II.

Land and Resources

Hungary is predominantly flat. The River Danube, which forms part of the Slovakian-Hungarian border from near Bratislava to near Esztergom, turns abruptly south, dividing Hungary into two general regions. A low, rolling plain known as the Great Hungarian Plain or the Great Alföld covers most of the region east of the Danube extending east to Romania and south to Serbia. Highlands along the northern border of the country extend eastward from the gorge of the Danube at Esztergom and include the Bükk and Mátra mountains. Mount Kékes (1,015 m/3,330 ft), in the Mátra Mountains, is the highest peak in Hungary. The area west of the Danube, known as Transdanubia, presents a variety of land forms. In the south rise the isolated Mecsek Mountains. In the north are the Bakony Mountains, which overlook Lake Balaton, the largest freshwater lake in central Europe. The Little Alföld, or Little Plain, in the extreme north-western section of Hungary, extends into southern Slovakia.

A.

Climate

Hungary has a relatively dry continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. Average temperatures range from -1.1° C (30° F) in January to 21.1° C (70° F) in July. Rainfall is heaviest in early summer, and the average amount decreases from 787 mm (31 in) along the western frontier to 508 mm (20 in) in the east.

B.

Natural Resources

The main resource of Hungary is the rich black soil of its farmlands. The alluvial soils of the Great Hungarian Plain are highly fertile, although inferior to the black earth in the south-eastern and southern plain that extends into Romania and Serbia and Croatia. Soils in the northern highland river basins are generally fertile, but in much of Hungary the soil is of a loose type, called loess, or sandy. The country has some deposits of bauxite, coal, oil, natural gas, manganese, uranium, lignite, and iron ore. Reserves of most minerals are small, however, and the iron ore and hard coal are of low quality.

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.