View source for Geography of Hungary

{{Short description|none}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2020}}
<!-- This short description is INTENTIONALLY "none" - please see WP:SDNONE before you consider changing it! -->

{| class="toccolours" cellspacing="3" style="float: right; margin-left: 2em; width: 20em; font-size: 90%"
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | '''Geography of Hungary'''
|-
| colspan="2" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center;" | [[Image:Hungary-geographic map-en.svg|300px|Hungary]]
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Continent'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | [[Europe]]
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Region'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | [[East-Central Europe]]
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Coordinates'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | {{coord|47|00|N|20|00|E|type:country_region:HU|display=inline,title}}
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Area'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | [[List of countries by area|Ranked 108th]]<br>{{convert|93,030|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Coastline'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | {{convert|0|km|mi|abbr=on}}; landlocked
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Borders'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | {{convert|2,009|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Highest point'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | [[Kékes]]<br> 1,014 m
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Lowest point'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | [[Tisza|Tisza River]]<br> 78 m
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Longest river'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | [[Tisza|Tisza River]]<br> 597&nbsp;km (Hungarian portion)
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
|'''Largest lake'''
|style="padding-right: 1em;" | [[Lake Balaton]]<br> 592&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
|}

'''[[Hungary]]''' ([[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]: Magyarország) is a [[landlocked]] country in southeastern [[Central Europe]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Political Map of Central and Eastern Europe |url=https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/central-europe-map.htm |access-date=19 August 2023 |website=Nations Online}}</ref> on the [[Eurasian Steppe]]. Situated in the [[Carpathian Basin]], it has a land area of 93,030 square km, measuring about 250&nbsp;km from north to south and 524&nbsp;km from east to west. It has 2,106&nbsp;km of boundaries, shared with [[Slovakia]] to the north, [[Ukraine]] to the northeast, [[Romania]] to the east and southeast, [[Serbia]] to the south, [[Croatia]] to the south and southwest, [[Slovenia]] to the west and southwest, and [[Austria]] to the west.

Hungary's modern borders were first established after [[World War I]] when, by the terms of the [[Treaty of Trianon]] in 1920, it lost more than 71% of what had formerly been the [[Kingdom of Hungary]], 58.5% of its population, and 32% of the Hungarians. The country secured some boundary revisions from 1938 to 1941: In 1938 the [[First Vienna Award]] gave back territory from [[Czechoslovakia]], in 1939 Hungary occupied [[Carpatho-Ukraine]]. In 1940 the [[Second Vienna Award]] gave back [[Northern Transylvania]] and finally Hungary occupied the [[Bačka|Bácska]] and [[Međimurje County|Muraköz]] regions during the [[Invasion of Yugoslavia]]. However, Hungary lost these territories again with its defeat in [[World War II]]. After World War II, the Trianon boundaries were restored with a small revision that benefited Czechoslovakia.

Most of the country has an elevation of less than 200 m. Although Hungary has several moderately high ranges of mountains, those reaching heights of 300 m or more cover less than 2% of the country. The highest point in the country is [[Kékes]] (1,014 m) in the [[Mátra|Mátra Mountains]] northeast of [[Budapest]]. The lowest spot is 77.6 m above sea level, located in the south of Hungary, near [[Szeged]].

The major rivers in the country are the [[Danube]] and [[Tisza]]. The Danube is navigable within Hungary for 418 kilometers. The Tisza River is navigable for 444&nbsp;km in the country. Less important rivers include the [[Drava]] along the Croatian border, the [[Rába]], the [[Someș (river)|Szamos]], the [[Sió]], and the [[Ipeľ|Ipoly]] along the Slovakian border. Hungary has three major lakes. [[Lake Balaton]], the largest, is 78&nbsp;km long and from 3 to 14&nbsp;km wide, with an area of 600 square km.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.kdtvizig.hu/hu/53ab9177-7e15-44eb-a7f3-c004010c2277| title = A Balaton áttekintő térképe és települései - Közép-dunántúli Vízügyi Igazgatóság| access-date = 2018-06-10| archive-date = 2021-06-20| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210620034612/http://www.kdtvizig.hu/hu/53ab9177-7e15-44eb-a7f3-c004010c2277| url-status = dead}}</ref> Hungarians often refer to it as the ''Hungarian Sea''. It is Central Europe's largest [[freshwater]] lake and an important recreation area. Its shallow waters offer good summer swimming, and in winter its frozen surface provides excellent opportunities for winter sports. Smaller bodies of water are [[Lake Velence]] (26 square km) in Fejér County and Lake Fertő ([[Neusiedler See]]—about 82 square km within Hungary), and the artificial [[Lake Tisza]].

