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A relatively small, landlocked nation of just over ten million people, Hungary boasts much more beyond its beautiful, and very hip, capital city, Budapest. Gorgeous Baroque towns stand cheek by jowl with ancient castles and fortresses, while nature asserts itself spectacularly in the form of Lake Balaton, one of Europe's largest lakes. Equally stunning are the thickly forested Northern Uplands, and the beguiling landscape of the vast Great Plain, not to mention one of the grandest stretches of the great Danube River. Aside from the country's extraordinary concentration of thermal spas, there is also a wealth of other activities available, including a range of watersports, horse-riding, cycling and hiking, while nearly two dozen wine regions offer the chance to sample a range of quality wines little known beyond its own borders.
Right at the heart of Europe, Hungary was likened by the poet Ady to a "river ferry, continually travelling between East and West, with always the sensation of not going anywhere but of being on the way back from the other bank"; this seems especially evident in the Hungarians' strong identification with the West, and simultaneous display of fierce pride in themselves as Magyars – a race that transplanted itself from Central Asia. After some forty years of Communist rule, the country embarked on reforming state socialism long before Gorbachev, making the transition to multi-party democracy without a shot being fired, while the removal of the Iron Curtain along its border set in motion the events leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The ensuing spread of glossy Western capitalism, particularly in the capital, has brought very mixed blessings indeed for Hungarians – many of whom saw their living standards fall sharply. Following the country's accession to the EU in 2004 – which was broadly favoured by most Hungarians – there is a fresh sense of optimism, though what benefits membership will bring, only time will tell.
Hungary boasts much more beyond its beautiful, and very hip, capital city, Budapest
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• Hungary, covering an area of 93,000 square kilometres, lies in the Carpathian basin in the heart of Europe. Two-thirds of the country is flatland, the greatest single area being the Great Plain, or puszta, which sprawls across the eastern half of the country. The remainder is undulating terrain, with only one mountain, Mount Kékes in the Northern Uplands, topping 1000m. There are nine national parks spread around the country, the largest of which is the Hortobágy on the Great Plain. Hungary has Central Europe's largest and warmest lake, the Balaton, two major rivers – the Danube and the Tisza – and over a thousand natural springs.
• On October 23, 1989, Hungary became an independent republic once again. The 1989 constitution set in place a parliamentary system of government, elected every four years, with the prime minister at its head. The head of state, the president, is elected every five years. Having been admitted to NATO in 1999, Hungary finally achieved its greatest political goal in 2004 when the country joined the European Union.
• With few natural resources, Hungary's economy is driven largely by its manufacturing industry. Foreign investment is amongst the highest of the former Communist countries.
• The population of the country currently stands at just over ten million, one fifth of whom live in the capital Budapest. It is estimated that over five million Hungarians live outside the country, a large number in Transylvania, Romania.
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