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We would like to present you Hungary as a country within Europe. In order to help you in planning and preparing a visit to Hungary, important and general information concerning this country will be offered:
Geographical setting:
Hungary lies in the Carpathian Basin surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains ending in the slopes of the Eastern Alps. The two most important rivers of this bassin are the Danube and the Tisza. The sovereign territory of the Hungarian Republic comprises 93.030 km.. There are five main topographical regions: the largest being the Great Plain lying east of the Danube with a territory of 52.000 km.. The lowest point of it is 78 m. (256 feet), while the highest is 220 m. (722 feet) above sea-level. Villages remote from eachother are typical here with detached farmsteads outside the settlements. The most famous Hungarian puszta, the Hortobagy, is also situated here. The two mountain ranges of medium height start from Lake Balaton; they run into north-eastern direction and after 200 km. (130 miles) they reach the Danube Bend. Then, in a length of 200 km. again they continue on the other side of the Danube in the northern parts of the country. Kekes, the highest geographical point of Hungary, can be found here in the Matra-mountains. The height is: 1014m. (3327 feet).
The Matra Mountains
The hilly areas of Transdanubia lie south of Lake Balaton, between the rivers Danube and Drava. Highest elevation of this region are the Mecsek-mountains with summits of almost 700 m. (2300 feet). Beside extensive beech-woods ans oak-forests, plants of the Mediterranean world, also grow here. The so-called Little Plain lies in north-eastern Hungary. The Danube has several branches and backwaters here. The biggest one is the Mosony-Danube with romantic landscapes and grooves, which, however, are exposed to danger due to a new dam in Slovakia. The hill-country southwest of the Little Plain is a buttress of the Eastern Alps. It reaches almost 900 m. (2950 feet) near Koszeg. The effect of oceanic climate is shown by numerous conifers.
Climate:
Three climatic zones influence the climate of Hungary:
the continental, the oceanic, and the Mediterranean. Thanks to air current arriving from the Atlantc Ocean, the continental climate is relatively moderate. Still, sunny days are quite numerous; in Hungary more than 2000 hours of sunshine can be reckoned with a year.
Flora and Fauna:
The flora and the fauna of the country do not basically differ from those of Central and Eastern Europe. In Transdanubia and in the northern mountainous regions, beech and oak are the most typical. Conifers are rather rare in the whole country. Characteristic trees of the lowlands are poplars, birch-, acacia- and ash-trees. Further, you can still find several animals and plants in Hungary which have already died out in many parts of Europe. Certain typical species of the coutry's flora and fauna, can be mentioned here: primrose, autumn crocus, leopard's-bane, yellow aster, a special kind of Hungarian sheep ("racka"), the typical sheep-dog ("pulli"), the Hungarian retriever, the Hungarian grey cattle, the mangalitsa pig from among the animals. The country is rather rich in red deer and in fallow-deer, with lordly antlers, in wild boar, pheasant, partridge, quail and wild-duck. Various kinds of herons are protected by law in the National Park near Lake Balaton (the so-called Kis-Balaton, or Lake Balaton-area). Beside hunters, anglers can also find their entertainment: with some luck they can catch a carp, a perch, a pike-perch or a sturcton pickerel or eel.
Language:
Several years' experience in tourism has made it clear that there is a lack of knowledge in the question, what is the language spoken by Hungarians like. No wonder this is the general attitude if the scholars themselves do not have a uniform view on the issue. One thing remains certain: as far as its origin is concerned Hungarian language belongs to the Uralic and within that the Finno-Ugrian group of languages and was strongly influenced by the Turkish languages, which can be attributed to the prolonged cohabitation. Later Slavic, Latin and German impacts were also significant.
History:
Opinions still differ on the prehistory of the Magyars. the original home-land of the Hungarians - labelled as Magna Hungaria in the Middle-Ages - was in all probability in the region of the confluence of the rivers Volga and Kama (on the Europian side of the Ural mountains). A part of the old Hungarian tribes left this territory around 600 A.D.. Some archaeologists and anthropologists, however, hypothezise a Central Asian origin. According to the most widely eccepted views it was in the second half of the 9th century when the first Hunngarian tribes appeared in the Carpathian Basin, while others partly identify the Huns and Avars as Hungarians. The Conquest, the lasting occupation of the Carpathian Basin, started under the leadership of prince Arpad in 895.
