{{short description|Country in Central Europe}}
{{about|the country|other uses|Hungary (disambiguation)}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{pp-move}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Hungary
| common_name = Hungary
| native_name = {{lang|hu|Magyarország}}
| image_flag = Flag of Hungary.svg
| image_coat = Coat of arms of Hungary.svg
| symbol_width = 50px
| national_motto =
| national_anthem = {{lang|hu|"[[Himnusz]]"|italics=no}}[{{cite web|url=http://magyarnews.org/news.php?viewStory=619|title=The Story Behind the Hungarian National Anthem|publisher=Jules S. Vállay|access-date=8 May 2017|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010075407/http://magyarnews.org/news.php?viewStory=619}}]
({{Langx|en|"Hymn"}})
[[File:Hungarian national anthem, performed by the United States Navy Band (1997 arrangement).mp3]]
| image_map = EU-Hungary.svg
| map_caption = {{map caption |location_color=dark green|region=Europe |region_color=dark grey |subregion=the European Union |subregion_color=green |
legend=EU-Hungary.svg}}
| capital = [[Budapest]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|47|26|N|19|15|E|type:city}}
| largest_city = capital
| official_languages = [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]
| ethnic_groups = {{unbulleted list
|97.7% [[Hungarians|Hungarian]]
|2.4% [[Romani people in Hungary|Romani]]
|1.2% [[Germans of Hungary|German]]
|1.3% [[Demographics of Hungary|other]]
}}
| ethnic_groups_year = 2022 census{{efn|Multiple answer was available in the census, hence the total may add to more than 100%.}}{{efn|Excludes the population who did not answer the question (13.7%)}}
| religion_year = 2022 census
| religion_ref = [{{cite web|title=A népesség vallás, felekezet és nemek szerint: népszámlálások 1930, 1949, 2001, 2011, 2022|trans-title=Population by religion, denomination and gender: censuses 1930, 1949, 2001, 2011, 2022|url=https://nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu/eredmenyek/vegleges-adatok/tablazatok/nsz2022-1.1.7.xlsx|publisher=[[Hungarian Central Statistical Office]]|date=26 September 2023|type=official statistics|format=XLSX file|access-date=30 September 2023|archive-date=15 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115012444/https://nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu/eredmenyek/vegleges-adatok/tablazatok/nsz2022-1.1.7.xlsx|url-status=live}}]
| religion = {{ublist |item_style=white-space:nowrap;
|{{Tree list}}
* 42.5% [[Christianity]]
** 29.2% [[Catholic Church in Hungary|Catholicism]]
** 13.3% other [[list of Christian denominations|Christian]]
{{Tree list/end}}
|40.1% no answer |16.1% [[irreligion]] |1.3% [[Religion in Hungary|others]]}}
| demonym = {{hlist|Hungarian|Magyar}}
| government_type = [[Unitary parliamentary republic]]
| leader_title1 = [[President of Hungary|President]]
| leader_name1 = [[András Baka]]
| leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of Hungary|Prime Minister]]
| leader_name2 = [[Péter Magyar]]
| leader_title3 = [[List of speakers of the National Assembly (Hungary)|Speaker of the National Assembly]]
| leader_name3 = [[Ágnes Forsthoffer]]
| legislature = [[National Assembly (Hungary)|National Assembly]]
| sovereignty_type = [[History of Hungary|Formation]]
| established_event1 = [[Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin]]
| established_date1 = 862–895[{{Cite book |url=https://www.tankonyvkatalogus.hu/pdf/OH-TOR05TB__teljes.pdf |title=Történelem 5. az általános iskolások számára |publisher=Oktatási Hivatal (Hungarian Educational Authority) |year=2020 |isbn=978-615-6178-37-4 |pages=15, 112, 116, 137, 138, 141 |language=Hungarian |trans-title=History 5. for primary school students |access-date=22 September 2023 |archive-date=21 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221015211/https://www.tankonyvkatalogus.hu/pdf/OH-TOR05TB__teljes.pdf }}]
| established_event2 = [[Principality of Hungary]]
| established_date2 = 895[{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia Americana: Heart to India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=igzYAAAAMAAJ|volume=1|year=2006|publisher=Scholastic Library Pub.|isbn=978-0-7172-0139-6|page=581}}]
| established_event3 = [[Kingdom of Hungary|Christian Kingdom]]
| established_date3 = 25 December 1000[{{Cite book |last=Fügedi |first=Erik |author-link=Erik Fügedi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xV7xAAAAMAAJ |title=Studies in Medieval and Renaissance History |date=1980 |publisher=[[AMS Press]] |editor-last1=Evans |editor-first1=James Allan Stewart |editor-link1=James Allan Stewart Evans |pages=159-189 |language=en |chapter=Coronation in Medieval Hungary |editor-last2=Unger |editor-first2=Richard W. |editor-link2=Richard Unger}}]
| established_event4 = [[Golden Bull of 1222]]
| established_date4 = 24 April 1222
| established_event5 = {{nowrap|[[Battle of Mohács]]}}
| established_date5 = 29 August 1526
| established_event6 = {{nowrap|[[Siege of Buda (1686)|Liberation of Buda]]}}
| established_date6 = 2 September 1686
| established_event7 = {{nowrap|[[Hungarian Revolution of 1848|Revolution of 1848]]}}
| established_date7 = 15 March 1848
| established_event8 = [[Austria-Hungary]]
| established_date8 = 30 March 1867
| established_event9 = [[Aster Revolution|Restoration of Independence]]
| established_date9 = 31 October 1918
| established_event10 = [[Treaty of Trianon]]
| established_date10 = 4 June 1920
| established_event11 = [[History of Hungary#Third Republic (since 1989)|Third Republic]]
| established_date11 = 23 October 1989
| area_km2 = 93,030[{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/hungary/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110102835/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/hungary|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 January 2021|title=Hungary|publisher=CIA|work=The World Factbook|access-date=27 March 2014}}]
| area_rank = 108th
| area_sq_mi = 35,919
| percent_water = 3.7[
| population_census_year = 2022
| population_census = 9,603,634][{{cite web |url=https://nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu/en/ |title=2022 Hungarian census |publisher=[[Hungarian Central Statistical Office]] (KSH) |website=www.ksh.hu |date=7 December 2023 |access-date=26 October 2024 |archive-date=19 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219160958/https://nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu/en/ |url-status=live }}]
| population_estimate = {{DecreaseNeutral}} 9,489,000[{{cite web |url=https://www.ksh.hu/stadat_files/nep/en/nep0034.html |title=22.1.2.1. Resident population by sex, county and region, 1 January (annual series) |publisher=[[Hungarian Central Statistical Office]] (KSH) |website=www.ksh.hu |access-date=23 April 2026 |archive-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411115953/https://www.ksh.hu/stadat_files/nep/en/nep0034.html |url-status=live }}]
| population_estimate_year = January 2026
| population_estimate_rank = 96th
| population_density_km2 = {{#expr: 9489000/93030 round 0}}
| population_density_sq_mi = {{#expr: 9489000/35919 round 0}}
| population_density_rank = 111th
| GDP_PPP = {{increase}} $482.256 billion[{{cite web |url=https://data.imf.org/en/Data-Explorer?datasetUrn=IMF.RES:WEO(9.0.0) |title=World Economic Outlook Database (April 2026 Edition) |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=www.imf.org |date=14 April 2026}}]
| GDP_PPP_year = 2026
| GDP_PPP_rank = 56th
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = {{increase}} $50,570[{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tessi190/default/table?lang=en|title=Gini coefficient of equivalised disposable income – EU-SILC survey|publisher=[[Eurostat]]|website=ec.europa.eu|access-date=4 May 2024|archive-date=9 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009091832/https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tessi190/default/table?lang=en|url-status=live}}]
| Gini_rank =
| HDI = 0.870
| HDI_rank = 46th
| HDI_year = 2023
| HDI_change = increase
| HDI_ref = [{{Cite web |date=6 May 2025 |title=Human Development Report 2025 |url=https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2025reporten.pdf|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250506051232/https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2025reporten.pdf |archive-date=6 May 2025 |access-date=6 May 2025 |publisher=[[United Nations Development Programme]]}}]
| currency = [[Hungarian forint|Forint]]
| currency_code = HUF
| time_zone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset = +1
| utc_offset_DST = +2
| time_zone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| calling_code = [[Telephone numbers in Hungary|+36]]
| patron_saint = [[Stephen I of Hungary|Saint Stephen]]
| cctld = [[.hu]]
}}
'''Hungary'''{{efn|{{langx|hu|Magyarország}} {{IPA|hu|ˈmɒɟɒrorsaːɡ||hu-Magyarország.ogg}}}} is a [[landlocked country]] in [[Central Europe]].[{{cite web|url=http://www.kormany.hu/download/e/02/00000/The%20New%20Fundamental%20Law%20of%20Hungary.pdf|title=The Fundamental Law of Hungary|publisher=Hungarian State|access-date=8 May 2017|archive-date=29 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629205136/http://www.kormany.hu/download/e/02/00000/The%20New%20Fundamental%20Law%20of%20Hungary.pdf}}] Spanning much of the [[Pannonian Basin|Carpathian Basin]], it is bordered by [[Slovakia]] to the north, [[Ukraine]] to the northeast, [[Romania]] to the east and southeast, [[Serbia]] to the south, [[Croatia]] and [[Slovenia]] to the southwest, and [[Austria]] to the west. Hungary lies within the [[Danube|Danube River's]] [[drainage basin]] and is dominated by great lowland [[plain]]s. It has a population of over 9.5 million, consisting mostly of ethnic [[Hungarians]] (Magyars) and a [[Romani people in Hungary|significant Romani minority]]. [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] is the [[Languages of Hungary|official language]] and among the [[Languages of Europe|few in Europe]] outside the [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European family]].[{{Cite web |date=2024-12-22 |title=Hungary {{!}} History, Map, Flag, Population, Currency, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Hungary |access-date=2024-12-24 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en |archive-date=15 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215102212/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276730/Hungary/214181/History |url-status=live }}] [[Budapest]] is the country's capital, [[List of cities and towns of Hungary|largest city]], and cultural and economic center.[{{Cite web |date=2024-12-22 |title=Hungary - Rivers, Plains, Soils |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Hungary/Drainage-and-soils |access-date=2024-12-24 |website=Britannica }}][{{Cite web |last=Péter |first=László |title=Budapest |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Budapest |website=Britannica |access-date=11 March 2025 |archive-date=23 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223072046/https://www.britannica.com/place/Budapest |url-status=live }}]
Before the establishment of the Hungarian state, the territory was settled by various groups, including [[Celts]], [[Ancient Rome|Romans]], [[Huns]], [[Germanic peoples]], [[Pannonian Avars|Avars]], and [[Slavs]]. Statehood began in the late ninth century with the [[Principality of Hungary]], which became a medieval [[Christian]] kingdom under King [[Stephen I of Hungary|Stephen I]] in 1000. After it was defeated by the [[Ottoman Empire]] at the [[Battle of Mohács]] in 1526, the kingdom was split into three regions for over 150 years until its reunion under [[Habsburg]] rule before the turn of the 18th century. Several uprisings against the Habsburgs precipitated the formation of the [[Austro-Hungarian Monarchy]] in the [[Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867|Compromise of 1867]]; Austria-Hungary remained a European [[great power]] until [[World War I]]. Hungary's modern borders were then established by the 1920 [[Treaty of Trianon]], which resulted in severe losses for the country, including 71% of its historical territory and the majority of its economy and population; [[Hungarian diaspora|a third of ethnic Hungarians]] were left outside the new borders.
Hungary endured turmoil in the early [[Hungary between the World Wars|interwar period]], culminating in the [[National conservatism|national-conservative]] regime of [[Regent of Hungary|regent]] [[Miklós Horthy]]. Hungary joined the [[Axis powers]] in [[World War II]], suffering significant damage and casualties.[[http://historicaltextarchive.com/books.php?op=viewbook&bookid=7&pre=1 ''Hungary: The Unwilling Satellite''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216070442/http://historicaltextarchive.com/books.php?op=viewbook&bookid=7&pre=1 |date=16 February 2007 }} [http://kapos.hu/hirek/kis_szines/2018-06-16/megerkezett_az_idei_balaton_sound_himnusza.html John F. Montgomery, ''Hungary: The Unwilling Satellite''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412191506/http://kapos.hu/hirek/kis_szines/2018-06-16/megerkezett_az_idei_balaton_sound_himnusza.html |date=12 April 2022 }} Devin-Adair Company, New York, 1947. Reprint: Simon Publications, 2002.][Thomas, ''The Royal Hungarian Army in World War II'', pg. 11] After a brief [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] occupation, the [[Hungarian People's Republic]] was established in 1949 as a [[satellite state]] inside the [[Warsaw Pact]]. Subsequent political repression and economic stagnation led to the unsuccessful [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956]], though [[Goulash Communism|communist rule softened]] in the following decades. During the [[Revolutions of 1989]], Hungary peacefully transitioned into a [[Democratic republic|democratic]] [[parliamentary republic]].[{{Cite journal|title=1989. évi XXXI. törvény az Alkotmány módosításáról|trans-title=Act XXXI of 1989 on the Amendment of the Constitution|journal=Magyar Közlöny|publisher=Pallas Lap- és Könyvkiadó Vállalat|location=Budapest|volume=44|issue=74|page=1219|language=hu|date=23 October 1989}}] It joined the [[European Union]] (EU) in 2004 and the [[Schengen Area]] in 2007. [[Second premiership of Viktor Orbán|Under the leadership]] of [[Viktor Orbán]] and [[Fidesz]] from 2010 to 2026, the country experienced [[democratic backsliding]].
Hungary is a [[World Bank high-income economy|high-income economy]] with [[Healthcare in Hungary|universal health care]] and tuition-free [[List of universities and colleges in Hungary|tertiary education]].[{{cite journal|author=OECD|date=27 June 2013|title=OECD Health Data: Social protection|journal=OECD Health Statistics (Database)|doi=10.1787/data-00544-en|url=http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/data/oecd-health-statistics/oecd-health-data-social-protection_data-00544-en|access-date=14 July 2013|url-access=subscription|archive-date=3 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103053845/http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/data/oecd-health-statistics/oecd-health-data-social-protection_data-00544-en|url-status=live}}][{{cite web|url=http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/facts_and_figures/compulsory_education_EN.pdf|archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20131106181321/http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/facts_and_figures/compulsory_education_EN.pdf|archive-date=6 November 2013|title=Compulsory Education in Europe 2013/2014|publisher=European commission|access-date=19 May 2014|author=Eurydice}}] It has a long history of significant contributions to [[Hungarian art|arts]], [[Music of Hungary|music]], [[Hungarian literature|literature]], [[Hungary at the Olympics|sports]], and [[Science and technology in Hungary|science and technology]].[{{cite news|url=http://mta.hu/english/hungarys-nobel-prize-winners-106018|work=[[Hungarian Academy of Sciences]]|title=Hungary's Nobel Prize Winners, 13 Hungarian win Nobel Prize yet|access-date=2 April 2022|archive-date=21 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921183022/https://mta.hu/english/hungarys-nobel-prize-winners-106018|url-status=live}}][{{cite news|title=Population per Gold Medal. Hungary has the second highest gold medal per capita in the world. All together it has 175 gold medal until 2016.|url=http://www.medalspercapita.com/#golds-per-capita:all-time|work=medalspercapita.com|access-date=18 June 2017|archive-date=30 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730144712/http://www.medalspercapita.com/#golds-per-capita:all-time}}][[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276684/Hungarian-literature ''Hungarian literature – "Popular poetry is the only real poetry was the opinion of Sándor Petőfi, one of the greatest Hungarian poets, whose best poems rank among the masterpieces of world literature"''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426220134/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276684/Hungarian-literature |date=26 April 2015 }}, ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 2012 edition][Szalipszki, pg.12]
Refers to the country as "widely considered" to be a "home of music". As [[Tourism in Hungary|a popular tourist destination]] in Europe, Hungary had 24.5 million international visitors in 2019.[{{Cite web|title=STADAT – 4.5.3. The number of inbound trips to Hungary and the related expenditures by motivation (2009–)|url=https://www.ksh.hu/docs/eng/xstadat/xstadat_annual/i_ogt004c.html|access-date=2022-06-02|website=Hungarian Central Statistical Office}}] Hungary is a member of numerous international organizations, including the [[Council of Europe]], EU, [[NATO]], [[United Nations]], [[World Health Organization]], [[World Trade Organization]], [[World Bank]], [[Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank]], and the [[Visegrád Group]].[{{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gov.hu/kum2005/Templates/alapsablon.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2Fkum%2Fen%2Fbal%2Fforeign_policy%2Fun_sc%2Finternational_organisations.htm&NRNODEGUID=%7B45550E06-66FE-4183-A899-EDF5BD040EB5%7D&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest&printable=true|title=International organizations in Hungary|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs|access-date=20 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313115736/http://www.mfa.gov.hu/kum2005/Templates/alapsablon.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2Fkum%2Fen%2Fbal%2Fforeign_policy%2Fun_sc%2Finternational_organisations.htm&NRNODEGUID=%7B45550E06-66FE-4183-A899-EDF5BD040EB5%7D&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest&printable=true|archive-date=13 March 2016}}]
{{TOC limit|limit=3}}
== Etymology ==
{{Main|Name of Hungary}}
The "H" in the name of Hungary is most likely derived from historical associations with the [[Huns]], who had settled Hungary prior to the [[Pannonian Avars|Avars]].[{{cite web |title=Hungary – Country Information: Etymology |url=https://www.frua.org/hungary.html |accessdate=6 November 2025 |website=FRUA}}] The rest of the word comes from the Latinised form of [[Medieval Greek|Byzantine Greek]] {{lang|grc-latn|Oungroi}} ({{lang|grc-Grek|Οὔγγροι|italic=no}}). The Greek name might be borrowed from [[Old Church Slavonic|Old Slavonic]] {{lang|cu-latn|ągrinŭ}}, in turn borrowed from [[Oghuric languages|Oghur-Turkic]] ''[[Onogurs|Onogur]]'' ('ten [tribes of the] Ogurs').[{{Cite journal|last=Benjamin Golden|first=Peter|date=2011|title=Studies on the Peoples and Cultures of the Eurasian Steppes|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281319966|journal=Editura Academiei Române|page=23}}] ''Onogur'' was the collective name for the tribes who later joined the [[Bulgars|Bulgar]] tribal confederacy that ruled the eastern parts of Hungary after the Avars.[{{cite book|last=Király|first=Péter|title=A magyarok elnevezése a korai európai forrásokban ''(The Names of the Magyars in Early European Sources)'' /In: Honfoglalás és nyelvészet ("The Occupation of Our county" and Linguistics)/|publisher=Balassi Kiadó|date=1997|location=Budapest|url=http://webshop.animare.hu/honfoglalas+es+nyelveszet+83813.html|isbn=978-963-506-108-2|page=266|access-date=7 October 2015|archive-date=13 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413130130/http://webshop.animare.hu/honfoglalas+es+nyelveszet+83813.html}}][{{cite book|title=A History of Hungary|editor=Peter F. Sugar|publisher=Indiana University Press|date=22 November 1990|isbn=978-0-253-20867-5|page=9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SKwmGQCT0MAC&pg=PA9|archive-date=3 December 2024|access-date=11 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203140109/https://books.google.com/books?id=SKwmGQCT0MAC&pg=PA9|url-status=live}}] [[Peter Benjamin Golden|Peter B. Golden]] also considers the suggestion of Árpád Berta that the name derives from [[Khazar language|Khazar Turkic]] {{lang|zkz-latn|ongar}} (oŋ "right", oŋar- "to make something better, to put (it) right", oŋgar- "to make something better, to put (it) right", oŋaru "towards the right") "right wing". This points to the idea that the Magyar Union before the Conquest formed the "right wing" (western wing) of the [[Khazars|Khazar]] military forces.[{{Cite book|last=Berta|first=Árpad|title=Die chasarische Benennung der Ungarn}}]
The Hungarian [[Endonym and exonym|endonym]] is {{Lang|hu|Magyarország}}, composed of {{lang|hu|magyar}} ('Hungarian') and {{lang|hu|ország}} ('country'). The name "Magyar", which refers to the people of the country, more accurately reflects the name of the country in some other languages such as [[Turkish language|Turkish]], [[Persian language|Persian]] and other languages as ''Magyaristan'' or ''Land of Magyars'' or similar. The word ''magyar'' is taken from the name of the leading tribe of the seven major semi-nomadic Hungarian tribes.[György Balázs, Károly Szelényi, [https://books.google.com/books?id=4NlnAAAAMAAJ The Magyars: the birth of a European nation], Corvina, 1989, p. 8][Alan W. Ertl, [https://books.google.com/books?id=X9PGRaZt-zcC&pg=PA358 Toward an Understanding of Europe: A Political Economic Précis of Continental Integration], Universal-Publishers, 2008, p. 358][Z. J. Kosztolnyik, [https://books.google.com/books?id=NPBnAAAAMAAJ Hungary under the early Árpáds: 890s to 1063], Eastern European Monographs, 2002, p. 3]
== History ==
{{Main|History of Hungary}}
=== Before 895 ===
{{Main|Hungarian prehistory|Hungarian mythology}}
[[File:Pannonia térkép 2. század.jpg|thumb|Roman provinces and barbarian peoples in and near the [[Pannonian Basin|Carpathian Basin]] in the 2nd century AD|left]]
The [[Roman Empire]] conquered the territory between the [[Alps]] and the area west of the [[Danube]] River from 16 to 15 BC, the Danube being the frontier of the empire.[Kershaw, Stephen P. (2013). ''A Brief History of The Roman Empire: Rise and Fall. London.'' Constable & Robinson Ltd. {{ISBN|978-1-78033-048-8}}.] In 14 BC, [[Pannonia]], the western part of the [[Pannonian Basin|Carpathian Basin]], which includes the west of today's Hungary, was recognised by emperor [[Augustus]] in the ''[[Res Gestae Divi Augusti]]'' as part of the Roman Empire.[Scarre, Chris (2012). ''Chronicle of the Roman Emperors: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial Rome.'' London. Thames & Hudson Ltd. {{ISBN|978-0-500-28989-1}}.]
From 235, the Roman Empire went through troubled times, caused by revolts, rivalry and rapid succession of emperors. The Western Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century under the stress of the migration of [[Germanic peoples|Germanic tribes]] and [[Carpi people|Carpian]] pressure.[Kelly, Christopher (2008). ''Attila The Hun: Barbarian Terror and The Fall of The Roman Empire.'' London. The Bodley Head. {{ISBN|978-0-224-07676-0}}.] After the disintegration of the Hunnic Empire, the [[Gepids]], an Eastern Germanic tribe, who had been vassalised by the Huns, established their own kingdom in the Carpathian Basin.[{{cite book|last=Bóna|first=István|editor1-last=Köpeczi|editor1-first=Béla|editor2-last=Barta|editor2-first=Gábor|editor3-last=Makkai|editor3-first=László|editor4-last=Mócsy|editor4-first=András|editor5-last=Szász|editor5-first=Zoltán|title=History of Transylvania|publisher=Hungarian Research Institute of Canada|year=2001|chapter=From Dacia to Transylvania: The Period of the Great Migrations (271–895); The Kingdom of the Gepids; The Gepids during and after the Hun Period|chapter-url=http://mek.oszk.hu/03400/03407/html/34.html|isbn=0-88033-479-7|archive-date=2 October 2025|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251002191633/http://mek.oszk.hu/03400/03407/html/34.html|url-status=live}}] Other groups which reached the Carpathian Basin during the Migration Period were the [[Goths]], [[Vandals]], [[Lombards]], and [[Early Slavs|Slavs]].[Lajos Gubcsi, [http://mek.oszk.hu/09100/09132/09132.pdf Hungary in the Carpathian Basin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200312171632/http://mek.oszk.hu/09100/09132/09132.pdf |date=12 March 2020 }}, MoD Zrínyi Media Ltd, 2011] Between 804 and 829, the [[First Bulgarian Empire]] conquered the lands east of the Danube and took over the rule of the local Slavic tribes and remnants of the Avars.[Skutsch, Carl, ed. (2005). ''Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities.'' New York: Routledge. p. 158. {{ISBN|1-57958-468-3}}.] By the mid-9th century, the [[Slavs in Lower Pannonia#Principality|Balaton Principality]], also known as Lower Pannonia, was established west of the Danube as part of the Frankish [[March of Pannonia]].[Luthar, Oto, ed. (2008). ''The Land Between: A History of Slovenia.'' Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang GmbH. {{ISBN|9783631570111}}.]
===Middle Ages (895–1526)===
{{Main|Principality of Hungary|Kingdom of Hungary in the Middle Ages}}
[[File:Kalandozasok.jpg|thumb|[[Hungarian invasions of Europe|Hungarian raids in the 9–10th centuries]]: Between 899 and 970, the researchers count 47 (38 to West and 9 to East)[{{Cite journal |last=Szabados |first=György |date=August 2005 |title=Vereség háttér nélkül? Augsburg, 955 |trans-title=Defeat without background? Augsburg, 955 |url=https://epa.oszk.hu/01300/01343/00044/nemzet.html |journal=Hitel – irodalmi, művészeti és társadalmi folyóirat [literary, artistic and social journal] |language=hu |issue=8 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=2 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054449/http://epa.oszk.hu/01300/01343/00044/nemzet.html |url-status=live }}] raids in different parts of Europe. From these campaigns only 8 were unsuccessful and the others ended with success.{{sfn|Nagy|2007|p=168}}]]
The foundation of the [[Principality of Hungary|Hungarian state]] is connected to the [[Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin|Hungarian conquerors]], who arrived from the [[Pontic–Caspian steppe|Pontic-Caspian steppe]] as a confederation of [[Seven chieftains of the Magyars|seven tribes]].[{{cite journal | last1=Neparáczki | first1=Endre | last2=Maróti | first2=Zoltán | title=Mitogenomic data indicate admixture components of Central-Inner Asian and Srubnaya origin in the conquering Hungarians | journal=PLOS ONE | publisher=Public Library of Science (PLoS) | volume=13 | issue=10 | date=2018-10-18 | issn=1932-6203 | doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0205920 | doi-access=free | article-number=e0205920| pmid=30335830 | pmc=6193700 | bibcode=2018PLoSO..1305920N }}] The [[Hungarians]] arrived in the [[Pannonian Basin|Carpathian Basin]] as a frame of a strong centralised steppe-empire under the leadership of Grand Prince [[Álmos]] and his son [[Árpád]]: founders of the [[Árpád dynasty]], the Hungarian ruling dynasty and the Hungarian state. The Árpád dynasty claimed to be a direct descendant of [[Attila|Attila the Hun]].[{{Cite book|last1=Horváth-Lugossy|first1=Gábor|url=https://mki.gov.hu/assets/pdf/MKI_EN_006_kings_and_saints_B5_web.pdf|title=Kings and Saints – The Age of the Árpáds|last2=Makoldi|first2=Miklós|last3=Neparáczki|first3=Endre|publisher=Institute of Hungarian Research|year=2022|isbn=978-615-6117-65-6|location=Budapest, Székesfehérvár|archive-date=7 April 2025|access-date=22 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407064011/https://mki.gov.hu/assets/pdf/MKI_EN_006_kings_and_saints_B5_web.pdf|url-status=live}}][{{Cite journal|last1=Neparáczki|first1=Endre|last2=Maróti|first2=Zoltán|last3=Kalmár|first3=Tibor|last4=Maár|first4=Kitti|last5=Nagy|first5=István|last6=Latinovics|first6=Dóra|last7=Kustár|first7=Ágnes|last8=Pálfi|first8=György|last9=Molnár|first9=Erika |last10=Marcsik |first10=Antónia|last11=Balogh|first11=Csilla|last12=Lőrinczy|first12=Gábor|last13=Tomka|first13=Péter|last14=Kovacsóczy|first14=Bernadett|last15=Kovács|first15=László|date=12 November 2019|title=Y-chromosome haplogroups from Hun, Avar and conquering Hungarian period nomadic people of the Carpathian Basin|journal=Scientific Reports|last16=Török|first16=Tibor|volume=9|issue=1|page=16569|doi=10.1038/s41598-019-53105-5|doi-access=free|pmid=31719606|pmc=6851379|bibcode=2019NatSR...916569N|issn=2045-2322}}][{{Cite journal|last1=Neparáczki|first1=Endre|last2=Maróti|first2=Zoltán|last3=Kalmár|first3=Tibor|last4=Kocsy|first4=Klaudia|last5=Maár|first5=Kitti|last6=Bihari|first6=Péter|last7=Nagy|first7=István|last8=Fóthi|first8=Erzsébet|last9=Pap|first9=Ildikó |last10=Kustár |first10=Ágnes|last11=Pálfi|first11=György|last12=Raskó|first12=István|last13=Zink|first13=Albert|last14=Török|first14=Tibor|date=18 October 2018|title=Mitogenomic data indicate admixture components of Central-Inner Asian and Srubnaya origin in the conquering Hungarians|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=13|issue=10|article-number=e0205920|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0205920|pmid=30335830|pmc=6193700|bibcode=2018PLoSO..1305920N|doi-access=free}}] The Hungarians took possession of the area in a pre-planned manner, with a long move-in between 862 and 895.[{{Cite book|url=https://www.tankonyvkatalogus.hu/pdf/OH-TOR05TB__teljes.pdf|title=Történelem 5. az általános iskolások számára|publisher=Oktatási Hivatal (Hungarian Educational Authority)|year=2020|isbn=978-615-6178-37-4|pages=15, 112, 116, 137, 138, 141|language=Hungarian|trans-title=History 5. for primary school students|access-date=22 September 2023|archive-date=21 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221015211/https://www.tankonyvkatalogus.hu/pdf/OH-TOR05TB__teljes.pdf}}] The rising Hungary conducted successful [[Hungarian invasions of Europe|fierce campaigns and raids]], from [[Constantinople]] to as far as today's Spain.[{{cite web|author=Stephen Wyley|url=http://www.geocities.com/egfrothos/magyars/magyars.html|title=The Magyars of Hungary|publisher=Geocities.com|date=30 May 2001|access-date=20 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021171416/http://geocities.com/egfrothos/magyars/magyars.html|archive-date=21 October 2009}}] The Hungarians defeated three major East Frankish imperial armies between 907 and 910.[{{cite book|author=Peter Heather|title=Empires and Barbarians: Migration, Development and the Birth of Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iX_QNvxR4K0C&pg=PT227|year=2010|publisher=Pan Macmillan|isbn=978-0-330-54021-6|page=227}}] A defeat at the [[Battle of Lechfeld]] in 955 signalled a provisory end to most campaigns on foreign territories, at least towards the west.
====Age of Árpádian kings====
{{Main|Kingdom of Hungary (1000–1301)|Árpád dynasty}}
[[File:A Szent Korona elölről 2.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The [[Holy Crown of Hungary|Holy Crown]] (''Szent Korona''), one of the key symbols of Hungary. It was gifted to [[Stephen I of Hungary|Saint Stephen]], the first [[King of Hungary]], who converted the nation to Christianity.]]
In 972, the ruling prince ({{langx|hu|fejedelem}}) [[Géza, Grand Prince of the Hungarians|Géza]] of the [[Árpád dynasty]] officially started to integrate Hungary into Christian Western Europe.[Attila Zsoldos, [https://books.google.com/books?id=IgoiAQAAIAAJ Saint Stephen and his country: a newborn kingdom in Central Europe: Hungary], Lucidus, 2001, p. 40] His son [[Stephen I of Hungary|Saint Stephen I]] became the first [[King of Hungary]] after defeating his [[paganism|pagan]] uncle [[Koppány]]. Under Stephen, Hungary was recognised as a Catholic [[Apostolic Majesty|Apostolic Kingdom]].[{{cite web|author=Asia Travel Europe|url=http://www.asiatravel.com/europe/hungaria/travelinfo.html|title=Hungaria Travel Information|work=Asiatravel.com|access-date=21 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905161209/http://asiatravel.com/europe/hungaria/travelinfo.html|archive-date=5 September 2008}}] Applying to [[Pope Sylvester II]], Stephen received the insignia of royalty (including probably a part of the [[Holy Crown of Hungary]]) from the papacy.
By 1006, Stephen consolidated his power and started sweeping reforms to convert Hungary into a Western-style [[Feudalism|feudal state]]. The country switched to using Latin for administration purposes, and until as late as 1844, Latin remained the official language of administration. King [[Ladislaus I of Hungary|Saint Ladislaus]] completed the work of King [[Stephen I of Hungary|Saint Stephen]], consolidating the Hungarian state's power and strengthening [[Christianity]]. His charismatic personality, strategic leadership, and military talents resulted in the termination of internal power struggles and foreign military threats.[{{Cite journal|last1=Varga|first1=Gergely I B|last2=Kristóf|first2=Lilla Alida|last3=Maár|first3=Kitti|last4=Kis|first4=Luca|last5=Schütz|first5=Oszkár|last6=Váradi|first6=Orsolya|last7=Kovács|first7=Bence|last8=Gînguță|first8=Alexandra|last9=Tihanyi|first9=Balázs |last10=Nagy |first10=Péter L|last11=Maróti|first11=Zoltán|last12=Nyerki|first12=Emil|last13=Török|first13=Tibor|last14=Neparáczki|first14=Endre|date=January 2023|title=The archaeogenomic validation of Saint Ladislaus' relic provides insights into the Árpád dynasty's genealogy|journal=Journal of Genetics and Genomics|volume=50|issue=1|pages=58–61|bibcode=|doi=10.1016/j.jgg.2022.06.008|pmc=|pmid=35809778}}] The wife of the Croatian king [[Demetrius Zvonimir of Croatia|Demetrius Zvonimir]] was Ladislaus's sister.[{{The Early Medieval Balkans |page=283}}] At [[Helen of Hungary, Queen of Croatia|Helen's]] request, Ladislaus intervened in the conflict and invaded Croatia in 1091.{{sfn|Fine|1991|pp=282, 284}} The [[Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)|Kingdom of Croatia]] entered a [[Croatia in personal union with Hungary|personal union]] with the [[Kingdom of Hungary (1000–1301)|Kingdom of Hungary]] in 1102 with the coronation of King [[Coloman, King of Hungary|Coloman]] as "King of Croatia and Dalmatia" in 1102 in [[Biograd na Moru|Biograd]].[{{cite journal|journal=Scrinia Slavonica|issn=1332-4853|title=Hrvatsko-ugarski odnosi od sredinjega vijeka do nagodbe iz 1868. s posebnim osvrtom na pitanja Slavonije|trans-title=Croatian-Hungarian relations from the Middle Ages to the Compromise of 1868, with a special survey of the Slavonian issue|language=hr|url=http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=68144|author=Ladislav Heka|date=October 2008|volume=8|issue=1|pages=152–173|access-date=16 October 2011|archive-date=4 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160704071036/http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=68144|url-status=live}}]
[[File:Europe_mediterranean_1097.jpg|alt=1097, Europe, map|thumb|Europe in 1097]]
One of the most powerful and wealthiest kings of the Árpád dynasty was [[Béla III of Hungary|Béla III]],[{{cite book | last=Mass | first=K. | author-link=Robert K. Massie | title=History of Hungary: Details about the Hungarian Economy, Origins, and Background | publisher=Efalon Acies | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R_IoEQAAQBAJ&pg=PT15 | archive-date=2 December 2025 | access-date=20 January 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251202043550/https://books.google.com/books?pg=PT15&id=R_IoEQAAQBAJ | url-status=live }}] who disposed of the equivalent of 23 tonnes of silver per year, according to a contemporary [[Income register of Béla III of Hungary|income register]]. This exceeded the income of the French king (estimated at 17 tonnes) and was double the receipts of the English Crown.[{{cite book|author=Miklós Molnár|title=A Concise History of Hungary|url=https://archive.org/details/concisehistoryof00moln|url-access=registration|year=2001|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-66736-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/concisehistoryof00moln/page/46 46]}}] [[Andrew II of Hungary|Andrew II]] issued the ''[[Diploma Andreanum]]'' which secured the special privileges of the [[Transylvanian Saxons]] and is considered the first [[Autonomous administrative division|autonomy]] law in the world.[{{cite web|url=http://www.hungarianhistory.com/lib/autonomy/komlossy.pdf|title=Hungarianhistory.com|access-date=25 November 2010|archive-date=12 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712231738/http://www.hungarianhistory.com/lib/autonomy/komlossy.pdf|url-status=live}}] He led the [[Fifth Crusade]] to the [[Holy Land]] in 1217, setting up the largest royal army in the history of Crusades. His [[Golden Bull of 1222]] was the first constitution in [[Continental Europe]]. The lesser nobles also began to present Andrew with grievances, a practice that evolved into the institution of the parliament (''parlamentum publicum'').
In 1241–1242, the kingdom received a major blow with the [[Mongolian invasion of Hungary|Mongol (Tatar) invasion]]. Up to half of Hungary's population of 2 million were victims of the invasion.[[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-34789/Hungary The Mongol invasion: the last Arpad kings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512114337/http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-34789/Hungary |date=12 May 2008 }}, Encyclopædia Britannica – "The country lost about half its population, the incidence ranging from 60 percent in the Alföld (100 percent in parts of it) to 20 percent in Transdanubia; only parts of Transylvania and the northwest came off fairly lightly."] King [[Béla IV of Hungary|Béla IV]] let [[Cumans]] and [[Jasz people|Jassic people]], who were fleeing the Mongols, into the country.[[http://hungarianhistory.com/lib/hevizi/hevizi.pdf Autonomies in Europe and Hungary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319075337/http://hungarianhistory.com/lib/hevizi/hevizi.pdf |date=19 March 2022 }}. By Józsa Hévizi.] Over the centuries, they were fully assimilated.[{{cite web|author=cs|url=http://www.nemzetijelkepek.hu/onkormanyzat-jaszbereny_en.shtml|title=National and historical symbols of Hungary|publisher=Nemzetijelkepek.hu|access-date=20 September 2009|archive-date=29 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080729054659/http://www.nemzetijelkepek.hu/onkormanyzat-jaszbereny_en.shtml}}] After the Mongols retreated, King Béla ordered the construction of hundreds of stone castles and fortifications, to defend against a possible second Mongol invasion. The [[Second Mongol invasion of Hungary|Mongols returned to Hungary]] in 1285, but the newly built stone-castle systems and new tactics (using a higher proportion of heavily armed knights) stopped them. The invading Mongol force was defeated[{{cite book|author=Pál Engel|title=Realm of St. Stephen: A History of Medieval Hungary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vEJNBqanT_8C&pg=PA109|year=2005|publisher=I.B.Tauris|isbn=978-1-85043-977-6|page=109}}] near Pest by the royal army of King [[Ladislaus IV of Hungary|Ladislaus IV]]. As with later invasions, it was repelled handily, the Mongols losing much of their invading force.
==== Age of elected kings ====
{{Main|Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526)|Ottoman–Hungarian Wars}}
The [[Kingdom of Hungary]] reached one of its greatest extents during the Árpádian kings, yet royal power was weakened at the end of their rule in 1301. After a destructive period of [[interregnum]] (1301–1308), the first [[Capetian House of Anjou|Angevin]] king, [[Charles I of Hungary]] – a bilineal descendant of the [[Árpád dynasty]] – successfully restored royal power and defeated oligarch rivals, the so-called "little kings". The second Angevin Hungarian king, [[Louis I of Hungary|Louis the Great]] (1342–1382), led many successful military campaigns from Lithuania to southern Italy ([[Kingdom of Naples]]) and was also [[List of Polish monarchs|King of Poland]] from 1370. After King Louis died without a male heir, the country was stabilised only when [[Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor|Sigismund of Luxembourg]] (1387–1437) succeeded to the throne, who in 1433 also became [[Holy Roman Emperor]].
The first Hungarian [[Bible translations|Bible translation]] was completed in 1439. For half a year in 1437, there was an antifeudal and anticlerical [[Transylvanian peasant revolt|peasant revolt in Transylvania]] which was strongly influenced by [[Hussite]] ideas. From a small noble family in Transylvania, [[John Hunyadi]] grew to become one of the country's most powerful lords, thanks to his capabilities as a mercenary commander. He was elected governor, then regent. He was a successful crusader against the [[Ottoman Turks]], one of his greatest victories being the [[Siege of Belgrade (1456)|siege of Belgrade]] in 1456.
[[File:Portrait of Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary.jpg|alt=Portrait, Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, Hunyadi, relief|thumb|upright|Renaissance portrait of [[Matthias Corvinus]], King of Hungary and Croatia (1458–1490), King of Bohemia (1469–1490) and Archduke of Austria (1487–1490)]]
The last strong king of medieval Hungary was the [[Renaissance]] king [[Matthias Corvinus]] (1458–1490), son of John Hunyadi. His election was the first time that a member of the nobility mounted the Hungarian royal throne without a dynastic background. He was a successful military leader and an enlightened patron of the arts and learning.[{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276730/Hungary#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Hungary%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia|title=Hungary – Britannica Online Encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Britannica.com|access-date=21 November 2008|archive-date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925211737/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276730/Hungary#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Hungary%20--%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia|url-status=live}}] His library, the [[Bibliotheca Corviniana]], was Europe's greatest collection of historical chronicles, philosophic and scientific works in the 15th century, and second only in size to the [[Vatican Library]]. Items from the Bibliotheca Corviniana were inscribed on [[UNESCO]]'s [[Memory of the World Programme|Memory of the World Register]] in 2005.[{{cite web|url=http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID%3D15976%26URL_DO%3DDO_TOPIC%26URL_SECTION%3D201.html|title=Hungary – The Bibliotheca Corviniana Collection|work=Portal.unesco.org|access-date=21 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318044516/http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID%3D15976%26URL_DO%3DDO_TOPIC%26URL_SECTION%3D201.html|archive-date=18 March 2008|url-status=dead}}] The serfs and common people considered him a just ruler because he protected them from excessive demands and other abuses by the magnates.[{{cite web|url=http://countrystudies.us/hungary/9.htm|title=Hungary – Renaissance And Reformation|work=Countrystudies.us|access-date=20 September 2009|archive-date=12 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012030237/http://countrystudies.us/hungary/9.htm|url-status=live}}] Under his rule, in 1479, the Hungarian army destroyed the Ottoman and Wallachian troops at the [[Battle of Breadfield]]. Abroad, he defeated the Polish and German imperial armies of Frederick at Breslau ([[Wrocław]]). Matthias' mercenary standing army, the [[Black Army of Hungary]], was an unusually large army for its time, and it conquered [[Vienna]] as well as parts of Austria and [[Bohemia]].
King Matthias died without lawful sons, and the Hungarian magnates procured the accession of the Pole [[Vladislaus II of Hungary|Vladislaus II]] (1490–1516), supposedly because of his weak influence on Hungarian aristocracy.[{{Cite book |url=https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/frd/frdcstdy/hu/hungarycountryst00bura_0/hungarycountryst00bura_0.pdf |title=Hungary: A Country Study |publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]] |year=1990 |editor-last1=Burant |editor-first1=Stephen R. |edition=2nd |series=Area Handbook Series |page=14 |chapter=Historical Setting |access-date=2026-05-17 |editor-last2=Keefe |editor-first2=Eugene K. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422122237/https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/frd/frdcstdy/hu/hungarycountryst00bura_0/hungarycountryst00bura_0.pdf |archive-date=2026-04-22 |url-status=live}}] In 1514, the weakened old King Vladislaus II faced a major peasant rebellion led by [[György Dózsa]], which was ruthlessly crushed by the [[Hungarian nobility|nobles]], led by [[John Zápolya]]. The resulting degradation of order paved the way for Ottoman preeminence. In 1521, the strongest Hungarian fortress in the South, Nándorfehérvár (today's [[Belgrade]], Serbia), [[Siege of Belgrade (1521)|fell to the Turks]]. The early appearance of Protestantism further worsened internal relations in the country.
=== Ottoman wars (1526–1699) ===
{{Main|Kingdom of Hungary (1526–1867)|Ottoman Hungary|Eastern Hungarian Kingdom}}
{{See also|Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711)|Ottoman–Habsburg wars}}
[[File:Székely, Bertalan - The Women of Eger - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|upright|"The Women of Eger", oil painting from 1867 commemorating the [[Siege of Eger (1552)|siege of Eger]], a major victory against the Ottomans]]
After some [[Ottoman wars in Europe|150 years of wars]] with the Hungarians and other states, the Ottomans gained a decisive victory over the Hungarian army at the [[Battle of Mohács]] in 1526, where King [[Louis II of Hungary|Louis II]] died while fleeing. Amid political chaos, the divided Hungarian nobility elected two kings simultaneously, [[John Zápolya]] and [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand I]] of the [[House of Habsburg|Habsburg dynasty]]. With the conquest of [[Buda]] by the Turks in 1541, Hungary was divided into three parts and remained so until the end of the 17th century. The north-western part, termed as [[Royal Hungary]], was annexed by the Habsburgs, who ruled as kings of Hungary. The eastern part of the kingdom became independent as the [[Principality of Transylvania (1570–1711)|Principality of Transylvania]], under Ottoman (and later Habsburg) [[suzerainty]]. The remaining central area, including the capital Buda, was known as the Pashalik of Buda.
In 1686, the [[Holy League (1684)|Holy League's]] army, containing over 74,000 men from various nations, [[Siege of Buda (1686)|reconquered Buda]] from the Turks. After some more crushing [[Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718)|defeats of the Ottomans]] in the next few years, the entire Kingdom of Hungary was removed from Ottoman rule by 1718. The last raid into Hungary by the Ottoman vassals [[Crimean Khanate|Tatars]] from [[Crimea]] took place in 1717.[{{cite book|author1=Géza Dávid|author2=Pál Fodor|title=Ransom Slavery Along the Ottoman Borders: (Early Fifteenth – Early Eighteenth Centuries)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=00ZuXUdx2GgC|year=2007|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-15704-0|page=203}}] The constrained Habsburg Counter-Reformation efforts in the 17th century reconverted the majority of the kingdom to Catholicism. The ethnic composition of Hungary was fundamentally changed as a consequence of the prolonged warfare with the Turks. A large part of the country became devastated, population growth was stunted, and many smaller settlements perished.[{{Cite journal |last1=Csepeli |first1=György |last2=Örkény |first2=Antal |date=Spring 1996 |title=The Changing Facets of Hungarian Nationalism |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40972343 |journal=Social Research |publisher=[[Johns Hopkins University]] |volume=63 |issue=1 |pages=247–286 |issn=0037-783X}}] The Austrian-Habsburg government settled large groups of [[Serbs]] and other Slavs in the depopulated south, and settled [[Germans of Hungary|Germans]] (called [[Danube Swabians]]) in various areas, but Hungarians were not allowed to settle or re-settle in the south of the Carpathian Basin.[{{cite web|url=http://www.hungarian-history.hu/lib/unmaking/part1-7.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204132452/http://www.hungarian-history.hu/lib/unmaking/part1-7.pdf|archive-date=4 February 2011|title=Ch7 A Short Demographic History of Hungary|access-date=20 September 2009}}]
=== From the 18th century to World War I (1699–1918) ===
{{Main|Rákóczi's War of Independence|Hungarian Reform Era|Hungarian Revolution of 1848|4 = Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen|5 = Hungary in World War I}}
[[File:Mányoki, Ádam - Portrait of Prince Ferenc Rákóczi II - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Francis II Rákóczi]], leader of the war of independence against Habsburg rule (1703–1711)]]
Between 1703 and 1711, there was a large-scale [[Rákóczi's War of Independence|war of independence]] led by [[Francis II Rákóczi]], who after the dethronement of the Habsburgs in 1707 at the Diet of [[Ónod]], took power provisionally as the ruling prince for the wartime period, but refused the Hungarian crown and the title "king". The uprisings lasted for years. The Hungarian [[Kuruc]] army, although taking over most of the country, lost the main [[Battle of Trenčín|battle at Trencsén]] (1708). Three years later, because of the growing desertion, defeatism, and low morale, the Kuruc forces surrendered.[{{cite book|author=Paul Lendvai|title=The Hungarians: A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UtIr97n3tP0C&pg=PA152|year=2003|publisher=C. Hurst & Co. Publishers|isbn=978-1-85065-673-9|page=152}}]
During the [[Napoleonic Wars]] and afterward, the Hungarian Diet had not convened for decades.[Peter N Stearns, The Oxford encyclopedia of the modern world, Volume 4, Oxford University Press, 2008, p. 64] In the 1820s, the emperor was forced to convene the Diet, which marked the beginning of a Reform Period (1825–1848, {{langx|hu|reformkor}}). The Hungarian Parliament was reconvened in 1825 to handle financial needs. A liberal party emerged and focused on providing for the peasantry. [[Lajos Kossuth]] emerged as a leader of the lower [[gentry]] in the Parliament. A remarkable upswing started as the nation concentrated its forces on modernisation, even though the Habsburg monarchs obstructed all important liberal laws relating to [[civil and political rights]] and economic reforms. Many reformers (Lajos Kossuth, [[Mihály Táncsics]]) were imprisoned by the authorities.
