cow. In the more open GORBACHEV years, Hungary led the movement to
dissolve the Warsaw Pact and steadily shifted toward multiparty democracy
and a market-oriented economy. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991,
Hungary developed close political and economic ties to Western Europe. It
joined NATO in 1999 and is a frontrunner in a future expansion of the EU.

Geography Hungary

Location: Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 93,030 sq km water: 690 sq km land: 92,340 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 2,171 km border countries: Austria 366 km,
Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Yugoslavia 151 km, Slovakia 677 km,
Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
Slovakian border

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Tisza River 78 m highest point:
Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use: arable land: 52% other: 45% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 3%

Irrigated land: 2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues: the approximation of Hungary's standards in
waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution
with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large
investments

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land
routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between
Ukraine and Mediterranean basin

People Hungary

Population: 10,075,034 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 847,081; female 802,340) 15-64
years: 68.8% (male 3,406,701; female 3,528,087) 65 years and over: 14.8%
(male 544,956; female 945,86