Hungary: Background & Geography
| Introduction | Hungary |
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Background:
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Hungary was 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 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 is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other states on 1 May 2004. In an April 2003 referendum, 84 percent voted in favor of joining the EU. |
| Geography | Hungary |
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Location:
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Central Europe, northwest of Romania |
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Geographic coordinates:
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47 00 N, 20 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 93,030 sq km
water: 690 sq km land: 92,340 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Indiana |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,171 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable land: 52.2%
other: 45.34% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 2.46% |
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Irrigated land:
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2,100 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Environment - current issues:
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the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large investments |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 |
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Geography - note:
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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 |