The official name is the Republic of Hungary (Maqyar Koztarsasaq). Located in Central Europe. Area - 93 thousand km2, population - 10.15 million people. (2003). Official language- Hungarian. The capital is Budapest (1.7 million people, 2003). Public holiday - Day of the founder of the state of St. Stephen (Stefan), celebrated on August 20. National holidays are March 15 - the day of the beginning of the revolution and the liberation struggle of 1848-49, as well as October 23 - the day of the beginning of the revolution and the liberation struggle of 1956 and the proclamation of the Hungarian Republic in 1989. Monetary unit - forint.
Member of the UN (since 1955), WTO (since 1973), IMF and IBRD (since 1982), Council of Europe (since 1991), OECD (since 1996), NATO (since 1999), EU (since 2004).
Sights of Hungary
Geography of Hungary
It is located between 45°48' and 49°35' north latitude and 16°05' and 22°58' east longitude. The total length of state borders is 2242 km. In the north it borders with Slovakia (608 km), in the east - with Ukraine (215 km) and Romania (432 km), in the south - with Serbia and Montenegro (161 km), Croatia (339 km) and Slovenia (102 km), in the west - with Austria (366 km). The length of the country from east to west is 528 km, from north to south - 268 km.
The territory of Hungary forms part of a vast area of subsidence located between the Carpathians, the Alps and the Dinaro-Balkan Mountains. In general, 84% of the territory of Hungary lies at an altitude of no more than 200 m above sea level. The Danube divides the country into two parts: to the east there is a vast flat Great Central Danube Lowland (Alföld), to the west - the hilly Dunantul Plain (Transdanubia) with separate low ridges (Bakony, Vertes, Mechek, etc.). The northeast of the country is the outskirts of the young volcanic Carpathians (Berzhen, Matra, Zemplen massifs) with characteristic cone-shaped peaks, reaching heights of 900-1000 m in some places. The highest point in Hungary is Mount Kekes in the Matra massif (1015 m).
The main water arteries are the Danube (the length of the Hungarian section is 417 km) and the Tisza (the length of the Hungarian section is 595 km). Hungary has one of the largest lakes in Europe - Balaton. Its area is 598 km2, 77 km long and 1.5 to 14 km wide. The lake and its surroundings have become a resort and tourist area of international importance. Many small lakes, especially between the Danube and the Tisza, are also surrounded by recreation areas.
Hungary is rich in groundwater, thermal and healing springs. Groundwater reserves are found almost throughout the country and are concentrated under its flat parts, occurring at a depth of 500-1500 m. The temperature of the water layers is from 30 to 80 ° C. The daily inflow of water from all sources reaches 70 million liters.
The soil cover is very diverse (about 35 soil regions are distinguished with their own complex of soils). The dominant type is chestnut and podzolic soils, which cover approximately 40% of the country's territory. OK. 25% of the area of Hungary is occupied by chernozems (humus content 4-7%, the average thickness of the humus horizon is 60-80 cm). Various brown forest soils are also widespread. Almost 3/5 of the country's territory is occupied by arable land.
Relatively low elevations prevent the emergence of natural forest, which covers approximately 15-18% of the country's territory. Forests cover mainly mountains and some hilly areas, dominated by oak, beech, linden and other hardwoods. Forest-steppes and steppes are almost everywhere replaced by cultivated vegetation.
The animal world is typical for Central Europe and is rich due to the intensive hunting economy. The main species are red deer, roe deer, wild boar, hare. In the mountains - mouflon, in inland waters - catfish, pike, pike perch, carp. Among birds, the most common are pheasant, gray partridge, wild duck, stork. Hungary has five national parks, one of which - Hortobágy - is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Hungary is not rich in natural resources: deposits of bauxite, lignite, as well as already heavily depleted reserves of natural gas and oil are of industrial importance. Deposits of uranium and copper-polymetallic ores are not currently being developed.
The climate is temperate continental with influence mediterranean sea and Atlantic Ocean. Spring is early, relatively rainy, with changeable weather. Summer is hot, but with periods of cooling and bad weather. Autumn is long, warm, but fogs and rains are not uncommon. Winter is relatively cold, cloudy and wet. average temperature July +20-22.5°С (recorded maximum +42°С), January -2-4°С (recorded minimum –35°С), average annual temperature +10°С. Snow rarely falls in winter: 2-5 times a year. The sun shines in Budapest for 2054 hours a year, of which 1526 hours fall between April and September. Precipitation on the plains falls from 900 mm per year in the southwest to 450 mm per year in the northeast.
Population of Hungary
Since 1980, there has been a natural decline in the population, not compensated by the balance of migration.
Birth rate - 9.5‰; mortality - 13.1‰, infant mortality - 7.2 people. per 1000 newborns (2003). Average life expectancy: men - 67 years, women - 76 years (2001).
In the age and sex structure of the population, the proportion of women is constantly increasing (1990 - 52%, 2001 - 52.3%, 2003 - 52.5%) and elderly people (persons under 14 years old - 16.1%, 15 - 59 years old - 63, 1%, 60 years and older - 20.8%).
OK. 60% of all residents live in cities, incl. 29.1% in cities with a population of more than 100 thousand people. (including 17.1% of metropolitan residents), 30.2% - in cities with a population of 10 to 100 thousand people, 33.1% - in settlements with a population of 1 to 10 thousand people. and 7.6% - in settlements with a population of less than 1 thousand people.
Retirement age - 62 years (women born before December 31, 1946 may retire earlier if they have established work experience or other conditions).
The ethnic composition is homogeneous: according to the results of the last census, in 2001, 97.0% of the population recognized themselves as Hungarians (self-name - Magyars). The Law “On National and Ethnic Minorities” (1993) distinguishes 13 minorities: Roma (190 thousand people), Germans (62.2 thousand people), Slovaks (17.7 thousand people), Croats (15,000 people). 6 thousand people), Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Poles, Romanians, Rusyns, Serbs, Slovenes, Ukrainians. The Jewish community, not taken into account by official statistics, has approx. 55 thousand people and is the largest in Eastern Europe.
St. 3 million Hungarians live in neighboring states: in Romania (1.6 million people), Slovakia (600 thousand people), Serbia (350 thousand people), Ukraine (170 thousand people), in Austria (50 thousand people), Croatia (25 thousand people) and Slovenia (10 thousand people). More than 1.5 million people of Hungarian origin live in the USA, Canada, Israel, Australia, South Africa and other countries.
Religion: There are approx. 260 cult organizations and religious associations covering 74% of the population with their influence. Among believers, 73% are Catholics and Greek Catholics, 22% are Reformed and Protestants of other directions, 4% are Evangelicals (Lutherans). Approximately 0.2% are Baptists, Orthodox of various persuasions, and Jews. There is a small Buddhist community.
History of Hungary
The Hungarians emerged from the ancient Finno-Ugric ethnic community at the turn of the 2nd-1st millennium BC. During the Great Migration of Peoples, they left their ancestral home - the foothills Southern Urals- and to the con. 9th c. settled in the Carpathian basin. Here the Hungarian medieval state was formed. After it began in the 10th century. Christianization of the pagan Hungarians Istvan I (at baptism - Stefan) - a descendant of Prince Arpad, who led the union of tribes of the times of "gaining a homeland" - in 1000 became the king of Hungary (ruled in 997-1038), having received the crown from the hands of Pope Sylvester II.
The struggle for power between his heirs, which began after his death, and the widespread uprisings of pagans who did not want to deviate from the former "faith of the fathers", weakened the state. The entire middle of the 11th century passed under the sign of this struggle. Only towards the end of the century did Kings Laszlo I (1077-95) and Kalman, nicknamed the Scribe (1095-1116) for his learning, succeed in restoring order and stability.
K ser. 13th c. thanks to active aggressive campaigns, the territory of the Hungarian kingdom reached the largest area, also covering Transylvania, Slovakia, Transcarpathia, Burgenland, Vojvodina and Croatia. In 1241-42, the country survived the invasion of the Tatar-Mongolian troops led by Batu, losing almost half of the population. King Bela IV (1235-70) managed to restore what was destroyed, launched the construction of fortresses, stimulated the influx of population from neighboring states, promoted the development of cities, etc.
In the beginning. 14th c. with the death of King Endre III (1290-1301), the Arpad dynasty ended, whose representatives occupied the throne by right of succession. The feudal elite, in the interests of strengthening their own power, began to invite kings from foreign dynasties that had no real power: the Czech king Laszlo Cech, the Bavarian Duke Otto III. However, under the rule of the representatives of the Angevin dynasty, the grandson of the King of Naples Karoy (Karl) Robert (1307-42) and his son Lajos (Louis) the Great (1342-82), who managed to achieve relative independence of royal power and provide the treasury with income, Hungary experienced a period of strengthening and the rise of a centralized feudal state.
In the 15th century Hungary is gradually turning into an estate monarchy, where the prerogative of electing a king already belonged to the magnates and nobles. The country was ruled by foreign kings (Duke of Austria King Albert, King Ulaslo I of Poland, King Ladislav of the Czech Republic), the State Council of 5 magnates and 7 military leaders (1445-46), an influential magnate and an outstanding commander Janos Hunyadi (with the rank of ruler of Hungary; 1446-52 ). His son, Matthias Hunyadi, nicknamed Korvin (Raven), was elected king in 1458 and ruled until his death in 1490. Relying on the small and medium nobility, he managed to weaken the power of large feudal lords and temporarily stop the internecine struggle.
In 1514, Hungary was shaken by one of the largest peasant uprisings, led by Gyorgy Dozsa. The peasants, who intended to make a crusade against the Turks, and the townspeople who joined them, turned their weapons against the magnates. Despite the initial victories, the uprising was crushed, and its defeat was used as a pretext for the final enslavement of the peasants.
In the 15th-16th centuries. the Hungarians quite successfully repelled the onslaught of the then gaining strength Ottoman Empire However, after the defeat of the royal army in the battle of Mohacs (1526), a significant part of the country fell under Ottoman influence. By 1541, Hungary was divided into three parts: the rule of the Turks was established in the southern and central regions for a century and a half, the northern and western lands were ruled by the Austrian Habsburg dynasty, and the Transylvanian principality with limited independence was formed in the east. After the Austro-Turkish war of 1683-99 and the suppression of the anti-Habsburg movement of 1703-11, led by Ferenc Rakoczi II, all of Hungary came under the rule of the Habsburgs.
1st floor 19th century in Hungary it was characterized by the strengthening of the movement for national independence, social progress, economic freedoms and was called the "epoch of reforms". Their initiator was Count Istvan Szechenyi (1791-1860), who represented the views of part of the Hungarian liberal nobility and bourgeoisie. Prominent figures - supporters of the reforms were also Lajos Kossuth (1802-94), Ferenc Deak (1803-76), Miklos Veshsheleni (1796-1850), Mihai Tancic (1799-1884) and others.
The opposition of the Viennese court to reforms, the conservatism of a part of the Hungarian political elite led to the national democratic revolution of 1848-49. The defeat of the revolution caused a surge of repressions, the "Germanization" of the country, the rejection of many of the gains of the revolution. Under the Austro-Hungarian agreement of 1867, Hungary became one of the constituent parts of the dual monarchy, Austria-Hungary. Both states had independence in internal affairs, were governed by their own parliaments and governments, but had a common monarch and common military, financial and foreign policy departments.
