required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20
elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
2006)
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
for nine-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Christian
Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Laszlo VARGA, chairman];
Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz-MPP [Jozsef SZASER, chairman];
Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian
Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman];
Hungarian Justice and Life Party or MIEP [Istvan CSURKA, chairman];
Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Laszlo KOVACS, chairman];
Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ABEDA, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
(applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 966–8135 telephone: [1] (202) 362–6730
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy Goodman BRINKER embassy: 1054 Szabadsag ter 12, Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521–5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475–4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475–4764
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green
Economy Hungary
Economy - overview:
Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a
market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
economic growth and to work toward accession to the European Union
in May 2004. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP.
Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms are
widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more
than $23 billion since 1989. Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded
in 2000 to the second-highest rating among all the Central European
transition economies. Inflation has declined substantially, from 14%
in 1998 to 4.7% in 2003; unemployment has persisted around the 6%
level. Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner.
Short-term issues include the reduction of the public sector deficit
to 3% in 2004 and avoiding unjustified increases in wages.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $134 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $13,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 33.8% services: 62.1% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 8.6% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24.4 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
4.2 million (1997)
Labor force - by occupation:
services 65%, industry 27%, agriculture 8% (1996)
Unemployment rate:
5.8% (2002 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $13 billion
expenditures: $14.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)
Industries:
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate:
3.1% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:
34.39 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.1% hydro: 0.5% other: 0.3% (2001) nuclear: 39%
Electricity - consumption:
35.15 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
7.261 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
10.43 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
47,180 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
136,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
110.7 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:
3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
4 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
50.45 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle,
poultry, dairy products
Exports:
$31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 57.6%, other manufactures 31.0%, food
products 7.5%, raw materials 1.9%, fuels and electricity