

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 country fell under communist rule following World War II. 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.Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The country fell under communist rule following World War II. 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.

Topic: Geography
Area: total: 93,028 sq km

land: 89,608 sq km

water: 3,420 sq km
Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Topic: People and Society
Population: 9,699,577 (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups: Hungarian 85.6%, Romani 3.2%, German 1.9%, other 2.6%, unspecified 14.1% (2011 est.)
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.)
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.)
Population growth rate: -0.3% (2022 est.)

Topic: Government
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Budapest
Executive branch: chief of state: President Katalin NOVAK (since 10 May 2022)

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

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: high-income EU and OECD economy; decreasing government spending; increasing judicial independence concerns; flat income taxation; increasingly dependent on energy imports; strong tourism and automotive manufacturinghigh-income EU and OECD economy; decreasing government spending; increasing judicial independence concerns; flat income taxation; increasingly dependent on energy imports; strong tourism and automotive manufacturing
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $302.32 billion (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $31,000 (2020 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
Exports: $123.83 billion (2020 est.)
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.)
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)Page last updated: Thursday, May 12, 2022