In October 1918, as a result of the defeat of Austria-Hungary in World War I, a peaceful bourgeois revolution took place in the country, proclaiming state independence. But the post-war borders of Hungary were determined by the Trianon Treaty of 1920, which deprived the country of 2/3 of the territory, incl. a number of areas with a predominantly Hungarian population. The struggle for their return became the core of all Hungarian politics in the interwar period.
On March 21, 1919, the Hungarian Soviet Republic was proclaimed, which existed for only 133 days. After its defeat, the reactionary regime of Miklós Horthy was established in the country, which led it on the eve of World War II to an alliance with the powers of the Nazi "axis". In 1938-40, as a result of two Vienna arbitrations, Hungary annexed southern Slovakia, Transcarpathia and northern Transylvania, and in the spring of 1941 captured the Bačka region from Yugoslavia.
June 27, 1941 the country entered the war against the USSR. After the defeat of the 2nd Hungarian Army during the Soviet counteroffensive on the Don in January 1943, Hungary tried to withdraw from the war. The German occupation (March 1944) and the dictatorship of the Nilashists (fascist parties) followed. In September 1944, the Soviet army entered the territory of Hungary, the complete liberation of which was completed on April 4, 1945. The Paris Peace Treaty of 1947 generally confirmed the country's Trianon borders.
The provisional national government carried out a number of reforms (nationalization of transport, mines, banks, private enterprises, agrarian reform, etc.). By 1948, the power of the Communist Party had been established in Hungary, and in August 1949 the Hungarian People's Republic (HPR) was established. The policy of the one-party regime of the Communist Party, the infringement of national dignity, the repressive domestic and voluntaristic economic policy caused widespread public discontent, which resulted in a popular uprising in October 1956 demanding democratic freedoms. It was suppressed by the Soviet armed forces.
The new Hungarian leadership, headed by Janos Kadar (1912-89), managed to stabilize the situation and, under conditions of relative liberalization, achieved a significant increase in the welfare of the population. From the 2nd floor. 1960s the development and implementation of a deep economic reform began in the country. However, later the possibilities of reforming the existing socio-political system were exhausted, and in 1989-90 a peaceful transformation of the social system took place in Hungary.
After the first free elections in 1990, a national-conservative coalition came to power, heading for the so-called. return to Europe. The social consequences of such a policy led to the fact that in the 1994 elections the population voted for the Socialists, people from the reformist wing of the former ruling Communist Party, who, in alliance with the liberal Free Democrats, continued market transformations in the economy and preparations for Hungary's accession to NATO and the EU. In the parliamentary elections of 1998, the opposition came to power, led by the Hungarian Civic Party (FIDES), which proclaimed the goal of the final completion of the transition to a market and civil society, integration into the military-political and economic structures of the West. The aggressive nationalist policy of the ruling coalition in the 2002 elections again led to the socialists coming to power.
State structure and political system of Hungary
Hungary is an independent democratic constitutional state, a parliamentary republic. The Constitution adopted in 1949, as amended in 1989 and 1997, is in force.
Administrative division - 19 regions (county) and the capital, which has a special status. Large cities: Budapest, Debrecen (211 thousand people), Miskolc (184 thousand people), Szeged (168 thousand people), Pecs (162 thousand people), Gyor (129 thousand people).
The highest body of legislative power is the State Assembly. Elected every 4 years, it is a unicameral parliament, which includes 386 deputies. Hungary has a complex proportional-majoritarian electoral system: 176 deputies are elected from single-member constituencies, 152 deputies - from territorial lists, and 58 deputies receive a mandate in accordance with the share of votes cast on party lists.
The State Assembly elects the country's president, prime minister, members of the Constitutional Court, ombudsmen (i.e. three commissioners: for political rights, ethnic minority rights and personal data protection), the chairman of the Supreme Court and the prosecutor general.
The State Assembly sits constantly, its regular sessions are held from February 1 to June 15 and from September 1 to December 15. Chairman of the State Assembly - Katalin Seeley.
The supreme body of executive power is the government, headed by the prime minister, who, according to the Constitution, is the chief official in the country. The prime minister is a representative of the winning party, who, simultaneously with the adoption of the government's program on the proposal of the president, is elected by the parliament. The Prime Minister submits proposals on the composition of the Government to the President for approval. Since June 2002, the Prime Minister has been Peter Medgyessy (a non-partisan nominee from the Hungarian Socialist Party).
The head of state is the president with rather limited constitutional powers. Elected by Parliament for a five-year term (but not more than twice). The current president of Hungary is Ferenc Madl (elected in 2000). In addition to him, there were four more presidents in the history of Hungary: Mihaly Karoyi (January-March 1919), Zoltan Tildi (1946-48), Arpad Sakashich (1948-49), Arpad Gönc (1990-2000).
The basis of local authorities is formed by equal city and rural self-governments (mayors and municipal assemblies are elected for 4 years by direct vote) with considerable powers. The regional link has no executive bodies. The next municipal elections were held in October 2002.
The highest judicial bodies are the Supreme Court (its competence includes civil and criminal cases) and the Constitutional Court (supervision over the observance of the Constitution, examination of normative acts for compliance with the Constitution and decision-making in case of disputes between individual state authorities).
150 registered in Hungary political parties. In the last elections of 2002, 16 parties came out with all-Hungarian lists, 4 of them overcame the 5% barrier of parliamentary representation.
The Hungarian Socialist Party (HSP) was formed in 1989 with the dissolution of the then ruling Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party (HSWP). Focuses on social democratic values. In the 2002 elections, she received 178 mandates. As the party that won the elections, it formed a coalition (together with the SDS) government, in which it has 11 posts, including the post of prime minister. Chairman - Laszlo Kovacs.
The Hungarian Civic Party (Fidesz) was founded in 1988 by a group of young dissidents. It is a right-wing liberal party. He has 164 seats in the State Assembly. Main opposition party. The leader of the party, who does not officially hold any post, is Viktor Orban.
The Hungarian Democratic Forum (VDF) took shape as a party in 1988 from the movement of the opposition intelligentsia. Adheres to the national-conservative orientation. He has 24 seats in parliament. Together with Fidesz, he forms the opposition. The party chairman is Iboya David.
The Union of Free Democrats (SSD) was formed in 1988 on the basis of a dissident movement. He has 20 seats in the State Assembly. Together with the VSP forms the ruling coalition. In the government, he holds 4 ministerial posts out of 15. The party chairman is Gabor Kunze.
Of the parties not represented in parliament, the most significant are: the Independent Party of Smallholders (NPMH; recreated in 1988 as the legal successor of the historical NPMH. Party of a national conservative persuasion), the Party of Hungarian Truth and Life (formed in 1993 after the extreme nationalists left the WDF) , the Hungarian Workers' Party (a communist "splinter" of the HSWP), as well as the national-radical Christian Democratic People's Party and the moderately conservative Hungarian Democratic People's Party.
The political system in Hungary is quite stable, the peaceful mechanism for the change of power has been worked out, the branches of power are balanced, and the opposition is generally behaving in a constructive and civilized manner.
Trade unions in Hungary unite approx. 3 million people, incl. up to 50% of the employed population, 30% of all pensioners and 10-15% of the unemployed.
The largest trade union associations: the Federation of Hungarian Trade Unions (covers 1.3 million people), the Forum for Trade Union Cooperation (unites 800 thousand employees employed in the public sector), the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions (has about 300 thousand members, mostly workers), the League trade unions (represents the interests of 60 thousand representatives of the intelligentsia, united in 122 trade unions).
The interests of business circles are represented by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) and the Hungarian Agrarian Chamber (similar organizations operate at the capital level). In addition, there are many associations of national producers, functioning, as a rule, on an industry basis: for example, the All-Hungarian Union of Construction Organizations, the Hungarian Cement Association, the Union of Hungarian Exporters, the Federation of Electricity Companies, the Union of Hungarian Realtors, etc. To serve entrepreneurs from foreign countries representative offices of foreign Chambers of Commerce and Industry (USA, Great Britain, Canada) were opened and joint Chambers of Commerce and Industry were established (Germany, France, Israel, Romania, Venezuela, Sweden, Switzerland).
Since 1990, a tripartite Conciliation Council has been established in Hungary - a permanent forum for social partnership between the government, employers and workers.
Public order is guarded by the police (about 40 thousand people). The All-Hungarian High Command of the Police is an independent state body functioning within the framework of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It consists of a central office and 19 regional departments (the Metropolitan Police is headed by a separate main department of dual subordination).
The regular Hungarian army (approx. 45 thousand people) is staffed with conscripts and conscripts, called up on the basis of compulsory military service for a period of 6 months. The share of conscript soldiers in 1994-2002 decreased from 52.8 to 30%. The army has two branches of the Armed Forces: the Ground Forces and the Air Force (including air defense). The equipment is in service with Russian (Soviet) production (artillery guns of various calibers, T-55 and T-72 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, MiG fighters, Mi helicopters of various modifications), but the purchase of Western weapons or the modernization of the Russian technology to NATO standards. An American military base is located in Tasar.
Hungarian military personnel in 1988-2002 were members of 16 peacekeeping contingents under the auspices of the UN, the OSCE and other international organizations.
In wartime, the Armed Forces include border troops, police, prison guards and customs guards.
The basic direction of foreign policy is integration into Euro-Atlantic structures (NATO, EU, Council of Europe, etc.), maintaining good neighborly relations with neighboring countries and protecting the rights of Hungarian minorities abroad.
The country takes part in regional cooperation structures: the Visegrad Agreement, the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), the Central European Initiative (CEI), the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe (SEEC), the Danube Commission (its headquarters is located in Budapest).
Hungary has diplomatic relations with more than 150 states, incl. with the Russian Federation. In 1991, the Treaty of Friendly Relations and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Hungary was signed (ratified by the Russian parliament in 1995). Diplomatic relations between Hungary and the USSR existed in 1934-41 and 1948-91.
Economy of Hungary
Hungary is a moderately developed industrial-agrarian state, actively participating in international trade. GDP - 62.5 billion dollars, GDP per capita - 6.2 thousand dollars (2002). With a share of national production in world GDP of 0.15%, the share of the country's foreign trade in world trade is 0.47% (2000). The inflation rate has been consistently declining from 28.2% in 1995 to 5.3% in 2002.
GDP structure (2001): agriculture and forestry - 4.3%, industry and construction - 32.0%, trade and personal services - 12.8%, transport and communications - 9.1%, financial activities - 21, 7%. The most noticeable changes in the structure of Hungary's GDP in the 1990s. there was a reduction in the share of the agricultural sector and an increase in the share of services.
The share of the private sector in GDP is more than 80% (in 1990 - 10%). Privatization peaked in 1995, and by 1999 this process was largely completed. In 2002, there were 190 enterprises (mostly unprofitable) in state ownership. The government of P. Medjesha intends to leave approx. 40 enterprises (mainly forestries and transport companies "Volan").
The share of foreigners in the ownership structure of the Hungarian economy has reached 30%. Of the 200 largest Hungarian enterprises, approx. 160 are partially or wholly foreign-owned, every tenth enterprise in Hungary has a foreign partner, co-founder or owner. Foreign capital controls 90% of the communications and long-distance communications industry, 70% of the banking and financial sector, and 60% of the country's energy sector. 2/3 of the products of the Hungarian manufacturing industry come from foreign-owned enterprises.
The employment rate is 56.3%, or 3.9 million people. (2002). The average annual number of unemployed is 239 thousand people. Lasted from Ser. 1999 the process of reducing unemployment in con. 2002 changed the trend and amounted to 5.8%.