[[File:E. Poulton Portrait of Lajos Kossuth 1860s.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Lajos Kossuth]], Regent-President during the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1848]]]]
On 15 March 1848, mass demonstrations in Pest and Buda enabled Hungarian reformists to push through a list of [[12 points of the Hungarian Revolutionaries of 1848|12 demands]]. Under Governor and President [[Lajos Kossuth]] and Prime Minister [[Lajos Batthyány]], the House of Habsburg was dethroned. The Habsburg ruler and his advisors skillfully manipulated the Croatian, Serbian and Romanian peasantry, led by priests and officers firmly loyal to the Habsburgs, into rebelling against the Hungarian government, though the Hungarians were supported by the vast majority of the Slovak, German and [[Rusyns|Rusyn]] nationalities and by all the Jews of the kingdom, as well as by a large number of Polish, Austrian and Italian volunteers.[[http://www.hungarianhistory.com/lib/jeszenszky/ethnic.pdf Géza Jeszenszky: From "Eastern Switzerland" to Ethnic Cleansing] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117001618/http://www.hungarianhistory.com/lib/jeszenszky/ethnic.pdf |date=17 January 2013 }}, address at Duquesne History Forum, 17 November 2000, The author is former Ambassador of Hungary to the United States and was Foreign Minister in 1990{{spaced ndash}}1994.] In July 1849, the Hungarian Parliament proclaimed and enacted the first laws of ethnic and [[minority rights]] in the world.[Laszlo Peter, Martyn C. Rady, Peter A. Sherwood: Lajos Kossuth sas word...: papers delivered on the occasion of the bicentenary of Kossuth's birth (page 101)] Many members of minority nationalities, like [[János Damjanich]] and [[Józef Bem]], gained the coveted highest positions within the Hungarian Army. The Hungarian forces (''[[Royal Hungarian Landwehr|Honvédség]]'') defeated the Austrian armies. To counter the successes of the Hungarian revolutionary army, Habsburg Emperor [[Franz Joseph I of Austria|Franz Joseph I]] asked for help from the "Gendarme of Europe", Tsar [[Nicholas I of Russia|Nicholas I]], whose Russian armies invaded Hungary. This made [[Artúr Görgei|Artúr Görgey]] surrender in August 1849. The leader of the Austrian army, [[Julius Jacob von Haynau]], became governor of Hungary for a few months and ordered the execution of [[the 13 Martyrs of Arad]], leaders of the Hungarian army, and Prime Minister Batthyány in October 1849. Kossuth escaped into exile. Following the war of 1848–1849, the whole country was in "passive resistance".
Because of external and internal problems, reforms seemed inevitable, and major military defeats of Austria forced the Habsburgs to negotiate the [[Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867]], by which the dual monarchy of [[Austria-Hungary]] was formed. This empire had the second largest area in Europe (after the [[Russian Empire]]), and it was the third most populous (after Russia and the [[German Empire]]). The two realms were governed separately by two parliaments from two capital cities, with a common monarch and common external and military policies. Economically, the empire was a customs union. The old Hungarian Constitution was restored, and Franz Joseph I was crowned as [[King of Hungary]]. The era witnessed impressive economic development. The formerly backward Hungarian economy became relatively modern and industrialised by the turn of the 20th century, although agriculture remained dominant until 1890.[The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Ausgleich". Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Ausgleich {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251012061627/https://www.britannica.com/event/Ausgleich |date=12 October 2025 }}. Accessed 10 April 2025] In 1873, the old capital Buda and [[Óbuda]] were officially united with [[Pest, Hungary|Pest]],[{{cite book|author=Kinga Frojimovics|title=Jewish Budapest: Monuments, Rites, History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-wUg6rlWS2kC&pg=PA67|year=1999|publisher=Central European University Press|isbn=978-963-9116-37-5|page=67}}] creating the new metropolis of Budapest.[Péter, László. "Budapest". Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/place/Budapest {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223072046/https://www.britannica.com/place/Budapest |date=23 February 2021 }}. Accessed 10 April 2025][{{Cite web |last=Mancebo |first=Ivanka Garcia |title=History of Budapest - The history of Obuda, Buda and Pest |url=https://www.budapest.net/history |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=www.introducingbudapest.com |language=en |archive-date=2 November 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251102173738/https://www.budapest.net/history |url-status=live }}] Many of the state institutions and the modern administrative system of Hungary were established during this period.
[[File:Austria-Hungary map.svg|thumb|The [[Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen]] consisted of the territories of the [[Kingdom of Hungary]] (16) and the [[Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia]] (17).]]
After the [[assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand]] in Sarajevo, Prime Minister [[István Tisza]] and his cabinet tried to avoid the outbreak and escalation of a war in Europe, but their diplomatic efforts were unsuccessful. Austria-Hungary drafted over 4 million soldiers from the Kingdom of Hungary on the side of Germany, Bulgaria, and Turkey. The troops raised in the Kingdom of Hungary spent little time defending the actual territory of Hungary, with the exceptions of the [[Brusilov offensive]] in June 1916 and a few months later when the Romanian army made an [[Battle of Transylvania|attack]] into Transylvania,[{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwar2.ro/arme/?language=ro&article=114|title=WorldWar2.ro – Ofensiva Armatei 2 romane in Transilvania|website=Worldwar2.ro|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-date=9 January 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260109081559/http://www.worldwar2.ro/arme/?language=ro&article=114|url-status=live}}][{{cite web |last=Moritz |first=Verena |title=Romania's Entry into the War and Defeat by the Central Powers |url=https://ww1.habsburger.net/en/chapters/romanias-entry-war-and-defeat-central-powers |website=The World of the Habsburgs |publisher=Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsgesellschaft |access-date=April 13, 2026 |language=en}}] both of which were repelled. The [[Central Powers]] conquered Serbia, southern Romania, and the Romanian capital [[Bucharest]]. In 1916, Franz Joseph died, and the new monarch [[Charles I of Austria|Charles IV]] sympathised with the pacifists. With great difficulty, the Central Powers stopped and repelled the attacks of the Russian Empire.
The [[Eastern Front (World War I)|Eastern Front]] of the Allied ([[Allies of World War I|Entente]]) Powers completely collapsed. The Austro-Hungarian Empire then withdrew from all defeated countries. Despite great success on the Eastern Front, Germany suffered complete defeat on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]. By 1918, the economic situation had deteriorated (strikes in factories were organised by leftist and pacifist movements) and uprisings in the army had become common. In the capital cities, the Austrian and Hungarian leftist liberal movements and their leaders supported the separatism of ethnic minorities. Austria-Hungary signed a general armistice in [[Padua]] on 3 November 1918.[{{cite book|author=François Bugnion|title=The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Protection of War Victims|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6K9IAAAAYAAJ|year=2003|publisher=Macmillan Education|isbn=978-0-333-74771-1}}] In October 1918, Hungary's union with Austria was dissolved.[{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=The National |date=2018-11-02 |title=The National Archives - Milestones to peace: the Armistice of Villa Giusti |url=https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/milestones-peace-armistice-villa-giusti/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=The National Archives blog |language=en-GB |archive-date=23 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250623001910/https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/milestones-peace-armistice-villa-giusti/ |url-status=live }}]
=== Between the World Wars (1918–1941) ===
{{Main|Hungary between the World Wars|Hungarian interwar economy|Treaty of Trianon}}
[[File:Trianon consequences.png|left|thumb|With the 1920 [[Treaty of Trianon]], Hungary lost 72% of its territory, its sea ports, and 3,425,000 ethnic Hungarians.[{{cite book|author=Miklós Molnár|title=A Concise History of Hungary|url=https://archive.org/details/concisehistoryof00moln|url-access=registration|year=2001|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-66736-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/concisehistoryof00moln/page/262 262]}}][{{cite book|title=Western Europe: Challenge and Change|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lVBB1a0rC70C&pg=RA1-PA360|year=1990|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-57607-800-6|pages=359–360}}]{{legend|#cd3318|Majority Hungarian areas (according to the 1910 census) detached from Hungary}}]]
Following the First World War, Hungary underwent a period of profound political upheaval, beginning with the [[Aster Revolution]] in 1918, which brought the social-democratic [[Mihály Károlyi]] to power as prime minister. The [[Royal Hungarian Honvéd|Hungarian Royal Honvéd army]] still had more than 1,400,000 soldiers[{{cite book|author=Martin Kitchen|author-link=Martin Kitchen|title=Europe Between the Wars|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2014|page=190|isbn=978-1-317-86753-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=36WsAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA190}}][{{cite book|author=Ignác Romsics|title=Dismantling of Historic Hungary: The Peace Treaty of Trianon, 1920 Issue 3 of CHSP Hungarian authors series East European monographs|publisher=Social Science Monographs|year=2002|page=62|isbn=978-0-88033-505-8}}] when Károlyi was installed. Károlyi yielded to U.S. President [[Woodrow Wilson]]'s demand for [[pacifism]] by ordering the disarmament of the Hungarian army.[Dixon J. C. [https://books.google.com/books?id=OKDRvNHdraoC&pg=PA34 ''Defeat and Disarmament, Allied Diplomacy and Politics of Military Affairs in Austria, 1918–1922'']. Associated University Presses 1986. p. 34.][Sharp A. [https://books.google.com/books?id=NQodBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA156 ''The Versailles Settlement: Peacemaking after the First World War, 1919–1923'']{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Palgrave Macmillan 2008. p. 156. {{ISBN|9781137069689}}] Disarmament meant that Hungary was to remain without a national defence at a time of particular vulnerability. During the rule of Károlyi's pacifist cabinet, Hungary lost control over approximately 75% of its pre-war territories ({{Convert|325411|km2|sqmi}}) without a fight and was subject to foreign occupation. The [[Little Entente]], sensing an opportunity, invaded the country from three sides—[[Hungarian-Romanian War|Romania invaded Transylvania]], Czechoslovakia annexed [[Upper Hungary]] (today's Slovakia), and a joint [[Kingdom of Serbia|Serb]]-[[French Army|French]] coalition annexed [[Vojvodina]] and other southern regions. In March 1919, communists led by [[Béla Kun]] ousted the Károlyi government and proclaimed the [[Hungarian Soviet Republic]] (''Tanácsköztársaság''), followed by a thorough [[Red Terror (Hungary)|Red Terror]] campaign. Despite some successes on the Czechoslovak front, Kun's forces were ultimately unable to resist the Romanian invasion; by August 1919, Romanian troops occupied Budapest and ousted Kun.[{{cite web |title=Hungarian Soviet Republic |url=https://countrystudies.us/hungary/28.htm |website=Country Studies |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=April 13, 2026}}]
[[File:Portraits de Miklós Horthy.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Miklós Horthy]], Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1944)]]
In November 1919, rightist forces led by former Austro-Hungarian admiral [[Miklós Horthy]] entered Budapest; exhausted by the war and its aftermath, the populace accepted Horthy's leadership. In January 1920, parliamentary elections were held, and Horthy was proclaimed regent of the reestablished [[Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)|Kingdom of Hungary]], inaugurating the so-called "Horthy era" (''Horthy-kor''). The new government worked quickly to normalise foreign relations while turning a blind eye to a [[White Terror (Hungary)|White Terror]] that swept through the countryside; extrajudicial killings of suspected communists and Jews lasted well into 1920.[{{cite web |title=Counterrevolution |url=https://countrystudies.us/hungary/29.htm |website=Country Studies |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=April 13, 2026}}][István Deák: "Hungary" in Hans Roger and Egon Weber, eds., ''The European right: A historical profile'' (1963), p 364-407.]
On 4 June 1920, the [[Treaty of Trianon]] established new borders for Hungary. The country lost 71% of its territory and 66% of its pre-war population, as well as many sources of raw materials and its sole port at [[Rijeka|Fiume]].[{{cite book|last=Macartney|first=C. A.|title=Hungary and her successors: The Treaty of Trianon and Its Consequences 1919–1937|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1937}}][{{cite news|first=Richard|last=Bernstein|title=East on the Danube: Hungary's Tragic Century|work=The New York Times|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07E3D91531F93AA3575BC0A9659C8B63&pagewanted=2|date=9 August 2003|access-date=15 March 2008}}] An estimated 3.3 million [[Hungarian diaspora|ethnic Hungarians were living in the ceded territories]], mostly in what is now [[Romania]], [[Slovakia]] and [[Serbia]], although modern sources for this figure range from 2 million to 5 million.[{{cite web |title=Anniversary of the Treaty of Trianon |url=https://enrs.eu/article/anniversary-of-the-treaty-of-trianon |publisher=European Network Remembrance and Solidarity |date=21 Aug 2015 |access-date=16 July 2025 |archive-date=25 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251025083713/https://enrs.eu/article/anniversary-of-the-treaty-of-trianon |url-status=live }}][{{cite web |last1=Sadecki |first1=Andrzej |title=The Centenary of the Treaty of Trianon |url=https://blogs.bl.uk/european/2020/02/the-centenary-of-the-treaty-of-trianon.html |website=European studies blog |publisher=British Library |date=7 February 2020 |access-date=16 July 2025 |archive-date=24 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250424205206/https://blogs.bl.uk/european/2020/02/the-centenary-of-the-treaty-of-trianon.html |url-status=live }}] Though the revision of the treaty quickly rose to the top of the national political agenda, the Horthy government was not willing to resort to military intervention to do so.
The initial years of the Horthy regime were preoccupied with putsch attempts by [[Charles IV of Hungary|Charles IV]], the Austro-Hungarian [[pretender]]; continued suppression of communists; and a migration crisis triggered by the Trianon territorial changes. The government's actions continued to drift right with the passage of [[Antisemitism|antisemitic]] laws and, because of the continued isolation of the Little Entente, economic and then political gravitation towards [[Kingdom of Italy#Fascist regime (1922–1943)|Italy]] and [[Nazi Germany|Germany]]. The [[Great Depression]] further exacerbated the situation, and the popularity of fascist politicians increased, such as [[Gyula Gömbös]] and [[Ferenc Szálasi]], promising economic and social recovery. Horthy's nationalist agenda reached its apogee in 1938 and 1940, when the Nazis rewarded Hungary's staunchly pro-Germany foreign policy in the [[First Vienna Award|First]] and [[Second Vienna Award]]s, peacefully restoring ethnic-Hungarian-majority areas lost after Trianon. In 1939, Hungary regained further territory from Czechoslovakia [[Slovak–Hungarian War|through force]]. Hungary [[Tripartite Pact|formally joined]] the [[Axis powers]] on 20 November 1940 and in 1941 participated in the [[invasion of Yugoslavia]], gaining some of its former territories in the south.[{{cite web |title=Bethlen Government |url=https://countrystudies.us/hungary/31.htm |website=Country Studies |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=April 13, 2026}}][{{cite web |title=The Great Depression |url=https://countrystudies.us/hungary/33.htm |website=Country Studies |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=April 13, 2026}}][{{cite web |title=Radical Right in Power |url=https://countrystudies.us/hungary/34.htm |website=Country Studies |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=April 13, 2026}}]
=== World War II (1941–1945) ===
{{Main|Hungary during World War II|Holocaust in Hungary|Soviet occupation of Hungary}}
[[File:Hungary 1941-44 Administrative Map.png|thumb|Kingdom of Hungary, 1941–1944]]
Hungary formally entered World War II as an Axis power on 26 June 1941, declaring war on the Soviet Union after unidentified planes bombed [[Košice|Kassa]], [[Munkacheve|Munkács]], and [[Rakhiv|Rahó]]. Hungarian troops fought on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]] for two years. Despite early success at the [[Battle of Uman]],[J. Lee Ready (1995), ''World War Two. Nation by Nation'', London, Cassell, page 130. {{ISBN|1-85409-290-1}}] the government began seeking a secret peace pact with [[Allies of World War II|the Allies]] after the [[Second Army (Hungary)|Second Army]] suffered catastrophic losses [[Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh offensive|at the River Don]] in January 1943. Learning of the planned defection, German troops [[Operation Margarethe|occupied Hungary]] on 19 March 1944 to guarantee Horthy's compliance.
In October, as the Soviet front approached, and the government made further efforts to disengage from the war, German troops ousted Horthy and installed a puppet government under Szálasi's fascist [[Arrow Cross Party]].[Alfred de Zayas "A Terrible Revenge" (Palgrave/Macmillan 2006)] and through the 1947 [[Paris Peace Treaties, 1947|Paris Peace Treaties]], Hungary was again reduced to its immediate post-Trianon borders.
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-680-8285A-08, Budapest, Festnahme von Juden.jpg|thumb|[[Jewish]] women being arrested on Wesselényi Street in [[Budapest]] during [[the Holocaust]], {{circa}} 20–22 October 1944]]
The war left Hungary devastated, destroying over 60% of the economy and causing significant [[World War II casualties#endnote Hungary|loss of life]]. In addition to the over 600,000 Hungarian Jews killed,[{{cite news|last=Bridge|first=Adrian|title=Hungary's Jews Marvel at Their Golden Future|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/hungarys-jews-marvel-at-their-golden-future-1361842.html|date=5 September 1996|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|access-date=20 April 2009|archive-date=26 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226194413/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/hungarys-jews-marvel-at-their-golden-future-1361842.html|url-status=live}}] as many as 280,000[{{cite web|url=http://cadmus.iue.it/dspace/bitstream/1814/2599/1/HEC04-01.pdf|title=The Expulsion of 'German' Communities from Eastern Europe at the end of the Second World War|last1=Prauser|first1=Steffen|last2=Rees|first2=Arfon|date=December 2004|series=EUI Working Paper HEC No. 2004/1|publisher=European University Institute|location=San Domenico, Florence|access-date=5 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001022039/http://cadmus.iue.it/dspace/bitstream/1814/2599/1/HEC04-01.pdf|archive-date=1 October 2009}}] other Hungarians were raped, murdered and executed or deported for slave labour.[University of Chicago. Division of the Social Sciences, Human Relations Area Files, inc, A study of contemporary Czechoslovakia, University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files, inc., 1955, Citation 'In January 1947 the Hungarians complained that Magyars were being carried off from Slovakia to Czech lands for forced labor.'][{{cite book|author=Istvan S. Pogany|title=Righting Wrongs in Eastern Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BB4NAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA202|year=1997|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=978-0-7190-3042-0|page=202}}][{{cite book|author=Alfred J. Rieber|title=Forced Migration in Central and Eastern Europe, 1939–1950|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=it0-Zi2nEX0C&pg=PA90|year=2000|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-7146-5132-3|page=50|quote=A presidential decree imposing an obligation on individuals not engaged in useful work to accept jobs served as the basis for this action. As a result, according to documentation in the ministry of foreign affairs of the USSR, approximately 50,000 Hungarians were sent to work in factories and agricultural enterprises in the Czech Republic.}}][Canadian Association of Slavists, Revue canadienne des slavistes, Volume 25, Canadian Association of Slavists., 1983][S. J. Magyarody, The East-central European Syndrome: Unsolved conflict in the Carpathian Basin, Matthias Corvinus Pub., 2002][{{cite book|author=Anna Fenyvesi|title=Hungarian Language Contact Outside Hungary: Studies on Hungarian as a Minority Language|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y3JYwHGYn7MC&pg=PA50|year=2005|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing|isbn=978-90-272-1858-2|page=50}}][{{cite book|author=Norman M. Naimark|title=The Russians in Germany: A History of the Soviet Zone of Occupation, 1945–1949|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MVSjHNKUKoEC&pg=PA70|year=1995|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-78405-5|page=70}}][{{cite book|author=László Borhi|title=Hungary in the Cold War, 1945–1956: Between the United States and the Soviet Union|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IO-4TxlTaMAC&pg=PA57|year=2004|publisher=Central European University Press|isbn=978-963-9241-80-0|page=57}}][{{cite book|author1=Richard Bessel|author1-link=Richard Bessel|author2=Dirk Schumann|title=Life After Death: Approaches to a Cultural and Social History of Europe During the 1940s and 1950s|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NilW70Yol74C&pg=PA133|year=2003|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-00922-5|page=142}}][{{cite book|author=Tibor Cseres|title=Titoist Atrocities in Vojvodina, 1944–1945: Serbian Vendetta in Bácska|url=https://archive.org/details/titoistatrocitie0000cser|url-access=registration|year=1993|publisher=Hunyadi Pub.|isbn=978-1-882785-01-8}}] After German occupation, Hungary participated in [[the Holocaust]],[{{cite web |author=Mike Thomson |date=13 November 2012 |title=Could the BBC have done more to help Hungarian Jews? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20267659 |publisher=BBC (British broadcasting service) |quote=the BBC broadcast every day, giving updates on the war, general news and opinion pieces on Hungarian politics. But among all these broadcasts, there were crucial things that were not being said, things that might have warned thousands of Hungarian Jews of the horrors to come in the event of German occupation. A memo setting out policy for the BBC Hungarian Service in 1942 states: "We shouldn't mention the Jews at all". By 1943, the BBC Polish Service was broadcasting the exterminations. And yet his policy of silence on the Jews was followed until the German invasion in March 1944. After the tanks rolled in, the Hungarian Service did then broadcast warnings. But by then it was too late "Many Hungarian Jews who survived the deportations claimed that they had not been informed by their leaders, that no one had told them. But there's plenty of evidence that they could have known", said David Cesarani, professor of history at Royal Holloway, University of London. |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-date=21 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621165442/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20267659 |url-status=live }}][{{cite web|url=http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007259|title=Auschwitz: Chronology|work=Ushmm.org|access-date=13 February 2013|archive-date=19 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419022233/http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007259|url-status=live}}] deporting nearly 440,000 Jews, mainly to [[Auschwitz concentration camp|Auschwitz]]; nearly all of them were murdered.[{{cite book | last1=Herczl | first1=Moshe Y. | last2=Lerner | first2=Joel | title=Christianity and the Holocaust of Hungarian Jewry | publisher=NYU Press | year=1993 | jstor=j.ctt9qg6vj }}][{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/online-features/special-focus/the-holocaust-in-hungary|title=The Holocaust in Hungary|publisher=United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|encyclopedia=Holocaust Encyclopedia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311040319/https://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/online-exhibitions/special-focus/the-holocaust-in-hungary|archive-date=2017-03-11}}] The Horthy government's complicity in the Holocaust remains a point of controversy and contention.
=== Communism (1945–1989) ===
{{Main|Hungarian Republic (1946–1949)|Hungarian People's Republic|Hungarian Revolution of 1956}}
{{See also|Goulash Communism}}
[[File:Szétlőtt harckocsi a Móricz Zsigmond körtéren.jpg|thumb|left|A destroyed Soviet tank in Budapest during the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956|Revolution of 1956]]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''{{'}}s [[Time Magazine Person of the Year|Man of the Year]] for 1956 was the Hungarian freedom fighter.[{{cite magazine|title=Man of the Year, The Land and the People|magazine=Time|date=7 January 1957|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,808898-1,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017045908/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,808898-1,00.html|archive-date=17 October 2007|access-date=9 October 2006}}]]]
Following the defeat of Nazi Germany, Hungary became a [[satellite state]] of the Soviet Union. The Soviet leadership selected [[Mátyás Rákosi]] to front the [[Stalinism|Stalinisation]] of the country, and Rákosi ''[[de facto]]'' ruled Hungary from 1949 to 1956. His government's policies of militarisation, industrialisation, collectivisation, and war compensation led to a severe decline in living standards. In imitation of Stalin's [[KGB]], the Rákosi government established a secret political police, the [[State Protection Authority|ÁVH]], to enforce the regime; approximately 350,000 officials and intellectuals were imprisoned or executed from 1948 to 1956.[{{cite web|url=http://www.tamupress.com/product/First-Domino,4091.aspx|title=Granville/ frm|format=PDF|access-date=20 September 2009|archive-date=11 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911225449/http://www.tamupress.com/product/First-Domino,4091.aspx|url-status=live}}] Many freethinkers, democrats, and Horthy-era dignitaries were secretly arrested and extrajudicially interned in domestic and foreign [[gulag]]s. Some 600,000 Hungarians were deported to Soviet labour camps, where at least 200,000 died.[{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8347146.stm|title=Hungary's 'forgotten' war victims|work=[[BBC News]]|date=7 November 2009|access-date=4 February 2010|archive-date=23 November 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251123123825/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8347146.stm|url-status=live}}][[http://www.epa.hu/00400/00463/00007/pdf/155_stark.pdf "Malenki Robot" – Hungarian Forced Labourers in the Soviet Union (1944–1955)]][{{cite web |last=Máthé |first=Áron |title=Hungarians in Soviet captivity |url=https://gulag.online/articles/madari-a-gulag?locale=en |website=Gulag.online |publisher=Gulag.cz Association |access-date=April 13, 2026 |language=en}}]
After Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviet Union pursued a programme of [[De-Stalinization|de-Stalinisation]] that was inimical to Rákosi, leading to his deposition. The following political cooling saw the ascent of [[Imre Nagy]] to the premiership. Nagy promised market liberalisation and political openness. Rákosi eventually managed to discredit Nagy and replace him with the more hard-line [[Ernő Gerő]]. Hungary joined the [[Warsaw Pact]] in May 1955, as societal dissatisfaction with the regime swelled. Following the firing on peaceful demonstrations by Soviet soldiers and secret police, and rallies throughout the country on 23 October 1956, protesters took to the streets in Budapest, initiating the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956|1956 Revolution]].
