Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form: Magyarorszag

Data code HU

Government type republic

National capital Budapest

Administrative divisions 19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties* (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely*, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom, Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy, Sopron*, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*, Szombathely*, Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala, Zalaegerszeg*

Independence 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday St. Stephen's Day (National Day), 20 August (commemorates the coronation of King Stephen in 1000 AD)

Constitution 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim president since 2 May 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Gyula HORN (since 15 July 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a four-year term; election last held 19 June 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president
election results: Arpad GONCZ elected president; a total of 335 votes were cast by the National Assembly, Arpad GONCZ received 259; Gyula HORN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote NA

Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 8 and 29 May 1994 (next to be held 10 and 24 May 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - MSzP 33.0%, SzDSz 19.8%, MDF 11.7%, FKgP 8.9%, KDNP 7.1%, FiDeSz 7.0%, MMP 3.2%, MIEP 1.6%, other 7.7%; seats by party - MSzP 209, SzDSz 70, MDF 37, FKgP 26, KDNP 22, FiDeSz 20, other 2

Judicial branch Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the National Assembly for a nine-year term

Political parties and leaders Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Sandor LEZSAK, chairman]; Independent Smallholders or FKgP [Jozsef TORGYAN, president]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Gyula HORN, president]; Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Gyorgy GICZY, president]; Hungarian Civic Party or FiDeSz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Ivan PETO, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Ivan SZABO, chairman]; Hungarian Justice and Life Party or MIEP [Istvan CSURKA, chairman]; Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]
note: the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party or MSzMP renounced Communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP in October 1989; the MDNP was formed in March 1996 by breakaway members of the Hungarian Democratic Forum; the KDNP lost its parliamentary faction status in July 1997 after a party split reduced its representation below the minimum 15 required

International organization participation Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Gyorgy BANLAKI
chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter F. TUFO
embassy: V. Szabadsag Ter 12, 1054 Budapest
mailing address: Pouch: American Embassy Budapest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
telephone: [36] (1) 267-4400, 269-9331 (after hours), 269-9339 (after hours)
FAX: [36] (1) 269-9326

Flag description three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

NOTE: The information regarding Hungary on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Hungary Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Hungary Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.