+36 is the dialing code for Hungary.
Hungary is located in the Danube river basin in Central Europe. Hungary’s cultural traditions range from folk dance to classical music by masters such as Franz Liszt and Béla Bartók. The country was hit hard by the global financial crisis of 2008 and forced to make unpopular cuts in the state budget. Growing unemployment was accompanied by rising anti-Semitism and hostility to the Roma. Under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary has become increasingly authoritarian and nationalistic since 2010.
- Abbreviationfinder: Brief profiles of Hungary, including geography, history, politics, economics as well as common acronyms about this country.
Geography and climate
As one of countries that start with H, Hungary, which on the surface is slightly larger than Götaland, lies in the Danube basin (Carpathian Basin) in the inland of Central Europe. The Danube river forms a border with Slovakia in the northwest before it turns south and cuts straight through the country from north to south. The river divides the capital Budapest in the old town of Buda on the mountainous west coast and the administrative and commercial center of Pest in the east.
The low-lying country consists of two-thirds of plains. Only two percent of the land area reaches higher than 400 meters above sea level, with Kékes in the northern Mátra mountains as the highest peak (just over 1,000 meters). To the east of the Danube lies the Great Plains (Alföld) which occupies about half of Hungary and which was previously a vast steppe landscape, the breath. Today it is largely cultivated and constitutes the country’s foremost agricultural area. Through the Great Plain, the Danube’s longest tributary flows Tisza. In the northwest lies the Little Plain (Kisalföld).
To the west of the Danube are low mountains, which are the foothills of the Alps. To the southeast of these lies the lowland Transdanubia (Dunántúl) and Central Europe’s largest lake, Lake Balaton. On the northern side of the lake the landscape is still hilly and houses vineyards, on the southern side there are popular seaside resorts. In Hungary there is also Europe’s largest hot water lake Hévíz, where the water keeps a temperature of 30 degrees or more all year round.
Country Facts
Geography
| Cultivated land | 58.9 % |
| Land area | 93028 km 2 |
Population and health
| Population development | -0.22 ‰ |
| Urban population (Urbanization) | 71.2 % |
| Death rate | 12.73 per 1000 residents |
| Life expectancy: Women | 79.62 years |
| Life expectancy: Men | 71.96 years |
| Birth rate | 9.16 births per 1000 residents |
| HDI index | 0.828 |
| Population | 9897541 |
| Infant mortality | 5.02 deaths / 1000 births |
Population Graph Source: Countryaah.com
Energy
| Electricity, production | 23460 million kWh |
| Energy consumption per resident | 2313 kg. oil per resident |
| Natural gas, production | 1505 million cubic meters |
| Crude oil, production | million tons |
Infrastructure
| Internet users | 74.4 per 100 residents |
| Mobile subscriptions | 118 per 100 residents |
| Passenger cars | 345 per 1000 residents |
Business and economics
Hungary has an inland climate with hot summers and cold winters, as cool air from Russia draws in over the country. The rainfall is slightly less than in other Central Europe. Most of the rain comes in spring and early summer.
Surface
93 033 km2 (2018)
Time
Swedish
Adjacent country (s)
Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia
Capital with number of residents
Budapest approx. 1 800 000
Other major cities
Debrecen 204 000, Szeged 163 000, Miskolc 160 000, Pécs 146 000 (2015)
Highest mountain
Kékes (1014 m asl)
Important rivers
Dan, Tisza
2016
November
Defamatory criticism of the EU’s handling of Hungary
November 4th
The human rights organization Fidh strongly criticizes the EU for its inability to deal with the “serious deterioration of the legal situation” in Hungary under Viktor Orbán’s rule. The organization writes that the policies pursued in Hungary under Fidesz put the EU’s credibility to the test. Fidh refers to how independent institutions in Hungary have been subordinated to the government and how the constitution has been rewritten to unilaterally favor the government party. The restricted media freedom and attacks on civilian movements prevent them from reviewing the government’s activities. Fidh writes that it is “deeply worrying” that the EU is not using the tools available to do something about the erosion of democracy and the lack of respect for human rights in Hungary.
