Hungary in a nutshell

Located in Central Europe Hungary is a member of the European Union (EU). Its neighboring countries include Slovakia (from the north); Ukraine (in the northeast); Romania (in the east and in the southeast); Serbia (in the south); Croatia and Slovenia (from the southwest) and lastly; in the west; Hungary borders to Austria. All these neighboring countries have today some Hungarian minority population since a part of their territory once was a part of the Hungarian Empire (1867–1918). Thus, if you are doing research about your background and your relatives´ origins you must pay close attention to the exact date you are researching and where exactly they were born and live on the given date. Whereas the official language of the country is Hungarian, some minority languages (for historical reasons mentioned above) are also represented. Similarly, Hungary´s population of about 10 million people consists of; among others; Hungarians, Romani, and Germans. The majority of the population is Christians (54, 3% according to the census 2011), and the capital city is Budapest (OBS! NOT Bukarest!). Hungary is a republic with parliamentary, representative governance. Furthermore, the currency used in Hungary is called Forint (HUF).

_{Currency exchange calculator (Valutaváltó kalkulátor): https://www.valuta.se/}

Hungary is divided by two rivers; Danube and Tisza. This means that the country is split into three sections. Transdanubia (Dunántúl) is the western part of the country and is best known for the Balaton lake (which; by the way; is the biggest lake in central Europe) and its low mountains and hills with the cultivation of grapes. Thus, the main industry in this area constitutes tourism and winery. The most well-known mountains in the area are the Alps, Mecsek, and Villány, and the highest point you can find at 882 meters (2,894 ft) in the Alps. This point is called Írott-kő. In this same area, you also can find the largest thermal lake in the world; Hévíz.

The next section of Hungary is called Duna-Tisza köze, and it constitutes the area in-between the two rivers. The third and last section is the eastern part of the country; Tiszántúl (beyond the Tisza). These latter two sections consist of the Hungarian plains called Észak-Alföld and Dél-Alföld (together they build what is known as Alföld). In the north, the plain ends in the hills of the Carpathians, and it is here; in this part; you can find the tallest mountain in Hungary; the Kékes. Another well-known part of Alföld is its steppe-land area which in some sources is mentioned as Puszta.  Puszta includes the Hortobágy nationalpark which was classified in 1999 as world heritage. Puszta was earlier mostly known for animal husbandry, and as such, it was originally inhabited by shepherds. Historically, the Puszta was also noticed for equestrian sports, and its population was seen as outstanding horse riders. During and after the double monarchy the “puszta romance” with its shepherds, “cowboys” and picturesque taverns (csárda) spread to the capital and abroad. Thus, Hungary became known for its wonderful horses and its excellent riding terrain. There are in fact many opportunities throughout the country for riding experiences; under lush forest trees, on bird-song-filled winding hillside roads, on open green fields, or alongside river banks. You can sense the freedom and happiness of riding wherever you go. As Goethe once said: “One never feels more free, sublime, and happy than when on horseback”.

It might also be worth mentioning that Alföld (which earlier formed the core of the Hungarian Kingdom) has been divided in 1921 by the Treaty of Trianon and now is part of the neighboring countries of Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, and Croatia. Through this treaty, Hungary lost all of its seaports, more than 70% of its territory, and over 3 000 000 Hungarians.

Hungary has a temperate climate with clearly divergent four seasons; the summers are warm with low humidity, and the winters are cold with much snow. Humidity levels are a bit higher in spring and autumn. Furthermore, Hungary is rich in diverse natural resources that include, not least, several soil types (such as black, brown, and red soil). While the country lacks water resources, arable lands make up a significant part (almost a third) of its resources.

The Hungarian national anthem

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This website has been created by Gertrúd Windberg (business economist, entrepreneur, blogger & descendant of Stolbergs). The site’s purpose is to gather general, easy-to-digest information about Hungary, and it is aimed at everyone who wishes to learn to know about this beautiful country. So if you are a descendant of a Hungarian or you are a real or digital traveler, you might want to start your journey here. The information included is fairly accurate; however, it´s not entirely up to date. Furthermore, I also want to dedicate this site to my beloved niece and goddaughter, Lara, and her brother, Truman.

Important: Information on this site contains content from different sources. This page may include information from own experiences, books, tourist magazines, or the public web. Kindly confirm the information found here with other sources.

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Written by Gertrúd Windberg 2022, Sundbyberg

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