Hungary has three major geographic regions (which are subdivided to seven smaller ones): the [[Great Alföld]], lying east of the Danube River; the [[Transdanubia]], a hilly region lying west of the Danube and extending to the Austrian foothills of the [[Alps]]; and the [[North Hungarian Mountains]], which is a mountainous and hilly country beyond the northern boundary of the Great Hungarian Plain.

The country's best natural resource is fertile land, although [[soil quality]] varies greatly. About 70% of the country's total territory is suitable for agriculture; of this portion, 72% is arable land. Hungary lacks extensive domestic sources of energy and raw materials needed for industrial development.

==Plains and hills==
{{main|Little Hungarian Plain|Transdanubia|Great Alföld}}
[[File:Mesoregions of Hungary.png|thumb|right|Physico-geographical mesoregions of Hungary: {{olist |[[Great Hungarian Plain]] |[[North Hungarian Mountains]] |[[Transdanubian Mountains]] |[[Transdanubian Hills]] |[[Little Hungarian Plain]] |[[West-Hungarian Borderland]]}}]]

[[File:Hortobágy.jpg|thumb|right|[[Hortobágy National Park]] on the [[Great Hungarian Plain]] with [[Racka]] sheep]]
The Little Alföld or Little Hungarian Plain is a plain (tectonic basin) of approximately 8,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> in northwestern Hungary, southwestern Slovakia and eastern Austria, along the lower course of the [[Rába]] River, with high quality fertile soils.

The Transdanubia region lies in the western part of the country, bounded by the Danube River, the Drava River, and the remainder of the country's border with Slovenia and Croatia. It lies south and west of the course of the Danube. It contains Lake Fertő and Lake Balaton. The region consists mostly of rolling hills. Transdanubia is primarily an agricultural area, with flourishing crops, livestock, and viticulture. Mineral deposits and oil are found in [[Zala County|Zala county]] close to the border of Croatia.

The Great Alföld contains the basin of the Tisza River and its branches. It encompasses more than half of the country's territory. Bordered by mountains on all sides, it has a variety of terrains, including regions of fertile soil, sandy areas, wastelands, and swampy areas. Hungarians have inhabited the Great Plain for at least a millennium. Here is found the [[puszta]], a long, and uncultivated expanse (the most famous such area still in existence is the [[Hortobágy National Park]]), with which much Hungarian folklore is associated. In earlier centuries, the Great Plain was unsuitable for farming because of frequent flooding. Instead, it was the home of massive herds of cattle and horses. In the last half of the 19th century, the government sponsored programs to control the riverways and expedite inland drainage in the Great Plain. With the danger of recurrent flooding largely eliminated, much of the land was placed under cultivation, and herding ceased to be a major contributor to the area's economy.

==Mountains==
{{main|Alpokalja|Transdanubian Mountains|Mecsek|North Hungarian Mountains}}

Although the majority of the country has an elevation lesser than 300 m, Hungary has several moderately high ranges of mountains. They can be classified to four geographic regions, from west to east: [[Alpokalja]], [[Transdanubian Mountains]], [[Mecsek]] and [[North Hungarian Mountains]]. Alpokalja (literally ''the foothills of the [[Alps]]'') is located along the [[Austria]]n border; its highest point is [[Írott-kő]] with an elevation of 882 metres. The Transdanubian Mountains stretch from the west part of [[Lake Balaton]] to the [[Danube Bend]] near [[Budapest]], where it meets the North Hungarian Mountains. Its tallest peak is the 757 m high [[Pilis]]. [[Mecsek]] is the southernmost Hungarian mountain range, located north from [[Pécs]] - Its highest point is the [[Zengő]] with 682 metres.

The North Hungarian Mountains lie north of Budapest and run in a northeasterly direction south of the border with Slovakia. The higher ridges, which are mostly forested, have rich coal and iron deposits. Minerals are a major resource of the area and have long been the basis of the industrial economies of cities in the region. Viticulture is also important, producing the famous [[Tokaji]] wine. The highest peak of it is the [[Kékes]], located in the [[Mátra]] mountain range.

