Hungary: Map & History

History

The Roman Empire conquered the territory between the Alps and the area west of the Danube River from 16 to 15 BC, the Danube being the frontier of the empire. In 14 BC, Pannonia, the western part of the Carpathian Basin, which includes the west of today's Hungary, was recognised by emperor Augustus in the Res Gestae Divi Augusti as part of the Roman Empire. The area south-east of Pannonia was organised as the Roman province Moesia in 6 BC. An area east of the river Tisza became the Roman province of Dacia in 106 AD, which included today's east Hungary. It remained under Roman rule until 271.

From 235, the Roman Empire went through troubled times, caused by revolts, rivalry and rapid succession of emperors.

Government and politics

Hungary is a unitary parliamentary republic. Its politics operates under a constitutional framework, the Fundamental Law (Hungarian: alaptörvény), most recently heavily reformed in 2012. A parliamentary supermajority of two-thirds is typically needed to amend this Law, although it contains certain unamendable eternity clauses (the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the separation of powers, the state structure, and the rule of law) as well.

199 Members of Parliament (országgyűlési képviselők, singular képviselő) are elected to the highest organ of state authority, the unicameral Országgyűlés (National Assembly), every four years by mixed-member majoritarian representation.

Economy

Hungary is an OECD high-income mixed economy with a very high human development index and skilled labour force with the 16th lowest income inequality in the world. Furthermore, it is the 9th most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index. The economy is the 57th-largest in the world (out of 188 countries measured by IMF) with $265.037 billion output and ranks 49th in the world in terms of GDP per capita by purchasing power parity. The annual median equivalised disposable income was $15,361 (PPP) in 2021. The employment rate was 68.3% in 2017; the employment structure shows the characteristics of post-industrial economies, 63.2% of employed workforce work in service sector, the industry contributed by 29.7%, while agriculture with 7.1%.

Culture

Hungary is home to the largest synagogue in Europe, built in 1859 in Moorish Revival style with a capacity of 3,000 people; one of the largest medicinal baths in Europe, completed in 1913 in Modern Renaissance style and located in the Budapest city park; one of the largest basilicas in Europe; the second-largest territorial abbey in the world; and the largest early Christian necropolis outside Italy. Notable architectural styles include Historicism and variants of Art Nouveau. In contrast to Historicism, Hungarian Art Nouveau is based on national architectural characteristics.