For 50 years or so the seminomadic Hungarian political elite lead marauding campaigns against Western Europe, at the beginning, as allies of European kings or princes, but later on their own initiatives as well. A decisive defeat from Otto I. King of Germany near Augsburg inn 955, however, gave a new turn on the events - somewhat later, a new ruler, Geza and his son Stephen, accepted Christianity, thus introducing the western social sytem in Hungary. In 1000 his son, Istvan (Saint Istvan) received a crown from the Pope and thus he became an independant sovereign and could consolidate his position in the country. This meant the birth of the Kingdom of Hungary.
In 1241 the Mongols, lead by Batu Khan, made a raid into Hungary and ravaged almost the whole country. The work of rebuilding was undertaken by Bela IV. who is often referred to as the second founder of the state or country. The Arpad dynasty died out with Andras (Andrew) III. in 1301.
Under the French-Neapolitan House of the Anjous, Karoly Robert (Charles Robert) was able to create economic stability and wellbeing in the country. Under his son, Lajos (Louis I. the Great) reached the territory of Hungary its largest extension - the realm under his sceptre was as big as 1.000.000 square km. in the second part of the 14th century. After the 50 years reign of Zsigmond (Sigismund of the House of Luxemburg, King of Hungary, also Holy Roman Emperor) the Hunyadi family played a determinant role in the history of Hungary.
The appearance of the Ottoman power at the southern border of the Hungarian Kingdom loomed an adverse, dark shadow on the history of the country for several hundreds of years.
Hunyadi Janos (John of Hunyad) was one of those who fought effectively agains the Ottomans, defeating them in several battles and hindering them in conquering Belgrade in 1456 a victory of worldwide importance. His son Matyas (Matthias with the byname: Corvinus) was a typical Renaissance ruler. In his humanistic court in Buda and summer residence in Visegrad Renaissance art and culture flourished for the first time outside Italy.
The renewed Ottoman attacks, however, brought catastrophy. After the tragic defeat at Mohacs (1526) the unity of Hungarians was shaken. The capture of Buda (1541) meant that the country was split into three parts. Next to the territories occupied by the Turks and the northwestern parts of the country influenced by the Habsburgs, the Principality of Transylvania could flourish owing to its relative independence. From 1686, the regain of Buda, the whole country was soon liberated by a succesfull crusade.
The arbitrary rule of the Habsburg ruler, however, lead to discontent very soon, rising to its summit in the Rakoczi war of independence. This ended with defeat, the peace of Szatmar in 1711 confirmed the Habsburgs and guaranteed the privileges of the nobility.
After the French revolution the spirit of nationalism awakened in Hungary too. This was embodied in a reform movement with the two prominent figures of Istvan Szechenyi and Lajos Kossuth and lead to the revolution of 1848. Singularly modern laws were enacted: serfdom was abolished, equality before the law considerably strengthened and rights of political freedom introduced.
The young Emperor Franz Joseph I, however, assaulted the land. After heavy losses and defeats he had to ask assistance from the Tzar, what was given and the revolution suppressed. Years of terror followed, but the 1867 compromise paved the way to unprecedented economic growth. By the turn of the century the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy became one of the major powers of Europe. After the first World War as a result of the dictated peace of Trianon Hungary was deprived of 2/3 of her territories and the half of her population - among them more millions of Hungarians.
Hungarian policy between the two wold wars, during the Horthy era, made endeavours to get back the lost territories what was partly achieved. As a price Hungary had to enter war on the side of Germany in 1941. Although Hungary retained her sovereignity untill spring 1944, when the German occupation took place, as a losing party, severe sanctions were to be swallowed after the devastation of the war.
The fragile Hungarian democracy was trod down - with the assistence of the Red Army - by the communists in 1948-1949. The tormented populations revolted against despotism on 23rd October 1956, but the Soviets, making use of the international situation to their favour, brutally crushed down the war of independence, annuling the achievements of the revolution for decades.
Power was seized by Janos Kadar who, upon the bloody reprisal, took measures in the direction of a relatively consolidated political and economical system within the frames of the dictatorship of communists. From 1968 onwards economic reforms were implemented and the living standard also improved slightly. From the second half of the eighties it became more and more evident that the system is unable to master the ecomic crisis and the enormous liabilities.
Thus were round table discussions between the ruling party and the opposition possible in 1989 where rules of transition to democracy based on a multi-party system were fixed. Following the peaceful transition and the first free parliamentary elections in 1990 Hungary turned a new leaf of development amidst serious economic and social tensions.
Copyright Lieben Consultancy