In an effort to quell the chaos, Nagy returned as premier, promised free elections, and took Hungary out of the Warsaw Pact. The violence nonetheless continued as revolutionary militias sprung up against the Soviet Army and the ÁVH; the roughly 3,000-strong resistance fought Soviet tanks using [[Molotov cocktail]]s and machine-pistols. Though the preponderance of the Soviets was immense, they suffered heavy losses, and by 30 October 1956, most Soviet troops had withdrawn from Budapest to garrison the countryside. For a time, the Soviet leadership was unsure how to respond but eventually decided to intervene to prevent a destabilisation of the Soviet bloc. On 4 November, reinforcements of more than 150,000 troops and 2,500 tanks entered the country from the Soviet Union.[Findley, Carter V., and John Rothney. ''Twentieth Century World''. sixth ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006. 278.] Nearly 20,000 Hungarians were killed resisting the intervention, while an additional 21,600 were imprisoned afterward for political reasons. Some 13,000 were interned and 230 brought to trial and executed. Nagy was secretly tried, found guilty, sentenced to death, and executed by hanging in June 1958. Because borders were briefly opened, nearly a quarter of a million people fled the country by the time the revolution was suppressed.[[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6065398.stm "Hungary's 1956 brain drain"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251129114223/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6065398.stm |date=29 November 2025 }}, BBC News, 23 October 2006]
[[File:János Kádár 1962.jpg|thumb|upright|[[János Kádár]], General Secretary of the [[Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party]] (1956–1988)]]
After a second, briefer period of Soviet military occupation, [[János Kádár]], Nagy's former minister of state, was chosen by the Soviet leadership to head the new government and chair the new ruling [[Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party|Socialist Workers' Party]]. Kádár quickly normalised the situation. In 1963, the government granted a general amnesty. Kádár proclaimed a new policy line, according to which the people were no longer compelled to profess loyalty to the party if they tacitly accepted the socialist regime as a fact of life. Kádár introduced new planning priorities in the economy, such as allowing farmers significant plots of private land within the collective farm system (''háztáji gazdálkodás''). The living standard rose as consumer goods and food production took precedence over military production, which was reduced to one-tenth of prerevolutionary levels.
In 1968, the [[New Economic Mechanism]] introduced free-market elements into the socialist command economy. From the 1960s through the late 1980s, Hungary was often referred to as "the happiest barrack" within the Eastern bloc. During the latter part of the Cold War Hungary's [[Lists of countries by GDP per capita|GDP per capita]] was fourth only to [[East Germany]], [[Czechoslovak Socialist Republic|Czechoslovakia]], and the Soviet Union.[*{{Cite book|last=Maddison|first=Angus|title=The world economy|publisher=OECD Publishing|year=2006|isbn=978-92-64-02261-4|page=185}}] As a result of this relatively high [[standard of living]], a more liberalised economy, a less censored press, and less restricted travel rights, Hungary was generally considered one of the more liberal countries in which to live in Central Europe during communism. In 1980, Hungary sent the first Hungarian [[Cosmonaut]], [[Bertalan Farkas]], into space as part of the [[Interkosmos]]. Hungary became [[Timeline of space travel by nationality|the seventh nation to be represented in space]].[{{Cite web|url=https://qubit.hu/2018/05/06/hogyan-lettunk-a-vilag-hetedik-urhajos-nemzete-nyolc-magyar-aki-nelkul-nem-tortenhetett-volna-meg|title=Hogyan lettünk a világ hetedik űrhajós nemzete? – Nyolc magyar, aki nélkül nem történhetett volna meg|last=Béres|first=Attila|date=2018-05-06|website=Qubit|language=hu|access-date=2019-12-14|archive-date=28 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228011509/https://qubit.hu/2018/05/06/hogyan-lettunk-a-vilag-hetedik-urhajos-nemzete-nyolc-magyar-aki-nelkul-nem-tortenhetett-volna-meg|url-status=live}}] In the 1980s, however, living standards steeply declined again because of [[Early 1980s recession|a worldwide recession]] to which communism was unable to respond.[{{cite web|last1=Watkins|first1=Theyer|title=Economic History and the Economy of Hungary|url=http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/hungary.htm|website=sjsu.edu|publisher=San José State University Department of Economics|access-date=6 August 2014|archive-date=7 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207184439/http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/hungary.htm}}] By the time Kádár died in 1989, the Soviet Union was in steep decline and a younger generation of reformists saw liberalisation as the solution to economic and social issues.
=== Third Republic (1989–present) ===
{{See also|Revolutions of 1989|2006 protests in Hungary|2015 European migrant crisis|COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary|Orbán era}}
[[File:Foundation of the Visegrád Group.tiff|thumb|The [[Visegrád Group]] signing ceremony, 15 February 1991]]
Hungary's transition from communism to capitalism ({{langx|hu|rendszerváltás}}, "system change") was peaceful and prompted by economic stagnation, domestic political pressure, and changing relations with other Warsaw Pact countries. Although the [[Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party]] began [[Hungarian Round Table Talks|Round Table Talks]] with various opposition groups in March 1989, the reburial of Imre Nagy as a revolutionary martyr that June is widely considered the symbolic end of communism in Hungary. Free elections were held [[1990 Hungarian parliamentary election|in May 1990]], and the [[Hungarian Democratic Forum]], a major conservative opposition group, was elected to the head of a coalition government. [[József Antall]] became the first democratically elected prime minister since World War II.
With the removal of state subsidies and rapid privatisation in 1991, along with the [[Yugoslav Wars]] on its southern border, Hungary experienced a severe economic recession, as well as social and security instability as a consequence of the war. The Antall government's austerity measures proved unpopular, and the Communist Party's legal and political heir, the [[Hungarian Socialist Party|Socialist Party]], won the subsequent [[1994 Hungarian parliamentary election|1994 elections]]. This abrupt shift in the political landscape was repeated in [[1998 Hungarian parliamentary election|1998]] and [[2002 Hungarian parliamentary election|2002]]; in each electoral cycle, the governing party was ousted and the erstwhile opposition elected. Like most other post-communist European states, however, Hungary broadly pursued an [[European integration|integrationist]] agenda, [[Enlargement of NATO|joining NATO]] in 1999 and the European Union [[2003 Hungarian European Union membership referendum|on 1 May 2004]]. As a NATO member, Hungary was involved in the Yugoslav Wars.
[[File:Police car at Hungary-Serbia border barrier.jpg|thumb|Police car at Hungary-Serbia border barrier]]In 2006, [[2006 protests in Hungary|major nationwide protests]] erupted after it was revealed that Prime Minister [[Ferenc Gyurcsány]] had claimed in [[Őszöd speech|a closed-door speech]] that his party "lied" to win the [[2006 Hungarian parliamentary election|recent elections]]. The popularity of left-wing parties plummeted in the ensuing political upheaval, and in 2010, [[Viktor Orbán]]'s national-conservative [[Fidesz]] party was [[2010 Hungarian parliamentary election|elected]] to a parliamentary [[supermajority]]. The legislature consequently approved [[Constitution of Hungary|a new constitution]], among other sweeping governmental and legal changes. Fidesz subsequently won supermajorities in the [[2014 Hungarian parliamentary election|2014]], [[2018 Hungarian parliamentary election|2018]], and [[2022 Hungarian parliamentary election|2022]] elections.
After Orbán's election in 2010, Hungary experienced [[democratic backsliding]]. [[Second premiership of Viktor Orbán|Under his leadership]], described as the "Orbán era" ({{langx|hu|Orbán-korszak}}),[{{Cite web |last=Today |first=Hungary |date=2026-04-13 |title=The Raw Numbers: End of the Orbán Era |url=https://hungarytoday.hu/the-raw-numbers-end-of-the-orban-era/ |access-date=2026-04-16 |website=Hungary Today |language=en}}][{{Cite web |title=Hungary: Orban's election defeat sparks hope and relief |url=https://www.dw.com/en/orban-election-defeat-sparks-hope-and-relief-in-hungary-europe-peter-magyar/a-76766410 |access-date=2026-04-16 |website=dw.com |language=en}}][{{Cite web |date=2026-04-12 |title=Orbán era is over, as Tisza scores historic victory in Hungary |url=https://euobserver.com/210869/orban-era-is-over-as-tisza-scores-historic-victory-in-hungary/ |access-date=2026-04-16 |website=EUobserver |language=en-US}}] the country was variously characterized as an [[illiberal democracy]],[{{cite journal |first1=Abby |last1=Innes |title=Hungary's Illiberal Democracy |journal=Current History |year=2015 |volume=114 |issue=770 |doi=10.1525/curh.2015.114.770.95 |pages=95–100}}]{{rp|95}} [[hybrid regime]], [[kleptocracy]], [[dominant-party system]], or [[mafia state]].[''[https://www.v-dem.net/media/filer_public/f0/5d/f05d46d8-626f-4b20-8e4e-53d4b134bfcb/democracy_report_2020_low.pdf Autocratization Surges–Resistance Grows: Democracy Report 2020] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200330123413/https://www.v-dem.net/media/filer_public/f0/5d/f05d46d8-626f-4b20-8e4e-53d4b134bfcb/democracy_report_2020_low.pdf |date=30 March 2020 }}'', V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg (March 2020).]["[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220909IPR40137/meps-hungary-can-no-longer-be-considered-a-full-democracy MEPs: Hungary can no longer be considered a full democracy | News | European Parliament] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915103936/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220909IPR40137/meps-hungary-can-no-longer-be-considered-a-full-democracy |date=15 September 2022 }}". www.europarl.europa.eu. 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2023-05-02.][{{Cite news|date=5 April 2018|title=The EU is tolerating – and enabling – authoritarian kleptocracy in Hungary|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2018/04/05/the-eu-is-tolerating-and-enabling-authoritarian-kleptocracy-in-hungary|access-date=5 July 2021|issn=0013-0613|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185001/https://www.economist.com/europe/2018/04/05/the-eu-is-tolerating-and-enabling-authoritarian-kleptocracy-in-hungary|url-status=live}}] Orbán publicly embraced illiberalism,[{{Cite journal |last1=Plattner |first1=Marc F. |date=2019 |title=Illiberal Democracy and the Struggle on the Right |journal=Journal of Democracy |language=en |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=5–19 |doi=10.1353/jod.2019.0000 |url=https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/illiberal-democracy-and-the-struggle-on-the-right/ |url-access=subscription |archive-date=11 November 2024 |access-date=11 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111201035/https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/illiberal-democracy-and-the-struggle-on-the-right/ |url-status=live }}]{{rp|9}} identifying Hungary as an "illiberal Christian democracy".[{{cite news|url=https://budapestbeacon.com/full-text-of-viktor-orbans-speech-at-baile-tusnad-tusnadfurdo-of-26-july-2014/|title=Full text of Viktor Orbán's speech at Băile Tuşnad (Tusnádfürdő) of 26 July 2014|work=The Budapest Beacon|date=30 July 2014|access-date=11 November 2024|archive-date=28 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728164958/https://budapestbeacon.com/full-text-of-viktor-orbans-speech-at-baile-tusnad-tusnadfurdo-of-26-july-2014/}}][{{cite web |title=Hungarian PM sees shift to illiberal Christian democracy in 2019 European vote |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hungary-orban/hungarian-pm-sees-shift-to-illiberal-christian-democracy-in-2019-european-vote-idUSKBN1KI0BK |publisher=[[Reuters]] |access-date=29 July 2020 |date=28 July 2018 |quote=Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday that European parliament elections next year could bring about a shift toward illiberal 'Christian democracy' in the European Union that would end the era of multiculturalism. |archive-date=15 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815201020/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-hungary-orban/hungarian-pm-sees-shift-to-illiberal-christian-democracy-in-2019-european-vote-idUSKBN1KI0BK/ |url-status=live }}] As a result of these developments, Hungary's relationship with the [[United States]] and the [[European Union]] entered a period of protracted strain. Various EU bodies and member states moved to penalize Hungary or curtail its EU voting rights.[{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-03-14 |title=Ungarn erzwingt Aufhebung von EU-Sanktionen gegen Russen |url=https://www.orf.at//stories/3387636/ |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=news.[[ORF.at]] |language=de-AT |archive-date=28 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251028221545/https://www.orf.at//stories/3387636/ |url-status=live }}][{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-03-14 |title=Minister: Hungary's EU voting rights must be suspended over sanctions block |url=https://news.err.ee/1609633469/minister-hungary-s-eu-voting-rights-must-be-suspended-over-sanctions-block |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=[[Eesti Rahvusringhääling]] |language=en |archive-date=13 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251013114517/https://news.err.ee/1609633469/minister-hungary-s-eu-voting-rights-must-be-suspended-over-sanctions-block |url-status=live }}][{{Cite web |date=2025-05-19 |title=Michael McGrath - European Commission |url=https://commission.europa.eu/about/organisation/college-commissioners/michael-mcgrath_en |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=commission.europa.eu |language=en |archive-date=10 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250510203427/https://commission.europa.eu/about/organisation/college-commissioners/michael-mcgrath_en |url-status=live }}][{{Cite news |date=2025-05-27 |title=EU Commissioner for Democracy: serious concerns about rule of law situation in Hungary |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/eu-commissioner-democracy-serious-concerns-about-rule-law-situation-hungary-2025-05-27/ |access-date=2025-05-27 |work=Reuters |language=en}}][{{Cite web |last=Zsiros |first=Sandor |date=2025-05-24 |title=EU Commission demands Hungary withdraws its draft transparency law |url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/05/24/confrontation-ahead-eu-commission-demands-that-hungary-withdraws-draft-transparency-law |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=euronews |language=en |archive-date=25 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251025132324/https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/05/24/confrontation-ahead-eu-commission-demands-that-hungary-withdraws-draft-transparency-law |url-status=live }}][{{Cite web |date=2025-06-05 |title=ECJ: Hungarian law against LGBT people violates European law |url=https://www.bgnes.com/politics/ecj-hungarian-law-against-lgbt-people-violates-european-law |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=BGNES: Breaking News, Latest News and Videos |language=bg |archive-date=29 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251029164545/https://www.bgnes.com/politics/ecj-hungarian-law-against-lgbt-people-violates-european-law |url-status=live }}][{{Cite web |title=EU: Hungary has violated EU law with restrictions on LGBT content |url=https://fakti.bg/world/976473-eu-hungary-has-violated-eu-law-with-restrictions-on-lgbt-content |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=Fakti.bg - Да извадим фактите наяве |language=bg |archive-date=26 November 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251126135709/https://fakti.bg/world/976473-eu-hungary-has-violated-eu-law-with-restrictions-on-lgbt-content |url-status=live }}] Areas of conflict included [[LGBT rights in Hungary|LGBT rights]],[{{Cite web|title=Hungary's parliament passes anti-LGBT law ahead of 2022 election|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/15/europe/hungary-protests-lgbtq-law-intl/index.html|access-date=2021-06-25|website=CNN|date=15 June 2021|archive-date=2 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702152849/http://www.cnn.com/2021/06/15/europe/hungary-protests-lgbtq-law-intl/index.html|url-status=live}}] migration,[{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hungary-immigration-idUSKBN0OX17I20150617|title=Hungary to fence off border with Serbia to stop migrants|work=Reuters|access-date=28 August 2015|date=17 June 2015|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924220554/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/17/us-hungary-immigration-idUSKBN0OX17I20150617|url-status=live}}][{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/04/world/europe/hungary-train-station-migrant-crisis.html|title=Hungary Defends Handling of Migrants Amid Chaos at Train Station|author1=Anemona Hartocollis|author2=Dan Bilefsky|author3=James Kanter|name-list-style=amp|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=3 September 2015|date=3 September 2015|archive-date=18 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118122744/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/04/world/europe/hungary-train-station-migrant-crisis.html|url-status=live}}] the ''[[lex CEU]],''[{{Cite news |date=2020-10-06 |title=Hungary broke EU law by forcing out university, says European Court |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54433398 |access-date=2025-01-12 |language=en-GB}}] Hungary's decision to authorise [[Sputnik vaccine|Russian]] and [[CoronaVac|Chinese vaccines]] during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]],[{{Cite news |last=Walker |first=Shaun |date=2021-01-21 |title=Hungary breaks ranks with EU to license Russian vaccine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/21/hungary-breaks-ranks-with-eu-to-license-russian-vaccine-sputnik-v |access-date=2025-01-12 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=22 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122013307/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/21/hungary-breaks-ranks-with-eu-to-license-russian-vaccine-sputnik-v |url-status=live }}][{{Cite web |date=2021-02-28 |title='I'm vaccinated': Hungary's Orbán promotes Chinese coronavirus jab |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-viktor-orban-inoculated-with-chinese-vaccine-coronavirus/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}}] and [[International sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine|international sanctions against Russia]] due to the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]].[{{cite web |title=Hungary's loyalties tested as Russia's war in Ukraine grinds on |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/14/hungarys-loyalties-tested-as-russias-war-in-ukraine-grinds-on |access-date=14 April 2023 |website=aljazeera.com}}] The Orbán government simultaneously came under increased international scrutiny over [[rule of law]] concerns. Orbán's government disputed these allegations.[{{Cite web |last=Rankin |first=Jennifer |date=12 September 2018 |title=MEPs vote to pursue action against Hungary over Orbán crackdown |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/12/eu-meps-vote-to-pursue-action-against-hungary-over-orban-crackdown |access-date=24 September 2018 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}}]
In the [[2026 Hungarian parliamentary election|2026 election]], [[Péter Magyar]] led the [[Tisza Party]] to a decisive supermajority victory, marking the first time in sixteen years that Fidesz moved into opposition.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c2d8zw2d3rkt |title=Viktor Orbán concedes with Hungarian opposition on course for landslide election win |date=12 April 2026 |work=[[BBC]]}}] On 9 May 2026, Magyar was sworn in as Hungary's prime minister.[{{cite news |title=Hungary's new PM Magyar sworn in after landslide victory over Orbán |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3pqvvzgnko |work=www.bbc.com |date=9 May 2026}}]
== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Hungary|Climate of Hungary}}
{{See also|List of national parks of Hungary}}
[[File:Hungary-geographic map-en.svg|thumb|Geographic map of Hungary]]
Hungary is a [[landlocked country]]. Its geography has traditionally been defined by its two main waterways, the [[Danube]] and [[Tisza]] rivers. The common tripartite division—''Dunántúl'' ("beyond the Danube", [[Transdanubia]]), ''[[Tiszántúl]]'' ("beyond the Tisza"), and ''Duna–Tisza köze'' ("between the Danube and Tisza")—is a reflection of this. The Danube flows north–south through the centre of contemporary Hungary, and the entire country lies within its [[drainage basin]].
Transdanubia, which stretches westward from the centre of the country towards Austria, is a primarily hilly region with a terrain varied by low mountains. These include the very eastern stretch of the [[Alps]], ''[[Alpokalja]]'', in the west of the country, the [[Transdanubian Mountains]] in the central region of Transdanubia, and the [[Mecsek]] Mountains and [[Villány Mountains]] in the south. The highest point of the area is the Írott-kő in the Alps, at {{convert|882|m|0}}. The [[Little Hungarian Plain]] (''Kisalföld'') is found in northern Transdanubia. [[Lake Balaton]] and [[Lake Hévíz]], the largest lake in Central Europe and the largest thermal lake in the world, respectively, are in Transdanubia as well.
[[File:Balaton Hungary Landscape.jpg|thumb|[[Lake Balaton]]]]
The ''Duna–Tisza köze'' and ''Tiszántúl'' are characterised mainly by the [[Great Hungarian Plain]] (''Alföld''), which stretches across most of the eastern and southeastern areas of the country. To the north of the plain are the foothills of the [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathians]] in a wide band near the [[Slovakia|Slovak]] border. The [[Kékes]] at {{convert|1014|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} is the tallest mountain in Hungary and is found there.
[[Phytogeography|Phytogeographically]], Hungary belongs to the Central European province of the [[Circumboreal Region]] within the [[Boreal Kingdom]]. According to the [[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]], the territory of Hungary belongs to the terrestrial ecoregion of [[Pannonian mixed forests]].[{{cite journal|last1=Dinerstein|first1=Eric|last2=Olson|first2=David|last3=Joshi|first3=Anup|last4=Vynne|first4=Carly|last5=Burgess|first5=Neil D.|last6=Wikramanayake|first6=Eric|last7=Hahn|first7=Nathan|last8=Palminteri|first8=Suzanne|last9=Hedao|first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed|last11=Hansen|first11=Matt|last12=Locke|first12=Harvey|last13=Ellis|first13=Erle C|last14=Jones|first14=Benjamin|last15=Barber|first15=Charles Victor|last16=Hayes|first16=Randy|last17=Kormos|first17=Cyril|last18=Martin|first18=Vance|last19=Crist|first19=Eileen|last20=Sechrest|first20=Wes|last21=Price|first21=Lori|last22=Baillie|first22=Jonathan E. M.|last23=Weeden|first23=Don|last24=Suckling|first24=Kierán|last25=Davis|first25=Crystal|last26=Sizer|first26=Nigel|last27=Moore|first27=Rebecca|last28=Thau|first28=David|last29=Birch|first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter|last31=Turubanova|first31=Svetlana|last32=Tyukavina|first32=Alexandra|last33=de Souza|first33=Nadia|last34=Pintea|first34=Lilian|last35=Brito|first35=José C.|last36=Llewellyn|first36=Othman A.|last37=Miller|first37=Anthony G.|last38=Patzelt|first38=Annette|last39=Ghazanfar|first39=Shahina A.|last40=Timberlake|first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser|first41=Heinz|last42=Shennan-Farpón|first42=Yara|last43=Kindt|first43=Roeland|last44=Lillesø|first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow|last45=van Breugel|first45=Paulo|last46=Graudal|first46=Lars|last47=Voge|first47=Maianna|last48=Al-Shammari|first48=Khalaf F.|last49=Saleem|first49=Muhammad|title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm|journal=BioScience|volume=67|issue=6|year=2017|pages=534–545|issn=0006-3568|doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014|pmid=28608869|pmc=5451287|doi-access=free}}]
=== Climate ===
Hungary has a [[Temperate climate|temperate seasonal climate]],[{{Cite web|url=https://en.climate-data.org/europe/hungary-20/|title=Hungary climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Hungary weather averages|work=Climate-Data.org|access-date=21 November 2018}}][{{cite web|author=Andrew Speedy|url=http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/agpc/doc/Counprof/Hungary/hungary.htm|title=Hungary|work=Fao.org|access-date=21 November 2008|archive-date=4 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204115841/http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/agpc/doc/Counprof/Hungary/hungary.htm}}] with generally warm summers with low overall humidity levels but frequent rain showers and cold snowy winters. Average annual temperature is {{convert|9.7|°C|°F}}. Temperature extremes are {{convert|41.9|°C|°F|1}} on 20 July 2007 at [[Kiskunhalas]] in the summer and {{convert|-35|°C|°F|1}} on 16 February 1940 at [[Miskolc]] in the winter. Average high temperature in the summer is {{convert|23|to|28|°C|°F}} and average low temperature in the winter is {{convert|-3|to|-7|°C|°F}}. The average yearly rainfall is approximately {{convert|600|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}.
