30 Amazing Facts About Hungary

Hungary, nestled in the heart of Central Europe, is known for its rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes. With a history that spans over a millennium, it boasts a vibrant mix of medieval architecture, thermal baths, and folk traditions. The capital city, Budapest, is often celebrated for its breathtaking vistas along the Danube River, its historic thermal spas, and its lively arts scene. Hungary’s diverse cuisine, including dishes like goulash and paprika chicken, reflects its cultural melting pot and its position at the crossroads of Europe.

1. Till 2012 the name of the country was the Republic of Hungary which was then changed to just “Hungary.”
2. The country is landlocked with seven countries: Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia.
3. The country has won about 491 medals in the Summer Olympics and about 7 in the winter Olympics.
4. The country takes the 10th spot for having most Olympics medals.
5. The Hungarian language is considered to be one of the toughest languages to learn on the planet, with around 13 million native speakers.
6. Hungary is one of the five richest countries in the world to have the most thermal waters. There are more than 1300 thermal springs in Hungary, out of which 200 have got proven to have curative power.
7. In Hungary, the child’s name must be chosen from a list of pre-approved names. If the name is to be chosen out of the list, the parents must get it approved by the authorities.
8. The Hungarian language has 44 alphabets that is very much unique and quite different from that of other European languages.
9. The country has the highest rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) which is 27 percent.
10. Some very important inventions took place in the country, out of which are the ballpoint pen, the modern computers/laptop basic architecture called the Von Neumann architecture, the Rubik’s cube, helicopter, the safety match, BMW 4 cylinder diesel engine.
11. The lake Balaton is the largest lake in Hungary, with a surface area of 600 km2, average depth of 3.3 meters (11 ft), and a max depth of 12.2 meters (40 ft).
12. Tojak wine region of Hungary is the world’s first vineyard classification system, which was established in 1730 by the royal decree.
13. The country has a national dish which is a traditional Hungarian dish known as Gulyás (Goulash).
14. Mount Kékes is the biggest mountain peak in the country, which has an elevation of 3,327 feet (1,014 meters).
15. Water polo is the national sport of the country. The country has won 15 Olympic medals, 10 World Championships, 5 FINA World League championships, 8 FINA World Cup, and 21 European Championship medals.
16. The Turul is a mythological bird of prey and mostly depicted as a hawk or falcon. It is a traditional bird and also the national symbol of the country.
17. The national drink of Hungary is Unicum. It is prepared with a special recipe and herbs.
18. Lake Tisza is the best birding location in the country and one of the best in Europe. Over 400 species of birds are seen here.
19. Hungarian parliament is the best parliament building in the world. It has a covered area of 18,000 m2 (193,800 sq ft), has 13 floors, 13 elevators, and 691 total rooms.
20. The country has a total of 10 national parks, While Hortobágy National park is the biggest national park in Hungary and is covered on 800km2 territory.
21. Judit Polgár is a Hungarian chess player and is considered the strongest female chess player of all time.
22. The country has ten major rivers, out of which the Danube river is the biggest, which stretches over 418 km of land.
23. The country has a total forest area of 1.838 million ha.
24. It is the number 14th most complex economy on the planet.
25. Hungary’s top exports are cars ($12.3 billion), motor vehicles; parts and accessories (8701 to 8705) ($7.78 billion), electric batteries ($6.66 billion), packaged medicines ($3.92 billion), and computers ($3.66 billion), with the majority exported to Germany ($35.5 billion), Italy ($8.02 billion), Romania ($7.94 billion), Slovakia ($6.78 billion), and Austria ($6.32 billion).
26. Hungary’s top imports are petroleum gas ($10.6 billion), motor vehicles; parts and accessories (8701 to 8705) ($6.5 billion), electricity ($5.34 billion), cars ($3.96 billion), and broadcasting equipment ($3.71 billion), with the majority of imports coming from Germany ($32.5 billion), China ($10.5 billion), Austria ($10.4 billion), Slovakia ($9.79 billion), and Poland ($8.87 billion).
27. The country has 58.36% of arable land, and 4.7 % of people are indulged in Agriculture activities.
28. Szombathely is the oldest recorded city in Hungary. The Romans founded it in 45 AD under the name of Colonia Claudia Savariensum.
29. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the country was -35° Celsius in the city of Miskolc in 1940. While the hottest temperature of all time recorded in the country was 40.7 °C on July 20, 2007.
30. The oldest building in the country is the Vörös Sün Ház and was constructed in 1260.
31. Hungarians have won an astounding 18 Nobel Prizes. They have won 5 Nobel prizes in chemistry, 4 in physiology/medicine, 3 in Physics,3 in Economics, and 2 for peace.