Full name: Republic of Hungary / Short version: Hungary

Full nam in local language: Magyar Köztársaság / Short version: Magyarország
Location: Central Europe
Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October)
Area: 93,030 sq km (35,919 sq miles) • Population: 10 million (UN, 2008)
Population density: 108 per sq km
Capital: Budapest Population: 1.7 million (2005)
Language: Hungarian (Magyar) is the official language. German and English are widely spoken. Some French is also spoken, mainly in western Hungary.
Religion: 52 per cent Roman Catholic, 16 per cent Calvinist, 3 per cent Lutheran. Christian, Eastern Orthodox and Jewish minorities. There is no official national religion.
Government: Republic Head of State:
President Pál Schmitt since 2010
Head of Government: Prime Minister

 

Life expectancy: 68 years (men), 77 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: Forint (HUF)
Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals
GNI per capita: US $10,030 (World Bank, 2006) • Internet domain: .hu
International dialing code: +36
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are used
Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, Visegrád Group and is a Schengen state.

 

Public holidays in 2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
15 Mar 1848 Revolution memorial day.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
3 May Mother's Day (HU)
31 May Whit Sunday
1 Jun Whit Monday.
20 Aug National Day (Feast of St Stephen).
23 Oct Republic Day (Anniversary of 1956).
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
24 Dec Christmas Eve.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.
31 Dec New Year's Eve

Hungary and EU Accession

 

On 1 May 2004 Hungary became a full member of the European Union. Ten years earlier, in 1994, Hungary was the first of the Central and Eastern European countries to apply for EU membership. The negotiation process was launched in 1998 and since then Hungary has met the economic requirements of the accession and brought its legal system fully in line with the acquiesce of the EU.

All the laws that may potentially concern foreign investors have already been brought into line with the EU regulations, with the exception of certain environmental protection issues. With the EU's financial assistance, Hungary aspires to close the gap between its level of development as a new member country and the EU average. The Hungarian government has been working on the establishment of the physical and legal infrastructure, which will enable the country to most effectively channel the EU sources, as well as to complement these sources with domestic funds.

Useful contact details

 

Hungarian embassies abroad