== Government and politics ==
{{Main|Politics of Hungary|Government of Hungary|Taxation in Hungary}}
{{Multiple image
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| image1 = András Baka (cropped 2).png
| image2 = Péter Magyar at EC, May 2026.jpg
| caption1 = [[András Baka]]
[[President of Hungary|President]]
| caption2 = [[Péter Magyar]]
[[Prime Minister of Hungary|Prime Minister]]
| alt1 =
| alt2 =
}}
Hungary is a [[Unitary state|unitary]] [[parliamentary republic]]. Its politics operates under a constitutional framework, the [[Fundamental Law of Hungary|Fundamental Law]] ({{langx|hu|alaptörvény}}), most recently heavily reformed in 2012. A parliamentary [[supermajority]] of two-thirds is typically needed to amend this Law, although it contains certain unamendable [[entrenched clause|eternity clauses]] (the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the separation of powers, the state structure, and the [[rule of law]]) as well.
199 Members of Parliament (''{{lang|hu|országgyűlési képviselők}}'', singular ''képviselő'') are elected to the highest organ of state authority, the [[Unicameralism|unicameral]] ''{{lang|hu|Országgyűlés}}'' ([[National Assembly (Hungary)|National Assembly]]), every four years by [[mixed-member majoritarian representation]]. 106 are elected in single-member constituencies by [[first-past-the-post voting]], the other 93 from a single nationwide constituency by modified [[proportional representation]]. The [[electoral threshold]] is set at 5% for single-party lists, 10% for coalitions of two parties, and 15% for coalitions of three or more parties.[{{Cite web |date=31 December 2024 |title=Act CCIII of 2011 on the election of the Members of the National Assembly |url=https://portal-api.valasztas.hu/files/6960fa637e5bb300028ca9df/2011-203-00-00.pdf |website=National Election Office |at=Section 16}}]
[[File:Hungarian Parliament Building from across the Danube, 2025-01-11.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Hungarian Parliament Building]] on the banks of the Danube in [[Budapest]]]]
The [[President of Hungary|President of the Republic]] (''{{lang|hu|köztársasági elnök}}'') is the [[head of state]] and is elected by the National Assembly every five years. The president is invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers: receiving foreign heads of state, nominating the prime minister at the recommendation of the National Assembly, and serving as [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[Hungarian Ground Forces|armed forces]].[{{Cite web |title=About Hungary - The Hungarian State - The President of the Republic |url=https://2015-2019.kormany.hu/en/doc/the-hungarian-state/the-president-of-the-republic |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=2015-2019.kormany.hu |archive-date=6 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251006003419/https://2015-2019.kormany.hu/en/doc/the-hungarian-state/the-president-of-the-republic |url-status=live }}] However, the presidency is not entirely [[figurehead|ceremonial]]; the president may [[veto]] legislation and send it to the 15-member [[Constitutional Court of Hungary|Constitutional Court]] for review.[[http://m.ludita.uni-nke.hu/repozitorium/bitstream/handle/11410/10136/The%20Basic%20Law%20of%20Hungary.pdf THE BASIC (FUNDAMENTAL) LAW OF HUNGARY A Commentary of the New Hungarian Constitution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831191821/http://m.ludita.uni-nke.hu/repozitorium/bitstream/handle/11410/10136/The%20Basic%20Law%20of%20Hungary.pdf |date=31 August 2021 }} (Clarus Press, 2015, {{ISBN| 978-1-905536-81-8}}), pp. 153–163] The third most significant political office in Hungary is the [[List of speakers of the National Assembly (Hungary)|Speaker of the National Assembly]] (''házelnök''), who is elected by the National Assembly and presides over the body's sessions.
The [[Prime Minister of Hungary|prime minister]] (''{{lang|hu|miniszterelnök}}'') is elected by the National Assembly, serves as the [[head of government]], and exercises [[Executive (government)|executive power]]. By convention, the prime minister is the leader of the largest party in the Assembly. The prime minister selects [[Government of Hungary|Cabinet]] ministers and has the exclusive right to dismiss them, although cabinet nominees must appear before consultative open hearings before one or more parliamentary committees, survive a vote in the National Assembly, and be formally approved by the president. They do not need to be MPs. Cabinet reports to Parliament.[{{cite web |title=The Government and Commissioners |url=https://2015-2019.kormany.hu/en/doc/the-hungarian-state/the-government-and-commissioners/the-government |website=kormany.hu |access-date=April 13, 2026}}]
=== Political parties ===
{{Main|Political parties in Hungary|Elections in Hungary|Electoral system of Hungary}}
Since the fall of communism, Hungary has had a [[multi-party system|multiparty system]]. The [[2026 Hungarian parliamentary election|most recent Hungarian parliamentary election]] was held on 12 April 2026, in which the [[Tisza Party]], led by [[Péter Magyar]], defeated the incumbent [[Fidesz–KDNP]] government of Prime Minister [[Viktor Orbán]].[{{cite news |date=12 April 2026 |title=Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán concedes defeat after 'painful' election result |url=https://www.ms.now/news/hungarian-prime-minister-viktor-orban-concedes-defeat-after-painful-election-result |access-date=12 April 2026 |work=[[MS NOW]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}] As of 2026, the political landscape in Hungary mainly consists of the center-right Tisza, the national-conservative Fidesz, and the ultranationalist [[Our Homeland Movement|Mi Hazánk]] on the national level. Left-of-center parties play a more important role in the municipal politics of larger cities, most prominently in [[Budapest]] and [[Szeged]].
Since 2014, voters of [[Demographics of Hungary|ethnic minorities in Hungary]] are able to vote on nationality lists. The minorities can obtain a preferential mandate if they reach the quarter of the ninety-third part of the list votes.[{{Cite news|url=http://www.valasztas.hu/web/national-election-office/parliamentary-elections-2018|title=2018 – Nemzeti Választási Iroda|work=National Election Office|access-date=2018-03-18|language=hu-HU|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821223442/http://www.valasztas.hu/web/national-election-office/parliamentary-elections-2018|archive-date=2018-08-21}}] Nationalities who did not get a mandate could send a nationality spokesman to the [[National Assembly (Hungary)|National Assembly]].
=== Law and judicial system ===
{{Main|Law of Hungary|Law enforcement in Hungary|Human rights in Hungary}}
[[File:Kossuth Square 12, facade, 2015-05-12 Budapest - panoramio (45).jpg|thumb|left|The original and future seat of the [[Curia of Hungary|Curia]], the [[Supreme court]] of Hungary]]
The judicial system of Hungary is a [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]] system, divided between courts with regular civil and criminal jurisdiction, and administrative courts with jurisdiction over litigation between individuals and the public administration. Hungarian law is codified and based on [[Law of Germany|German law]] and, in a wider sense, civil law or [[Roman law]]. The court system for civil and criminal jurisdiction consists of local courts (''{{lang|hu|járásbíróság}}''), regional appellate courts (''{{lang|hu|ítélőtábla}}''), and the supreme court (''{{lang|hu|[[Curia of Hungary|Kúria]]}}''). Hungary's highest courts are located in Budapest.[{{cite web|url=http://www.birosag.hu/en/curia-hungary|title=Curia of Hungary|publisher=National Office for the Judiciary|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-date=13 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513025949/http://www.birosag.hu/en/curia-hungary|url-status=live}}]
Law enforcement in Hungary is split among the police and the National Tax and Customs Administration. The [[Rendőrség|Hungarian Police]] is the main and largest state law enforcement agency in Hungary. It carries nearly all general police duties such as criminal investigation, patrol activity, traffic policing, border control. It is led by the national police commissioner under the control of the [[Ministry of Interior (Hungary)|Minister of the Interior]]. The body is divided into county police departments which are also divided into regional and town police departments. The National Police has subordinate agencies with nationwide jurisdiction, such as the "Nemzeti Nyomozó Iroda" (National Bureau of Investigation), a civilian police force specialised in investigating serious crimes, and the [[gendarmerie]]-like, militarised "Készenléti rendőrség" (Stand-by Police) mainly dealing with riots and often reinforcing local police forces. Because of Hungary's accession to the [[Schengen Agreement|Schengen Treaty]], the police and border guards were merged into a single national corps, with the border guards (''{{lang|hu|Határőrség Magyarországon}}'') becoming police officers. This merger took place in January 2008. The Customs and Excise Authority remained subject to the [[Ministry of Finance (Hungary)|Ministry of Finance]] under the National Tax and Customs Administration.[Interpol [https://web.archive.org/web/20040621161237/http://www.interpol.int/Public/Region/Europe/pjsystems/Hungary.asp#21 entry] Retrieved 15 May 2007.]
=== Administrative divisions ===
{{Main|Administrative divisions of Hungary}}
Hungary is divided into 19 [[Counties of Hungary|counties]] (''{{lang|hu|vármegye}}''). The [[List of historical capitals of Hungary|capital]] (''{{lang|hu|főváros}}'') [[Budapest]] is an independent entity. The counties and the capital are the 20 [[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics|NUTS]] third-level units of Hungary. The states are further subdivided into 174 [[Districts of Hungary|districts]] (''{{lang|hu|járás}}'').[{{cite web|url=http://www.kozlonyok.hu/nkonline/MKPDF/hiteles/MK14170.pdf|title=Magyar Közlöny, Hungary's Official Journal|publisher=Magyar Közlöny|date=20 November 2016|access-date=20 November 2016|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010075423/http://www.kozlonyok.hu/nkonline/MKPDF/hiteles/MK14170.pdf|url-status=live}}] The districts are further divided into [[List of cities and towns of Hungary|towns and villages]], of which 25 are designated [[City with county rights|cities with county rights]] (''{{lang|hu|megyei jogú város}}''), sometimes known as "urban counties" in English. The local authorities of these towns have extended powers, but these towns belong to the territory of the respective district instead of being independent territorial units. County and district councils and municipalities have different roles and separate responsibilities relating to local government. The role of the counties are basically administrative and focus on strategic development, while preschools, public water utilities, garbage disposal, elderly care, and rescue services are administered by the municipalities.
Since 1996, the counties and city of Budapest have been grouped into [[List of regions of Hungary|seven regions]] for statistical and development purposes. These seven regions constitute NUTS' second-level units of Hungary. They are [[Central Hungary]], [[Central Transdanubia]], [[Northern Great Plain]], [[Northern Hungary]], [[Southern Transdanubia]], [[Southern Great Plain]], and [[Western Transdanubia]].
{{multiple image
| perrow = 2
| align = right
| total_width = 500
| image1 = Counties of Hungary 2020.png
| caption1 = Counties of Hungary
| image2 = RegionsHungary.png
| caption2 = Regions of Hungary
| image3 = Townships (districts) of Hungary.png
| caption3 = The districts of Hungary
| image4 = Hungary local administration.png
| caption4 = Towns and villages in Hungary
}}
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"
|-
! scope="col" | [[Counties of Hungary|County
''(vármegye)'']]
! scope="col" | Administrative
centre
! scope="col" | [[Demographics of Hungary|Population]]
! scope="col" | [[Regions of Hungary|Region]]
|-
| [[File:Bacs-kiskun-megye.svg|25px]] [[Bács-Kiskun County|Bács-Kiskun]]
| [[Kecskemét]]
| 524,841
| [[Southern Great Plain]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Baranya megye COA.png|25px]] [[Baranya County|Baranya]]
| [[Pécs]]
| 391,455
| [[Southern Transdanubia]]
|-
| [[File:Békés departemento blazono.svg|25px]] [[Békés County|Békés]]
| [[Békéscsaba]]
| 361,802
| [[Southern Great Plain]]
|-
| [[File:Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén departemento blazono.svg|25px]] [[Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County|Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén]]
| [[Miskolc]]
| 684,793
| [[Northern Hungary]]
|-
| [[File:Coa Hungary Town Budapest big.svg|25px]] [[Budapest|Capital City of Budapest]]
| [[Budapest]]
| 1,744,665
| [[Central Hungary]]
|-
| [[File:HU Csongrád megye COA.svg|25px]] [[Csongrád-Csanád County|Csongrád-Csanád]]
| [[Szeged]]
| 421,827
| [[Southern Great Plain]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Fejér megye COA.png|25px]] [[Fejér County|Fejér]]
| [[Székesfehérvár]]
| 426,120
| [[Central Transdanubia]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Győr-Moson-Sopron megye COA.png|25px]] [[Győr-Moson-Sopron County|Győr-Moson-Sopron]]
| [[Győr]]
| 449,967
| [[Western Transdanubia]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Hajdú-Bihar COA.svg|25px]] [[Hajdú-Bihar County|Hajdú-Bihar]]
| [[Debrecen]]
| 565,674
| [[Northern Great Plain]]
|-
| [[File:Coa Hungary County Heves.svg|25px]] [[Heves County|Heves]]
| [[Eger]]
| 307,985
| [[Northern Hungary]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok megye COA.png|25px]] [[Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County|Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok]]
| [[Szolnok]]
| 386,752
| [[Northern Great Plain]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Komárom-Esztergom megye COA.png|25px]] [[Komárom-Esztergom County|Komárom-Esztergom]]
| [[Tatabánya]]
| 311,411
| [[Central Transdanubia]]
|-
| [[File:Coa Hungary County Nógrád.svg|25px]] [[Nógrád County|Nógrád]]
| [[Salgótarján]]
| 201,919
| [[Northern Hungary]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Pest megye COA.svg|25px]] [[Pest County|Pest]]
| [[Budapest]]
| 1,237,561
| [[Central Hungary]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Somogy megye COA.svg|25px]] [[Somogy County|Somogy]]
| [[Kaposvár]]
| 317,947
| [[Southern Transdanubia]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg megye COA.svg|25px]] [[Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County|Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg]]
| [[Nyíregyháza]]
| 552,000
| [[Northern Great Plain]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Tolna megye COA.png|25px]] [[Tolna County|Tolna]]
| [[Szekszárd]]
| 231,183
| [[Southern Transdanubia]]
|-
| [[File:HUN Vas megye COA.png|25px]] [[Vas County|Vas]]
| [[Szombathely]]
| 257,688
| [[Western Transdanubia]]
|-
| [[File:Coa Hungary County Veszprém.svg|25px]] [[Veszprém County|Veszprém]]
| [[Veszprém]]
| 353,068
| [[Central Transdanubia]]
|-
| [[File:Coa Hungary County Zala (2010-).svg|25px]] [[Zala County|Zala]]
| [[Zalaegerszeg]]
| 287,043
| [[Western Transdanubia]]
|}
==== Cities and towns ====
{{Main|List of cities and towns of Hungary}}
[[File:Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest at night.jpg|thumb|[[Budapest]], the capital and most populous city of Hungary]]
Hungary has 3,152 [[municipalities]] as of 15 July 2013: 346 towns (Hungarian term: {{Lang|hu|város}}, plural: {{Lang|hu|városok}}; the terminology does not distinguish between [[city|cities]] and [[town]]s – the term town is used in official translations) and 2,806 villages (Hungarian: {{Lang|hu|község}}, plural: {{Lang|hu|községek}}) which fully cover the territory of the country. The number of towns can change, since villages can be elevated to town status by act of the president. Budapest has a special status and is not included in any county while 23 of the towns are so-called urban counties ({{Lang|hu|megyei jogú város}} – town with county rights). All county seats except Budapest are urban counties. Four of the cities (Budapest, Miskolc, [[Győr]], and [[Pécs]]) have agglomerations, and the Hungarian Statistical Office distinguishes seventeen other areas in earlier stages of agglomeration development.[{{cite web|title=portal.ksh.hu/portal/page?_pageid=37,412178&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL#sett|url=http://portal.ksh.hu/portal/page?_pageid=37,412178&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL#sett|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060319223706/http://portal.ksh.hu/portal/page?_pageid=37,412178&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL#sett|archive-date=19 March 2006|access-date=23 January 2021|website=portal.ksh.hu}}] The largest city is Budapest. The average number of inhabitants per village is 300, but 27 villages have fewer than 100 inhabitants.[{{cite book |author=Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences |title=National Atlas of Hungary Volume 3 – Society |chapter=RURAL AREAS |url=https://nemzetiatlasz.hu/MNA/National-Atlas-of-Hungary_Vol3_Ch11.pdf |publisher=Hungarian Academy of Sciences |year=2021 |access-date=April 13, 2026 |page=144 |isbn=978-963-9545-64-9}}]
=== Foreign relations ===
{{Main|Foreign relations of Hungary}}
[[File:Necasmeeting.jpg|thumb|Meeting of the leaders of the [[Visegrád Group]], Germany and France in 2013]]
[[File:BIMUN 2012 opening 1.jpg|thumb|[[United Nations]] conference in the assembly hall of the [[House of Magnates]] in the [[Hungarian Parliament Building]]]]
The [[foreign policy]] is based on four basic commitments: to [[atlanticism|Atlantic co-operation]], to [[European integration]], to [[international development]] and to [[international law]].[{{Cite web|title=Consulate General of Hungary Los Angeles|url=https://losangeles.mfa.gov.hu/eng/page/hungary-and-the-world|access-date=2022-06-03|website=losangeles.mfa.gov.hu|language=en|archive-date=16 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250716110229/https://losangeles.mfa.gov.hu/eng/page/hungary-and-the-world|url-status=dead}}] Hungary has been a member of the [[United Nations]] since December 1955 and a member of the [[European Union]], [[NATO]], the [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]], the [[Visegrád Group]], the [[WTO]], the [[World Bank]], the [[Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank|AIIB]] and the [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]]. Hungary took on the presidency of the [[Council of the European Union]] for half a year in 2011 and in 2024. In 2015, Hungary was the fifth largest OECD non-DAC donor of [[development aid]] in the world, which represents [[List of development aid country donors|0.13% of its Gross National Income]].
Budapest is home to more than 100 embassies and representative bodies as an international political actor.[{{cite web|year=2014|title=Embassies in Budapest|url=http://www.kulugyminiszterium.hu/dtwebe/Irodak.aspx|access-date=16 April 2020|work=Kulugyminiszterium.hu|archive-date=26 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726161632/http://www.kulugyminiszterium.hu/dtwebe/Irodak.aspx|url-status=live}}] Hungary hosts the main and regional headquarters of many international organisations as well, including [[European Institute of Innovation and Technology]], [[European Police College]], [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]], [[Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations]], [[International Centre for Democratic Transition]], [[Institute of International Education]], [[International Labour Organization]], [[International Organization for Migration]], [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|International Red Cross]], Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe, [[Danube Commission (1948)|Danube Commission]] and others.[{{cite web|title=International organizations in Hungary|url=http://www.mfa.gov.hu/kum2005/Templates/alapsablon.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2Fkum%2Fen%2Fbal%2Fforeign_policy%2Fun_sc%2Finternational_organisations.htm&NRNODEGUID=%7B45550E06-66FE-4183-A899-EDF5BD040EB5%7D&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest&printable=true|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313115736/http://www.mfa.gov.hu/kum2005/Templates/alapsablon.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2Fkum%2Fen%2Fbal%2Fforeign_policy%2Fun_sc%2Finternational_organisations.htm&NRNODEGUID=%7B45550E06-66FE-4183-A899-EDF5BD040EB5%7D&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest&printable=true|archive-date=13 March 2016|access-date=20 November 2016|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs}}]
Since 1989, the top foreign policy goal has been achieving integration into Western economic and security organisations. Hungary joined the [[Partnership for Peace]] programme in 1994 and has actively supported the [[Implementation Force|IFOR]] and [[Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina|SFOR]] missions in Bosnia. Since 1989 Hungary has improved its often frosty neighbour relations by signing basic treaties with Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. These renounce all outstanding territorial claims and lay the foundation for constructive relations. However, the issue of [[Hungarian diaspora|ethnic Hungarian minority]] rights in Romania, Slovakia, and Serbia periodically cause bilateral tensions to flare up. However, relations with Serbia have more recently become extremely close due to strong Hungarian advocacy for Serbian EU membership, while relations with Slovakia have warmed due to cooperation on shared priorities within EU structures.[{{cite news |date=18 January 2024 |title=Orban and Fico herald new era in Hungarian-Slovak relations |url=https://www.intellinews.com/orban-and-fico-herald-new-era-in-hungarian-slovak-relations-308210/ |work=BNE IntelliNews}}][{{cite web|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/vucic-and-orban-formalise-their-special-relationship/|work=Euractiv|title=Vucic and Orban formalise their 'special relationship'|date=10 September 2021}}] Since 2017, the [[Hungary–Ukraine relations|relations with Ukraine]] rapidly deteriorated over the issue of the [[Hungarians in Ukraine|Hungarian minority in Ukraine]].[{{cite news |title=Hungary-Ukraine relations hit new low over troop deployment |date=26 March 2018 |work=New Europe |url=https://www.neweurope.eu/article/hungary-ukraine-relations-hit-new-low-troop-deployment/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331181346/https://www.neweurope.eu/article/hungary-ukraine-relations-hit-new-low-troop-deployment/ |archive-date=March 31, 2019 |url-status=usurped}}] Since 1989, Hungary has signed all of the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] documents, and served as the OSCE's Chairman-in-Office in 1997. Historically, Hungary has had particularly friendly [[Hungary–Poland relations|relations with Poland]]; this special relationship was recognised by the parliaments of both countries in 2007 with the joint declaration of 23 March as "The Day of Polish-Hungarian Friendship".[{{cite web|author=Quinn Hargitai|date=13 February 2017|title=In a world of global tension and conflict, it's both endearing and unusual that two countries that don't even share a border have set aside a day solely to appreciate their friendship.|url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20170210-two-countries-as-close-as-brothers|access-date=14 September 2021|work=[[BBC]]}}] According to the 2024 [[Global Peace Index]], Hungary is the 14th most peaceful country in the world.[{{Cite web|url=https://www.economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GPI-2024-web.pdf|title=2024 Global Peace Index|accessdate=20 November 2025|archive-date=19 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240819091540/https://www.economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GPI-2024-web.pdf|url-status=live}}]
=== Military ===
{{Main|Hungarian Defence Forces|Military history of Hungary}}
{{See also|List of wars involving Hungary|List of equipment of the Hungarian Ground Forces}}
[[File:Hunspec.jpg|thumb|[[HDF 34th Bercsényi László Special Forces Battalion|HDF 34th Special Forces Battalion]]]]
[[File:JAS 39 pair HuAF Kecskemét 2007.JPG|thumb|[[JAS 39 Gripen]] [[multirole combat aircraft]]]]
The president holds the title of commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces. The [[Minister of Defence (Hungary)|Ministry of Defence]] jointly with [[Commander of the Defence Forces (Hungary)|chief of staff]] administers the armed forces, including the [[Hungarian Ground Forces|Hungarian Ground Force]] (HDF) and the [[Hungarian Air Force]]. Since 2007, the Hungarian Armed Forces has been under a unified command structure. The Ministry of Defence maintains political and civil control over the army. A subordinate Joint Forces Command coordinates and commands the HDF. In 2016, the armed forces had 31,080 personnel on active duty, the operative reserve brought the total number of troops to fifty thousand. In 2016, it was planned that military spending the following year would be $1.21 billion, about 0.94% of the country's GDP, well below the NATO target of 2%. In 2012, the government adopted a resolution in which it pledged to increase defence spending to 1.4% of GDP by 2022.[{{cite web|date=28 April 2016|title=Budget 2017: Hungary to spend €3.7 billion more than it should next year|url=http://hungarytoday.hu/news/budget-2017-hungary-spend-e3-7-billion-revenues-next-year-95159|access-date=28 April 2016|work=hungarytoday.hu|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010075425/http://hungarytoday.hu/news/budget-2017-hungary-spend-e3-7-billion-revenues-next-year-95159}}]
[[Military service]] is voluntary, though [[conscription]] may occur in wartime. In a significant move for modernisation, Hungary decided in 2001 to buy 14 [[Saab JAS 39 Gripen|JAS 39 Gripen]] fighter aircraft for about 800 million EUR. Hungarian National Cyber Security Centre was re-organised in 2016 in order to become more efficient through [[cyber security]].[{{cite web|title=Revised Hungarian IT Security Policy|url=https://www.enisa.europa.eu/about-enisa/structure-organization/national-liaison-office/meetings/june-2016/revised-hungarian-it-security-policy|access-date=20 November 2016|publisher=National Cyber Security Center|archive-date=28 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240128142251/https://www.enisa.europa.eu/about-enisa/structure-organization/national-liaison-office/meetings/june-2016/revised-hungarian-it-security-policy|url-status=live}}] In 2016, the Hungarian military had about 700 troops stationed in foreign countries as part of international peacekeeping forces, including 100 HDF troops in the NATO-led [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]] force in Afghanistan, 210 Hungarian soldiers in Kosovo under command of [[Kosovo Force|KFOR]], and 160 troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hungary sent a 300-strong logistics unit to Iraq in order to help the U.S. occupation with armed transport convoys, though public opinion opposed the country's participation in the war.[{{cite web |last=RFE/RL |date=3 June 2003 |title=Hungarian Parliament approves deployment to Iraq |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/iraq/hungarian-parliament-approves-deployment-iraq |website=ReliefWeb |access-date=April 13, 2026}}][{{cite news |author=Voice of America |date=3 June 2003 |title=Hungary Approves Troops for Iraq Reconstruction |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-a-2003-06-03-17-hungary-67465672/385755.html |work=VOANews.com |access-date=April 13, 2026}}]
== Economy ==
{{Main|Economy of Hungary}}
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Hungary is an OECD high-income [[mixed economy]] with a [[List of countries by Human Development Index|very high human development index]] and skilled labour force with the [[List of countries by income equality|16th lowest income inequality]] in the world.[{{cite web|title=World Bank Country Classification|url=http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DATASTATISTICS/0,,contentMDK:20421402~pagePK:64133150~piPK:64133175~theSitePK:239419,00.html#High_income|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080524215837/http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DATASTATISTICS/0%2C%2CcontentMDK%3A20421402~pagePK%3A64133150~piPK%3A64133175~theSitePK%3A239419%2C00.html|archive-date=24 May 2008|access-date=30 September 2014}}] Furthermore, it is the [[List of countries by economic complexity|9th most complex economy]] according to the Economic Complexity Index.[{{Cite web|date=2018|title=The Atlas of Economic Complexity by @HarvardGrwthLab|url=https://atlas.cid.harvard.edu/rankings/|website=atlas.cid.harvard.edu|access-date=3 July 2020|archive-date=2 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202063701/https://atlas.cid.harvard.edu/rankings/|url-status=live}}] The economy is the [[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|57th-largest in the world]] (out of 188 countries measured by [[IMF]]) with $265.037 billion output[{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2017/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=43&pr.y=13&sy=2017&ey=2022&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=944&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a=|title=Hungary|publisher=International Monetary Fund|access-date=29 April 2017|archive-date=19 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919172219/https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2017/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=43&pr.y=13&sy=2017&ey=2022&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=944&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a=|url-status=live}}] and ranks [[List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita|49th in the world in terms of GDP per capita]] by [[purchasing power parity]]. The annual [[median income|median equivalised disposable income]] was $15,361 (PPP) in 2021.[{{cite book | author=OECD | title=Society at a Glance 2024: OECD Social Indicators, Figure 4.1 Median income varies by a factor eight across OECD countries | publisher=OECD | date=20 June 2024 | url=https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2024/06/society-at-a-glance-2024_08001b73/full-report/component-12.html#indicator-d1e8404-8cd0a55a48 | page=}}] The [[Employment-to-population ratio|employment rate]] was 68.3% in 2017;[{{cite web|url=https://www.ksh.hu/docs/eng/xftp/gyor/fog/efog1707.html|title=The employment rate of people aged 15–64 increased to 68.3%|publisher=KSH|access-date=30 August 2017|archive-date=17 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250717165220/https://www.ksh.hu/docs/eng/xftp/gyor/fog/efog1707.html|url-status=live}}] the employment structure shows the characteristics of [[Post-industrial society|post-industrial economies]], 63.2% of employed workforce work in service sector, the industry contributed by 29.7%, while agriculture with 7.1%. Unemployment rate was 4.1% in 2017,[{{cite web|url=http://www.ksh.hu/gyorstajekoztatok/#/en/document/mun1709|title=Unemployment rate decreased to 4.1%|publisher=[[Hungarian Central Statistical Office]]|access-date=26 October 2017|archive-date=22 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322173925/http://www.ksh.hu/gyorstajekoztatok/#/en/document/mun1709|url-status=live}}] down from 11% during the [[2008 financial crisis]].
