3rd European Congress on Rural Tourism

	History and Facts Hungary has a colourful and varied culture reflecting its mix of peoples - the majority Magyars, and Roma, German, Slovak, Croat, Serb and Romanian minorities. It was admitted to Nato in 1999 and joined the EU in May 2004. OVERVIEW A landlocked country, Hungary is home to Lake Balaton, the largest in central Europe, and to a large number of spa towns and hot springs. It has rich traditions in folk and classical music and was the birthplace of numerous well loved performers and composers, including Franz Liszt, Bela Bartok and Zoltan Kodaly. It also has a long history of wine making. Once part of the Ottoman and Habsburg empires, it became a partner in the Austro-Hungarian empire in the mid-19th century. After a period of turmoil following World War I, an independent kingdom of Hungary was established. Following World War II, the country found itself under communist rule. An uprising against Soviet domination in 1956 was crushed by Red Army forces but Hungary did later become the first Eastern European country to gain some economic freedom. It embraced aspects of the free market while still under communist rule and in 1968 the authorities allowed limited decentralisation of the economy. This helped to smooth economic transition. Within four years of the collapse of communism nearly half of the country's economic enterprises had been transferred to the private sector, and by 1998 Hungary was attracting nearly half of all foreign direct investment in its region. Hungary played an important part in accelerating the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe when in 1989 it opened its border with Austria, allowing thousands of East Germans to escape to the West. Just a few months later the Berlin Wall was history. The redrawing of European borders that took place after World War I left about five million ethnic Hungarians living in neighbouring countries. Their status remains a sensitive issue. Low turnout invalidated a December 2004 referendum on whether or not to offer them citizenship. FACTS * Full name: Republic of Hungary * Population: 9.8 million (UN, 2005) * Capital: Budapest * Area: 93,030 sq km (35,919 sq miles) * Major language: Hungarian * Major religion: Christianity * Monetary unit: Forint * Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals * GNI per capita: US $10,030 (World Bank, 2006) * Internet domain: .hu * International dialling code: +36

History and Facts

Hungary has a colourful and varied culture reflecting its mix of peoples - the majority Magyars, and Roma, German, Slovak, Croat, Serb and Romanian minorities.

It was admitted to Nato in 1999 and joined the EU in May 2004.

OVERVIEW

A landlocked country, Hungary is home to Lake Balaton, the largest in central Europe, and to a large number of spa towns and hot springs.

It has rich traditions in folk and classical music and was the birthplace of numerous well loved performers and composers, including Franz Liszt, Bela Bartok and Zoltan Kodaly. It also has a long history of wine making.

Once part of the Ottoman and Habsburg empires, it became a partner in the Austro-Hungarian empire in the mid-19th century. After a period of turmoil following World War I, an independent kingdom of Hungary was established.

Following World War II, the country found itself under communist rule. An uprising against Soviet domination in 1956 was crushed by Red Army forces but Hungary did later become the first Eastern European country to gain some economic freedom. It embraced aspects of the free market while still under communist rule and in 1968 the authorities allowed limited decentralisation of the economy.

This helped to smooth economic transition. Within four years of the collapse of communism nearly half of the country's economic enterprises had been transferred to the private sector, and by 1998 Hungary was attracting nearly half of all foreign direct investment in its region.

Hungary played an important part in accelerating the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe when in 1989 it opened its border with Austria, allowing thousands of East Germans to escape to the West. Just a few months later the Berlin Wall was history.

The redrawing of European borders that took place after World War I left about five million ethnic Hungarians living in neighbouring countries. Their status remains a sensitive issue. Low turnout invalidated a December 2004 referendum on whether or not to offer them citizenship.

FACTS

* Full name: Republic of Hungary
* Population: 9.8 million (UN, 2005)
* Capital: Budapest
* Area: 93,030 sq km (35,919 sq miles)
* Major language: Hungarian
* Major religion: Christianity
* Monetary unit: Forint
* Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals
* GNI per capita: US $10,030 (World Bank, 2006)
* Internet domain: .hu
* International dialling code: +36