In industry, the manufacturing industries are the most developed (providing 90.6% of gross industrial output), including automobile, machine tool and instrument making (42.6%), food industry (15.0%), petrochemistry (13.8%). %). After the decline of the con. 1990s production is stabilizing in metallurgy and light industry, which works almost exclusively on raw materials supplied by the customer. The share of energy and water supply is 8.9%. In the extractive industries, production is gradually curtailed.
Two-thirds of all industrial products are produced at large enterprises (more than 300 people employed), and the process of concentration of production continues, especially in mechanical engineering, energy, and petrochemistry.
Hungarian industry is quite dependent on the state of the world market: more than half (52%) of all industrial production is exported. Large enterprises export - depending on the industry - 60-80% of their products. The needs of the domestic market are satisfied mainly by small and medium-sized enterprises (the number of employees, respectively, is up to 50 and up to 300 people).
Agriculture is experiencing problems with the beginning of the processes of socio-political transformation. The main reasons include the hasty liquidation of agricultural cooperatives, omissions in the implementation of land policy, insufficient funding for the industry, as well as droughts for a number of years. This led to a reduction in the share of agricultural products (excluding the food industry) in GDP (in 1993-2002 from 17.7 to 4.3%), the share of agricultural products in exports, the number of employees, the size of agricultural areas, livestock, etc. . The agrarian policy of the government is aimed at strengthening the role of agriculture in the economy, especially in traditional sectors for Hungary: the production of corn, wheat, meat, vegetables, fruits, wine.
Agricultural land is 6.1 million hectares, of which more than 50% is arable land. 1.5 million hectares are occupied by spike crops, 1.0 million hectares by corn.
Crop production is represented mainly by grain farming, as well as vegetable growing and horticulture (including viticulture). Livestock provides more than 60% of domestic agricultural income. The most developed are pig breeding, breeding of cattle for meat and dairy purposes, and poultry farming. The needs of the domestic market are also satisfied by sheep breeding and fish breeding in artificial reservoirs.
Hungary has a well-developed network of transport communications. The length of public roads is more than 30 thousand km, 90% of them have a hard surface. Railways - 7.9 thousand km. The length of inland waterways is 1.6 thousand km. The main river port is Budapest. Domestic air transportation is not carried out, there is a network of small airfields for receiving small aircraft. Ferihegy International Airport is located near Budapest.
Convenient transport location enhances the transit role of the country. Oil pipelines Druzhba-I (from Ukraine), Druzhba-II (from Slovakia) and Adria (from Croatia), gas pipelines Bratstvo (from Ukraine) and Baumgartner-Gyor (from Austria) pass through the territory of Hungary ); the total length of pipelines is 7.2 thousand km. The construction of high-speed highways is being actively carried out within the framework of the so-called. Helsinki transport corridors: in 2002 already 60% of the Hungarian sections of the "corridors" met the established European requirements.
The total freight turnover is 26.9 billion tkm (2002). Structure by types of transport: road - 51%, railway - 30%, pipeline - 15%, water - 3%. Structure by directions of transportation: international - 60%, domestic - 40%. Water and air Transport are practically not used in domestic cargo transportation. Passenger traffic on intercity transportation is 785 million people, on intracity transportation - 2.8 billion people. (2002).
The development of telecommunications in Hungary is dynamic: with a relatively modest growth in traditional telephony, mobile communications are developing at an accelerated pace. The number of mobile phone subscribers increased from 2.5 million to 5.5 million in 2000-02. The volume of radio broadcasting reached 800 thousand hours, television broadcasts - 1.8 million hours. Hungarian television broadcasts on three state channels. In addition, there are three private channels and many commercial cable networks. Broadcasting is carried out by three state stations and a number of commercial ones. Control over the political content of state electronic media programs is carried out by boards of trustees, to which the government and the opposition delegate their representatives on an equal footing.
After the recession of 1987-97, the retail turnover is constantly expanding (in 2002 - 24.8 million dollars). This is facilitated by the growth of monetary incomes of the population, the emergence of new types of trade (hypermarkets, shopping centers) and improving the quality of service. Trade turnover structure (2002): 33.4% - foodstuffs, 28.4% - vehicles, spare parts and fuel for them, 16.4% - furniture and household appliances, 9.5% - cultural and educational goods.
The tourism industry is one of the fastest growing sectors of the Hungarian economy. It employs 300 thousand people. (7% of the economically active population) and creates almost 10% of the country's GDP. Developed tourist infrastructure (hotels, catering points, beach, health and entertainment complexes, swimming pools, hunting lodges, fishing spots, etc.) is aimed at visitors with different incomes. Hungary annually receives 10-15 million foreign tourists. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism amount to 3.4 billion dollars (2002).
Since 1987, a two-tier banking system has been operating in Hungary: the Hungarian National Bank (VNB) carries out the emission and credit policy, general control over the financial market, and authorized financial institutions lend directly to economic entities.
In 1991-94, the government's banking consolidation program was implemented, aimed at improving the crisis state of most banks and increasing their assets, and improving the loan portfolio. Since 1995, the sale of blocks of shares in consolidated banks to reputable Western financial institutions began. By 1998, the privatization of Hungarian banks was practically over. The level of presence of foreign capital in the banking system is 63%.
At the beginning 2000, the Hungarian system of credit institutions consisted of 43 banks (90.3% of all financial and credit transactions), 226 savings cooperatives (5.6%), 9 specialized financial institutions (3.6%) and 4 housing savings banks (0. 5%).
The degree of concentration of banks in Hungary is quite high: the top six banks collectively own almost 60% of the assets of the banking system.
The public finance system structurally consists of four subsystems: the central government (central level), local governments (local level), separate state funds, and social insurance bodies.
In 1998-2001, the overall level of the central government budget deficit was consistently reduced from 4.8% to 3.3% of GDP. In 2002, a sharp surge followed - up to 9.6% of GDP, caused by a change in government and a massive increase in social benefits. A target of 4.5% of GDP is planned for 2003 in order to reach the level of the Maastricht criteria for EU membership (3% of GDP) in 2004.
In 2002, the revenue side of the budget amounted to 17.8 billion dollars, of which approx. 80% - receipts of a tax nature (taxes, excises, duties). Measures to stimulate entrepreneurship and increase the efficiency of the private sector led to a reduction in the degree of centralization of budget revenues: the share of state budget revenues in GDP in 1994-2002 decreased from 52.5 to 27%.
The main place in tax revenues to the budget is occupied by the general turnover tax (analogous to Russian VAT), whose share is 39%, income tax (24% of revenues), consumer tax and excises (19%), business profit tax (called corporate tax) - 10%.
In Hungary, the treasury system of budget execution is used, i.e. all funds necessary for state institutions are received and spent from the so-called. single treasury account. The Hungarian State Treasury is responsible for the technical work of financing the central budget.
The institutional divisions of the Hungarian financial system also include State supervision of financial organizations (monitoring the compliance with the law by participants in the stock and currency markets), a set of banking and financial institutions, various organizations providing services for the non-state management of financial markets (stock and commodity exchanges, the central clearing center, brokerage and dealer firms etc.), Insurance companies and pension funds.
Hungary's public debt in 2002 was 9.2 trillion fora. (37.5 billion dollars), or 52.2% of GDP. All functions related to the management of public debt (including the currency and forint components) are performed by a specially created Center for Public Debt Management (PDMS). The CDGD was tasked with a gradual transition from the practice of attracting foreign loans to finance external debt obligations to the issuance of government bonds denominated in the national currency - forints. In 2002 Hungary's gross external debt of the central government (ie excluding private sector borrowing) fell from 27.8 billion euros to 24.8 billion euros.
Hungary stands out for the comparative smoothness of social contrasts, although property stratification is growing. The minimum wage is $200, the minimum pension is $82 (2002). The policy of a large-scale increase in public sector wages and the strengthening of the forint in 2001-02 raised the level of the average wage in the country to $500 (the average level of nominal wages by sector of the economy ranges from $345 in agriculture to $1,000 in the financial sector) .
The growth of real incomes in 2002 was 13.6%. As a result, trade turnover increased (by 11%), investments in various forms of accumulation (forint bank deposits (by 13%), life insurance (by 20%), contributions to non-state pension funds (by 27%), etc. ). Government policy to stimulate housing construction has contributed to an increase in investment in real estate.
The extensive system of social benefits is being restructured according to the principle of need. The main goals of the reform are to reduce the burden of the state budget and reduce the volume of the shadow economy. However, the initiated transition to insurance financing of health care is accompanied by a reduction in hospital beds and medical staff, a revision of the drug reimbursement system, and an expansion of the range of paid services.
The essence of the ongoing pension reform is the transition to a mixed pension system, which involves the introduction of insurance principles for all elements of pension provision and an increase in the personal responsibility of the future pensioner for accumulating pension contributions.
The Hungarian pension system being formed combines the principles of pay-as-you-go and funded systems and includes three elements: basic pensions paid as part of social insurance, based on the principle: one year of work experience - 1% of the pension paid; compulsory pension insurance, involving the deduction of 8% of earnings; voluntary pension insurance in about 250 non-state pension funds.
The Hungarian economy is characterized by a high degree of openness and participation in the international division of labor. Foreign trade has a positive trend, but since 1992 it has been chronically passive. The volume of exports in 2002 - 34.3 billion dollars, imports - 37.6 billion dollars.
The commodity structure of exports in 1998-2002 was dominated by products with a high degree of added value: the groups "machinery and equipment" (57-59%; mainly communications equipment, sound processing equipment, automated data processing systems, household and industrial electrical appliances) and " processed products” (29-31%). Agricultural products accounted for 7-8% of exports.
The main contingent of imports was also "machinery and equipment" (50-52%) and "processed products" (35-38%). The share of energy carriers in imports is 6-8%, and Russian energy carriers account for 70% of all energy supplies to Hungary.
In 2002 over 90% of Hungarian exports went to European states(EU, countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Baltic States, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus). 75% of imports came from there. The most significant foreign trade partners of Hungary are Germany (share in trade turnover 29.6%), Austria (7.0%), Italy (6.7%) and France (5.2%). The place of the Russian Federation in the top five of Hungary's foreign trade partners (share - 3.8%) is determined mainly by the dynamics of energy supplies, which account for 83% of the total volume of Russian supplies to Hungary, as well as the possibility of increasing Hungarian exports to the Russian Federation (in 2002 - 1, 3% of the total export volume).
A favorable business climate in the country, a fairly high position in the rating of international agencies attract foreign capital. To con. 2002 was accumulated 24.5 billion dollars of foreign investment (3rd place in Eastern Europe after Poland and the Czech Republic). In the 2nd floor. 1990s the influx of foreign investment amounted to approx. 2.0 billion dollars annually (maximum in 1995 - more than 3.5 billion dollars). 70% of investments are associated with the acquisition of privatized enterprises, 30% - the construction of turnkey enterprises. In 2001-02, due to the deterioration of the world economic situation, there was an increase in the outflow of capital and the transfer of enterprises located in Hungary to other countries.
Science and culture of Hungary
Hungary has a significant scientific potential and actively participates in international cooperation programs. High-level research is being carried out in the fields of solid state physics, nuclear physics, optics, physical chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, applied mathematics, sociology, economics, and linguistics. Agricultural science is famous for seed production (corn) and breeding cattle.
