMP-Hungary's Green Party [Mate KANASZ-NAGY, Erzsebet SCHMUCK]
Mi Hazank [Laszlo TOROCZKAI]
Momentum Movement (Momentum Mozgalom) [Anna DONATH]
Movement for a Better Hungary or Jobbik [Peter JAKAB]
National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary or LdU [Olivia SCHUBERT]
Together (Egyutt)
United for Hungary (a coalition of Jobbik, MSZP, Dialogue, DK, LMP, and Momentum)
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, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Szabolcs Ferenc TAKACS (since 23 December 2020)

chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730

FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135

email address and website:
info@mfa.gov.hu

https://washington.mfa.gov.hu/eng

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marc DILLARD (since 30 October 2020)

embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest

mailing address: 5270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270

telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400

FAX: [36] (1) 475-4248

email address and website:
acs.budapest@state.gov

https://hu.usembassy.gov/
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: name: "Himnusz" (Hymn)

lyrics/music: Ferenc KOLCSEY/Ferenc ERKEL

note: adopted 1844
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 8 (7 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, and Andrássy Avenue (c); Old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings (c); Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (n); Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment (c); Hortobágy National Park - the Puszta (c); Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs (Sopianae) (c); Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape (c); Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape (c)

Topic: Economy
Economic 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 Hungary’s 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. Hungary’s 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.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 Hungary’s 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. Hungary’s 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.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $302.32 billion (2020 est.)

$318.09 billion (2019 est.)

$303.98 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 4.58% (2019 est.)

5.44% (2018 est.)

4.45% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $31,000 (2020 est.)

$32,600 (2019 est.)

$31,100 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $163.251 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2019 est.)

2.8% (2018 est.)

2.3% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: BBB (2019)

Moody's rating: Baa3 (2016)

Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2019)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 3.9% (2017 est.)

industry: 31.3% (2017 est.)

services: 64.8% (2017 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.)
Agricultural products: maize, wheat, milk, sunflower seed, barley, rapeseed, sugar beet, apples, pork, grapes
Industries: mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 4.414 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.9%

industry: 30.3%

services: 64.5% (2015 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3.45% (2019 est.)

3.71% (2018 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 12.8%

male: 11.9%

female: 14% (2020 est.)
Population below poverty line: 12.3% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 30.6 (2017 est.)

28.6 (2014)
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.)
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.
Taxes and other revenues: 44.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$392 million (2019 est.)

$510 million (2018 est.)
Exports: $123.83 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$134.55 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$134.66 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Germany 27%, Romania 5%, Italy 5%, Slovakia 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, spark-ignition engines, video displays, broadcasting equipment (2019)
Imports: $120.25 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$129.9 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$127.52 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: Germany 25%, China 6%, Poland 6%, Austria 6%, Czechia 5%, Slovakia 5%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, integrated circuits, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, crude petroleum (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $28 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$25.82 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $123.256 billion (2019 est.)

$125.29 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: forints (HUF) per US dollar -

295.3276 (2020 est.)

299.4939 (2019 est.)

283.5923 (2018 est.)

279.33 (2014 est.)

232.6 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
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.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 2,970,347 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 10,332,660 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Hungary benefits from having a developed telecom infrastructure, with a focus among operators to develop the 5G sector and upgrade fixed networks to provide a 1Gb/s service; services based on 5G have been supported by the January 2021 multi-spectrum auction for spectrum in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands; Digi Mobile failed to secure spectrum, which prompted the operator’s parent company to sell the unit to 4iG; the number of fixed-lines continues to fall as subscribers migrate to the mobile platform for voice and data services; operators have bundled packages to boost revenue and retain subscribers; this strategy encouraged Vodafone Group to acquire UPC Hungary in mid-2019; the broadband market has effective infrastructure-based competition, with an extensive cable network competing against DSL services and a vibrant and rapidly expanding fiber sector.; the regulator has also introduced a number of measures aimed at promoting market competition, which is pushing the drive for higher speed platforms and encouraging operators to invest in technology upgrades; Hungary now has the highest fixed broadband penetration rate in Eastern Europe; by the beginning of 2021, the incumbent telco Maygar Telekom provided a 1Gb/s service to about 2.5 million premises across the country; the number of superfast broadband connections (above 30Mb/s) accounted for 78% of all fixed broadband connections; Maygar Telekom is at the forefront of 5G developments, supported by the government, universities, other telcos and vendors forming the Hungarian 5G Coalition; by March 2021, Vodafone Hungary managed about 300 5G base stations in Budapest and its surrounds, as well as in a number of other cities. (2021)

domestic: competition among mobile-cellular service providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile-cellular phones, and a decrease in the number of fixed-line connections, with just under 31 fixed per 100 persons and 107 mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 (2020)

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 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on the telecoms market. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, has offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect has been a reduced (and sometimes negative) subscriber growth, which will continue into 2021.
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 (2019)
Internet country code: .hu
Internet users: total: 8,287,626 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 85% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 3,265,308 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
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
Airports: total: 41 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 20

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 21

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 11 (2021)
Heliports: 3 (2021)
Pipelines: 5,874 km gas (high-pressure transmission system), 83,732 km gas (low-pressure distribution network), 850 km oil, 1,200 km refined products (2018)
Railways: total: 8,049 km (2014)

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

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

broad gauge: 36 km (2014) 1.524-m gauge
Roadways: total: 203,601 km (2014)

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

unpaved: 126,514 km (2014)
Waterways: 1,622 km (2011) (most on Danube River)
Merchant marine: total: 1

by type: other 1 (2021)
Ports and terminals: river port(s): Baja, Csepel (Budapest), Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Mohacs (Danube)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: the Hungarian Defense Forces are a unified force (Joint Force Command) with Land Forces, Air Forces, and Logistics components (2022)
Military expenditures: 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.8% of GDP (2020)

1.3% of GDP (2019) (approximately $3.02 billion)

1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $2.4 billion)

1.2% of GDP (2017) (approximately $2.21 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: the Hungarian Defense Forces have approximately 20,000 active duty troops (15,000 Army; 5,000 Air Force) (2021)

note - in 2017, Hungary announced plans to increase the number of active soldiers to around 37,000, but did not give a timeline
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 several European countries and the US (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 2005); 6-month service obligation (2021)

note - as of 2019, women comprised approximately 20% of Hungary's full-time military personnel
Military deployments: 160 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 150 Iraq (counter-ISIS coalition); 470 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2021-2022)
Military - note: Hungary joined NATO in 1999; Czechia, Hungary, and Poland were invited to begin accession talks at NATO's Madrid Summit in 1997 and in March 1999 they became the first former members of the Warsaw Pact to join the Alliance (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
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 rulesbilateral 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): 26,199 (Ukraine) (as of 5 July 2022)

stateless persons: 130 (mid-year 2021)

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