Hungary is part of the [[European single market]] which represents more than 508 million consumers. Several domestic commercial policies are determined by agreements among European Union members and by EU legislation. Hungary is an export-oriented [[market economy]] with a heavy emphasis on foreign trade, thus the country is the [[List of countries by exports|36th largest export economy]] in the world. The country has more than $100 billion export in 2015 with high, $9.003 billion [[Balance of trade|trade surplus]], of which 79% went to the EU and 21% was extra-EU trade.[{{cite web|url=http://www.ksh.hu/gyorstajekoztatok/#/en/document/kul1512|title=External trade surplus was EUR 604 million in December|work=[[Hungarian Central Statistical Office]]|date=10 March 2016|access-date=10 March 2016|archive-date=22 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322173925/http://www.ksh.hu/gyorstajekoztatok/#/en/document/kul1512|url-status=live}}] Hungary has a more than 80% [[Private sector|privately owned]] economy with [[List of countries by tax revenue to GDP ratio|39.1% overall taxation]], which provides the basis for the country's [[Welfare state|welfare economy]]. On the expenditure side, household consumption is the main component of [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] and accounts for 50% of its total use, followed by gross fixed [[capital formation]] with 22% and government expenditure with 20%.[{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2050.html#hu|title=GDP – composition, by end use|publisher=[[CIA World Factbook]]|year=2016|access-date=11 March 2016|archive-date=12 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212083454/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2050.html#hu}}]
Hungary continues to be one of the leading nations for attracting [[foreign direct investment]] (FDI) in [[Central and Eastern Europe]]; the inward FDI in the country was $119.8 billion in 2015, while investing more than $50 billion abroad.[ {{As of|2015}}, the key trading partners were Germany, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, France, Italy, Poland and Czech Republic.][{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2050.html#hu|title=Export Partners of Hungary|publisher=[[CIA World Factbook]]|year=2016|access-date=11 March 2016|archive-date=12 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212083454/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2050.html#hu}}] Major industries include food processing, pharmaceuticals, motor vehicles, information technology, chemicals, metallurgy, machinery, electrical goods, and tourism (with 12.1 million international tourists in 2014).[{{cite book|date=10 March 2016|doi=10.18111/9789284416899|isbn=978-92-844-1689-9|title=UNWTO Tourism Highlights, 2015 Edition}}] Hungary is the largest electronics producer in Central and Eastern Europe. Electronics manufacturing and research are among the main drivers of innovation and economic growth in the country. In the past 20 years Hungary has also grown into a major centre for [[mobile technology]], [[information security]], and related hardware research.[{{cite web|url=https://hipa.hu/en/key-sectors/electronics/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023011250/http://hipa.hu/en/key-sectors/electronics/|archive-date=23 October 2015|title=Electronics|publisher=HIPA|access-date=11 March 2016}}]
Large [[List of companies of Hungary|Hungarian companies]] are included in the [[BUX]], the stock market index listed on [[Budapest Stock Exchange]]. Well-known companies include the [[Fortune Global 500]] firm [[MOL Group]], the [[OTP Bank]], [[Gedeon Richter Plc.]], [[Magyar Telekom]], [[CIG Pannonia]], [[FHB Mortgage Bank|FHB Bank]], [[Zwack liqueur|Zwack Unicum]] and more.[{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2012/countries/Hungary.html?iid=smlrr|title=Global 500 – Countries: Hungary – Fortune|work=[[Money (magazine)|Money]]|date=23 July 2012|access-date=10 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527201349/https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2012/countries/Hungary.html?iid=smlrr|archive-date=2018-05-27}}] Besides this Hungary has a large portion of specialised [[Small and medium-sized enterprises|small and medium enterprise]], for example a significant number of automotive suppliers and technology [[Startup company|start ups]] among others.[{{cite web|url=http://www.startupranking.com/top/hungary|title=Top – Hungary|publisher=startupRANKING|access-date=10 March 2016|archive-date=12 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312022714/http://www.startupranking.com/top/hungary|url-status=live}}]
Budapest is the financial and business capital, classified as an Beta+ [[Global city|world city]] in the study by the [[Globalization and World Cities Research Network]].[{{cite web|url=http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2008t.html|title=The World According to GaWC 2010|date=13 April 2010|work=lboro.ac.uk|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-date=11 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811203314/http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2008t.html}}] Budapest is the [[primate city]] of Hungary regarding business and economy, accounting for 39% of the national income, the city has a [[gross metropolitan product]] more than $100 billion in 2015, making it one of the largest regional economies in the European Union.[{{cite web|last=Istrate|first=Emilia|url=http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/global-metro-monitor-3|title=Global MetroMonitor | Brookings Institution|work=Brookings.edu|access-date=10 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605135349/http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/global-metro-monitor-3|archive-date=5 June 2013}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.portfolio.hu/users/elofizetes_info.php?t=cikk&i=167708|title=Hungary's GDP (IMF, 2016 est.) is $265.037 billion x 39% = $103,36 billion|work=Portfolio online financial journal|access-date=10 June 2013|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190038/http://www.portfolio.hu/users/elofizetes_info.php?t=cikk&i=167708}}] Budapest is also among the Top 100 GDP performing cities in the world, measured by [[PricewaterhouseCoopers]].[{{cite web|url=http://www.economistinsights.com/sites/default/files/downloads/Hot%20Spots.pdf|title=Benchmarking global city competitiveness|year=2012|publisher=Economist Intelligence Unit|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709133545/http://www.economistinsights.com/sites/default/files/downloads/Hot%20Spots.pdf|archive-date=9 July 2014}}]
Hungary maintains its own currency, the [[Hungarian forint]] (HUF), although the economy fulfills the [[Euro convergence criteria|Maastricht criteria]] with the exception of public debt, [[List of countries by public debt|but it is also significantly below the EU average]] with the level of 75.3% in 2015. The [[Hungarian National Bank]] is currently focusing on price stability with an inflation target of 3%.[{{cite web|url=http://www.mnb.hu/en/monetary-policy|title=Monetary Policy|publisher=[[Hungarian National Bank]]|access-date=10 March 2016|archive-date=18 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718120944/https://www.mnb.hu/en/monetary-policy|url-status=live}}] Hungary's corporate tax rate is only 9%, which is relatively low for EU states.[{{cite web|url=https://hngary.com/tips-doing-business-in-hungary/|title=Tips for doing business in Hungary|work=[[hngary.com]]|year=2017|access-date=28 August 2018|archive-date=17 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250717165228/https://www.hngary.com/tips-doing-business-in-hungary/|url-status=live}}]
===Science and technology===
{{Main|Science and technology in Hungary|List of Hungarian Nobel laureates}}
[[File:Szentgyorgyi Albert es a c vitamin keplete 1937 okt 31 Pesti Naplo.jpg|thumb|right|[[Albert Szent-Györgyi]] won the [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]] for his discovery of [[Vitamin C]]. The [[Nobel Prize]] has been awarded to [[List of Hungarian Nobel laureates|15 Hungarians]].]]
[[File:Hungary-02046 - Budapest University of Technology and Economics (31670993764).jpg|thumb|right|Founded in 1782, the [[Budapest University of Technology and Economics]] is the oldest [[institute of technology]] in the world.]]
Hungary's achievements in science and technology have been significant, and research and development efforts form an integral part of the country's economy. Hungary spent 1.61% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on civil research and development in 2020, which is the [[List of countries by research and development spending|25th highest ratio in the world]].[{{Cite web|last=Hungarian Central Statistical Office|title=R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP 2020|url=https://www.ksh.hu/science-and-technology#:~:text=In%202017%2C%20HUF%20517%20billion,level%20of%20the%20national%20economy.|access-date=21 April 2022|website=ksh.hu|archive-date=4 August 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250804040713/https://www.ksh.hu/science-and-technology#:~:text=In%202017%2C%20HUF%20517%20billion,level%20of%20the%20national%20economy.|url-status=live}}] Hungary ranks 32nd among the most innovative countries in the [[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg Innovation Index]].[{{cite news|title=The Bloomberg Innovation Index|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-innovative-countries/|work=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]]|access-date=2 April 2022|archive-date=25 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225075316/https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-innovative-countries/|url-status=live}}] Hungary was ranked 36th in the [[Global Innovation Index]] in 2025.[{{Cite web |title=GII Innovation Ecosystems & Data Explorer 2025 |url=https://www.wipo.int/gii-ranking/en/hungary |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=WIPO}}][{{Cite book |last1=Dutta |first1=Soumitra |url=https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/index.html |title=Global Innovation Index 2025: Innovation at a Crossroads |last2=Lanvin |first2=Bruno |publisher=[[World Intellectual Property Organization]] |year=2025 |isbn=978-92-805-3797-0 |page=19 |language=en |doi=10.34667/tind.58864 |access-date=2025-10-17 |archive-date=12 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251012035001/https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/index.html |url-status=live }}] In 2014, Hungary counted 2,651 full-time equivalent researchers per million inhabitants, steadily increasing from 2,131 in 2010 and compares with 3,984 in the U.S. or 4,380 in Germany.[{{cite news|url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6?locations=HU|work=[[World Bank]]|title=Researchers in R&D (per million people)|archive-date=3 December 2024|access-date=17 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203012345/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6?locations=HU|url-status=live}}] Hungary's high technology industry has benefited from both the country's skilled workforce and the strong presence of foreign high-tech firms and research centres. Hungary also has one of the highest rates of filed patents, the sixth highest ratio of high-tech and medium high-tech output in the total industrial output, the 12th highest research FDI inflow, placed 14th in research talent in business enterprise and has the 17th best overall innovation efficiency ratio in the world.[{{cite news|url=https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/analysis-economy|work=[[Cornell University]], [[INSEAD]], and the [[World Intellectual Property Organization]]|title=Global Innovation Index – ANALYSIS – Hungary|access-date=17 June 2017|archive-date=24 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224054436/https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/analysis-economy}}]
The key actor of research and development in Hungary is the National Research, Development and Innovation (NRDI) Office, which is a national strategic and [[Funding of science|funding agency for scientific research, development and innovation]], the primary source of advice on RDI policy for the Hungarian government and the primary RDI funding agency. Its role is to develop RDI policy and ensure that Hungary adequately invest in RDI by funding excellent research and supporting innovation to increase competitiveness and to prepare the RDI strategy of the government, to handle the NRDI Fund and represents the government and RDI community in international organisations.[{{cite news|url=http://nkfih.gov.hu/the-office|work=NRDI Office|title=The National Research, Development and Innovation Office|archive-date=4 December 2024|access-date=17 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204143518/https://nkfih.gov.hu/the-office|url-status=live}}]
Scientific research is supported partly by industry and partly by the state, through universities and by scientific state-institutions such as [[Hungarian Academy of Sciences]].[{{cite news|url=http://mta.hu/english/mta-and-science-106125|work=[[Hungarian Academy of Sciences]]|title=MTA and Science (Infograpihcs)|archive-date=4 December 2024|access-date=17 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204160413/https://mta.hu/english/mta-and-science-106125|url-status=live}}][{{cite news|url=http://mta.hu/english/mtas-research-centres-and-institutes-106085|work=[[Hungarian Academy of Sciences]]|title=MTA's Research Centres and Institutes|archive-date=1 December 2024|access-date=17 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201012405/https://mta.hu/english/mtas-research-centres-and-institutes-106085|url-status=live}}] Hungary has been the home of some of the most prominent researchers in various scientific disciplines, notably physics, mathematics, chemistry and engineering. As of 2018, [[List of Hungarian Nobel laureates|thirteen Hungarian scientists]] have been recipients of a [[Nobel Prize]].[{{cite news|url=http://mta.hu/english/hungarys-nobel-prize-winners-106018|work=[[Hungarian Academy of Sciences]]|title=Hungary's Nobel Prize Winners|archive-date=21 September 2022|access-date=17 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921183022/https://mta.hu/english/hungarys-nobel-prize-winners-106018|url-status=live}}] Until 2012 three individuals—Csoma, [[János Bolyai]] and Tihanyi—were included in the UNESCO [[Memory of the World Programme|Memory of the World]] register as well as the collective contributions [[Tabula Hungariae]] and [[Bibliotheca Corviniana]]. Contemporary scientists include mathematician [[László Lovász]], physicist [[Albert-László Barabási]], physicist [[Ferenc Krausz]], and biochemist [[Árpád Pusztai]]. Hungary has excellent [[mathematics education]] which has trained numerous outstanding scientists. Famous Hungarian mathematicians include father [[Farkas Bolyai]] and son János Bolyai, who was one of the founders of [[non-Euclidean geometry]]; [[Paul Erdős]], famed for publishing in over forty languages and whose [[Erdős number]]s are still tracked, and [[John von Neumann]], a key contributor in the fields of [[quantum mechanics]] and [[game theory]], a pioneer of digital computing, and the chief mathematician in the [[Manhattan Project]]. Notable Hungarian inventions include the [[lead dioxide]] [[match]] ([[János Irinyi]]), a type of [[carburetor]] ([[Donát Bánki]], [[János Csonka]]), the electric (AC) train engine and generator ([[Kálmán Kandó]]), [[holography]] ([[Dennis Gabor]]), the [[Kalman filter]] ([[Rudolf E. Kálmán]]), and [[Rubik's Cube]] ([[Ernő Rubik]]).
=== Transport ===
{{Main|Transport in Hungary}}
[[File:Esztergom.desiro.JPG|thumb|[[Siemens Desiro]] passenger trains on the [[Hungarian State Railways]] network, which is one of the [[List of countries by rail transport network size|densest in the world]]]]
Hungary has a highly developed road, railway, air, and water transport system. Budapest serves as an important hub for the [[Hungarian State Railways|Hungarian railway system]] (''MÁV''). The capital is served by three large train stations called ''[[Budapest Keleti station|Keleti]]'' (Eastern), ''[[Budapest Nyugati station|Nyugati]]'' (Western), and ''[[Budapest Déli station|Déli]]'' (Southern) ''pályaudvar''s (termii). [[Szolnok]] is the most important railway hub outside Budapest, while [[Miskolc Tiszai railway station|Tiszai Railway Station]] in Miskolc and the main stations of [[Szombathely]], [[Győr]], [[Szeged]], and [[Székesfehérvár]] are also key to the network.
Since March 2024, transport on the Hungarian railway ''MÁV'' has been free for people aged 65 and over or under 14 years of age.[{{cite web|url=https://dailynewshungary.com/key-changes-in-hungarian-public-transport-summarised-in-10-points/|title=Key changes in Hungarian public transport summarised in 10 points – Daily News Hungary|date=10 January 2024}}]
Budapest, [[Debrecen]], Miskolc, and [[Szeged]] have tram networks. The [[Budapest Metro]] is the second-oldest underground [[rapid transit|metro]] system in the world; its [[Metro Line M1 (Budapest Metro)|Line 1]] dates from 1896. The system consists of four lines. A [[regional rail|commuter rail]] system, ''[[BHÉV|HÉV]]'', operates in the Budapest metropolitan area.
Hungary has a total length of approximately {{convert|1314|km|2|abbr=on}} motorways ({{langx|hu|autópálya}}). Motorway sections are being added to the existing network, which already connects many major economically important cities to the capital. Ports are located at Budapest, [[Dunaújváros]] and [[Baja, Hungary|Baja]].
There are five international airports: [[Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport|Budapest Ferenc Liszt]] (informally called "Ferihegy"), [[Debrecen International Airport|Debrecen]], [[Hévíz–Balaton Airport|Hévíz–Balaton]] (also called Sármellék Airport), [[Győr-Pér International Airport|Győr-Pér]], and Pécs-Pogány, but only two of these (Budapest and Debrecen) receive scheduled flights. Low-budget airline [[Wizz Air]] is based at Ferihegy.
=== Energy ===
{{Main|Energy in Hungary|Renewable energy in Hungary}}
[[File:Hungary electricity generation by source.png|thumb|Electricity generation in Hungary in terawatt-hours]]
Hungary's total energy supply is dominated by [[fossil fuel]]s, with [[natural gas]] occupying the largest share, followed by [[Petroleum|oil]] and [[coal]].[{{Cite web|last=International Energy Agency|author-link=International Energy Agency|date=16 December 2021|title=Hungary – Countries & Regions|url=https://www.iea.org/countries/hungary|access-date=2022-05-24|publisher=IEA|location=Paris|archive-date=19 October 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251019215647/https://www.iea.org/countries/hungary|url-status=live}}] In June 2020, Hungary passed a law binding itself to a target of [[Carbon neutrality|net-zero emissions]] by 2050. As part of a broader restructuring of the nation's energy and climate policies, Hungary also extended its National Energy Strategy 2030 to look even further, adding an outlook until 2040 that prioritises carbon-neutral and cost-effective energy while focusing on reinforcing [[energy security]] and [[energy independence]].[{{Cite web|title=Population of Hungary 1800–2020|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1014468/total-population-hungary-1910-2020/|access-date=2023-02-20|website=Statista|language=en|archive-date=11 May 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250511165612/https://www.statista.com/statistics/1014468/total-population-hungary-1910-2020/|url-status=live}}] [[Population density]] stands at 107 inhabitants per square kilometre, which is about two times higher than the [[List of countries and dependencies by population density|world average]]. Around 70% of the population lives in cities and towns overall, which is well above the global rate of 56% but [[Urbanization by sovereign state|lower than in most developed countries]]; one quarter of Hungarians live in the [[Budapest metropolitan area]] in north-central region.
Like most European countries, Hungary is experiencing [[sub-replacement fertility]]; its estimated [[total fertility rate]] of 1.43 children per woman is well below the replacement rate of 2.1.[ Consequently, its population has been gradually declining and rapidly aging; the average age is 42.7 years, among the highest in the world.][ This trend has been exacerbated by a high rate of emigration, particularly among young adults, and anti-immigration policies, which accelerated in the 1990s but have since somewhat abated.][{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/11/hungary-birth-rate-women-stolz|title=Hungarian government sends women home to make babies|first=Joëlle|last=Stolz|date=11 January 2011|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=3 August 2017}}] in some years rising as high as 1.5.[{{Cite web|last=Leitner|first=Attila|date=2023-02-16|title=Hungary population 9.6 million, census shows|url=https://www.budapesttimes.hu/hungary/hungary-population-9-6-million-census-shows/|access-date=2023-02-20|website=The Budapest Times|language=en-US|archive-date=19 June 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250619153443/https://www.budapesttimes.hu/hungary/hungary-population-9-6-million-census-shows/|url-status=live}}] In 2015, 47.9% of births were to unmarried women.[{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/tgm/table.do?tab=table&init=1&language=en&pcode=tps00018&plugin=1|title=Eurostat – Tables, Graphs and Maps Interface (TGM) table|website=ec.europa.eu|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304040200/http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/tgm/table.do?tab=table&init=1&language=en&pcode=tps00018&plugin=1|archive-date=2017-03-04}}] [[Life expectancy]] was 71.96 years for men and 79.62 years for women in 2015,[ growing continuously since the fall of Communism.][{{cite web|url=http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xstadat/xstadat_hosszu/h_wdsd001a.html|title=Vital statistics, Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH)|publisher=[[Hungarian Central Statistical Office]]|access-date=30 September 2014|archive-date=3 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503171448/https://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xstadat/xstadat_hosszu/h_wdsd001a.html|url-status=live}}]
Hungary recognises two sizeable minority groups, designated as "national minorities" because their ancestors have lived in their respective regions for centuries in Hungary: a [[Germans of Hungary|German community]] of about 130,000 that lives throughout the country, and a [[Romani people in Hungary|Romani minority]] that numbers around 300,000 and mainly resides in the northern part of the country. Some studies indicate a considerably larger number of Romani in Hungary (876,000 people – c. 9% of the population.).[[http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xftp/terstat/2018/01/ts580101.pdf A roma népesség területi megoszlásának változása Magyarországon az elmúlt évtizedekben Changes in the Spatial Distribution of the Roma Population in Hungary During the Last Decades] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727145713/http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xftp/terstat/2018/01/ts580101.pdf |date=27 July 2018 }}. ksh.hu Retrieved 1 January 2018.][[http://hvg.hu/itthon/20180222_Ennyi_roma_el_Magyarorszagon Ennyi roma él Magyarországon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714221925/http://hvg.hu/itthon/20180222_Ennyi_roma_el_Magyarorszagon |date=14 July 2018 }}. hvg.hu. Retrieved 15 July 2018.] According to the 2011 census, there were 8,314,029 (83.7%) ethnic [[Hungarians]], 308,957 (3.1%) [[Romani people|Romani]], 131,951 (1.3%) [[Germans]], 29,647 (0.3%) [[Slovaks]], 26,345 (0.3%) [[Romanians]], and 23,561 (0.2%) [[Croats]] in Hungary; 1,455,883 people (14.7% of the total population) did not declare their ethnicity. Thus, Hungarians made up more than 90% of people who declared their ethnicity.[{{cite web|url=http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xftp/idoszaki/nepsz2011/nepsz_03_00_2011.pdf|title=Hungarian census 2011 – final data and methodology|language=hu|publisher=[[Hungarian Central Statistical Office]]|access-date=14 December 2013|archive-date=12 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012033631/http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xftp/idoszaki/nepsz2011/nepsz_03_00_2011.pdf|url-status=live}}]
Approximately [[Hungarian diaspora|5 million Hungarians live outside Hungary]].
