|RNature and climate:|N Most of Hungary are fertile plains, the Hungarian steppe, "the puszta", with fairly small mountainous areas. The extincted volcano Matra is the highest peak reaching 1015 m.a.s.l.
This steppe was well aimed for cattle-raising, but is now mainly cultivated. Only small parts of the puszta are left.
Average temperature in January between -1 och -3°C and in July between 19 och 22°C.
Percipitation between 500 and 800 mm.
|RPeople:|N 95% Magyars, 2% German, 2% Gypsies.
|REconomy:|N More than 50% of the area is cultivated and 20% is used for pasture and cultivation of wine, fruits and vegetables.
By tradition agriculture and stockraising have great importance and up to the 1960:s it was the most important industry. Most important crops are corn, wheat, potatoes, sugar beats, barley, vegetables and wine grapes. Stockraising is extensive and have been since centuries.
Agriculture and stockraising accounts for 24% of export revenues.
Hungary have fairly few mineral resources. Bauxite, coal, iron and manganese and natural gas are extracted but do not cover the domestic demands. Oil is imported by pipeline from former USSR-countries.
Up to World War II the Hungarian industry mainly processed the resources from agriculture. After the war heavy industry has been developed, not least with the aim to mechanize agriculture.
Since then also the chemical, electrical and electronical industries have been strongly developed.
|RHistory:|N The puszta by River Danube saw the first settlers about 5000BC. Most of todays Hungary was a part of the Roman province Pannonia during the first centuries AD. In the 4th century Germanic and Slavic tribes invaded and in the 5th century it became a centre in the Hun-realm. The Huns were succeeded by the Avars, whose realm in turn were conquered by Charls the Great in 796.
In the 9th century the Magyars, a tribe of Central Asian horsemen, harassed eastern Europe. They finally conquered Hungary and settled in the puszta under the leader Árpád. The Grand Duke Vojk, changed his name to Stephen (István in Hungarian), converted to Christianity with his people and received a royal crown from pope Sylvester II in 1001.
In the 12th century the realm expanded and conquered Croatia, Slovenia and Slovakia. After a time of prosperity during the whole 14th century Hungary lost Croatia and Slovenia to the Ottomans 1396.
The second half of the 15th century was a new time of prosperity when Hungary conquered parts of Bohemia and invaded Vienna, but after the loss of the battle of Mohacs in 1526 Hungary lost most of its land to the Ottomans and the Hungarian crown was taken by the Habsburg family. With the crown followed the western part of the country.
During this period of foreign sovereignty the Hungarian noblesse succeeded to keep their privileges.
By the end of 17th century the turks were driven out in a series of battles and the whole Hungary became a part of Austria.
In the early 19th century a nationalist movement gained influence and in 1848 the Hungarian people ousted the emperor and proclaimed an independent republic, but this revolt was soon crushed. In 1861 the Hungarian parliament was reestablished and in 1867 the Dual Monarchy was organized with the same head of state for the two countries Austria and Hungary, and the same ministers for finance, the military and for the foreign affairs, but in all other respects Hungary became an independent country.
When the Dual Monarchy collapsed 1918 after World War I the independent republic Hungary was proclaimed. With the peace-treaty of Trianon 1920 Hungary lost 70% of its territory, 60% of its population and 30% of the Magyar people lived in foreign countries.
A new constitution 1920 made Hungary once again a monarchy but without a king, with admiral Miklós Horthy as regent. The aim of the regime was the recovery of lost territories. Some territories were recovered from Czeckoslovakia and Romania in 1938 and 1940, but the price was participating in Hitler's war against the Sovjet Union.
Germany occupied Hungary in 1944 and set up a Nazi regime, but the same year Hungary was conquered by the Sovjet Union.
Republic was declared 1946 and in 1947 the Communist party gained control and made Hungary a people's republic.
After the death of Stalin in 1953 some liberal reforms were passed and in October 1956 students started an uprising against the communists. The military joined the rebellion. A new government was installed and proclaimed neutrality.
This rebellion was crushed on November 4 the same year by Sovjet troops. 200 000 Hungarians fled the country and many more were imprisoned.
In the 1960:s several economic reforms were introduced and the trade with the West expanded. In 1968 the New Economic Mechanism, NEM, was announced. This ended central economic planning and introduced free enterprise. NEM was expanded in 1982 when Hungary joined the World Bank and the IMF.
In 1989 the border to Austria was opened, making it possible for hundreds of thousands of people from East Germany and Czeckoslovakia to flee to Western Europe.
By his time the Communist party hade lost most of its credibility and power and in 1990 the first democratic and free elections were held.
