What is Hungary?

Hungary officially the Republic of Hungary, is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia to the south, Croatia and Slovenia to the southwest, and Austria to the west. Hungary is a member of the European Union, NATO, the OECD, the Visegrád Group, and the Council of Europe.

Hungary is a landlocked country with a flat topography, the Great Hungarian Plain, which is bisected by the Danube River and the Tisza River. The country's climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. The capital and largest city of Hungary is Budapest, which is also the seventh-largest city in the European Union.

The history of Hungary dates back to the 9th century, when the Magyars, a nomadic people from Asia, settled in the Carpathian Basin. Hungary became a Christian kingdom in the 11th century and reached its peak in the 13th and 14th centuries, under the rule of the Árpád dynasty. The country was defeated by the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century and was divided between the Ottomans and the Habsburg Empire. Hungary regained its independence in 1918, but was again occupied by Nazi Germany in 1941 and by the Soviet Union in 1944. Hungary became a socialist state under Soviet influence in 1949, and the Hungarian People's Republic was declared. The country became a democracy in 1989, and the Republic of Hungary was declared.

Hungary has a population of approximately 9.9 million people, with the majority of the population being ethnic Hungarians. The country's official language is Hungarian, and the currency is the forint. Hungary is a developed country with a high standard of living and is ranked as the 51st most prosperous country in the world by the Human Development Index.

The economy of Hungary is based on services, industry, and agriculture. The country's main industries include machinery, chemicals, food processing, and tourism. Hungary is also a major producer of agricultural products, including wheat, corn, sunflowers, and fruits.

Hungary is a popular tourist destination, and the country's main attractions include the Buda Castle, the Fisherman's Bastion, the Chain Bridge, and the Thermal Baths. Hungary is also home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Historic Centre of Budapest, the Caves of Aggtelek and Slovak Karst, and the Hortobágy National Park.