{{Largest cities
| country = Hungary
| stat_ref = [[Hungarian Central Statistical Office]] - 2022 Census[{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/languages/policy/linguistic-diversity/official-languages-eu_en.htm|title=Official Languages|author=European Commission|access-date=29 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106230615/http://ec.europa.eu/languages/policy/linguistic-diversity/official-languages-eu_en.htm|archive-date=2017-01-06}}] Outside Hungary, it is also spoken in neighbouring countries and by Hungarian diaspora communities worldwide. According to the 2011 census, 9,896,333 people (99.6%) speak Hungarian in Hungary, of whom 9,827,875 people (99%) speak it as a [[first language]], while 68,458 people (0.7%) speak it as a [[second language]].[{{cite web|url=http://www.ksh.hu/nepszamlalas/tablak_teruleti_00|title=Hungarian census 2011 / Országos adatok (National data) / 1.1.4.2. A népesség nyelvismeret és nemek szerint (population by spoken language), 1.1.6.1 A népesség anyanyelv, nemzetiség és nemek szerint (population by mother tongue and ethnicity), 2.1.7.1 A népesség vallás, felekezet, és fontosabb demográfiai ismérvek szerint (population by religion, denomination and main demographical indicators) (Hungarian)|website=Ksh.hu|access-date=30 September 2014|archive-date=9 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509072107/http://www.ksh.hu/nepszamlalas/tablak_teruleti_00|url-status=live}}] English (1,589,180 speakers, 16.0%), and German (1,111,997 speakers, 11.2%) are the most widely spoken foreign languages, while there are several recognised minority languages in Hungary ([[Armenian language|Armenian]], [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]], [[Croatian language|Croatian]], [[German language|German]], [[Greek language|Greek]], [[Romanian language|Romanian]], [[Romani language|Romani]], [[Rusyn language|Rusyn]], [[Serbian language|Serbian]], [[Slovak language|Slovak]], [[Slovenian language|Slovenian]], and [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]).[{{cite web|url=http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xftp/idoszaki/nepsz2011/nepsz_orsz_2011.pdf|title=2011 Hungary Census Report|work=ksh.hu|access-date=29 March 2013|archive-date=17 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717211318/http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xftp/idoszaki/nepsz2011/nepsz_orsz_2011.pdf|url-status=live}}]
Hungarian is a member of the [[Uralic languages|Uralic language family]], unrelated to any neighbouring language and distantly related to [[Finnish language|Finnish]] and [[Estonian language|Estonian]]. It is the largest of the Uralic languages in terms of the number of speakers and the only one spoken in Central Europe. Standard Hungarian is based on the variety spoken in Budapest. Although the use of the standard dialect is enforced, Hungarian has several urban and rural [[dialect]]s.
=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Hungary}}
[[File:Főszékesegyház_(6238._számú_műemlék)_22.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Esztergom Basilica|Basilica in Esztergom]], where the headquarters of the [[Catholic Church in Hungary|Hungarian Catholic Church]] is located]]
Hungary is an historically [[Christianity|Christian]] country.[{{cite book|last1=Alex Kish|first1=George|title=The Origins of the Baptist Movement Among the Hungarians: A History of the Baptists in the Kingdom of Hungary From 1846 to 1893|date=2011|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-21136-0|page=18|quote=}}] Hungarian historiography identifies the foundation of the Hungarian state with Stephen I's [[baptism]] and coronation with the [[Holy Crown of Hungary|Holy Crown]] in A.D. 1000. Stephen promulgated [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]] as the [[state religion]], and his successors were traditionally known as the [[Apostolic Majesty|Apostolic Kings]].[{{cite book|last=Schanda|first=Balász|year=2015|contribution=Religion and the Secular State in Hungary|editor-last=Thayer|editor-first=Donlu D.|title=Religion and the Secular State: National Reports|publisher=[[Complutense University of Madrid]], Faculty of Law|location=Madrid|isbn=978-84-8481-162-6|page=378|contribution-url=https://classic.iclrs.org/content/blurb/files/Hungary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127200906/https://classic.iclrs.org/content/blurb/files/Hungary.pdf|archive-date=27 January 2022|url-status=live}}] The [[Catholic Church in Hungary]] remained strong through the centuries, and the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Esztergom–Budapest|Archbishop of Esztergom]] was granted extraordinary temporal privileges as [[prince-primate]] (''hercegprímás'') of Hungary. The transition to statehood occurred at the turn of the 1st to 2nd millennium when the federation of Magyar tribes was transformed into the [[Kingdom of Hungary]], and [[Western Christianity]], specifically [[Roman Catholicism]], was adopted as state religion.[{{cite book|last1=N. Ciolan|first1=Ioan|title=Transylvania: Romanian History and Perpetuation|date=1993|publisher=Military Publishing House|isbn=978-973-32-0316-2|page=41|quote=Catholicism in the Hungarian Kingdom was a state religion}}][{{cite book|last1=Hóman|first1=Bálint|title=King Stephen the Saint|date=1983|publisher=University of Wisconsin Press|isbn=978-973-32-0316-2|page=18|quote=The Roman Catholic Church was placed under State protection, while the Catholic religion became the state religion of the Hungarian Kingdom}}]
[[File:Benczúr - Painting of St Stephen in the Basilica of Budapest.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Stephen I of Hungary|King Saint Stephen]] offering the [[Holy Crown of Hungary|Hungarian crown]] to [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Virgin Mary]] – painting by Gyula Benczúr, in the [[St. Stephen's Basilica]], Budapest]]
Contemporary Hungary has no [[State religion|official religion]] and recognises [[freedom of religion]] as a fundamental right. However, the constitution "recognises Christianity's nation-building role" in its preamble,[{{cite web|title=Magyarország Alaptörvénye|url=http://www.parlament.hu/irom39/02627/02627.pdf|website=Parlament.hu|publisher=Hungarian Parliament|access-date=2 August 2014|archive-date=22 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722011134/http://www.parlament.hu/irom39/02627/02627.pdf|url-status=live}}] and in Article VII affirms that "the state may cooperate with the churches for community goals."[{{Cite web|url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Hungary_2011.pdf|title=Hungary's Constitution of 2011|accessdate=20 November 2025|archive-date=23 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423005353/https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Hungary_2011.pdf|url-status=live}}] The 2022 census showed that 42.5% of the Hungarians were Christians, most of whom were [[Catholic Church in Hungary|Roman Catholics]] (''római katolikusok'') (27.5%) and [[Reformed Church in Hungary|Hungarian Reformed]] [[Calvinism|Calvinists]] (''reformátusok'') (9.8%), followed by [[Lutheranism|Lutherans]] (''evangélikusok'') (1.8%), [[Greek Catholic Church|Greek Catholics]] (1.7%), and other Christians (1.7%). Religious minorities include [[Judaism|Jews]] (0.1%), [[Buddhism|Buddhists]] (0.1%) and [[Islam|Muslims]] (0.1%). A large plurality of the population (40.1%) did not declare a religious affiliation, while 16.1% declared themselves explicitly [[Irreligion|irreligious]].[{{cite book|last=Eberhard|first=Winfried|year=2018|orig-date=1995|contribution=Reformation and Counterreformation in East Central Europe|editor-last1=Brady|editor-first1=Thomas A.|editor-last2=Oberman|editor-first2=Heiko A.|editor-last3=Tracy|editor-first3=James D.|title=Handbook of European History 1400–1600: Late Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation|volume=II|publisher=Brill|location=Leiden|isbn=978-90-04-39168-0|pages=565–568}}] In the second half of the 16th century, the [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]] led a [[Counter-Reformation]] campaign, and the population once again became predominantly Catholic. This campaign was only partially successful, however, and the (mainly Reformed) Hungarian nobility were able to secure freedom of worship for Protestants. In practice, this meant ''[[cuius regio, eius religio]]''; thus, most individual localities in Hungary are still identifiable as historically Catholic, Lutheran, or Reformed. The country's eastern regions, especially around Debrecen, remain almost completely Reformed,[{{cite web|url=http://www.reformatus.hu/mutat/6819/|title=Facts and Statistics|work=Reformatus.hu|date=4 March 2013|access-date=26 March 2013|archive-date=1 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401202546/http://www.reformatus.hu/mutat/6819/|url-status=live}}] a trait shared with historically contiguous ethnically Hungarian regions across the Romanian border. [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christianity]] in Hungary is associated with the country's ethnic minorities: Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Romanians, Rusyns, Ukrainians, and Serbs.
Historically, Hungary was home to a [[History of the Jews in Hungary|significant Jewish community]], with a pre-World War II population of more than 800,000; however, it is estimated that just over 564,000 Hungarian Jews were killed between 1941 and 1945 during the Holocaust in Hungary.[{{cite book|last1=Braham|first1=Randolph L.|author-link1=Randolph L. Braham|title=The Politics of Genocide: The Holocaust in Hungary|volume=2|date=2016|publisher=Columbia University Press|location=New York|page=1509|isbn=978-0-88033-711-3}}] Between 15 May and 9 July 1944 alone, over 434,000 Jews were deported.{{sfn|Braham|2016|p=771, 774–775}} Of over 800,000 Jews living within Hungary's borders in 1941–1944, about 255,500 are thought to have survived. There are about 120,000 Jews in Hungary today.[{{cite web|url=http://www.jdc.org/news/features/jewish-life-takes-to-the.html|title=Jewish Life Takes to the Streets at Hungary's Celebrated Judafest|work=Joint Distribution Committee |publisher=Jewish Federation of North America|date=9 May 2012|access-date=4 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016205357/http://www.jdc.org/news/features/jewish-life-takes-to-the.html|archive-date=16 October 2013}}][{{cite web|url=http://digitaljournal.com/article/343168|title=Hungary: A new synagogue for Budapest but anti-Semitism on rise|publisher=Digital Journal|date=9 February 2013|access-date=4 March 2013|author=Myles, Robert|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315122050/http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/343168|archive-date=15 March 2013|url-status=live}}]
=== Education ===
{{Main|Education in Hungary}}
{{See also|List of universities and colleges in Hungary}}
{{multiple image
| perrow = 2
| align = right
| total_width = 300
| image1 = DE-foepulet.jpg
| caption1 = [[University of Debrecen]] is the oldest continuously operating institution of higher education in Hungary (1538).
| image2 = Iskolaépület (527. számú műemlék).jpg
| caption2 = [[Budapest Business School]], the first public [[business school]] in the world ([[1857]])
| image3 = Hungary Pecs 2005 June 076University.jpg
| caption3 = The [[University of Pécs]], founded 1367 by [[Louis I of Hungary|Louis the Great]], is the oldest university in Hungary.
| image4 = ElteFotoThalerTamas1.jpg
| caption4 = [[Eötvös Loránd University]] is one of the largest and most prestigious institutions.
}}
Education is predominantly public, run by the [[Minister of Education (Hungary)|Ministry of Education]]. [[Preschool]]-[[kindergarten]] education is [[compulsory education|compulsory]] and provided for all children between three and six years old, after which school attendance is also compulsory until the age of sixteen.[{{cite web|url=http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/worldtvetdatabase1.php?ct=HUN|title=Vocational Education in Hungary|date=October 2013|access-date=19 May 2014|author=UNESCO-UNEVOC|archive-date=19 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519191256/http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/worldtvetdatabase1.php?ct=HUN|url-status=live}}] The [[Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study]] rated 13–14-year-old pupils in Hungary among the best in the world for maths and science. Hungary ranked [[Programme for International Student Assessment#PISA 2022 ranking summary|slightly above the OECD average]] in maths and science in the 2022 [[Programme for International Student Assessment (2000 to 2012)|Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)]].
Most of the universities are [[public university|public institutions]], and students traditionally study without fees. The general requirement for university is the [[Matura]]. The Hungarian public [[higher education]] system includes universities and other higher education institutes that provide both education curricula and related degrees up to doctoral degree and also contribute to research activities. Health insurance for students is free until the end of their studies. English and German language are important in Hungarian higher education; there are a number of degree programmes that are taught in these languages, which attracts thousands of [[Student exchange program|exchange students]] every year. Hungary's higher education and training has been ranked 44 out of 148 countries in the [[Global Competitiveness Report]] 2014.[{{cite web|url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2013-14.pdf|title=Global Competitiveness Record 2013/2014|access-date=19 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604005151/http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2007/06/12/afx3810988.html|archive-date=4 June 2011}}]
Hungary has a long tradition of higher education and an established [[knowledge economy]]. Several universities are among the [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|oldest in continuous operation in the world]], including the [[University of Pécs]] (founded 1367), [[Óbuda University]] (1395), and [[Universitas Istropolitana]] (1465). [[Nagyszombat]] University was founded in 1635 and moved to Buda in 1777, and it is called [[Eötvös Loránd University]] today. The world's first [[institute of technology]] was founded in [[Selmecbánya]] in 1735; its legal successor is the [[University of Miskolc]]. The [[Budapest University of Technology and Economics]] is considered the oldest institute of technology in the world with university rank and structure, its legal predecessor the Institutum Geometrico-Hydrotechnicum was founded in 1782 by [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Joseph II]].
Hungary ranks fourth (above neighbour Romania, and after China, the United States and Russia) in the all-time medal count at the [[International Mathematical Olympiad]], with 336 total medals since 1959.
=== Health ===
{{Main|Health in Hungary}}
{{See also|Healthcare in Hungary}}
[[Image:Zuglo uzsoki korhaz (1).jpg|thumb|right|Uzsoki Hospital, [[Budapest]]]]
Hungary maintains a [[universal health care]] system largely financed by government [[national health insurance]]. According to the [[OECD]], 100% of the population is [[List of countries by health insurance coverage|covered by universal health insurance]],[{{Cite web|url=http://www.oep.hu/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/LAKOSSAG/OEPHULAK_EBELLAT/ELLATASMO/KIZAROLAG_EU_SZOLG_JOGOSULTAK_2013_01.PDF|title=List of the entitled people for free insurance, National Healthcare Fund, 2013|access-date=16 December 2016|archive-date=31 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231073525/http://www.oep.hu/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/LAKOSSAG/OEPHULAK_EBELLAT/ELLATASMO/KIZAROLAG_EU_SZOLG_JOGOSULTAK_2013_01.PDF|url-status=live}}][{{cite web|url=http://figyelo.hu/cikkek/376719_dozsolok_es_szukolkodok___mibol_gazdalkodnak_az_egyhazak|title=Dőzsölők és szűkölködők – Miből gazdálkodnak az egyházak?, Figyelő (financial status of the churches in Hungary, Hungarian)|website=Figyelo.hu|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417095046/http://figyelo.hu/cikkek/376719_dozsolok_es_szukolkodok___mibol_gazdalkodnak_az_egyhazak|archive-date=17 April 2015}}] Hungary spends 7.2% of GDP on healthcare, spending $2,045 per capita, of which $1,365 is provided by the government.[{{Cite web|url=https://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?DataSetCode=HEALTH_STAT|title=Health Status|website=stats.oecd.org|access-date=11 April 2019|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624235807/https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=HEALTH_STAT|url-status=live}}]
Hungary is one of the main destinations of [[medical tourism]] in Europe, particularly for dentistry,[{{cite web|url=http://www.budapestagent.com/hungary-leading-dental-tourism.html|title=Hungary leading in Dental Tourism in Europe – BudapestAgent.com|date=20 June 2012|website=Budapestagent.com|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-date=19 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319075342/http://www.budapestagent.com/hungary-leading-dental-tourism.html}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.bbj.hu/business/hungary-aims-at-bigger-bite-of-dental-tourism_63662|title=Hungary aims at bigger bite of dental tourism|website=Bbj.hu|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925014335/https://bbj.hu/business/hungary-aims-at-bigger-bite-of-dental-tourism_63662|url-status=live}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.bbj.hu/business/dental-tourism-development-clinics-turnover-up-19percent_69020|title=Dental Tourism Development clinics turnover up 19%|website=Bbj.hu|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-date=8 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808061743/https://bbj.hu/business/dental-tourism-development-clinics-turnover-up-19percent_69020|url-status=live}}] [[Plastic surgery]] is also a key sector, with 30% of the clients coming from abroad. Hungary is well known for its spa culture and is home to [[Culture of Hungary#Spa culture|numerous medicinal spas]],[{{cite web|url=http://www.imtj.com/news/?entryid82=416494|title=Hungarian Tourism promotes medical tourism – IMTJ|website=Imtj.com|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-date=16 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316220308/http://imtj.com/news/?entryid82=416494|url-status=live}}] which attract "spa tourism".[{{cite web|url=http://www.bbj.hu/business/medical-tourism-in-good-health_63661|title=Medical tourism in good health|website=Imtj.com|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-date=26 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126143306/https://bbj.hu/business/medical-tourism-in-good-health_63661|url-status=live}}]
In common with developed countries, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality, accounting for 49.4% (62,979) of all deaths in 2013.[{{cite web|url=http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xstadat/xstadat_hosszu/h_wdsd001a.html|title=STADAT – 1.1. Népesség, népmozgalom (1900–)|website=Ksh.hu|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-date=3 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503171448/https://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xstadat/xstadat_hosszu/h_wdsd001a.html|url-status=live}}] However, this number peaked in 1985 with 79,355 deaths, and has been declining continuously since the fall of communism.[{{cite web|url=http://www.oefi.hu/olef/OLEF2003/Jelentesek/KronikusBbetegsegekOLEF2003.pdf|title=Egészségjelentés 2016|website=Oefi.hu|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404092802/http://www.oefi.hu/olef/OLEF2003/Jelentesek/KronikusBbetegsegekOLEF2003.pdf|archive-date=4 April 2016}}] Smoking is a leading cause of death, although it is in steep decline: The proportion of adult smokers declined to 19% in 2013 from 28% in 2012, owing to strict regulations such as a nationwide smoking ban in every indoor public place and the limiting of tobacco sales to state-controlled "National Tobacco Shops".[{{cite web|url=http://www.bbj.hu/economy/govt-allocates-huf-450-mln-to-company-facilitating-tobacco-sales-monopoly_64136|title=Govt allocates HUF 450 mln to company facilitating tobacco sales monopoly|website=Bbj.hu|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803172219/https://bbj.hu/economy/govt-allocates-huf-450-mln-to-company-facilitating-tobacco-sales-monopoly_64136}}]
== Culture ==
{{Main|Culture of Hungary|List of World Heritage Sites in Hungary|National symbols of Hungary}}
{{See also|Cinema of Hungary|List of films shot in Budapest|List of domesticated animals from Hungary}}
=== Architecture ===
{{Main|Architecture of Hungary}}
[[File:Apátsági templom (8941. számú műemlék) 7.jpg|thumb|right|Romanesque [[Ják Abbey]], built between 1220 and 1256]]
[[File:Kiskunfélegyháza, városháza 2019 06.jpg|thumb|right|Closeup of the Hungarian [[Art Nouveau]] architectural details on the Kiskunfélegyháza Town Hall]]
Hungary is home to the [[Dohány Street Synagogue|largest synagogue in Europe]], built in 1859 in [[Moorish Revival architecture|Moorish Revival]] style with a capacity of 3,000 people[{{cite news |title=Out of Darkness, New Life |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/travel/30dayout.html?scp=1&sq=largest+synagogue+in+Europe&st=nyt |access-date=2008-03-12 |first=Nicholas |last=Kulish |date=30 December 2007}}][{{cite book |author=Subotić, Jelena |author-link=Jelena Subotić |date=2019 |title=Yellow Star, Red Star: Holocaust Remembrance after Communism |page=222 |location=[[Ithaca, NY]] & [[London]] |publisher=[[Cornell University Press]] |isbn=9781501742408}}]; one of the [[Széchenyi thermal bath|largest medicinal baths in Europe]], completed in 1913 in Modern [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance style]] and located in the Budapest city park[{{cite web |title=Past and present: Széchenyi Thermal Bath |url=https://www.szechenyibath.hu/past-and-present |website=szechenyibath.hu |access-date=April 13, 2026}}]; one of the [[Esztergom Basilica|largest basilicas in Europe]]; the [[Pannonhalma Archabbey|second-largest territorial abbey]] in the world[{{cite web |title=Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey |url=http://www.easterneuropepilgrimage.com/en/clanok/25-benedictine-pannonhalma-archabbey-hu |access-date=April 13, 2026 |website=easterneuropepilgrimage.com}}]; and the largest [[Pécs|early Christian necropolis]] outside Italy.[{{cite web |url = https://hungarytoday.hu/the-early-christian-necropolis-of-pecs/ |title = The Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs |date = 10 April 2018 |author = Gábor Sarnyai |access-date = 14 May 2023 |archive-date = 14 May 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230514142310/https://hungarytoday.hu/the-early-christian-necropolis-of-pecs/ |url-status = dead }}] Notable architectural styles include [[Historicism]] and variants of [[Art Nouveau]]. In contrast to Historicism, Hungarian Art Nouveau is based on national architectural characteristics. Taking the eastern origins of the Hungarians into account, [[Ödön Lechner]], the most important figure in Hungarian Art Nouveau, was initially inspired by Asian architecture and later by traditional Hungarian decorative designs. In this way, he created an original synthesis of architectural styles. By applying them to three-dimensional architectural elements, he produced a version of Art Nouveau that was specific to Hungary.[{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Jennifer |date=2018-12-17 |title=The ‘Hungarian Gaudi’: Architect Ödön Lechner in 4 buildings |url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/odon-lechner-budapest-architecture/index.html |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=CNN |language=en}}] Turning away from the style of Lechner, yet taking inspiration from his approach, the group of "Young People" (''Fiatalok''), which included [[Károly Kós]] and Dezsö Zrumeczky, used the characteristic structures and forms of traditional Hungarian architecture to achieve the same end.
Besides the two principal styles, Budapest also displays local versions of trends originating from other European countries. The [[Secession (art)|''Sezession'']] from [[Vienna]], the German ''[[Jugendstil]]'', ''Art Nouveau'' from Belgium and France, and the influence of English and Finnish architecture are all reflected in the buildings constructed at the turn of the 20th century. [[Béla Lajta]] initially adopted Lechner's style, subsequently drawing his inspiration from English and Finnish trends; after developing an interest in the [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] style, he finally arrived at modern architecture.[{{cite web |last=Rudolf |first=Klein |title=Lajta, Béla |url=https://encyclopedia.yivo.org/article/1609 |website=The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe |publisher=YIVO Institute for Jewish Research |access-date=April 13, 2026 |language=en}}] [[Aladár Árkay]] took almost the same route. [[István Medgyaszay]] developed his own style, which differed from Lechner's, using stylised traditional motifs to create decorative designs in concrete. In the sphere of applied arts, those chiefly responsible for promoting the spread of Art Nouveau were the School and Museum of Decorative Arts, which opened in 1896.
In the Budapest downtown area almost all the buildings are about one hundred years old, with thick walls, high ceilings, and motifs on the front walls.[{{cite web|title=Magyar (Hungarian) migration, 9th century|url=http://www.eliznik.org.uk/EastEurope/History/migration-map/hungarian-migration.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006210045/http://www.eliznik.org.uk/EastEurope/History/migration-map/hungarian-migration.htm|archive-date=6 October 2008|access-date=20 September 2009|website=Eliznik.org.uk}}][{{cite web|url=http://budapestcorner.com/index.php/flats/general-information|title=General information on various student flats and building types in Budapest|publisher=Budapest Corner|access-date=11 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214123942/http://budapestcorner.com/index.php/flats/general-information|archive-date=14 December 2010}}]
=== Music ===
{{Main|Music of Hungary}}
[[File:Budapest Opera 1.jpg|thumb|The [[Hungarian State Opera House]] on [[Andrássy út]] (a [[World Heritage Site]])]]
Hungarian music consists mainly of traditional [[Hungarian folk music]] and music by prominent composers such as [[Franz Liszt]] and [[Béla Bartók]], considered to be among the greatest Hungarian composers. Other renowned composers are [[Ernst von Dohnányi]], [[Franz Schmidt (composer)|Franz Schmidt]], [[Zoltán Kodály]], [[Gabriel von Wayditch]], [[Rudolf Wagner-Régeny]], [[László Lajtha]], [[Franz Lehár]], [[Emmerich Kálmán|Imre Kálmán]], [[Sándor Veress]] and [[Miklós Rózsa]]. Hungarian traditional music tends to have a strong [[dactyl (poetry)|dactylic]] rhythm, as the language is invariably stressed on the first syllable of each word.
