General Presentation of Hungary

Gergely SchuchtárConsul

Embassy of Hungary

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Structure

I. Geopolitical position of the country

II. History of HungaryIII. Culture of HungaryIV. Practical advices for the travel

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Geopolitical position

Area: 93.030 km2

Population: 9,9 m (2014 e.)Additional 4,5 m outside

Central and Eastern Europe7 neighbors

Climate: continentalBudapest: 1.8 m

No sea, no high mountains(highest peak: 1014 m asl)

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Economy• 2014. IV.Q. GDP growth 3,4% (EU average: 1,3%)• 2014. III.Q. Export growth 7,9% / Import by 11%

– 2014 SUM Ex: 84,5 billion EUR / Im: 78,0 billion EUR (6,5 billion EUR surplus)

• Volume of industrial production in 2014 7,6% higher than in 2013– Car industry– Alimentary– Beverage– Tobacco

• Growing investments in private sector 11,8% (2014. IIIQ)• Construction industry lower 2,2% (2014. dec.)• Unemployment rate 7,7% (2014 Y.)

– Average wages (850 EUR)• Public Debt (end of 2014): GDP 77,3%• Government (spending) financing needs (in 2014): GDP 2,2%• GDP/C. (PPP): 21.239 USD• GDP/C (nom.): 14.703 USD(IMF)• GDP:€ 96.968 billion (2012/EU)

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Natural resources

• Not much– bauxite, coal, natural gas, arable land– fertile soils

• 47.24% of total land • (GMO free land / protected since 2006 and by constitution XX.

Art.)

– Rivers: Danube and Tisza (international waterways)• Danube river from Germany to Black Sea EU’s longest 2860 km• Tisza river from the Ukraine to Black Sea: 965 km

– Lake Balaton– Thermal water

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Natural resourcesin need

• The primary energy demand in 2010 is based on:– Gas: 40.6%– Oil: 32.1%– Nuclear: 15.2%– Coal: 10.5%

– 53% of overall energy from abroad– 78% of natural gas imported• Out of this 80% from Russia through the Ukraine

– 82% of crude oil from Russia through the Ukraine– Nuclear energy: Paks 1982 CCCP (40% of overall electricity) 4R

(2034) + 2

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Geopolitical location

• Landlocked• Strategic location in terms of land routes

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Geopolitics II.

• Many IO’s (OECD, OSCE, UNsys, CoE, etc.)– NATO (1999)– EU (2004)

• Regional initiatives:– Visegrad Group (V4) since 1991

– V4+ (An honest desire to intensify mutual cooperation and friendship among the four Central European states)

– CEI since 1989 (18 MS)

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History of Hungary

– 896: Honfoglalás – 1000: Foundation of the state by the King Stephen

– 1241-42: Invasion of the Tatars/Mongols

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History of Hungary II

• 1458-1490: King Mathias Corvinus (Kralj Matjaž)

• 1541: Turkish invasion (Country split into three parts)

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History of Hungary III

• XVII, XVIII: Fights for independence (Habsburg, Turkish)

• 1848: Hungarian revolution

• 1867: Dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary• 1914-1918: WW I

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History of Hungary IV

• Treaty of Trianon (1920)

• WW II (Holocaust)

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History of Hungary V

• 1945-1989 Soviet invasion, communist dictatorship

• 1956: Revolution

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Government and Politics

• Hungary is a parliamentary representative democratic republic

• Democratic election since 1990.• National assembly (unicameral).• Head of State: János Áder• Head of Government: Viktor Orbán

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Challenges

• Sustainable economic development• Aging population– Economic migration to W-EU (doctors, scientists,

researchers, artists, etc.)– Brain Drain to USA still strong

• Our region is still not competitive enough – Too export sensitive economy – Market diversification– Too dependent on out of EU energy sources

• (No Energy Union, No single energy market YET)

– Geopolitical instability – diverging interests

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Priorities (Geo.)• Neighbors (i.e. Slovenia)

– Focus to achieve excellent relations (accept)– No more “0” Sum Game – Win-Win– SME (Core of our growing economies, 500 Km)– Support of HU minorities abroad

• Regional policy– Common interests and goals (CSEE) / V4, CEI– Coordination of policies to be represented in IOs.

• Euro-Atlantic orientation– National interests represented in EU and NATO

• Strong and united Europe (economic crisis management, prevalence of community-based method of decision making)

• Strengthening of transatlantic cooperation

• Global opening– Reopen towards the “forgotten” part of the world– Increased role in shaping the global agenda in order to meet better global

challenges.

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Priorities (Sectors)

• Security policy– International terrorism– International cyber terrorism– Transnational organized crime– Illegal migration related threats

• Energy Security– Natural gas / oil supplies for growing economies– Renewable energy resources and technologies

• Promotion of collective rights of national minorities– Language, culture, education, wellbeing at home

• Agriculture / food safety / sustainable development / respecting cultural diversity

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HU FP and Diplomacy

• Public service– Strengthen security in an international context– Enhance international visibility of the community (as

country and nation)– Secure external resources for well-being– Broaden opportunities for external education and

cultural contacts

Last but not least– Ensuring access to consular protection for citizens

• 100 missions with over 1800 foreign service officers

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Culture of Hungary

• Music: Ferenc Liszt, Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály• Sciences: Nobel laureates Albert Szent-Györgyi

(C-vitamin). • Sport: Summer olympics success, main sports:

Football, handball, water polo, fencing, handball.

• Spa culture

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Visit of Hungary

• Places: Budapest

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Visit of Hungary

• Places: Puszta, Lake Balaton, other cities

• Castles:http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magyarorsz%C3%A1gi_v%C3%A1rak_list%C3%A1jahttp://visit-hungary.com/things-to-do/top-15-castles

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Visit of Hungary

• Coin of Hungary: Forint ( 1 €=300 HUF)• Must taste: Wine (Tokaj, Eger, Szekszárd,

Balaton), Gulyás leves (Goulash soup), Somlóihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_cuisine

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Thank you for your attention!

Q&A