===Highest independent peaks===
[[File:Tajkep mderecskerol matra.jpg|275px|thumb|1. [[Kékes]]]]
{{main list|List of mountains in Hungary}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!
! Name
! Height
! [[Mountain range|Range]]
! Geographic region
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|1}} || [[Kékes]]tető ||style="text-align:right"|1,014 m || [[Mátra]] || [[North Hungarian Mountains]]
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|2}} || [[Galya-tető]] ||style="text-align:right"|964 m || Mátra || North Hungarian Mountains
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|3}} || [[Szilvási-kő]] ||style="text-align:right"|961 m || [[Bükk]] || North Hungarian Mountains
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|4}} || [[Istállós-kő]] ||style="text-align:right"|959 m || Bükk || North Hungarian Mountains
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|5}} || [[Bálvány]] ||style="text-align:right"|956 m || Bükk || North Hungarian Mountains
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|6}} || [[Tar-kő]] ||style="text-align:right"|950 m || Bükk || North Hungarian Mountains
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|7}} || [[Csóványos]] ||style="text-align:right"|938 m || [[Börzsöny]] || North Hungarian Mountains
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|8}} || [[Magos-fa]] ||style="text-align:right"|916 m || Börzsöny || North Hungarian Mountains
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|9}} || [[Nagy-Milic]] ||style="text-align:right"|895 m || [[Zemplén Mountains]] || North Hungarian Mountains
|-
| style="text-align:right"|{{nts|10}} || [[Írott-kő]] ||style="text-align:right"|882 m || [[Kőszeg Mountains]] || [[Alpokalja]]
|}

==Climate==
{{main|Climate of Hungary}}
[[File:Koppen-Geiger Map HUN present.svg|thumb|300px|Hungary map of Köppen climate classification.]]
Hungary has a mainly [[continental climate]] with the rest of the Pannonian Plain, with cold winters and warm to hot summers. The average annual temperature is about {{convert|10|°C|°F|abbr=on|lk=on}}, in summer {{convert|27|to|35|C|F}}, and in winter {{convert|0|to|-15|C|F}}, with extremes ranging from about {{convert|42|°C|°F|abbr=on}} in summer to {{convert|-35|°C|°F|abbr=on}} in winter. Average yearly rainfall is about {{convert|600|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}. Distribution and frequency of rainfall are unpredictable. The western part of the country usually receives more rain than the eastern part, where severe droughts may occur in summertime. Weather conditions in the Great Plain can be especially harsh, with hot summers, cold winters, and scant rainfall.

By the 1980s, the countryside was beginning to show the effects of pollution, both from herbicides used in agriculture and from industrial pollutants. Most noticeable was the gradual contamination of the country's bodies of water, endangering fish and wildlife. Although concern was mounting over these disturbing threats to the environment, no major steps had yet been taken to arrest them.

==Rivers and lakes==
{{main|Hydrology of Hungary}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{|border=0 width=100%
|colspan=2|'''Rivers'''

The springs of the major Hungarian rivers are outside the country. The two most important rivers, the [[Danube]] and the [[Tisza]] are navigable on their whole Hungarian length. They have several tributaries.
|-
|colspan=2|&nbsp;
|-
|width=45%|'''Name'''
|'''Length in Hungary'''
|-
|[[Danube]]
|417&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Tisza]]
|596&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Leitha]]
|180&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Rábca]]
|
|-
|[[Rába]]
|211&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Zala (river)|Zala]]
|139&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Dráva]]
|125&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Ipeľ|Ipoly]]
|143&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Zagyva]]
|160&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Sajó]]
|125&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Hornád|Hernád]]
|118&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Bodrog]]
|52&nbsp;km
|-
|[[Someș (river)|Szamos]]
|
|-
|[[Körös]]
|
|-
|[[Mureș (river)|Maros]]
|48&nbsp;km
|-
|}
{{col-break}}
{|border=0 width=100%
|colspan=2|'''Lakes'''

Hungary has several bodies of water, including the greatest lake of Central Europe, [[Lake Balaton]], which is a famous tourist destination. [[Lake Hévíz]], the largest thermal lake in the world (47,500 square metres in area) is located in [[Hungary]] as well. The [[Tapolca|Lake Cave]] (''Hungarian: Barlangtó'') of Tapolca is also notable as being a sub-surface lake. Major lakes include:
|-
|colspan=2|&nbsp;
|-
|width=45%|'''Name'''
|'''Surface in Hungary'''
|-
|[[Lake Balaton|Balaton]]
|596&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
|-
|[[Lake Tisza|Tisza]] (''artificial'')
|127&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
|-
|[[Lake Fertő|Fertő]]
|75&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
|-
|[[Lake Velence|Velence]]
|26&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
|-
|}
{{col-end}}

==Agriculture==
[[File:Corn, Hungary.jpg|right|thumb|Wheat field, Hungary]]
Hungary, with its plains and hilly regions, is highly suitable for agriculture.

