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.
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Geography
Location
Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Geographic coordinates
47 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references
Europe
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
1,010 sq km (2019)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Lake Balaton - 590 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Duna (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
People and Society
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
Catholic 30.1% (Roman Catholic 27.5%, Greek Catholic 1.7%, other Catholic 0.9%), Calvinist 9.8%, Lutheran 1.8%, other Christian (includes Orthodox) 1.6%, other 0.4%, none 16.1%, no answer 40.1% (2022 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 14.24% (male 709,089/female 668,143)
15-64 years: 63.97% (male 3,091,384/female 3,094,515)
65 years and over: 21.79% (2023 est.) (male 812,063/female 1,294,815)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 53.8
youth dependency ratio: 22.4
elderly dependency ratio: 31.4
potential support ratio: 3.2 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 44.5 years (2023 est.)
male: 42.6 years
female: 46.4 years
comparison ranking: total 27
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Urbanization
urban population: 72.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.778 million BUDAPEST (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
28.4 years (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 4.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 180
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.3 years (2023 est.)
male: 72.1 years
female: 78.7 years
comparison ranking: total population 124
Gross reproduction rate
0.78 (2023 est.)
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
7.3% of GDP (2020)
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.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2016)
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 10.79 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 3.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 3.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 16
Tobacco use
total: 31.8% (2020 est.)
male: 35.8% (2020 est.)
female: 27.8% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 22
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
51.4% (2023 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.1%
female: 99.1% (2021)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2020)
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
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: 72.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 14.24 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 45.54 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 7.25 megatons (2020 est.)
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)
Duna (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: 660 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 3.45 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 550 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
104 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
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: 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
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 list - Fidesz-KDNP 135, United for Hungary 57, Mi Hazank 6, independent 1; composition as of June 2023 - men 171, women 28, percent of women 14.1%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): 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 [Bence TORDAI, Rebeka SZABO]
Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN]
Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP [Bertalan TOTH, Agnes KUNHALMI]
LMP-Hungary's Green Party [Peter UNGAR, Erzsebet SCHMUCK]
Mi Hazank (Our Homeland Movement) or MHM [Laszlo TOROCZKAI]
Momentum Movement (Momentum Mozgalom) [Ferenc GELENCSER]
Movement for a Better Hungary or Jobbik [Marton GYONGYOSI]
National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary or LdU [Ibolya HOCK-ENGLENDER]
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, UNOOSA, 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: 1500 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
email address and website:
info.was@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 David PRESSMAN (since 14 September 2022)
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)
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 manufacturing
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$326.186 billion (2021 est.)
$304.513 billion (2020 est.)
$319.019 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 54
Real GDP per capita
$33,600 (2021 est.)
$31,200 (2020 est.)
$32,600 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 64
GDP (official exchange rate)
$163.251 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.11% (2021 est.)
3.33% (2020 est.)
3.34% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 64
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: BBB (2019)
Moody's rating: Baa3 (2016)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2019)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 3.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 31.3% (2017 est.)
services: 64.8% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 96; industry 69; agriculture 141
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 beets, apples, pork, grapes
Industries
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 13.5% (2021 est.)
male: 11.5%
female: 16.2%
comparison ranking: total 130
Population below poverty line
12.3% (2018 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food: 18.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 7.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 22.4% (2015)
Budget
revenues: $70.83 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $74.127 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
96.11% of GDP (2020 est.)
83.29% of GDP (2019 est.)
86.55% of GDP (2018 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.
comparison ranking: 30
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$7.173 billion (2021 est.)
-$1.603 billion (2020 est.)
-$1.231 billion (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 193
Exports
$148.229 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$124.111 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$133.736 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
comparison ranking: 37
Exports - partners
Germany 27%, Romania 5%, Italy 5%, Slovakia 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
cars and vehicle parts, electric batteries, video displays, packaged medicines, spark-ignition engines, broadcasting equipment (2021)
Imports
$147.577 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$121.016 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$129.901 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
comparison ranking: 36
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
$43.483 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$41.349 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$31.831 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 47
Exchange rates
forints (HUF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
303.141 (2021 est.)
307.997 (2020 est.)
290.66 (2019 est.)
270.212 (2018 est.)
274.433 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 10.873 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 41.533 billion kWh (2020 est.)