Setback for Orbán in Parliament
November 8
Prime Minister Orbán suffers a surprising defeat when he does not receive Parliament’s support for a constitutional extension that the EU should not be able to force Hungary to accept foreign nationals. The proposal gets two votes too little for the two-thirds majority required because right-wing extremist Jobbik abstains. Jobbik demands that the government at the same time tear up an opportunity for wealthy foreigners to buy themselves five years of residence permit for 300,000 euros. That opportunity has been exploited by around 10,000 Chinese, as well as by wealthy investors from Russia and the Middle East. According to Jobbik, some of these people pose a security risk.
Orbán is fighting in the EU
November 11
Viktor Orbán says he does not intend to make any new attempt to push through a constitutional amendment on immigration stops. The fight against forced overseas immigrants will henceforth be conducted directly at the EU headquarters in Brussels, says the Prime Minister. He accuses the right-wing extremist Jobbik of being transformed into “a bunch of soft guys” who go to Brussels instead of Hungary.
The new border fence partially clear
November 21st
A first stage of the new, technically advanced border fence against Serbia is completed. The work has been carried out by prisoners, reports state TV. The fence is equipped with heat and motion sensors and night vision cameras.
Jail for Syrian refugee
November 30
A Syrian refugee is sentenced to 10 years in prison and deported for “terrorism”. He is charged with stone-throwing and for having been raped with the help of a megaphone in connection with dozens of migrants attempting to enter Hungary in September 2015, the day after the border was blocked with razor blades. The man, who has a residence permit in Cyprus, says he was just trying to help his father and visually impaired mother across the border. Amnesty International says the prosecution was based on “incredibly vague” evidence and that the verdict is based on a sweeping and absurd definition of terrorism.
October
Clever result of referendum
October 2
More than 98 percent of those taking part in the referendum on EU refugee quotas say no to Hungary to accept any refugees. But turnout is just over 40 percent, which in principle means that the vote cannot be considered valid. While the opposition sees the widespread boycott of the vote as a failure for Prime Minister Orbán, he himself says that the result is a great victory for his policies and that Parliament will in any case decide that Hungary should not receive any refugees through the EU. Orbán wants the refugee resistance to be written into the Hungarian constitution. From the EU horizon, the Hungarian referendum has no validity. Under the EU’s quota system, Hungary is to receive 1,294 asylum seekers out of the 160,000 which, according to a previous decision, should be distributed among the member states.
EU support for Nordic protest
October 4th
The EU Commission supports the Nordic countries’ protest (see 9 September) against Hungary refusing to take back asylum seekers registered in Hungary. An EU delegation will travel to Hungary to discuss the country’s refusal to comply with the Dublin Regulation’s rules on first asylum. Hungary claims that Greece should take care of the refugees, but since 2011 Greece has been excluded from the Dublin Regulation because of the poor conditions for refugees there.
The leading newspaper closes
October 8
Hungary’s dominant opposition newspaper Népszabadság is closed down. The owner Mediaworks refers to financial problems, but the journalists, opposition politicians and activists suspect that the owners have been exposed to pressure and threats from the government. Népszabadság has been one of the few media to criticize the Fidesz government, and recently it accused two close associates of Prime Minister Orbán of corruption. The newspaper also opposed the referendum on refugee quotas. The Socialist Party describes the closure as a political revenge on the part of the government, and nearly 2,000 people demonstrate outside the editorial offices shouting “Out with Orbán”. Even the right-wing party Jobbik accuses Orbán of the closure and says he wants to take control of all the media.
Thousands demand press freedom
October 16
Up to 3,000 people are demonstrating in Budapest for increased freedom of the press and protest against the closure of the newspaper Népszabadság.
Orbán’s ally buys newspaper publishers
October 25th
Opimus Press acquires Mediaworks magazine publisher, which owns the closed newspaper Népszabadság. Opimus Press is owned and operated by people who are known as close supporters of Prime Minister Orbán. The acquisition seems to confirm the suspicions that the closure of the government-critical newspaper was for political reasons.
September
Textbook pays tribute to Orbán
September 8
A new textbook in history for the high school raises outrage through its tributes to Prime Minister Orbán. The book, which covers the country’s history since 1945, describes Orbàn as “the founder of modern Hungary” and his portraits appear in several places. A speech he made in 2015, warning of the “mass immigration that threatens the homogeneity of Hungarian culture”, is reproduced in its entirety. Students will also learn that the country’s right-wing policy “protects historical values”.
