Hungary

Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, both Croatia and Slovenia to the southwest, and Austria to the west. Hungary lies within the Danube River's drainage basin, and is dominated by great lowland plains. It has a population of over 9 million, consisting mostly of ethnic Hungarians (Magyars) and a significant Romani minority. Hungarian is the official language, and among the few in Europe outside the Indo-European family. Budapest is the country's capital and its largest city, and the dominant cultural and economic centre. Before the establishment of the Hungarian state, the territory was settled by various groups, including Celts, Romans, Huns, Germanic peoples, Avars, and Slavs. Statehood began in the late ninth century with the Principality of Hungary, which transformed into a Christian medieval kingdom under King Stephen I in 1000. Following defeat by the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Mohács in 1526, the country was split into three regions for over 150 years until it was reunited under Habsburg rule by the turn of the 18th century. Despite subsequent uprisings against the Habsburgs, a compromise in 1867 formed the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, which operated as a European major power until its collapse after World War I. Hungary's modern borders were subsequently established by the 1920 Treaty of Trianon, which resulted in severe losses for the country, including 71% of its historical territory, the majority of its economy, and over half of its total population. Reeling from the aftermath of the war, Hungary endured turmoil in the early interwar period, culminating in the nationalist conservative regime of Regent ruler Miklós Horthy. Hungary joined the Axis powers in World War II, suffering significant damage and casualties. After brief Soviet occupation, the Hungarian People's Republic was established in 1949 as a satellite state inside the Eastern Bloc. Subsequent political repression and economic stagnation led to the unsuccessful Hungarian Revolution of 1956, though communist rule softened in following decades. As part of the Revolutions of 1989, Hungary peacefully transitioned into a democratic parliamentary republic. It joined the European Union (EU) in 2004 and the Schengen Area in 2007. Under the leadership of Viktor Orbán and Fidesz from 2010 to 2026, the country experienced a democratic backsliding. Hungary is a high-income economy with universal health care and tuition-free tertiary education. It has a long history of significant contributions to arts, music, literature, sports, and science and technology. As a popular tourist destination in Europe, Hungary had 24 million international visitors in 2019. Hungary is a member of numerous international organisations, including the Council of Europe, EU, NATO, United Nations, World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and Visegrád Group.