exports: 7.498 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 19.176 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.139 billion kWh (2020 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 66; imports 13; exports 24; consumption 57; installed generating capacity 62
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 36.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 46% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 7.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 7.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 4 (2023)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 0
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.92GW (2023)
Percent of total electricity production: 46.8% (2021)
Percent of total energy produced: 44% (2021)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 0
Coal
production: 6.956 million metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 8.079 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 230,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 1.395 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 2.909 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 35,200 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 180,600 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 8,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 134,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 12.1 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 1.685 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
consumption: 10.545 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
exports: 3.758 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
imports: 11.678 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 3.738 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
48.589 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 7.501 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 21.568 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 19.52 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 58
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 2,955,979 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 44
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 10,248,653 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 92
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; the number of fixed-lines continues to fall as subscribers migrate to the mobile platform for voice and data services; operators have looked to bundled packages to boost revenue and retain subscribers; 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; as a result, Hungary now has the highest fixed broadband penetration rate in Eastern Europe; the number of super fast broadband connections (above 30Mb/s) accounted for 78% of all fixed broadband connections (2022)
domestic: fixed-line connections, with 30 fixed per 100 persons and 106 mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 (2021)
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
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 users
total: 8.633 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 89% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 67
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 3,382,136 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34.83 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 42
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)
Airports - with paved runways
20
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
21
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
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)
Roadways
total: 203,601 km (2014)
paved: 77,087 km (2014) (includes 1,582 km of expressways)
unpaved: 126,514 km (2014)
comparison ranking: total 27
Ports and terminals
river port(s): Baja, Csepel (Budapest), Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Mohacs (Danube)
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Hungarian Defense Forces (HDF or Magyar Honvédség): the HDF is organized as a joint force under a general staff with commands for land, air, cyber, special operations, territorial defense, and support forces (2023)
note: the National Police are under the Ministry of Interior and responsible for maintaining order nationwide; the Ministry of Interior also has the Counterterrorism Center, a special police force responsible for protecting the president and the prime minister and for preventing, uncovering, and detecting terrorist acts
Military expenditures
2.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2021)
1.8% of GDP (2020)
1.4% of GDP (2019)
comparison ranking: 45
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 25,000 active-duty troops (20,000 Army; 5,000 Air Force) (2023)
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 military's inventory consists largely of Soviet-era weapons, with a smaller mix of more modern European and US equipment; in recent years, Germany has been the top supplier of military hardware to Hungary (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 2005); 6-month service obligation (2023)
note: as of 2021, women comprised over 20% of Hungary's full-time military personnel
Military deployments
150 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 150 Iraq (NATO); 430 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2023)
Military - note
the Hungarian Defense Forces (HDF) are a professional military responsible for ensuring the defense of the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and citizens, and fulfilling Hungary’s commitments to the EU and NATO, as well as contributing to other international peacekeeping efforts under the UN; the HDF is also responsible for some aspects of domestic security, crisis management, and disaster response, and since 2015, under a declared state of emergency prompted by mass migration, it may assist law enforcement forces in border protection and handling mass migration situations; Hungary’s most recent national security strategy addressed migration as an important security concern, alongside other issues, such as great power competition and cyber security; modernizing the HDF by replacing Soviet-era equipment with Western systems and building up Hungary’s defense industrial capacity has been a priority over the past decade
Hungary has been a member of NATO since 1999 and considers the collective defense ensured within the Alliance as a cornerstone of the country’s security; NATO membership is complemented by Hungary’s ties to the EU under the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy; the HDF has participated in multiple NATO-led security missions, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo, as well as EU-led missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Mali; it hosts a NATO battlegroup comprised of troops from Croatia, Hungary, Italy, and the US, and NATO’s Multinational Division Center, a headquarters capable of commanding a division-sized force (typically 15-20,000 troops) in a crisis; both organizations were established as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine; Hungary also hosts NATO’s Center of Excellence for Military Medicine; Hungary is a member of the Visegrad Group, a regional platform that brings together Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia to discuss cultural, defense, and political cooperation
the HDF is organized as a joint force under a general staff with commands for land, air, cyber, special operations, territorial defense, and support forces; the combat units of the HDF’s Land Command have recently been reorganized and currently consists of three combined arms brigades, plus a reconnaissance regiment; one of the brigades has a joint Hungarian-Romanian peacekeeping battalion; the Special Operations Command includes a special purpose brigade; the Air Command’s combat forces are a squadron of Swedish-made fighter aircraft, an attack helicopter battalion, and an air defense missile regiment; the Territorial Defense Forces Command has volunteer operational reservists to backfill regular units on occasion and non-deployable volunteer territorial reservists that are organized into local defense units (typically battalions) spread throughout the country (2023)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Hungarian Space Office (HSO; established 1992) (2023)
Space program overview
has a history of involvement in space activities going back to the Soviet era; growing a modern space program focused on acquiring satellites and contributing to the European Space Agency (ESA); has a national space strategy; builds and operates satellites; researches and develops space technologies, including communications, navigation, and subsystems for satellites; has an astronaut corps; in addition to being an ESA member and cooperating with individual ESA and EU member states, particularly France, has relations with a variety of other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, Israel, Russia, Singapore, Turkey, the UAE, and the US; national space strategy included the goals of fostering innovation and increasing Hungary’s competitiveness in the commercial space sector (2023)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
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
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Hungary and Slovakia have a long-running dispute over the implementation of a 1970s Soviet-era hydropower project on the Danube, the Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros project
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 61,445 (Ukraine) (as of 4 December 2023)
stateless persons: 130 (2022)
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