Hungary has renowned composers of contemporary classical music, [[György Ligeti]], [[György Kurtág]], [[Péter Eötvös]], [[Zoltán Kodály]] and [[Zoltán Jeney]] among them. Bartók was among the most significant musicians of the 20th century. His music was invigorated by the themes, modes, and rhythmic patterns of the Hungarian and neighbouring folk music traditions he studied, which he synthesised with influences from his contemporaries into his own distinctive style.[[http://mek.oszk.hu/02100/02172/html/index.html Szabolcsi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726113441/http://mek.oszk.hu/02100/02172/html/index.html |date=26 July 2020 }} Although the Hungarian upper class has long had cultural and political connections with the rest of Europe, leading to an influx of European musical ideas, the rural peasants maintained their own traditions such that by the end of the 19th century Hungarian composers could draw on rural peasant music to (re)create a Hungarian classical style. For example, [[Béla Bartók]] and [[Zoltán Kodály]], two of Hungary's most famous composers, are known for using folk themes in their own music.]
Folk music is a prominent part of the national identity and has been significant in former country parts that belong—since the 1920 Treaty of Trianon—to neighbouring countries such as Romania, Slovakia, Poland, especially in southern Slovakia and Transylvania. After the establishment of a music academy led by Liszt and [[Ferenc Erkel]],
[[File:Bartók Béla 1927.jpg|thumb|Composer [[Béla Bartók]]]]
Broughton claims that Hungary's "infectious sound has been surprisingly influential on neighboring countries (thanks perhaps to the common Austro-Hungarian history) and it's not uncommon to hear Hungarian-sounding tunes in Romania, Slovakia and Poland".[Szalipszki, p. 12]
Refers to the country as "widely considered" to be a "home of music". It is also strong in the [[Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County|Szabolcs-Szatmár]] area and in the southwest part of Transdanubia, near the border with Croatia. The [[Busójárás]] carnival in Mohács is a major Hungarian folk music event, formerly featuring the long-established and well-regarded [[Bogyiszló Orchestra]].[Broughton, pp. 159–167]
Hungarian classical music has long been an "experiment, made from Hungarian antecedents and on Hungarian soil, to create a conscious musical culture [using the] musical world of the folk song".[Szabolcsi, ''The Specific Conditions of Hungarian Musical Development'']
"Every experiment, made from Hungarian antecedents and on Hungarian soil, to create a conscious musical culture (music written by composers, as different from folk music), had instinctively or consciously striven to develop widely and universally the musical world of the folk song. Folk poetry and folk music were deeply embedded in the collective Hungarian people's culture, and this unity did not cease to be effective even when it was given from and expression by individual creative artists, performers and poets." Although the Hungarian upper class has long had cultural and political connections with the rest of Europe, leading to an influx of European musical ideas, the rural peasants maintained their own traditions such that by the end of the 19th-century Hungarian composers could draw on rural peasant music to (re)create a Hungarian classical style.[{{cite web|url=http://mek.oszk.hu/02100/02172/html/index.html|title=Szabolcsi|website=Mek.oszk.hu|access-date=20 September 2009|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726113441/http://mek.oszk.hu/02100/02172/html/index.html|url-status=live}}] For example, Bartók collected folk songs from across Central and Eastern Europe, including Romania and Slovakia, while Kodály was more interested in creating a distinctively Hungarian musical style.
During the era of communist rule in Hungary, a Song Committee scoured and censored popular music for traces of subversion and ideological impurity. Since then, however, the Hungarian music industry has begun to recover, producing successful performers in the fields of [[jazz]] such as trumpeter [[Rudolf Tomsits]], pianist-composer [[Károly Binder]] and, in a modernised form of Hungarian folk, [[Ferenc Sebő]] and [[Márta Sebestyén]]. The three giants of Hungarian rock, [[Illés (band)|Illés]], [[Metró (Hungarian band)|Metró]] and [[Omega (band)|Omega]], remain very popular, especially Omega, which has followings in Germany and beyond as well as in Hungary. Older veteran underground bands such as [[Beatrice (band)|Beatrice]], from the 1980s, also remain popular.
=== Cuisine ===
{{Main|Hungarian cuisine}}
{{See also|Hungarian wine|Beer in Hungary}}
[[File:Dobos cake (Gerbeaud Confectionery Budapest Hungary).jpg|thumb|[[Dobos torte]]]]
Traditional dishes such as the world-famous [[goulash]] (''gulyás'' stew or ''gulyás'' soup) feature prominently in Hungarian cuisine. Dishes are often flavoured with [[paprika]] (ground red peppers), a Hungarian innovation.[{{cite web|url=http://www.sulinet.hu/tart/fcikk/Kjc/0/23144/1|title=Sulinet: Magyar növény-e a paprika?|website=Sulinet.hu|access-date=21 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080620004145/http://www.sulinet.hu/tart/fcikk/Kjc/0/23144/1|archive-date=20 June 2008}}] The paprika powder, obtained from a special type of pepper, is one of the most common spices used in typical Hungarian cuisine. Thick, heavy sour cream called ''[[tejföl]]'' is often used to soften the flavour of a dish. The famous Hungarian hot river fish soup called [[fisherman's soup]] or ''halászlé'' is usually a rich mixture of several kinds of poached fish.[{{cite book|first=Karoly|last=Gundel|title=Gundel's Hungarian cookbook|publisher=Corvina|location=Budapest|year=1992|isbn=963-13-3600-X|oclc=32227400}}page 23]
Other dishes are [[chicken paprikash]], [[foie gras]] made of goose liver, ''[[pörkölt]]'' stew, ''vadas'', (game stew with vegetable gravy and [[Spätzle|dumplings]]), trout with almonds and salty and sweet dumplings, like ''[[túrós csusza]]'', (dumplings with fresh [[Quark (dairy product)|quark]] cheese and thick sour cream). Desserts include the iconic [[Dobos torte]], [[strudel]]s (''rétes''), filled with apple, cherry, poppy seed or cheese, [[Palatschinke|Gundel pancake]], plum dumplings (''[[Knödel|szilvás gombóc]]''), ''somlói'' dumplings, dessert soups like chilled [[sour cherry soup]] and sweet chestnut puree, ''gesztenyepüré'' (cooked [[chestnut]]s mashed with sugar and rum and split into crumbs, topped with whipped cream). ''[[Pretzel|Perec]]'' and ''[[kifli]]'' are widely popular pastries.[{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AuM9b9dCG08C&q=kifli+bread&pg=PA157|title=Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes|last=Czégény|first=Clara Margaret|date=2006|publisher=Dream Machine Publishing|isbn=978-0-9780254-0-3|language=en}}]
The ''csárda'' is the most distinctive type of Hungarian inn, an old-style tavern offering traditional cuisine and beverages. ''Borozó'' usually denotes a cosy old-fashioned wine tavern, ''pince'' is a beer or wine cellar and a ''söröző'' is a [[pub]] offering draught beer and sometimes meals. The ''bisztró'' is an inexpensive restaurant often with self-service. The ''büfé'' is the cheapest place, although one may have to eat standing at a counter. Pastries, cakes and coffee are served at the confectionery called ''cukrászda'', while an ''eszpresszó'' is a café.
[[File:Tokaji 6p 1989.jpg|thumb|The famous [[Tokaji]] wine. It was called ''Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum'' ("Wine of Kings, King of Wines") by [[Louis XIV|Louis XIV of France]].]]
[[Pálinka]] is a fruit brandy, distilled from fruit grown in the orchards situated on the Great Hungarian Plain. It is a spirit native to Hungary and comes in a variety of flavours including apricot (''barack'') and cherry (''cseresznye''). However, plum (''szilva'') is the most popular flavour. Beer goes well with many traditional Hungarian dishes. The five main Hungarian beer brands are: [[Borsod Brewery|Borsodi]], [[Soproni]], [[Arany Ászok]], [[Kõbányai]], and [[Dreher Brewery|Dreher]].[{{cite web|url=http://www.gaultmillau.hu/kalauz-2017/sorhelyzet-magyarorszag-2016|title=Sörhelyzet, Magyarország 2016 – Gault&Millau kalauz – Gault&Millau Magyarország|work=Gault&Millau |access-date=19 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304184347/http://www.gaultmillau.hu/kalauz-2017/sorhelyzet-magyarorszag-2016|archive-date=4 March 2017}}] People traditionally do not clink their glasses or mugs when drinking beer. There is an urban legend in Hungarian culture that Austrian generals clinked their beer glasses to celebrate the execution of [[the 13 Martyrs of Arad]] in 1849. Many people still follow the tradition, although younger people often disavow it, citing that the vow was only meant to last 150 years.[{{cite web|title=Koccintás sörrel|url=http://www.urbanlegends.hu/2005/06/17/koccintas-sorrel/|access-date=29 July 2011|language=hu|date=17 June 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309015613/http://www.urbanlegends.hu/2005/06/17/koccintas-sorrel/|archive-date=9 March 2009}}]
[[Hungarian wine|Hungary is ideal for wine-making]], and the country can be divided into numerous wine-producing regions.[{{cite web|url=https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2009-127-20-82|title=127/2009. (IX. 29.) FVM rendelet|publisher=Nemzeti Jogszabálytár / National Legislation (Hungary)|access-date=2 April 2022|language=hu|archive-date=12 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412003910/https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2009-127-20-82|url-status=live}}] The Romans brought vines to Pannonia, and by the 5th century AD, there are records of extensive vineyards in what is now Hungary. The Hungarians brought their wine-making knowledge from the East. According to [[Ahmad ibn Rustah|Ibn Rustah]], the Hungarian tribes were familiar with wine-making long before their [[Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin|conquest of the Carpathian Basin]].[Ian Spencer Hornsey, The Chemistry and Biology of Winemaking, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2007, p. 49, {{ISBN|9780854042661}}] The different wine regions offer a great variety of styles: the main products of the country are elegant and full-bodied dry whites with good acidity, although complex sweet whites ([[Tokaj wine region|Tokaj]]), elegant ([[Eger wine region|Eger]]) and full-bodied robust reds ([[Villány]] and [[Szekszárd]]) are also produced. The main varieties are Olaszrizling, [[Hárslevelű]], [[Furmint]], [[Pinot gris]] or Szürkebarát, [[Chardonnay]] (whites), Kékfrankos (or [[Blaufränkisch|Blaufrankisch]] in German), [[Kadarka]], [[Blauer Portugieser|Portugieser]], [[Zweigelt]], [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], [[Cabernet Franc]] and [[Merlot]]. The most famous wines from Hungary are [[Tokaji Aszú]] and [[Egri Bikavér]].[This is the world-famous sweet, topaz-colored wine known throughout the English-speaking world as '''Tokay'''. "A rich, sweet, moderately strong wine of a topaz color, produced in the vicinity of Tokay, in Hungary; also, a similar wine produced elsewhere." ''Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language'' (Springfield, Mass.: G.&C. Merriam, 1913). See ''Tokay'' at page 2166.][{{cite web|url=http://eger.hu/hu/hirek/vezeto-hirek/c/egri-bikaver-hungarikum-lett-a-voros-cuvee-16832|title=Egri Bikavér – Hungarikum Lett a Vörös Cuvée|website=Eger.hu|access-date=6 July 2017|archive-date=19 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819063748/http://eger.hu/hu/hirek/vezeto-hirek/c/egri-bikaver-hungarikum-lett-a-voros-cuvee-16832|url-status=live}}] Tokaji wine has received accolades from numerous great writers and composers.[{{cite web|last1=Tokaji |first1=Royal |url=http://www.royal-tokaji.com/wine_of_kings.php|title=True Heritage – Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum – Wine of Kings, King of Wines|work=Royal Tokaji |publisher=The Royal Tokaji Wine Company|access-date=6 July 2017|archive-date=28 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728095846/http://www.royal-tokaji.com/wine_of_kings.php}}]
For over 150 years, a blend of forty Hungarian herbs has been used to create the liqueur [[unicum]], a bitter, dark-coloured liqueur that can be drunk as an apéritif or after a meal.[{{cite web|url=https://zwackunicum.hu/en/markaink/unicum/|title=Unicum|publisher=[[Zwack]]}}]
=== Sport ===
{{See also|Football in Hungary}}
[[File:Vaterpolo Hungary vs Italy semifinal game2.jpg|thumb|left|[[Hungary men's national water polo team]] is considered among the best in the world, holding the world record for Olympic golds and overall medals.]]
[[Hungary at the Olympics|Hungarian athletes]] have been successful contenders in the [[Summer Olympic Games]]. Hungary ranks 9th with a total of 511 medals in the [[All-time Olympic Games medal table|all-time Summer Olympic Games medal count]]. Hungary has the third-highest number of [[Olympic medal]]s per capita and second-highest number of gold medals per capita in the world.[{{cite web|title=Medals Per Capita: All Summer Games|url=https://medalspercapita.com/#medals-per-capita:summer|access-date=15 August 2022|archive-date=14 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814003211/https://medalspercapita.com/#medals-per-capita:summer}}] Hungary has historically excelled in Olympic water sports. In [[water polo]] the men's Hungarian team is the [[Water polo at the Summer Olympics|leading medal winner by a significant margin]], and in swimming [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)|the men's]] and [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)|the women's]] teams are both rank fifth-most successful. Hungary leads the overall medal count in [[Canoeing at the Summer Olympics|canoeing and kayaking]]. Hungary won its first gold medal in Winter Olympics in 2018 in men's short track speed skating with a team of four: [[Csaba Burján]], [[Shaolin Sándor Liu]], [[Shaoang Liu]], and [[Viktor Knoch]].[{{Cite news|url=http://hungarianfreepress.com/2018/02/22/chinese-hungarian-brothers-win-gold-for-hungary-at-winter-olympics/|title=Chinese-Hungarian brothers win gold for Hungary at Winter Olympics|date=22 February 2018|work=Hungarian Free Press|access-date=4 March 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=10 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410163030/https://hungarianfreepress.com/2018/02/22/chinese-hungarian-brothers-win-gold-for-hungary-at-winter-olympics/}}]
[[File:Groupama Arena Budapest (17267881892).jpg|right|thumb|The [[Ferencváros Stadion|Groupama Aréna]], home of [[Ferencvárosi TC]], a [[UEFA stadium categories|UEFA Category 4 Stadium]]]]
Hungary hosted many global sports events, including the [[1997 World Amateur Boxing Championships]], [[2000 World Fencing Championships]], [[2001 World Allround Speed Skating Championships]], [[2008 World Interuniversity Games]], [[2008 World Modern Pentathlon Championships]], [[2010 ITU World Championship Series]], 2011 [[IIHF World Championship]], [[2013 World Fencing Championships]], [[2013 World Wrestling Championships]], 2014 [[World Masters Athletics Championships]], [[2017 World Aquatics Championships]] and [[2017 World Judo Championships]], only in the last two decade. Besides these, Hungary was the home of many European-level tournaments, like [[2006 European Aquatics Championships]], [[2010 European Aquatics Championships]], [[2013 European Judo Championships]], [[2013 European Karate Championships]], [[2017 European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships|2017 European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship]] and hosted 4 matches in the [[UEFA Euro 2020]], which were held in the 67,889-seat new [[Multi-purpose stadium|multi-purpose]] [[New Puskás Ferenc Stadium|Puskás Ferenc Stadium]].
Hungary has won three Olympic football titles. Hungary revolutionised the sport in the 1950s, laying the tactical fundamentals of [[Total Football|total football]] and dominating international football with the ''Aranycsapat'' ("[[Golden Team]]"), which included [[Ferenc Puskás]], top goal scorer of the 20th century,[{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/en/organisation/president/index/0,4095,110412,00.html?articleid=110412|title=FIFA President: FIFA to help the Galloping Major|publisher=[[FIFA]]|date=12 October 2005|access-date=17 November 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061007122035/http://www.fifa.com/en/organisation/president/index/0%2C4095%2C110412%2C00.html?articleid=110412|archive-date=7 October 2006}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.as.com/articulo/Futbol/Coronel/Puskas/zurdo/oro/dasftb/20061117dasdasftb_2/Tes/|title=Coronel Puskas, el zurdo de oro|language=es|work=[[AS (newspaper)|AS]]|date=17 November 2006|access-date=17 November 2006|archive-date=24 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724064913/http://www.as.com/articulo/Futbol/Coronel/Puskas/zurdo/oro/dasftb/20061117dasdasftb_2/Tes/|url-status=live}}][{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2005/oct/13/golf.media|last=Mackay|first=Duncan|work=The Guardian|location=London|title=Lineker tees up another nice little earner|date=13 October 2005|access-date=17 November 2006|archive-date=28 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128070359/https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2005/oct/13/golf.media|url-status=live}}] to whom FIFA dedicated[{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/awards/gala/news/newsid=1120835.html|title=Blatter unveils FIFA Puskas Award|publisher=[[FIFA]]|date=21 October 2009|access-date=22 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430045505/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/awards/gala/news/newsid%3D1120835.html|archive-date=30 April 2011}}] its newest award, the [[FIFA Puskás Award|Puskás Award]]. The team of that era has the second [[World Football Elo Ratings#All-time highest ratings|all-time highest Football Elo Rating in the world]], with 2166, and one of the longest undefeated runs in football history, remaining unbeaten in 31 games spanning more than four years.[{{cite news|url=http://www.eloratings.net/Hungary.htm|title=World Football Elo Ratings: Hungary|date=6 July 2017|access-date=6 July 2017|archive-date=24 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080524111200/http://www.eloratings.net/Hungary.htm|url-status=live}}] The post-golden age decades saw a gradually weakening Hungary, though recently there is renewal in all aspects. The Hungarian Children's Football Federation was founded in 2008, as youth development thrives. They hosted the [[2010 UEFA Futsal Championship]] in Budapest and Debrecen, the first time the [[Hungarian Football Federation|MLSZ]] staged a [[UEFA]] finals tournament.
The [[Hungarian Grand Prix]] in [[Formula One]] has been held at the [[Hungaroring]] just outside Budapest, which circuit has [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]] Grade 1 licence.[{{cite web|url=http://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/tableaulicencescircuit.pdf|title=List of FIA Licensed Circuits|date=6 February 2015|publisher=[[FIA]]|access-date=28 May 2015|archive-date=28 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528073106/http://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/tableaulicencescircuit.pdf|url-status=live}}] Since 1986, the race has been a round of the Formula One World Championship. The track was completely resurfaced for the first time in early 2016, and it was announced the Grand Prix's deal was extended for a further five years, until 2026.[{{cite web|title=Aszfaltavató a Hungaroringen|language=hu|url=http://hungaroring.hu/hu/hirek/aszfaltavato-a-hungaroringen|publisher=[[Hungaroring]]|quote="A Magyar Nagydíj szerződését újabb öt évvel meghosszabbítottuk, ami azt jelenti, hogy a futamunknak 2026-ig helye van a Formula–1-es versenynaptárban." Translates as "We have extended the Hungarian Grand Prix's contract for a further 5 years, which means that our race has a place on the F1 calendar until 2026".|date=14 April 2016|access-date=15 April 2016|archive-date=19 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419044928/http://hungaroring.hu/hu/hirek/aszfaltavato-a-hungaroringen|url-status=live}}]
[[Chess]] is a popular and successful sport, and the Hungarian players are the eighth most powerful overall on the ranking of [[FIDE|World Chess Federation]].[{{cite web|url=https://ratings.fide.com/topfed.phtml|title=Federations Ranking|date=19 November 2016|publisher=[[FIDE]]|access-date=19 November 2016|archive-date=12 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012133545/https://ratings.fide.com/topfed.phtml}}] There are about 54 [[Grandmaster (chess)|Grandmasters]] and 118 [[FIDE titles|International Masters]], which is more than in [[France]] or [[United Kingdom]]. [[Judit Polgár]] generally considered the [[Glossary of chess#Strength|strongest]] female chess player of all time. Some of the world's best [[Sabre (fencing)|sabre]] athletes have historically also hailed from Hungary,[{{cite web|url=http://www.fie.ch/Competitions/RankingList.aspx?param=8C508173B39155DD53B81E624647082B999A7254268EA043313A21E19F3CCE115928F31266BFED5C96744EFE404921371BA0B553CB9419D947CC609C9FC6CCFB48C6AE112ABA5A4EB917D1B7B1AFEA73D9301125242F40950B39007F8B30803B1428FD85451599C7E8B640F55FBB99F96E85563733B996F4DA086222E241E75C|title=FIE 2009–2010 men's rankings|work=Fie.ch|access-date=22 June 2011|archive-date=27 November 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251127151911/http://www.fie.ch/Competitions/RankingList.aspx?param=8C508173B39155DD53B81E624647082B999A7254268EA043313A21E19F3CCE115928F31266BFED5C96744EFE404921371BA0B553CB9419D947CC609C9FC6CCFB48C6AE112ABA5A4EB917D1B7B1AFEA73D9301125242F40950B39007F8B30803B1428FD85451599C7E8B640F55FBB99F96E85563733B996F4DA086222E241E75C|url-status=live}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.fie.ch/Competitions/RankingList.aspx?param=F822EFF311A4B9B772C67048D9DA32F4B0EED82CC9D791272D364D08FDA7CEAE08236B030B5BAF7869033790E5CBFE0B1DE4945E6BF24D1B417CA444D76B51ABFDBEC84449C9BB34B6AC942A1FF403A3D9301125242F40950B39007F8B30803B1428FD85451599C7E8B640F55FBB99F96E85563733B996F4DA086222E241E75C|title=FIE 2009–2010 women's rankings|work=Fie.ch|access-date=22 June 2011|archive-date=17 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250717165258/http://www.fie.ch/Competitions/RankingList.aspx?param=F822EFF311A4B9B772C67048D9DA32F4B0EED82CC9D791272D364D08FDA7CEAE08236B030B5BAF7869033790E5CBFE0B1DE4945E6BF24D1B417CA444D76B51ABFDBEC84449C9BB34B6AC942A1FF403A3D9301125242F40950B39007F8B30803B1428FD85451599C7E8B640F55FBB99F96E85563733B996F4DA086222E241E75C|url-status=live}}] and in 2009, the [[Hungary men's national ice hockey team]] qualified for their first [[Ice Hockey World Championships|IIHF World Championship]], in 2015, they qualified for their second world championship in the top division.
== See also ==
{{Portal|Hungary|Countries|Europe|European Union
}}
* [[Outline of Hungary]]
{{clear}}
==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}
=== Sources ===
* {{Cite book |last=Nagy |first=Kálmán |title=A honfoglalás korának hadtörténete |date=2007 |publisher=Heraldika Kiadó |isbn= |location=Budapest |language=Hungarian |trans-title=Military History of the Age of the Hungarian Conquest}}
== Further reading ==
* {{cite book |last=Palonen |first=Emilia |year=2025 |title=The Birth and Death of Liberal Democracy in Hungary: The Populist Logic of Polarisation as Hegemony |url=https://hup.fi/books/m/10.33134/pro-et-contra-4 |isbn=978-952-369-137-7 |publisher=Helsinki University Press |doi=10.33134/pro-et-contra-4 }}
== External links ==
{{Sister project links
|voy=Hungary
|s=Portal:Hungary
}}
'''Government'''
* [https://kormany.hu/ Official site of the Hungarian Government]
* [https://miniszterelnok.hu/en/ Official site of the Hungarian Prime Minister]
* [https://www.sandorpalota.hu/ Official site of the President of Hungary]
* [https://visithungary.com/ Official Hungarian Tourism website]
'''General information'''
* [https://www.britannica.com/place/Hungary "Hungary"] in the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]''
* [http://www.oecd.org/hungary/ Hungary] from the [[OECD]]
* [https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/countries/member-countries/hungary_en Hungary] at the [[European Union|EU]]
* {{Wikiatlas|Hungary}}
* [http://www.ifs.du.edu/ifs/frm_CountryProfile.aspx?Country=HU Forecasts for Hungary] from [[International Futures]]
* [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17380792 Hungary] from the [[BBC News]]
* [http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index/en/?iso3=HUN FAO Country Profiles: Hungary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923014907/http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index/en/?iso3=HUN |date=23 September 2017 }}
* [https://dailynewshungary.com/ Daily News Hungary]
* [http://hungarytoday.hu/ Hungary Today – The latest news about Hungary]
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