===Arable land===
Doubtless, one of Hungary's most important natural resources is [[arable land]]. It covers about 48.57% of the country, which is outstanding in the world (see the related [[:File:Arable land percent world.png|map]]). The mass majority of the [[fertile soil]] has a good quality.

The most important agricultural zones are the [[Little Hungarian Plain]] (it has the highest quality fertile soil in average), [[Transdanubia]], and the [[Great Hungarian Plain]]. The last covers more than half of the country (52,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> in number), whereas soil quality varies extremely; the territory even contains a small, grassy [[semi-desert]], the so-called [[puszta]] (steppe in English). Puszta is exploited by [[sheep]] and [[cattle]] raising.

The most important Hungarian agricultural products include [[maize|corn]], [[wheat]], [[barley]], [[oat]], [[sunflower]], [[poppy]],<!-- [[just poppy seed, or poppyseed oil or opium too? --> [[potato]], [[millet]], [[beet|sugar-beet]], [[flax]], and many other plants. There are also some newly naturalized plants too, for example [[amaranth]]. [[Poppy seed]] is part of the traditional [[Hungarian cuisine]].

[[File:Paprikahungarian.jpg|right|thumb|A greengrocer's in Hungary]] The country is well known for producing high quality [[Capsicum annuum|peppers]], which are often made into [[paprika]]. There are numerous fruits reared, including many subspecies of [[apple]], [[pear]], [[peach]], [[grape]], [[apricot]], [[watermelon]], [[cantaloupe]], etc.

Hungary does not grow any [[Genetically modified organism|GMO]] products, thus these products are mainly imported from the [[United States]]. They cannot, however, be distributed without a mark on the wrapping.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GMO Licensing Authorisation in Hungary |url=https://gmo.kormany.hu/gmo-authorisation-in-hungary |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=gmo.kormany.hu}}</ref>

===Viticulture===
Wine production has a long history in Hungary. There are two languages in [[Europe]] in which the word for "wine" does not derive from the [[Latin language|Latin]], being [[Greek language|Greek]] &ndash; and [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]. The Hungarian word is ''bor''.

Viticulture has been recorded in the territory of today's Hungary since the Roman times, who were responsible for the introduction of the cultivation of wines. The arriving Hungarians took over the practice and have maintained it ever since.

Today, there are numerous wine regions in Hungary, producing quality and inexpensive wines as well, comparable to Western European ones. The majority of the country's wine regions are located in the mountains or in the hills, such as [[Transdanubian Mountains]], [[North Hungarian Mountains]], [[Villány Mountains]], and so on. Important ones include the regions of [[Eger]], [[Hajós]], [[Somló]], [[Sopron]], [[Villány]], [[Szekszárd]], and [[Tokaj-Hegyalja]].

===Forestry===
19% of the country is covered by [[forest]]s. These are mainly mountainous areas, such as the North Hungarian and the Transdanubian Mountains, and the [[Alpokalja]]. The composition of forests is various, with trees like [[fir]], [[beech]], [[oak]], [[willow]], [[acacia]], [[Platanus|plane]], etc. {{See also|Honey production in Hungary}}

==Political geography==
{{Further|Counties of Hungary|NUTS of Hungary}}

Hungary's current [[Counties of Hungary|counties]] are largely based on the country's historic regions. The counties are subdivided into ''[[Districts of Hungary|district]]s'' (''járás''), and these are further divided into ''[[municipality|municipalities]]'' (''település''). Hungary has 19 counties, 174 districts + 23 [[List of districts in Budapest|districts in Budapest]] and 2,722 ''municipality''.