Nordic pressure
September 9th
The Nordic countries are notifying Hungary to the EU Commission for their refusal to take back refugees originally registered there but then gone elsewhere. According to the Nordic Migration Ministers, Hungary’s actions violate the so-called Dublin Regulation that asylum applications should be made in the first EU country where registration was made. The Nordic countries say that they are ready to report Hungary to the European Court of Justice unless the country complies with the rules.
“Exclude Hungary”
September 13
Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn says that Hungary should be suspended from the EU or completely excluded for violating basic democratic values and for treating refugees as “animals”. He argues that if Hungary were an applicant country now it would not have a chance to become a member. He also refers to the limitations of media freedom and the independence of the judiciary. He accuses Prime Minister Orbán of damaging the EU’s reputation by creating the impression that the Union cannot live up to the democratic values the EU advocates outwards.
Call for voice boycott
September 14
22 human rights organizations urge the Hungarian people to boycott the referendum on refugee reception on October 2. Several Hungarian opposition parties also want voters to refrain from participating in the vote on whether Hungary should accept the EU plan for a fair distribution of refugees within the Union. The Hungarian government does not want to receive a single refugee and has for a long time conducted intensive propaganda against refugees in general and Muslims in particular. At least 50 percent of those entitled to vote must participate in order for the voting result to be valid.
Orbán: Dump migrants on island
September 22
Prime Minister Orbán proposes that the EU create a camp on a remote island or somewhere on the North African coast, where all migrants without residence permits can be sent. The camp is to be financed by the EU and guarded by armed personnel. In the camp, the refugees should then be able to apply for a residence permit in any EU country, the Prime Minister believes. He later clarifies to point out the Libyan coast as a suitable place for “a gigantic refugee city”. It only assumes that Libya agrees and gets a new government that can conclude a cooperation agreement with the EU.
August
Award causes protests
August 23rd
At least 44 cultural and social figures are returning the high state order they have been granted in protest of a notorious racist being rewarded with the same words. The journalist Zsolt Bayer is awarded one of Hungary’s finest awards for his work for the victims of communism, but he is best known for anti-Semitic statements and gross violations of the Roma, which he, among others, compared to animals. He stands close to Prime Minister Orbán and is one of the founders of an organization that organized mass demonstrations in support of the government. In 2013, the right-wing magazine Magyar Hírlap was sentenced by the Hungarian Press’s opinion committee to be fined approximately SEK 8,000 for publishing anti-Roman chronicles by Bayer.
A new border fence is planned
August 26th
Prime Minister Orbán says a new fence will be built along the border with Serbia, in addition to the razor-lined fence that is already there. The new “more robust” fence will be equipped with the very latest technology and will be strong enough to withstand the “hundreds of thousands” of people who might emerge at the border if Turkey terminates the refugee agreement with the EU. “The border cannot be defended with flowers and stuffed animals,” Orbán explains.
Prison for right-wing terrorists
August 30th
A right-wing extremist who has been at the forefront of an armed militia is sentenced to 13 years in prison for terrorism. Among other things, he has thrown gas bombs against the homes of left-wing politicians. 14 of his assistants are sentenced to between ten months and twelve years in prison. The trial has been going on for five years. The defendants have been strongly supported by the right-wing parliamentary party Jobbik.
July
Refugees are imprisoned
July 1st
Ten migrants are sentenced to imprisonment for between one and three years for having entered the country illegally in connection with unrest at the border in September 2015. They must be expelled.
Media campaign against refugees
July 20
The government is launching a broad media campaign against refugees and immigrants. At a number of points under the common heading “Did you know…”, allegations of crimes committed by refugees in Europe are being erased. The campaign is on the government’s website for the time being, but will be distributed to newspapers, radio and TV and public billboards in the coming weeks. Prime Minister Orbán claims that there is an “obvious” link between migration and terrorism. The government is also campaigning for the referendum even among ethnic Hungarians in neighboring countries, as their votes are needed. For the referendum to be approved, at least half of the eligible voters, including ethnic Hungarians in other countries, must participate.
