The region now known as Hungary was first colonised by nomadic Magyars (Finno-Ugric nomads) in the ninth century. The region had previously been occupied by Celts, Romans, Slavs and Avars, but it was the Magyars arriving from southern Russia who settled down permanently in the region, creating a unified kingdom under their ruler Árpád that would last almost a thousand years.
A brutal Mongol invasion devastated the kingdom at the end of the 13th century, but the Kingdom of Hungary slowly re-established itself as a leading European power over subsequent years. After the Mongols had finally abandoned Europe, a new threat came in the shape of Ottoman Turks. But Matthias Corvinus, the last great ruler of medieval Hungary – and a powerful military leader and a patron of the arts – managed to defeat the invading Turkish army at the end of the 15th century. Unfortunately, his successor was less successful, and Hungary fell under Ottoman suzerainty during the 16th century and was not able to re-establish its independence until 1718. By the early 18th century, Hungary had formed an alliance with Austria and had become part of the Habsburg Empire ruled by a Magyar aristocracy.
Despite several uprisings in the mid-19th century, the country remained essentially a feudal state until the end of WWI when, in 1918, it finally dissolved its union with Austria. Hungary sided with Nazi Germany during WWII; this lasted until 1944 when German troops occupied the country and the Hungarians sought to break the alliance. Following the Russian invasion in January 1945, Hungary first became a short-lived republic before joining the Warsaw Pact as a Soviet-style socialist state in 1949.
Declining living conditions and widespread political purges eventually led to the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, during which, under Prime Minister Imre Nagy, Hungary attempted withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact and the restoral of a multi-party system. The uprising was soon quashed with the support of Soviet army units, leaving an estimated 20,000 dead and nearly a quarter of a million Hungarians exiled. Despite this brutal suppression of freedom, Hungary went on to be considered one of the most liberal countries in the Eastern Bloc. This was largely a result of the introduction in 1968 of the 'New Economic Mechanism', which allowed a significant role to be taken by private enterprise and the market in the Hungarian economy.
During the 1980s the political situation relaxed still further, and with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 Hungary was free to begin the transition to a pluralistic political system. The first free elections were held in the spring of 1990 bringing a centre-right umbrella group, the Hungarian Democratic Forum, to power. The strict economic reforms that were introduced made life difficult for many ordinary Hungarians and by 1994 there was a change of government when the Hungarian Socialist Party, led by former communists, gained the parliamentary majority.
More recently, Hungary became a full European Union member in 2004 following a 1997 national referendum. Since the election of 2010, the conservative Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union party has held the majority of seats in parliament.
Christianity: 52% Roman Catholic, 16% Calvinist, 3% Lutheran, 2.6% Greek Catholic and a small number of other Christian, Eastern Orthodox and Jewish minorities.
Social conventions:When meeting a Hungarian, handshaking is customary and both first name and surname should be used. At a meal, toasts are usually made and should be returned. Gifts such as flowers, chocolates, or a bottle of good quality wine are acceptable for hosts as a token of thanks – particularly when invited for a meal. Smoking, although popular in Hungary, is prohibited on public transport in towns and public buildings. English is quite widely spoken in tourist areas, but some knowledge of German can also prove useful.
Hungarian (Magyar) is the official language. German and English are widely spoken by both the older and younger generations. Some French is also spoken, mainly in western Hungary.
Language phrases:
