Hungary

C

Plants and Animals

Approximately 18 per cent of Hungary is forested, mostly with oak, lime, beech, and other deciduous trees in the Transdanubian lands and mountains. Hare, fox, deer, and boar are abundant. Duck, heron, crane, and stork are indigenous to the country, and the Great Hungarian Plain, which is mostly steppe, is a haven for many migrating species.

D

Environmental Concerns

Rapid industrialization in Hungary contributed significantly to a number of major environmental problems, including air, water, and soil pollution. Emissions from motor vehicles and electric plants have created most of the air pollution. A significant percentage of the country's forests, waterways, and buildings suffer damage from acid rain. Winds carry Hungary's air pollution into neighbouring countries, where it has caused similar problems. River, lake, and groundwater pollution in Hungary are the result of industrial run-off, much of which is untreated when it enters the water. Insufficiently treated sewage also contributes to water pollution, as a large percentage of the country's population does not have access to adequate sanitation facilities. Hungary's Lake Balaton, the largest lake in central Europe and an important recreational and fishing resource, is severely polluted. Soils are also susceptible to pollution from chemical run-off from local industries. Because Hungary shares its major waterway, the Danube, with other European countries, pollution problems affecting neighbouring countries often affect Hungary as well, and vice versa.

Arable land and permanent crops cover 54.7 per cent (1997) of Hungary's land area, a high percentage compared with other countries in the region. Forests make up only 18.6 per cent (1995) of Hungary's total land, but reforestation efforts have allowed the country to steadily gain forestland. About 6.8 per cent (1997) of Hungary's land is protected in parks and other reserves, preventing development but not the ill effects of acid rain and water pollution. Hungary is party to international treaties concerning air pollution, biodiversity, climate change, endangered species, hazardous wastes, marine dumping, and wetlands.

III

Population

About 97 per cent of the Hungarian people are Magyars, descendants of Finno-Ugric and Turkish peoples who mingled with Avar and Slavic peoples in Hungary in the 9th century ad. Ethnic minorities of the country include Germans, Slovaks, Serbs, Croats, Roma (Gypsies), and Romanians.

A

Population Characteristics

Hungary has a population of 9,930,915 (2008 estimate). The overall population density is about 108 people per sq km (278 per sq mi). The population is about 66 per cent urban. Life expectancy in 2008 was 69 years for men and 77.6 years for women.

B

Political Divisions

For administrative purposes Hungary is divided into one county borough (city with county rank), Budapest, and 19 counties, which are subdivided into districts. The 19 counties are Bács-Kiskun, Baranya, Békés, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Csongrád, Fejér, Györ-Moson-Sopron, Hajdú-Bihār, Heves, Jäsz-Nagykún-Szolnok, Komárom-Esztergom, Nógrád, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprém, and Zala.