World-famous are Ignaz Semmelweis (1811-65; discoveries in obstetrics), Lipot Fejer (1880-1959; founder of the Hungarian mathematical school), Janos Bolyai (1802-60; independently of Lobachevsky developed the principles of "new geometry"), Janos-Gyorgy Kemen (1926-94; creator of the Basic programming language), Lorand Eötvös (1848-1919; creator of the gravitational variometer), Leo Szilard (1898-1964; one of the creators of the first nuclear reactor), Edward Teller (1908-2003; study of thermonuclear reactions ), Zoltan Bai (1900-92; founder of radar astronomy), Janos Neumann (1903-57; mathematical foundation of quantum mechanics), Janos Kornai (b. 1928; justification for the inevitability of shortages in a planned economy), Norbert Wiener (1894-1964; creator of cybernetics), etc.
Among the Nobel laureates there are 13 Hungarians (all of them - except I. Kertes - had citizenship of other countries): 1905 - Philip Lenard (physics), 1914 - Robert Barani (medicine), 1925 - Richard Zsigmondy (chemistry), Albert Szent-György (medicine ), 1943 - Gyorgy Hevesy (chemistry), 1961 - Gyorgy Bekesy (medicine), 1963 - Enyo Wigner (physics), 1971 - Denesh Gabor (physics), 1986 - John (Janos) Polanyi (chemistry), 1994 - Gyorgy Olah ( chemistry), John (Janosh) Harshani (economics), 2002 - Imre Kertész (literature).
At the head of the system scientific research the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (founded in 1825) is located; it includes 35 academic institutes.
Financing of developments is carried out on a competitive basis. Budget funds are distributed through state and mixed funds. The main ones are: the National Fund for Scientific Research, the Central Fund for Technical Development, the Fund for the Development of Higher Education, etc.
The education system includes: elementary schools (compulsory education begins at age 6 and lasts for 8 years), vocational schools, technical schools or gymnasiums (training lasts 3-4 years and provides secondary education. Most of them are state, but many are church , while there are very few private ones), universities, institutes and higher schools (provide higher education). A reform is being carried out in the direction of optimizing the number of teaching staff and rationalizing the education system.
In Hungary, fees for higher education have been abolished and the competitive procedure for entering universities (except for paid departments) has been preserved; state scholarships are paid to well-performing and needy students. A course has been set for the creation of large university centers. Financing of universities is carried out on a regulatory basis, taking into account the qualitative parameters and the number of students, the number of which exceeds 200 thousand people. (2002).
The national culture has rich traditions, however, due to the country's peripheral position in Europe and linguistic isolation, it is relatively little known outside of Hungary.
The most notable contribution to the development of Hungarian culture was made by the writers and poets Sandor Petőfi (1823-48; lyrical and revolutionary poems, the poem "Knight Janos"), Kalman Miksat (1847-1910; the founder of critical realism in Hungarian literature), Endre Ady (1877- 1919; poems of social protest), Gyula Ijes (1902-83; realist poet), playwright Imre Madacs (1823-64), composers Franz Liszt (1811-86), Bela Bartok (1881-1945), Zoltan Kodály (1882- . .
Hungary is a state in Central Europe bordering Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.
The Danube River crosses Hungary almost in the middle, another river, the Tisza, flows to the east; both are from north to south. Divided equally total area lowlands and mountains medium height.
Most of the right bank of the Danube is occupied by a hilly plain - Transdanubia, which is crossed by a strip of limestone mountains with plateau-like massifs and a height of 400–700 m. More than high mountains, reaching the maximum value in the Matra array. Here is the highest point of Hungary - Mount Kekes (1015 m).
West of the Danube is Lake Balaton - the largest not only in the country, but throughout Central Europe. Exactly this warm lake in the region.
State
State structure
The form of government is a parliamentary republic. The head of state is the president. The head of government is the prime minister. Parliament is a unicameral National Assembly, elected by the people for a term of four years.
Language
Official language: Hungarian
Many Hungarians speak English, German or Russian.
Religion
Catholics - 67%, Protestants (mainly Lutherans and Calvinists) - 25%, Jews.
Currency
International name: HUF
1 forint = 100 fillers. Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 forints each. Banknotes: 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10000 for.
Currency exchange can only be done at official exchange offices, and a certificate of currency exchange must be kept before leaving the country.
History of Hungary
Modern Hungary was in ancient times part of the Roman province of Pannonia and was one of the first to be conquered by the Germanic tribes in the second century AD. After that, the country was ruled by the Huns, Avars and Franks. At the end of the 9th century, Pannonia was captured by the Magyars.
The first king of the Hungarians was Stephen I (Saint) in 1000, having received the blessing of Pope Sylvester II. For almost 300 years, the Kingdom of Hungary was independent, but after the Mongol invasion in 1241, royal power began to weaken and at the beginning of the 14th century foreign dynasties began to rule the country.
In 1521, Turkey launched a successful war against the Hungarian king, after which the country actually broke up into several relatively independent regions and remained in this state for almost 150 years. At the beginning of the 18th century, power in the country passed to the Austrian royal house of the Habsburgs, and after another 150 years, Austria and Hungary became independent kingdoms under the control of one emperor, and in 1867 Austria-Hungary arose.
On November 11, 1918, the empire was officially liquidated, and five days later Hungary was proclaimed a republic. In the 1920s, the monarchy was restored with the establishment of the pro-fascist Horthy regime, but in 1945 Hungary again became a republic. One of the important, albeit dark, pages of Hungarian history is the 1956 uprising, crushed by Soviet troops.
In 1989, the Hungarian People's Republic was renamed the Republic of Hungary, the communists were effectively removed from power, and in March-April 1990, the first free multi-party elections were held in 45 years. Hungary is a member of the UN, IMF, World Bank, GATT, Council of Europe.
Popular Attractions
Hungary Tourism
Where to stay
Hungary attracts numerous tourists not only with its magnificent nature, but also with its wonderful climate and numerous healing springs and thermal centers. Accommodation in Hungary provides many options for every taste. The official classification of hotels was adopted in Hungary in 2003. Gradation - generally accepted in Europe: from two to five stars.
In Hungary, you can stay in one of the luxurious hotels, where, in addition to excellent service and a beautiful thoughtful interior, guests can enjoy a continental breakfast, the opportunity to use a fitness room, parking, a beauty salon or a hairdresser. Hotels two or three stars offer acceptable service for a very affordable fee. Breakfast is included in the price, you should check the facilities in advance - as some rooms do not have a bathroom and a toilet.
V resort areas you can stay in one of the spa hotels, which also have a gradation from two to five stars. Here, in addition to accommodation, guests can take advantage of spa services and medical procedures. A higher level of service and a wide range of health services are provided by wellness hotels (gradation - from three to five stars).
In Hungary, you can also stay in a garni hotel, that is, in one where there is no restaurant. It's offset comfortable conditions accommodation at a relatively low cost. And the presence in the immediate vicinity of numerous cafes and restaurants will help solve problems with food.
It is also possible to rent apartments. The cost of living here will depend both on the level of service and on the proximity to historical monuments or thermal resorts. As a rule, apartments are rented for any period. During the tourist season, you should take care of booking in advance.
Hungarian cuisine is characterized by dishes rich in harmonious taste, made using red peppers, onions, tomatoes and capsicum: the famous Hungarian goulash, chicken paprikash with dumplings and cabbage rolls....
Tips
In restaurants, service is not included in the bill, therefore, as a rule, they give 10-20% of the final amount for tea. The same applies to hairdressers, beauty salons, taxis and other types of services.
Visa
Office Hours
In Budapest, grocery stores and shopping centers are usually open from 07:00 to 19:00 on weekdays, and from 07:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays. On Sundays, only some large supermarkets are open until 14:00. Clothing and other consumer goods stores and department stores are open from 10 am to 6 pm on weekdays, on Saturdays from 09 am to 1 pm.
Museums, as a rule, are open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, the day off is Monday. Many museums are open one day a week for free admission. Banks are open on weekdays from 10 am to 3 pm, on Fridays from 8 am to 1 pm, on Saturdays and Sundays banks are closed.
Purchases
VAT on industrial goods in Hungary is 25%, on products and services - 12%. Foreigners when leaving Hungary can claim the amount of tax if the unit value of the goods exceeds 50 thousand Ft. This rule does not apply to antiques and works of art. There are several offices in Budapest where you can arrange a tax-free purchase. But the reimbursement will not exceed 18% of 25%.
You can get your tax refund at customs when you leave the country. Reimbursement is made only in forints. If you paid with a credit card when making a purchase, the amount can be transferred to your bank account. In this case, make sure that customs stamped the check.
Advantages of tourist Hungary - the purest lakes Heviz and Balaton, the health resorts of Szeged and Debrecen, the picturesque Danube and a powerful "excursion" through three thousand medieval castles. Tours, hotels, visa, maps and photos - everything about Hungary from the Subtleties of tourism.
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Hungary is Europe at its best and at the same time the dream of a traveler who is not afraid to turn off the beaten path. Its cities are not inferior in elegance and solemnity to the recognized architectural capitals, but at the same time they are not bursting with crowds of curious tourists and do not frighten with exorbitant prices in hotels, restaurants and shops. There are no seas here, but there are lakes: thermal Heviz and picturesque Balaton with dozens of modern resorts. And yet - the majestic Danube, crossing the country from north to south and providing incredibly photogenic views.
Sightseeing tours are combined here with daring feasts to the accompaniment of gypsy music, relaxation in spa centers - with tastings of famous Tokay wines. Homely, cozy, hospitable, not promoted in fashionable guidebooks, Hungary is a “must-see” for everyone who likes to bring a mosaic of impressions shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow from their trips.
Time difference with Moscow
− 1 hour in winter −2 hours
- with Kaliningrad
- with Samara
- with Yekaterinburg
- with Omsk
- with Krasnoyarsk
- with Irkutsk
- with Yakutsk
- with Vladivostok
- with Severo-Kurilsk
- with Kamchatka
Climate
The climate in the country is temperate continental, seasonal temperature fluctuations are very significant. As a rule, the coldest month is January, the hottest months are June, July and August. Spring and autumn are long and warm. See the current weather forecast for popular resorts and major cities in Hungary.
Average daily temperatures: January 0 °C, February +6 °C, March +7 °C, April +12 °C, May +16 °C, June +19 °C, July +25 °C, August +21 °C , September +15 °C, October +13 °C, November +3 °C, December +1 °C. The water temperature in Balaton is from +22 °C in May to +28 °C in August.
The import and export of foreign currency is not limited, however, amounts over 1 million HUF are subject to mandatory declaration upon entry, and they can only be exported if there is documentary evidence. Import and export of national currency is allowed within 350,000 HUF. The import or export of antiques, works of art, gold and silver items will require a special permit. Prices on the page are for September 2018.
Forbidden to import: poisons, psychotropic substances, drugs, explosives, weapons, chocolates, meat, milk, canned food (exception - children food or dietary products for persons with serious health conditions).
You can import 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco into the country duty-free; 2 liters of wine and 1 liter of strong alcohol; 1 liter of cologne, 250 ml of eau de toilette and 100 ml of perfume. Duty-free export of goods purchased in Hungary is allowed with a total value of no more than 270,000 HUF; at the same time, the goods should not fall under the category of “commodity group”.
It is allowed to export from Hungary no more than 1 liter of strong alcohol and wine, as well as up to 5 liters of beer. However, it will not be possible to enter Russia with such a set: without a declaration, only 3 liters of alcohol of any level of fortress will be allowed through. Restrictions on the export of tobacco products: 500 cigarettes, 100 cigars, 500 g of tobacco (optional). Spices and fragrant herbs, tea, coffee and cocoa - a maximum of 1 kg. Goods whose value exceeds HUF 5,000 can only be exported in one copy.
tax free
In Hungary, as in any other EU country, you can get a refund of value added tax (AFA) in the amount of 27% on goods purchased in one place, total price which is at least 54,001 HUF. Refunds are made in cash at road checkpoints, at terminals 1 and 2 of Ferihegy airport, as well as at the international river port and the Ibus office at the East Station.
