Type: republic
Capital: Budapest
Administrative divisions: 38 counties (megyek, singular - megye) and 1
capital city* (fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba,
Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest*, Csongrad, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros,
Eger, Fejer, Gyor, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Hodmezovasarhely, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar, Kecskemet,
Komarom-Esztergom, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs,
Pest, Somogy, Sopron, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged, Szekesfehervar,
Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala,
Zalaegerszeg
Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
National holiday: St. Stephen's Day (National Day), 20 August (commemorates the founding of Hungarian state circa 1000 A.D.)
Constitution: 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight
Legal system: in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously
interim president from 2 May 1990); election last held 3 August 1990
(next to be held NA 1995); results - President GONCZ elected by
parliamentary vote; note - President GONCZ was elected by the National
Assembly with a total of 295 votes out of 304 as interim President
from 2 May 1990 until elected President
head of government: Prime Minister Gyula HORN (since 15 July 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; elected by the National Assembly on
recommendation of the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Orszaggyules): elections last held on 8 and 29 May
1994 (next to be held spring 1998); results - percent of vote by party
NA; seats - (386 total) MSzP 209, SzDSz 70, MDF 37, FKgP 26, KDNP 22,
FiDeSz 20, other 2