[[Image:Map of counties of Hungary 2004.png|500px|right]]
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="margin-top:7px; margin-right:0px; text-align:left; font-size:90%"
|- style="font-size:100%; text-align:right;"
! <!--style="width:145/75/75/85px"--> [[Counties of Hungary|County]] !! Seat !! Area (km<sup>2</sup>)!! Population
|-
|[[Baranya County|Baranya]] || [[Pécs]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|4,430|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|386,441
|-
|[[Bács-Kiskun County|Bács-Kiskun]] || [[Kecskemét]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|8,445|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|520,331
|-
|[[Békés County|Békés]] || [[Békéscsaba]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|5,630|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|359,948
|-
|[[Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County|Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén]] || [[Miskolc]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|7,250|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|686,266
|-
|[[Csongrád-Csanád County|Csongrád-Csanád]] || [[Szeged]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|4,263|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|417,456
|-
|[[Fejér County|Fejér]] || [[Székesfehérvár]] ||style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|4,358|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|425,847
|-
|[[Győr-Moson-Sopron County|Győr-Moson-Sopron]] || [[Győr]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|4,208|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|447,985
|-
|[[Hajdú-Bihar County|Hajdú-Bihar]] || [[Debrecen]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|6,211|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|546,721
|-
|[[Heves County|Heves]] || [[Eger]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|3,637|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|308,882
|-
|[[Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County|Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok]] || [[Szolnok]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|5,582|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|386,594
|-
|[[Komárom-Esztergom County|Komárom-Esztergom]] || [[Tatabánya]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|2,265|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|304,568
|-
|[[Nógrád County|Nógrád]] || [[Salgótarján]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|2,545|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|202,427
|-
|[[Pest County|Pest]] || ''[[Budapest]]'' || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|6,393|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|1,217,476
|-
|[[Somogy County|Somogy]] || [[Kaposvár]] ||style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|6,065|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|317,307
|-
|[[Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County|Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg]] || [[Nyíregyháza]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|5,936|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|559,272
|-
|[[Tolna County|Tolna]] || [[Szekszárd]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|3,703|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|230,361
|-
|[[Vas County|Vas]] || [[Szombathely]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|3,336|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|256,629
|-
|[[Veszprém County|Veszprém]] || [[Veszprém]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|4,464|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|351,898
|-
|[[Zala County|Zala]] || [[Zalaegerszeg]] || style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|3,784|| style="text-align:right;padding-right:2px"|282,179
|}

==Area and boundaries==
=== Area ===
*Total: 93,030&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
:''country comparison to the world:'' [[List of sovereign states and dependencies by area|108th]]
*Land: 92,340&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
*Water: 690&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (0.74% of total land area)

=== Boundaries ===
*'''Land boundaries:''' ''total:'' {{convert|2,009|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
*'''Border countries and length:''' {{AUT}}: {{convert|366|km|mi|abbr=on}}, {{SVK}}: {{convert|679|km|mi|abbr=on}}, {{UKR}}: {{convert|103|km|mi|abbr=on}}, {{ROU}}: {{convert|443|km|mi|abbr=on}}, {{SRB}}: {{convert|151|km|mi|abbr=on}}, {{CRO}}: {{convert|329|km|mi|abbr=on}} and {{SLO}}: {{convert|102|km|mi|abbr=on}}

=== Area comparison ===
*[[Brazil]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]]
*[[China]] comparative: about half of [[Hubei]]
*[[India]] comparative: slightly larger than [[West Bengal]]
*[[Russia]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Altai Republic]]
*[[South Africa]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[KwaZulu-Natal]]
*[[United Kingdom]] comparative: larger than [[Scotland]]
*[[United States]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Indiana]]
*[[Sweden]] comparative slightly smaller than [[Norrbotten County|Norrbotten]]

==Resources and land use==
[[File:Natural resources of Hungary.png|thumb|300px|Natural resources of Hungary. Metals are in blue (Al — [[aluminium]] ore, Mn — [[manganese]], Fe — [[iron]] ore, U — [[uranium]], PM — polymetallic ores (Cu, Zn, Pb)). Fossil fuels are in red (C — [[coal]], L — [[lignite]], P — [[petroleum]], G — [[natural gas]]).]]
*'''Natural resources:''' [[bauxite]], [[coal]], [[natural gas]], fertile soils, arable land
*'''Land use:''' ''[[arable land]]:'' 51%; ''permanent crops:'' 3.6%; ''permanent pastures'' 12.4%
*'''Forests of Hungary and woodlands:''' 19%; ''other:'' 14% (1999 est.)
*'''[[Irrigation|Irrigated]] land:''' 2,060&nbsp;km.<sup>2</sup> (1993 est.)
*'''Important rivers: '''[[Danube]] (''Duna''), [[Tisza]], [[Drava]] (''Dráva''), [[Körös]], [[Mur (river)|Mur]] (''Mura'') {{See also|Rivers of Hungary}}

==Environmental concerns==
'''Natural hazards:''' occasional flooding

'''[[List of national parks of Hungary|National parks]]'''

'''Environment - current issues:'''
The approximation of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large investments.