How to get to Hungary
In Hungary 5 international airports, the largest of which, Ferihegy (or, as it is also called, Franz Liszt Airport), is located 16 km from the center of Budapest. Aeroflot operates regular flights from Moscow: departure from Sheremetyevo, tickets - from 115 EUR one way, flight duration - from 2 hours 45 minutes. The low-cost carrier Wizzair will help you save money: it offers routes from Vnukovo for 54 EUR, lasting 10 minutes less. By the way, with the same carrier it is more profitable to fly to Budapest from Europe: for example, from Warsaw (from 53 EUR), Brussels (from 90 EUR) or Frankfurt (from 139 EUR one way).
From St. Petersburg to the Hungarian capital can only be reached with transfers. Aeroflot flies through Moscow: prices - from 130 EUR in one direction, average travel time - 6-9 hours. The fastest flights are with Belavia with a transfer in Minsk: 4 hours 30 minutes for 180 EUR one way. Norra, KLM, Finnair, Air France and other carriers have routes via Amsterdam, Helsinki, Paris, Munich and others.
From Russian regions - Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Perm, Krasnodar - Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, Finnair, Es Seven and other airlines fly to Budapest with transfers in Istanbul, Moscow, Helsinki and other cities.
The second largest Hungarian airport is located in Debrecen. Flights from Moscow are operated by Aeroflot, Lufthansa and Es Seven, from St. Petersburg - by Lufthansa and Rossiya (connections in Munich, tickets - from 407 EUR one way).
You can also get to Budapest by rail. WITH Belorussky railway station Moscow daily runs a train to Belgrade, following through Hungary. The journey lasts 1 day 5 hours, tickets in a compartment cost from 190 EUR, in luxury cars - 860 EUR. You will have to travel from St. Petersburg with transfers in Vienna, Moscow or Prague (travel time - from 1 day 18 hours, prices - from 220 EUR).
On Thursdays, Ecolines buses run from both Russian capitals to Budapest: departure - from the Moscow bus station "VDNKh" or from the Vitebsk railway station in St. Petersburg, on the road - 52 hours, tickets - from 95 EUR (all details - on the official website of the carrier) .
Find flights to Hungary
Transport
Hungary is a small country, so domestic flights are not popular in it. There are only a few regular flights from the capital: to Pécs and Szeged. Rail transport, on the contrary, is developed “perfectly”: from Budapest you can get to almost any city in the country. Transportation is carried out by the state company MAV (off. site in English). For comparison: a trip from the capital to Debrecen will cost from 2900-4000 HUF in the 2nd class and from 6000 HUF in the 1st class.
It should be borne in mind that the map of the railways of Hungary is a beam diverging from central point- Budapest, which makes it inconvenient to move between closely located cities.
Volanbusz Transport is responsible for bus transportation (office site in English). Prices for travel in Hungarian buses are comparable to railway: for example, a trip from Budapest to Pécs costs from 3550 HUF - the same as by train. Tickets are sold at the box office at bus stations or from drivers.
Both trains and buses are quite comfortable, maintained in good condition, run on schedule, provide "snacks" and toilets.
Budapest and the cities on the banks of the Danube are connected by a ferry service, and in the summer you can sail from the Hungarian capital to Vienna. For example, the Mahart company is engaged in water transportation (off. site in English): tickets from the capital to Visegrad cost from 1500 HUF.
Public transport within cities
Buses, trams and trolleybuses run along the streets of large Hungarian cities, in the capital there are also subways, commuter trains and cable car. Public transport mainly operates from 4:30 to 23:00, in Budapest there are also night routes for late passengers. A direct ticket for one trip will cost 350 HUF, with one transfer - 450 HUF, a ticket for a day costs 1650 HUF, for 3 days - 4150 HUF, for a week - 4950 HUF.
Guests of the capital can use the Budapest Card (4900-9900 HUF, official site in English), which gives the right to unlimited riding on public transport, and as a bonus - discounts on visiting attractions for a period of 1 to 3 days.
Getting into a Hungarian taxi costs 470 HUF, 1 km - 280 HUF, a minute of waiting - 60-80 HUF depending on the time of day. At the request of the client, the driver is obliged to provide an invoice.
Rent a Car
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Debrecen: st. Aran Yanosh, 1; tel.: 536-926, 536-927; Web site .
Ambulance: 104, Police: 107, Fire: 105, Rescue: 112.
Holidays in Hungary
Hungary is known to most tourists primarily as a thermal health resort (following the text, you will understand that this is not too fair: there is something to do and see even without baths): every year more and more Russians come here to correct what has been shattered by work, family and all sorts of excesses health. Recreation is relatively inexpensive, almost all diseases known to science are treated at spa resorts, the climate is close to domestic - the advantages are obvious. The cons are quite familiar to every Russian, and partly even some homemade ones: for example, the gypsies will stick up or try to whistle a wallet in the subway, or “please” the price of an unfamiliar, but warmly recommended dish by the waiter. Of the pleasant bonuses - "kadarka" and Tokay, which in moderation contribute to maintaining good health. Any enlightened doctor will confirm this to you.
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Treatment in Hungary
Hungary is a very popular destination for health tourism. The reason for this is the healing thermal springs, of which there are an incredible number in the country. You can take care of your health right in the capital: baths and spas are open throughout Budapest, and on Margaret Island there are two modern hotels at once with a single balneological center. No less famous hydropathic is located in Debrecen, in the Nagyörde park. The resort of Hajdúszoboszló is full of museums and sights, and on the ennobled shores of the Balaton and Heviz lakes, you can relax your body and soul from the order of the boring city bustle.
Shopping and stores
From Hungary it is possible (and even necessary) to bring Tokay wine, "Unicum" - a bitter tonic tincture with herbs, crystal products, embroidery, glazed dishes. Traditional souvenirs are handicrafts, ceramics, dolls in national clothes, hand-painted porcelain from the Herend factory and Zsolnay, halash lace, antiques, Hungarian paprika, goose liver, Pick salami, sweet marzipan figurines, apricot and cherry palinka. In addition, here you can buy various high-quality and inexpensive clothes.
Markets remain a favorite place for shopping for both tourists and locals. The most famous among them is located in Budapest - this is the famous old Central Market.
Grocery stores are usually open from 7:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday, closing around 13:00 on Saturday. Large stores usually work longer, and some of them even around the clock.
Views of charming Hungary
Cuisine and restaurants in Hungary
Dishes of Hungarian cuisine are distinguished by a special spicy, rich taste and an abundance of spices. The main and most famous local spice is paprika. The culinary "calling card" of the country is goulash soup. It is also worth noting that Hungary is the only EU country besides France where it is allowed to produce goose liver using the foie gras technology: this delicacy is also considered traditional here. They also make fragrant pâtés and excellent main courses from goose liver. You should definitely try the Hungarian fish soup "halasle" and trout, which is grown in the lakes of the mountainous part of the country.
Desserts among Hungarians are no less tasty and satisfying: try the local “retesh roll”, gundel pancakes, strudel, chestnut mass with cream and shomloj biscuit-chocolate dumplings. Confectioneries in Hungary are called tsukrazdy, and traditional cuisine in an authentic atmosphere can be tasted in the so-called csarda.
In restaurants, it is not customary to leave tips on the table: they are transferred when paying the bill directly to the waiter.
Prices in cafes and restaurants in shopping centers are slightly higher than in similar establishments around the city. A snack in the food court will cost from 500 HUF, while a full meal in an inexpensive cafe - from 1300 HUF per person. The average bill for a dinner with wine for two is 7400-7500 HUF. The most pretentious restaurants with famous chefs offer prices from 14,000 HUF per meal, quite affordable by European standards.
Hungarian wines
As for drinks, the wines of the Eger and Tokaj valleys are preferred here. It is worth trying the varieties "Badachoni Riesling", "Surkebarat", "Keknyelyu", "Ottonell Mushkotay", "Abashari Riesling", "Medina", "Zweigelt" and "Cabarnet-Frank".
Hungarian wines are predominantly sweet, with very few dry ones.
Separately, we will tell about the famous Tokay - “the king of wines and the wine of kings”, in the words of the famous wine-lover Louis XIV. This is a sweet dessert wine made from grapes deliberately "infected" with one of the varieties of the noble mold fungus. Another well-known local wine is Egri Bikaver, "Bull's Blood", so named because of its characteristic dark red color. From strong alcohol, it is worth paying attention to the palinka fruit vodka (50 ° and above), which is characteristic only for Hungary, and the unique herbal tincture.
The best photos of Hungary
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Margaret, a nature reserve with an arboretum park, is located in the middle of the Danube in the very center of the capital between the Margaret and Arpad bridges. Popular excursions are held in the castles of Hungary - there are more than 3,500 of them. Among the most interesting are Brunsvik Castle (also the Beethoven Center) with a beautiful English park, the impressive Grasszalkovich Castle (17,000 sq. M plus 29 hectares of gardens!), Festeich Castle on the banks of Balaton , Pechvard Abbey Hotel and Siklosh Fortress.
Museums are usually open from 10:00 to 18:00, the day off is Monday.
More information about interesting places in the country is described on the page "Sights of Hungary". they celebrate loudly and tasty: horns and pipes are deafening on the streets, traditional sausages are sold in tents, and at the home table they are treated to a roasted pig.
Spectacular festivities are held in the summer. In May-June, the Trinity is celebrated with festivities, fairs and the election of the "king". In July, Eger hosts the Bull's Blood Wine Festival: local winemakers exhibit their best products, and visitors with hanging glasses around their necks enjoy tasting the famous drink, participating in games and competitions and enjoying daring folk music. And the main public holiday - St. Stephen's Day in honor of the first Hungarian king: parades with orchestras and fireworks over the Danube deserve to become another bright page in the collection of tourist experiences.
Hungary is located in the center of the European continent, mainly on the Central Danube Plain. Its territory with a total area of 93,036 km² borders Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria and Ukraine. And in terms of size, it is in one hundred and eighth place in the world ranking between the Republic of Korea and Portugal. The terrain, only partly hilly in the west, is mostly low-lying, flat.
The main river of the country, the Danube, with a length of 410 kilometers (through the territory of Hungary) from north to south, is the longest river in the European Union, and its basin covers the territories of another nineteen European states.
Hungary is also known for its lakes, one of which, Heviz, has a thermal origin, is a balneo-mud resort and the largest such facility in Europe. For tourists, the interest is, first of all, the largest lake Balaton as best area for holidays in Hungary.
The population is about 9,849,000 people, if we take the 2011 census, including the forecast for 2015. This is the eighty-ninth place in the world list, and the capital Budapest is in eighth place in the European Union for this indicator. More than half of the citizens are adherents of the Catholic faith.
Hungary is a unitary parliamentary republic with the Hungarian language as the state language, the currency - forint and an actively developing economy. GDP per capita in 2015 was calculated at $13,910. For the entry of travelers from countries not included in the Schengen list (including Russia and the CIS countries), you need a visa to Hungary.