Orbán supports Trump
23 July
Viktor Orbán will be the first EU leader to openly support Republican Donald Trump in the US presidential election in November. He says that it is above all Trump’s promise to severely restrict immigration, especially from Muslim countries, which has led him to take a stand.
June
Parliament increases the government’s power
7 June
Parliament votes several amendments to the Constitution. Among other things, the government is given increased powers to announce emergency permits to counter a possible terrorist attack by increasing the surveillance of society and deploying the army within the country’s borders. The opposition believes that there is a risk that the government may abuse its increased power.
May
Referendum on refugee plan
May 3
The Supreme Court approves the government’s plans to hold a referendum on the EU plan, which means that all member states should be forced to receive a certain number of refugees.
EU report on discrimination against Roma
May 26
The European Commission is launching a formal investigation into allegations that the Hungarian authorities are systematically discriminating against Roma schoolchildren. The Hungarian government is given two months to do something about it, otherwise the case can be brought before the European Court of Human Rights. A government spokesman says the issue is unreasonable, as it would be against the law to keep track of which children are Roma.
April
Crisis loan repaid
April 20
The central bank announces that the loan of around EUR 20 billion that the country was forced to take during the 2008 financial crisis has been fully repaid. The loan was granted jointly by the IMF, the EU and the World Bank (see also Financial overview).
March
The president goes against Orbán
March 9
President Janós Áder refuses to approve a law to transfer the equivalent of approximately EUR 650 million from the Central Bank to educational foundations. Áder says that the law violates the principle of transparency in public operations. Critics have argued that the educational foundations serve as a cover for allies to the government. The law text is passed on to the Constitutional Court, which a few weeks later also refuses it.
Manifestation against Orbán
March 15th
Around 20,000 people demonstrate in Budapest against Viktor Orbán’s government. The protesters demand an apology from Orbán for “the people who have been humiliated over the last six years”.
Free hands for the government
March 30
Parliament adopts a law that gives the government the right to decide on new public spending without obtaining Parliament’s approval. Under the new law, the government also does not have to report on how the expenditure is to be financed. The decision is seen as yet another step for Prime Minister Orbán to strengthen his power at Parliament’s expense and to reduce transparency in the government’s work.
The government warns against immigrants
March 31st
The government is launching an internet site claiming that there are so many immigrants living in more than 900 places in Europe that the governments of the countries have lost control of them. Among other things, parts of Stockholm are mentioned. The website is part of the government’s campaign ahead of the referendum later this year on the EU plan for the distribution of immigrants among all member states.
February
Protests against school reform
February 13
Thousands of people are demonstrating against the government’s changes in school work. The demonstrating teachers, who are supported by trade unions also from other professional groups, object, among other things, to the state control of education and the introduction of new textbooks which, according to them, do not hold a sufficient scientific level.
Referendum on refugee quotas
February 24th
Prime Minister Orbán says that Hungary will hold a referendum on EU quotas for mandatory refugee reception in all 28 member states. He says that none other than the members of the Hungarian Parliament can force the Hungarian people to live with non-Hungarians. Orbán has strengthened his popularity in the country through his hard-line rhetoric against the refugees from the Middle East and is expected to push this policy until the 2018 elections. He does not say when the referendum will be carried out. A spokeswoman for the European Commission says it is “incomprehensible” how the Hungarian government can think that a referendum on refugee management is consistent with the decision-making process laid down by the EU treaty.
January
Hungary is dotted by the European Court of Justice
January 14
The European Court of Human Rights convicts Hungary of a 2011 law on the police’s right to monitor suspected terrorists. The Court considers that the law is so widely formulated that in practice it permits the monitoring of virtually anyone, including house searches and data collection. The Hungarian state has three months to appeal.
Fear of environmental disaster
January 28
All 15 prosecutors are acquitted after the trial of Hungary’s worst environmental disaster (see Natural Resources and Energy) that killed ten people and injured 150 when large amounts of toxic substances came out in nature in 2010 after a dam burst at an aluminum plant. The court finds that the defendants, including the then director of the agency, could not be charged for negligence because the accident was due to “lack of stability in the ground”.