'''Environment - international agreements:'''

''party to:''
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, [[Desertification]], Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, [[Law of the Sea]], Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

''signed, but not ratified:''
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

'''Geography - note:'''
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between [[Western Europe]] and [[Balkan Peninsula]] as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin

==Extreme points==
[[Image:Hungary topographic map.jpg|425px|right|Map of the extreme points of Hungary]]

===Elevation===
*'''Highest point''': [[Kékes]], at 1,014 m, {{coord|47|52|20.86|N|20|0|34.18|E|region:HU_type:landmark|name=Kékestető (highest)}}, [[Gyöngyös]] ([[Heves County]])
*'''Lowest point''': [[Gyálarét]] (Municipality of [[Szeged]]), at 78 m, {{coord|46|12|19.3|N|20|6|33.1|E|region:HU_type:landmark|name=Gyálarét (lowest)}}, [[Szeged]] ([[Csongrád-Csanád County]])

===Latitude and longitude===
*'''Westernmost settlement''': [[Felsőszölnök]] ([[Vas County]]), {{coord|46|52|14.12|N|16|9|35.03|E|region:HU_type:landmark|name=Felsőszölnök (westernmost settlement)}}
*'''Easternmost settlement''': [[Garbolc]] ([[Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County]]), {{coord|47|56|42.61|N|22|51|35.75|E|region:HU_type:landmark|name=Garbolc (easternmost settlement)}}
*'''Northernmost settlement''': [[Hidvégardó]] ([[Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County]]), {{coord|48|33|38.3|N|20|50|17.7|E|region:HU_type:landmark|name=Hidvégardó (northernmost settlement)}}
*'''Southernmost settlement''': [[Kásád]] ([[Baranya County]]), {{coord|45|46|41|N|18|24|3|E|region:HU_type:landmark|name=Kásád (southernmost settlement)}}

=== Centre ===
*'''[[Centroid|Geographical centre]]''': {{coord|47|10|48.31|N|19|30|13.45|E|region:HU_type:landmark|name=Geographical centre of Hungary}}, [[Pusztavacs]] ([[Pest County]])

==Pictures==
<gallery>
File:DonauknieVisegrad.jpg|A famous tourist destination: the [[Danube Bend]]
File:Tajkep mderecskerol matra.jpg|The mountainous part of the county: in the North Hungarian Mountains, more precisely in [[Mátra]]
File:Hortobagy-ziehbrunnen.jpg|Old wells in the Great Alföld
File:hu-countryside1.jpg|Typical countryside in Transdanubia
File:Balaton2.jpg|[[Lake Balaton|Balaton]], the greatest lake of Hungary is sometimes referred as the "Hungarian sea".
File:Mecsek magyaro 1.jpg|[[Mecsek]], Southern Hungary
File:Vizeses-Lillafured-Miskolc-Hungary-Europe.jpg|The waterfall of [[Lillafüred]]
File:Villany, wine.jpg|[[Viticulture]] near [[Villány]]
</gallery>

==See also==
{{colbegin|colwidth=}}
*[[Administrative divisions of Hungary]]
*[[Extreme points of Hungary]]
*[[Tourism in Hungary]]
*[[List of cities and towns in Hungary]]
*[[List of rivers of Hungary]]
*[[List of mountains in Hungary]]
*[[Pannonian Plain]]
*[[Geography of Europe]]
{{colend}}

==References==
<references />

*{{country study|country=Hungary|abbr=hu}}
*{{CIA World Factbook}}
{{Geography of Europe}}
{{Europe topic|Climate of}}
{{Danube}}
{{Hungary articles}}
{{Hungary geographical regions}}

{{Commons category|Geography of Hungary}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography Of Hungary}}
[[Category:Geography of Hungary| ]]