Customs rules at the entrance to the country regulate the amount of imported tobacco, alcohol and perfumes without paying duties. You cannot import more than 250 g of tobacco products, which corresponds to 50 cigars or 200 cigarettes. It is allowed to take with you 1 liter of strong alcohol, 2 liters of wine, as well as 1 liter of cologne, 250 ml of toilet water and 100 ml of perfume.
The volume of imported foreign currency can be any, but amounts greater than 1 million HUF will have to be declared, and documents will be required upon departure. The local currency limit is 350,000 HUF.
Goods purchased in Hungary are allowed to be transported duty-free if they are not in the “commodity group” category and their total value does not exceed 270,000 HUF. For antiques and items made of precious metals, a specially issued permit is required.
History reference
For the first time, the ancestors of the Hungarians, called the Magyars, came to the Middle Danube Plain in 862, but this was only a raid of nomadic tribes, while the main settlement took place in the 10th century. Already at the beginning of the XI century. a young feudal state was formed - the Kingdom of Hungary, headed by the first king, who took the title in 1001. The territory was divided into committees, which were ruled by ispans - royal officials, a set of laws was introduced. For about three hundred years, the throne belonged to the Arpat dynasty, descended from the Magyar princes. As a result of the Mongol invasion in 1241, royal power weakened, and at the beginning of the 14th century, the rule of foreign dynasties and monarchs became commonplace. Estates gradually formed in Hungary, and by the 15th century a regime of estate monarchy was finally established, where the nobility played a leading role, including in the election of the State Assembly, which ruled together with the king. The comitats were led, along with the ishpans, by comitat assemblies, which consisted of nobles.
In 1687, Hungary, finally exhausted after the war with Turkey, became part of Austria and found itself under the rule of the absolutism of the Habsburg Empire, which received from the assembly of nobles the right to transfer the Hungarian throne to them. The dominance of foreigners and the deteriorating economic situation caused the discontent of the population, which resulted in a large-scale uprising. And, despite the fact that it was not possible to completely overthrow the Habsburgs, in the process of further struggle, much later, the absolute monarchy was eventually replaced by a constitutional dualistic one.
The outbreak of World War I was a turning point for Hungary. In 1918, the then strong democratic opposition, having made a coup on October 31, declared Hungary a republic and the monarchical period ended. A little later, on November 12, 1918, the monarchy was also abolished in Austria, the state of Austria-Hungary ceased to exist. On November 16, the National Assembly proclaimed the Hungarian People's Republic. But already in 1920, Budapest passed into the hands of the rightists, who, with the help of the army they created, overthrew the previous government, held elections to the National Assembly and announced the restoration of the monarchy, but not with a king, but with a regent at the head.
In World War II, Hungary, after first announcing its participation on the side of Germany, subsequently abandoned these plans. This led to the German occupation supported by the Hungarian Nazis. At the end of 1944, the nationalist right-wing Arrow Cross party came to power, whose regime fell after the capitulation of Germany and the liberation of Hungary.
After electoral victories in 1947 and 1948, respectively, the Communist Party and the SDPV became one party on June 12, 1948 - the Hungarian Working People's Party (VPT). In 1955 the party changed its name to the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party.
On August 20, 1949, a new Soviet-style constitution was introduced and the Hungarian People's Republic was declared. Legislative power formally still belonged to the State Assembly, the executive power was transferred to the Council of Ministers, instead of the post of President, the Presidential Council was created. The HTP usurped power by banning all other parties, which continued until 1989, when supporters of radical political reforms took leadership positions. A multi-party system was introduced, the constitution was changed, Hungary became the Hungarian Republic again, and the HSWP did not hold power and split into two parties that could not win in the first multi-party elections. Democracy returned to Hungary, which contributed to the subsequent integration into the common European space and accession to the EU on equal terms with other Western countries.
How to get to Hungary
Regular flights from Russia to Hungary are operated only to the capital - Budapest. There are flights to other cities, but this depends largely on seasonality and, in Lately, from the economic situation. In any case, it is better to start traveling around the country from Budapest, where it is simply cheaper to get there by air and you can find more options. Using the form below, you will find the desired flight and be able to buy a ticket in a few clicks, you only need bank card and passport details.
Find flights to Hungary
As for movement by land, there is a direct train from Moscow to Budapest. It runs daily, travel time is 30 hours, the train goes through Smolensk, Minsk, Brest, Warsaw and Bratislava. By car, you will have to pass along the route through the territories of other countries. You can enter Hungary through Slovakia, Ukraine or Romania.
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Climate and weather in Hungary
Hungary is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and therefore its climate is temperate continental. There are no seas nearby, their softening influence is not felt, so that in the summer months the country is usually burned by heat, and winters, on the contrary, are quite cold. On average, during the winter, snow is observed for a total of more than a month, the Danube is periodically covered with ice. Late spring and early autumn are most suitable for visiting Hungary: there are still many sunny days, but the heat is already subsiding.
In summer, it is best to go on vacation to the Lake Balaton area, where all conditions are created for the beach and active rest. Hot hours can be spent on the beach, and sightseeing in the morning and evening. In winter, it is optimal to focus on the museums and palaces of Budapest, but, alas, you will not be able to enjoy the Hungarian nature.
Reviews of tourists about Hungary by months
| January 23 February 16 March 19 | April 22 May 36 June 10 | July 42 August 59 September 72 | October 13 November 16 December 16 |
Photos of Hungary
Cities and regions
Hungary is divided into seven regions, within which there are 19 counties.
Central Transdanubia
sights
Museums and galleries
Entertainment
Parks and recreation areas
Transport
Private guides in Hungary
Russian private guides will help you get acquainted with Hungary in more detail.
Registered on the Experts.Tourister.Ru project.
Things to do
tourist sites in Hungary (by the way, photos of the sights of Hungary can be viewed in the section of the same name), the most famous and popular (except for Budapest) can be called Lake Balaton. It is located at a distance of just over a hundred kilometers from Budapest.
Since this region has long attracted vacationers with its extraordinary beauty, numerous mineral springs and baths, resorts were created here. They were intended both for a simple rest on the banks of the Lake Balaton, and for treatment and recuperation.
One of the popular balneological resorts in Hungary is Balatonföldvar. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Balaton and is considered one of the most beautiful and cozy cities in the country. In the northwestern part of Lake Balaton in Hungary there are several significant balneological resorts at once, among which Tapolca occupies the first place.
In the central part of the northern shore of Lake Balaton is Revfulep. On the southern shore of Lake Balaton spread out Balatonföldvár, which is considered one of the most beautiful and cozy cities in Hungary. Another one of popular resorts Lake Balaton is Balatonfured. The small Hungarian town of Heviz is located on the lake of the same name and most people know about its existence, solely thanks to the unique lake, which has no equal in Europe.
Balneological resorts in Hungary
Movement around the country
Transport in Hungary is well developed, although it is purely land based. In principle, there are no domestic air transportations, and river flights are mainly focused on tourists.
Despite the fact that bus and train routes cover Hungary in a dense grid, there is often a formidable obstacle on the way of a tourist. The fact is that this country holds the palm in Europe in terms of the percentage of people who do not speak any language other than their native language, there are 65% of them here, and the majority, unfortunately, do not even try to understand what the guest of the country needs, immediately refusing from negotiations. Even at a large train station, the caliber of the metropolitan "Nyugati", there may not be a single person who could be tolerably explained in English.
Common terms, just in case: "hétfő" Monday, "kedd" Tuesday, "szerda" Wednesday, "csütörtök" Thursday, "péntek" Friday, "szombat" Saturday, "vasárnap" Sunday, "szabadnap" day off, "vonat" train , "busz" bus, "erkezes" arrival, "indulas" departure, "következő" next, "naponta" daily, "palyaudvar" railway station, "tavolsagiautobusz palyaudvar" long distance bus station, "helyiautobusz palyaudvar" short distance bus station, "kosciallas 4" platform number 4, "Melyik busz megy Budapestre" what the bus is coming to Budapest. More words and expressions can be found in Russian-Hungarian phrasebook .
There are also icons, two crossed picks mean "any day of the week", the same picks in a circle - only on weekdays, in a square - from Monday to Thursday, a cross is Sunday and holidays, a cross in a circle is Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Furious names also add problems settlements which the guest of the republic cannot always pronounce clearly. In view of the foregoing, it makes sense to write down the necessary phrases and names on paper in capital letters and refer to local residents, showing one or another of them as needed.
The situation of the tourist is not facilitated by the fact that in the capital there are only three large railway stations and three bus stations, not counting the small ones, and there is no clear distribution between them which direction which one serves. It should be borne in mind that both in Budapest and in the provinces, as in Debrecen, Eger, Pec and in general the vast majority of cities in Hungary, bus and railway terminals are spaced apart from each other, and sometimes at a fairly significant distance, as in Esztergom. Even in a small Vaca, you will have to take a walk. Győr and Szentendre are quite a rare exception, they only need to cross the square.
In such conditions, the online services of the leading carriers are of particular importance: for bus transport "", for rail transport, and for river transport "". When choosing how to get from point A to point B in Hungary, you should carefully compare all the options, because somewhere cheaper and faster by bus, somewhere by train, and somewhere cheaper by one, and faster by another. So when choosing which mode of transport to go, it is worth weighing the pros and cons twice and clarifying all the details three times. The rail network is built in the form of a multi-beam star with Budapest in the center, while the bus network is more dynamic and decentralized, so it is usually easier to move from one peripheral area to another by bus, and to get from both of them to the capital by train. Tickets are sold at the box office and in vending machines, most of which understand English, but it is better not to rely entirely on plastic cards, you should have a cash reserve.
Buses in Hungary
Bus service in Hungary is established at a high level, but at the same time it has a number of serious problems that directly stem from the linguistic barrier and the strange organization of bus stations. Tickets, for example, are sold at the box office, in vending machines and in the hands of drivers, but the latter option is not always the case, for most flights from the capital you need to come to the door with tickets already purchased, and in the provinces on popular destinations it’s easier to buy at the box office in advance, than to stand in line to the driver, wondering if there will be enough seats or not. This is especially true on Friday evenings, when a lot of people move around the country. The flagship of the industry is "" - in fact, not one company, but several dozen different ones, united by one brand, which allows you to find a timetable on your website. It's strange, but finding a price for moving there will be much more difficult.
The fact that there are three large bus stations and several smaller ones in Budapest significantly complicates the traveler's life. The good news is that they are all located near metro stations. The most famous among tourists is the Nepliget bus station, which is located 30 meters from the metro station of the same name on line 3 (“blue”). It serves international lines, and also, although it is located in the south of the city, not only directions to the south, but also to the north. waiting room in this modern building it is not open around the clock, but from 4:30 to 23 hours, and from 6 to 21 there is a left-luggage office, in the basement - Nepliget, it seems to be the only bus station in the capital that is equipped with it. In turn, the Stadionok bus station, served by the Stadion Ferenc Puskas station on line 2 (red), the usual place of departure for transport to the east, opens at half past six in the morning and runs until 11 pm. The bus station "Arpad hid", located next to the station of the same name of line 3 ("blue") sheaths the territory north of Budapest, in particular, Esztergom. It opens shortly before 4 am and closes until almost midnight, the luggage room starts working an hour later and closes an hour earlier. At the same time, it is partially duplicated by a small bus station "Seine ter", at the station "Selle Kalman ter" line 2 ("red"), from which buses also run to Esztergom.
In Hungarian provincial towns bus stations, as a rule, one per city and they are usually located closer to the center than railway stations— and in the case of Esztergom much closer. At the same time, even in the provinces at the bus station, the platforms are numbered. The buses themselves will not cause complaints even among picky passengers, they are fast and quite comfortable, although ventilation issues become very relevant in summer, the main part of the transport fleet is not equipped with air conditioners. Smoking is prohibited on buses.
Rail transport in Hungary
All details of travel by rail should be clarified in advance on the website of the Hungarian Railways (www.mav.hu), and this is not a figure of speech. The fact is that there are three major stations in Budapest and a couple more stations within the city. "Keleti", which is served by a double metro station, lines 2 and 4 ("red" and "green") is best known to tourists traveling by rail, trains most often come here from Vienna and generally from the west. "Nyugati", standing at the station bearing the same name on line 3 ("blue"), is designed to send traffic to the east. In the general case, Delhi, located on the right bank of the Danube, in Buda, on top of the Delhi station on line 2 (red), serves flights towards Balaton and southwest - west. At the same time, there is no clear, iron-clad division of duties between the stations: you can go to Debrecen in the northeast of the country and Bekescsaba in the southeast from both Nyugati and Keleti, to Nagykanizha in the southwest and Gyor in the northeast. west and from Keleti and from Delhi. Trains to Bucharest leave from Keleti and Nyugati, and even from the shallow Kelenföld station on the outskirts of the city. Even small Eger has two train stations.
The system is also highly centralized, often the most convenient way by rail between cities in neighboring regions on the periphery is easiest in transit through the same Budapest. From Szekesfehervar to Gyor it turns out to go, although the distance between them is highway about the same as from Szekesfehervar to the same Budapest.
Tickets are supposed to be bought at the box office or vending machines, in the provinces there is usually only the first option. If you are traveling by international train, having ordered and paid for a ticket through the network, you will very likely still have to find a ticket machine at the station and print out the paper itself with which you can board, carefully read the information on the order page. interesting in terms of architecture) or there are important things nearby, such as shops and luggage storage, but with seats usually tight. In the provinces, stations, as a rule, are very small in area, with a small number of seats and not very comfortable, and in large cities a rather dubious public has a habit of hanging around them.
The quality of the trains themselves can vary quite significantly: comfortable modern trains with soft seats and air conditioning in the cabin usually go from the capital, and trains can also be found on the periphery that, I guess, Janos Kadar is still remembered as young.
In general, if we compare the cost of travel, say, from Budapest to Esztergom with the price of a walk for the same distance in Russia - that is, in our realities, from Moscow to Ramenskoye, then it turns out that an ordinary Hungarian train costs 40 % more expensive than our train, but as much as the Russian express in the same direction. The travel time and ticket price can seriously depend on the class of the train: the journey to Debrecen, depending on which train to go, can take from less than three hours to more than four, and the price of the issue ranges from 3900 to 4600 forints. Purchased tickets, unlike in Italy, do not need to be composted anywhere. When traveling by rail, you should not rely on chance - although there is no platform control, the conductors work very intensively, and after the first check, the ticket should not be thrown away or removed far away, they can check three times in two hours. The fine is usually 2,600 forints (8 euros) plus the fare.
Since the Hungarian railways are going through a period of thorough reconstruction of the tracks, often, instead of trains, a section has to be overcome on special buses, using the same train tickets that are checked during transfers.
Water transport in Hungary
Water transport is not very developed in Hungary today. In addition to flights within Budapest and recreational trips in different parts of the country, only ferries on the Danube and Balaton remained, and flights from the capital to points upstream as far as Esztergom and an international line to Vienna. Flagship river transport is the company "". Her fleet consists of motor ships of the "Moscow" type and meteors, the former are usually put on flights to Szentendre and further to Visegrad, and meteors travel further, to Esztergom, and up to and including Vienna. A trip by boat to Szentendre takes about an hour and a half, Visegrad three and a half, and costs about 2 thousand forints, and a trip to the same Visegrad by meteor takes only an hour and costs 4 thousand, it gets to Esztergom in an hour and a half and 5 thousand forints . The thrice-weekly meteor to Vienna and back takes 6.5 hours upstream, an hour less downstream, and costs €99 and €109, respectively. International flights depart from the Vigado pier, while domestic flights start from it, but make a stop within the city at the Batthyani pier. Apparently, it makes sense to use them only for the sake of the views from the board and the exotic - the train gets to the same Esztergom in the same hour and a half, but only for 840 forints.
The Batthyani pier stands on top of the metro station of the same name on line 2 ("red"), and on Vigado you have to walk from "Vörösmarty ter" (not "Vörösmarty duck"), line 1 ("yellow"), which is closer, or "Ferencik" , line 3 ("blue"), it is somewhat further away. Finding the right pier on Vigado is easy, because only at the "Mahart" there is a capital, albeit one-story, building on the shore, and not just a gangway and a booth. Usually ships depart from Vigado, stop at Batthyani, then go to their destination, and on the way to Budapest, the opposite is true. Therefore, sitting at the second point, you can find that the good places are all sorted out, and, on the contrary, on the way to Budapest, there is a reason to get off at Batthyani, where the metro is closer.
Kitchen
The national cuisine of Hungary is considered one of the best in Europe - after French and Italian. Its diversity and taste are determined by the ancient traditions of cooking, which also absorbed the nuances of the cuisines of all the peoples who have ever inhabited this country. All the best dishes of Hungarian cuisine are presented in the restaurants of Budapest.
The Hungarian specialty is undoubtedly goulash. Real goulash is not at all a meat gravy that requires a side dish (in our understanding), but a thick beef soup with onions and potatoes, also called “royal peasant soup” for its high palatability.
Cellular in Hungary
If you intend to be in Hungary for quite a long time, or plan to make a lot of phone calls, you should consider buying a SIM card from one of the local operators, as calls from a hotel or roaming are quite expensive.
On the territory of Hungary, GSM 900/1800 communication standards apply. Mobile communication services are provided by operators,.
Internet in Hungary
These operators also offer services mobile internet(the cost is about 10 euros per month, depending on the amount of traffic).
You can get access to the Wi-Fi network in any of the many Internet cafes, in ordinary cafes and restaurants, in hotels. Sometimes access can be paid - from 2-3 euros per hour.
Economy
Safety
Hungary in general is a fairly safe country, the crime rate in it is quite low. In Budapest, like anywhere else major city, you need to be especially vigilant in crowded places - pickpocketing is possible. Valuables, documents and large sums of money should be kept in a hotel safe.
According to Hungarian laws, a tourist is required to carry a document proving his identity (passport or driver's license).
When communicating with Hungarians, it is worth remembering that it is not customary in the country to ask questions and talk about personal topics: about work, salary, marital status, health, etc. Comparisons between Hungarians and their Slavic neighbors are not welcomed by the natives. Among the sensitive topics are also the Soviet period, both world wars, relations with the gypsies.
Due to their natural reserve, Hungarians can be shocked by loud speech, aggressive or defiant behavior of tourists, especially in public places.
Pecs HotelsState flag of Hungary.
Hungary (Hungarian Republic) - a state in Central Europe, covers an area of 93 thousand square meters. km. The population is 9.9 million people, the population density is 100 people per 1 sq. km. Hungary is a country of one nation, only 3% of the population have another mother tongue.
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Hungary. City of Kalocha. Magyar woman in national costume.
The ethnic history of the Hungarian people is complex. In ancient times, Frankish and Illyrian tribes lived in this territory, which were replaced by Celtic and Germanic; then the Huns, Avars and Slavs settled here. At the end of the 9th century, the Ugric tribes of the Magyars, or Hungarians, invaded the borders of present-day Hungary, who assimilated the entire former population. The original Hungarian language, which belongs to the Ugric branch of the Finno-Ugric family, has been strongly influenced by the Turkic and Slavic languages for centuries, but nevertheless retained its originality and originality to the present day.
The country is divided into 25 administrative units, including 19 counties (regions) and 6 cities (including the capital of the country - Budapest), equated to the county. Hungary belongs to countries with a high level of urbanization: about 60% of the population lives in cities. 2/3 of the country's industry is concentrated in Budapest and 20% of the total population of Hungary (1.7 million inhabitants) lives. Believers in Hungary are predominantly Catholics.
Budapest. Parliament building. It was built in the Neo-Gothic style by the architect I. Steindl. 1884-1904.
Geographic features
The territory of Hungary is vaguely elliptical in shape. Its major axis is 526 km and is oriented from west to east, the minor axis coincides in direction with the magnetic needle and is only 268 km. The country borders Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia in the east, Austria in the west, and Slovakia in the north. Almost in the middle, Hungary is crossed by a large waterway - the Danube, to the east flows the second most important river - the Tisza; both are from north to south. Their length within Hungary is 417 and 598 km, respectively. Equally divided the total area of the country lowlands and mountains of medium height. The Great Hungarian Lowland (45,000 sq. km) is located between the Danube and the Tisza and bears the name Alfeld. A small lowland nestled along the northwestern border of the country.
Most of the right bank of the Danube is occupied by a hilly plain - Transdanubia, which is crossed by a strip of limestone mountains with plateau-like massifs and a height of 400-700 m. Higher mountains stretch along the northeastern border of Hungary, reaching a maximum value in the Matra massif. Here is the highest point of Hungary - Mount Kekes (1015 m).
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Lake Balaton.
West of the Danube is Lake Balaton - the largest not only in the country, but throughout Central Europe, its area is 590 square meters. km. The lake holds another record - it is the warmest in the region. Karst forms are developed in limestone mountains. The North-Borsod karst mountains with the famous Aggtelek cave system have become especially famous. In some areas of the middle mountains, in some places in the Alfeld, there are many hot springs, partly associated with post-volcanic activity.
Climate
The climate in Hungary is determined by the influence of westerly winds and the position of the country within the mountain range of the Carpathians. In winter, the mountains prevent the movement of cold air masses from the north and northeast, so it is warmer here than in the eastern neighbors. Winter in the country is relatively mild, summer is long and hot. The average temperature of the hottest month - July is 24.7 °C, and the coldest - January -4.1 °C. By number sundial Hungary has the highest rate among Western European countries located in the same latitudes. It is 1979 hours per year.
Story
The oldest inhabitants of the Hungarian plain were Paleolithic people who settled it more than 100 thousand years ago. Since then, the ethnic composition of the population here has repeatedly changed. In the 2nd millennium BC. Aryan tribes began to settle along the middle course of the Danube. At first they were the ancestors of the Albanians, then the Scythians, Colognes (Gauls) and Slavs. By the 2nd century AD e. most of this land was conquered by the Romans and held it until the Great Migration of Nations. From the 4th-9th centuries. The Huns, Germans, Alans, Avars and again the Slavs, who created a special Blatnensky principality in the area of Lake Balaton, managed to visit the owners of the Danube lowland. At the end of the 9th century, the Hungarians migrated here from the Urals and at the beginning of the 10th century created their own state here, which flourished in the 13th-15th centuries. The ongoing internal turmoil helped Turkey conquer this kingdom in the middle of the 14th century. For 150 years, it fell under Muslim dependence and was conquered by the Austrians only by the beginning of the 18th century.
The arrival of the Austrians did little to alleviate the situation of the Hungarian people, who more than once raised uprisings for the return of independence. The national-patriotic movement reached its greatest intensity in 1848-1849, when it managed to form an independent democratic republic, suppressed in 1849 by the Russian army. However, the ongoing internal crisis of the Austrian monarchy still forced it to make serious concessions to the Hungarians. Serfdom was finally abolished, a constitution was introduced in 1860, and a national parliament appeared. From 1867 Hungary became a sovereign part of the Austrian Empire.
