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 Peter BOROSS (since 12 December 1993 on the death of Jozsef ANTALL); new prime minister will probably be Gyula HORN
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) Hungarian Socialist Party 209, Alliance of Free Democrats 70, Hungarian Democratic Forum 37, Independent Smallholders 26, Christian Democratic People's Party 22, Federation of Young Democrats 20, other 2

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Forum, Sandor LESZAK, chairman; Independent Smallholders (FKGP), Jozsef TORGYAN, president; Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), Gyula HORN, president; Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), Dr. Lazlo SURJAN, president; Federation of Young Democrats (FIDESZ), Viktor ORBAN, chairman; Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), Ivan PETO, chairman
note: the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party (MSZMP) renounced Communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) in October 1989; there is still a small MSZMP
Member of: Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-9, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pal TAR
chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 362-6730
FAX: (202) 966-8135
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald BLINKEN
embassy: V. Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest
mailing address: Am Embassy, Unit 1320, Budapest; APO AE 09213
telephone: [36] (1) 112-6450
FAX: [36] (1) 132-8934

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

NOTE: The information regarding Hungary on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Hungary Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Hungary Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.