The final liberation of this country brought only the defeat of Austria in the First World War. In 1918, Hungary gained independence, and the pro-communist ideas that grew stronger among the masses helped to establish Soviet power in 1919 for a short time. With its suppression in the summer of 1919, the bourgeois-nationalist dictatorship was strengthened in the state, aimed at an alliance with Germany. Having suffered a defeat together with it in World War II, Hungary withdrew from 1945 to the sphere of influence of the USSR, which again ensured victory for the pro-communist forces. In 1956, an uprising broke out in Budapest against the communist regime, which was suppressed by Soviet troops. In 1989, democratic elections were held in Hungary and market reforms began. Hungary became a NATO member in 2000 and joined the EU in 2004.
natural attractionsLake Balaton is proudly called the "Hungarian freshwater sea" for its record size. Its depth is small, on average 3 m, but sufficient for navigation; length - 77 km, and the greatest width - 14 km. Millions of years ago, a huge sea really splashed on the site of the lake. During geological shifts, the seabed gradually rose, and violent volcanic activity completely transformed the landscape of this region. Today, the northern coast is very indented, picturesque, with a lot of extinct volcanoes, hot healing springs. In the center of it is the Tihany Peninsula, declared a protected area. To look at the Tihany panorama, at the oldest buildings in the vicinity of the lake: a two-tower church and a Benedictine monastery, even those who have only one day for the whole Balaton come. The southern gently sloping shore of the lake is ideal for relaxing on the water. At its western end, at the confluence of the Zala River, there is a protected area of Kish-Balaton - a shallow, swampy, reedy water kingdom of virgin nature.
Hungary. Panorama of Lake Balaton.
In the center of the Alfeld Plain there is a converted into numerous National parks arid “empty” (translated from Hungarian as “a spacious, grassy plain”), where extensive pasture cattle breeding was carried out for centuries on saline soils, with cattle, horses, and sheep. The empty resembles prairies, pampas or steppes. A unique natural region with rich history and colorful folk traditions sometimes greets a lucky visitor with a mirage, which is called “delibab” here. In the protected part of Hortobadi, you can meet herds of horses grazing in the old fashioned way, accompanied by smartly dressed local riders - "chikos". In places, the monotony of the steppe is enlivened by crane wells; at the crossroads, tired tourists are invited to “chardy”, where you can relax and have a bite to the accompaniment of a gypsy ensemble.
culture
Sopron is located in Transdanubia on the gentle slopes of the Alps and attracts tourists from Hungary and Austria with its architectural originality and natural beauty. This is one of the few cities in the country that did not suffer during the Turkish wars. Its center is a kind of monument that gives an idea of how many Hungarian cities looked like before the Turkish invasion. Szombathely, located in Transdanubia, at the beginning of our era was the center of the Roman province of Pannonia, several monumental buildings of that era have been excavated here.
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Hungary. Esztergom. City center.
Esztergom - ancient capital Hungary, the residence of the head of the Catholic Church in the country. The city has a beautiful temple - the Basilica - the largest Cathedral Hungary. Szekesfehervar (in Latin "Alba Regia") in Transdanubia was the capital of Hungary before the Turkish invasion. Most of the Hungarian kings who ruled up to that time are buried in its central cathedral. After the Turkish wars, only the bases of the foundations of ancient buildings were preserved, which are a kind of museum under open sky- Ruin Park.
The ensemble of monuments of ancient Christianity in Pec is included in the list of objects of the world cultural heritage UNESCO. Debrecen was located in Alfeld at the junction of the territory occupied by the Turks and the Hungarian Transylvanian Principality, later near the territory that fell under the rule of the Habsburgs. It was here that the State Assembly proclaimed a declaration depriving the Habsburgs of the Hungarian throne. The city is sometimes called "Calvinist Rome": here is the largest Protestant cathedral in Hungary.
Eger, located in the Northern region at the foot of the Bukk mountains, is famous for its historical, architectural and cultural monuments. In the center of the city, on a high hill, there are the remains of a fortress that repulsed the siege of a large Turkish army. in the bend of the Danube - the summer residence of the Hungarian kings of the 14th-16th centuries. Even the ruins of royal palaces give an idea of their grandeur and beauty.
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Towers of Vysehrad in the Danube bend north of Budapest.
National Features
The inhabitants of Hungary naturally and organically combine healthy love of life and practicality with high spirituality and national romanticism. A careful observer will notice this. One has only to walk around Budapest - the most beautiful of the cities in the world, conveniently and comfortably arranged.
Hungary is a country of music and dance. An incendiary mixture of original Hungarian music, with a subtle oriental tinge, and passionate gypsy motifs arose here. The melody inherent in it can be traced in the work of many European composers: Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms. This musical style received full approval thanks to the wonderful “Hungarian Rhapsodies” by Franz Liszt. "Alma mater" of another musical style is also Hungary: everyone knows the operettas of Ferenc Lehar and Imre Kalman. The Hungarian pair dances are quite consistent with the incendiary music. Numerous music, theatrical, dance festivals and flower carnivals are continuously held in Hungary. The culture of baths in Hungary has a two-thousand-year tradition. In fact, the whole country is a huge, comfortable balneological resort.
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Hungarian goulash.
Hungarian cuisine gave goulash to the world. It is characterized by hearty, harmonious taste dishes, using red ground pepper, onions, tomatoes, capsicum - paprika. The national menu contains many meat dishes and dough products, but the most famous invention is Tokay wine, which is world famous.
It is impossible to imagine Hungary without red pepper, which, it turns out, was brought here only in the 16th-17th centuries, during the period of Turkish domination. Its production outside of Turkey was strictly prohibited at that time, so the crops of delicacy pepper were kept secret, in the most secluded corners of the gardens. The solemn procession of paprika across the country began only in the 19th century. This beautiful and useful plant found the best conditions in the Great Hungarian Lowland, where its plantations blaze during ripening.
Holidays in Hungary
More than 40 million tourists visit the country every year, which is associated with the high attractiveness of the territory in terms of nature. At present, tourism has become a decisive factor in the national economy; foreign exchange earnings from it cover the imbalance of foreign trade. In Hungary, several tourist areas have been identified, among which the main role is occupied by the capital and its environs. Budapest is worth it, it is very beautiful, rich in sights, thermal springs and picturesquely located on the banks of the Danube, surrounded by mountains. For its unique romantic atmosphere, the almost two millionth city was called "little Paris".
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Hungary. City of Santendre on the bend of the Danube.
Much north of the capital, where the river, breaking through the middle mountains, changes the direction of the flow, there is a picturesque bend of the Danube. The bend is a favorite place for Hungarian and foreign tourists. Low mountains, which have an almost "alpine" character due to volcanic origin, accommodate rest houses and sanatoriums on their wooded slopes. In the past, it was here that the powers that be settled: Esztergom - the first capital of Hungary, the center of the Roman Catholic Church; Vysehrad - the summer residence of the Hungarian kings of the Renaissance. The atmosphere of creativity hovers over fabulously beautiful place, so Szentendre is located here - unique city artists and sculptors, which has many art galleries and romantic restaurants.
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Hungary. Vineyards.
Lake Balaton is a center for children and family vacation, sailing, rowing, surfing, water skiing, fishing and healing springs. On the northern coast is an important wine-growing region of the country. Local wines compete with those of Tokay and Eger. Sunny slopes of hills, the surface of which is covered with rocks of volcanic origin, the most valuable area for the cultivation of grapes and winemaking. The sandy southern shore with a gradually increasing depth of the reservoir creates ideal conditions for swimming. In contrast to the picturesque, but less developed northern coast, the southern one is built up more, although it began to develop as a resort 100 years later. Now it is one dense array with a large number of hotels, sanatoriums, rest houses, villas and summer cottages. Well-maintained beaches, diverse entertainment attract people of all ages here.
Main resorts south coast- Siofok, Balatonfeldvar, Fonyod; northern - Keszthely, Badacsony, Tihany, Balatonfured. In the vicinity of Lake Balaton, not far from Tapolce, there is a lake in a cave. Unforgettable here are swimming and boat trips through the labyrinth of grottoes under low overhanging vaults.
Balneological springs, of which there are more than 300 in Hungary, make it possible to use natural species treatment under proper medical supervision. Hungary is one of the world's major centers of balneology, with a high level of specialist training. The very nature of the Hungarian resorts, located most often around natural sources, creates a completely unique fertile atmosphere, a special microclimate that contributes to a quick recovery at any time of the year.
The historical past (the ruins of Roman cities, the permanent residences of Hungarian kings, ancient Christian catacombs, architectural monuments of the Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles) is connected with the Transdanubian plain (Transdanubian region). The Alfeld Plain, a unique natural area of the real steppe in the center of Europe, inspired the poet Sandor Petofi. The peculiar flora and fauna of the region, the steppe reserves of Hortobadi and Bugatsa, summer theater festivals and flower carnivals, unique national customs attract an endless stream of tourists to Alfeld.
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Hungary. Lake Heviz.
Northern Hungary covers the hilly-mountainous part of the left bank of the Danube (mountains Berzhen, Cerhat, Matra, Bukk, Aggelek karst and Zemplen highlands). Mountains covered with forests and abundant with healing springs, as well as fabulous stalactite caves in the Aggelek karst, are a favorite place for tourism and recreation. There are many hotels, sanatoriums, rest houses, ski resorts. The area includes a low-lying strip where grapes are grown. The birthplace of the famous Tokaysky is located at the foot of the Zemplensky Mountains; with the mountains Bükk and Matra is connected the mark of Eger. Northern Hungary is rich in balneological resorts, picturesque mountain trails, historical fortresses. Many important cities of the country with a modern way of life are located here.
Resorts
At the western tip of Lake Balaton is the oldest of the cities built on the shore of the lake - Keszthely. Nearby is Europe's largest warm-water lake Heviz, whose healing water is rich in mineral salts, and the bottom is covered with silt with a high content of radium. Those suffering from diseases of the nervous system, metabolic disorders and rheumatic pains seek here. The spectacle of water lilies blooming in May-November fascinates vacationers.
Balatonfured in the northwestern part of Lake Balaton is known as an old water resort. Here is the world-famous cardiological sanatorium with healing water of natural carbonic sources. The city is considered the capital of Balaton. Annually in May, the season-opening sailing competition is held here, and Anna's ball is held in the middle of summer. The famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore lived and worked here until 1922. In memory of him, the residents of the resort planted an alley named after him. The great popularity of the resorts of the north-eastern Balaton is explained by the proximity of the capital. It takes no more than an hour on a modern motorway to overcome the distance of 115 km separating them.
National cuisine
Wonderful in Hungary National cuisine. The most consumed meat is pork. The most popular vegetable is cabbage. Goose liver pate and chicken paprikash are considered delicacies. Hungarian goulash is a beef soup with onions and potatoes. Fisherman's soup - assorted boiled fish with tomatoes, green peppers and paprika. As a side dish for fish dishes, noodles with cheese and bacon are served here. Soft Hungarian cheese is a mixture of sheep's cheese with paprika. Strudel - layer cake with apples, cherries, cabbage or cheese. There is also food for vegetarians: hot cheese, fried mushrooms, mushroom soup or fruit soup. A special kind of pancakes is prepared with cheese, champignons, nuts or poppy seeds.
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Hungary. Vaidohunyat Castle.
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Hungary. The Esterházy Palace was often called the "Hungarian Versailles". Haydn, Liszt and other outstanding musicians worked here.
