HUNGARY

Capital: Budapest  |  Population: 9.89 million

Country Overview

Welcome to Hungary, a land of thermal water and rich folk crafts traditions.

Hungary is a home to the largest thermal water cave system and the second-largest thermal lake in the world. Naturally, a passion for spa culture and Hungarian history have been intertwined from the very beginning.

Hungary is also famous for its excellent mathematics education, which has trained numerous outstanding world-famous scientists. The country has produced thirteen Hungarian Nobel prize winners, and their many inventions include the Rubik’s cube!

Since 1989, Hungary has been a multiparty government and a parliamentary democracy with elected representatives. 99% of the country’s population speak Hungarian, also known as Magyar, and speak it as a first language. Thereafter English and German are the most widely spoken foreign languages at respectively 16% and 11%.

Hungary is historically a Christian country. Now, half of Hungarians are Roman Catholic, followed by Calvinists, Lutherans, and Jews.

Daily Life

Given its advantageous geographic location, it is hardly surprising that spa culture is a significant part of Hungarians’ leisurely life. Good quality thermal water can be found in great quantities on over 80% of Hungary’s territory!

Hungarians also love sports and are extremely proud of the fact that the country has the third-highest number of Olympic medals per capita and the second-highest number of gold medals per capital in the world. You will often find Hungarians gathered around TVs during games, especially during the men’s water polo games which they are exceptionally stellar at. Football is another popular sport nationwide.

Hungarian cuisine is a prominent feature of Hungarian culture, just like the art of hospitality. Traditional dishes such as the world famous Goulash feature prominently, and dishes are often flavored with paprika, a Hungarian invention.

Szia

School

Formal education is compulsory in Hungary between ages six and sixteen. Hungary has a high level of literacy at 98%. Traditionally, most people considered a high school diploma as the final formal education goal but since the 1980s, more value has been placed on college education.

Free time is organized in many schools and institutions in Hungary. Hungarian schools offer many extracurricular activities including hobby groups, sports activities, and choirs.

Teenagers

Similar to their American counterparts, Hungarian teens enjoy going out, hanging out with friends, going to concerts or the theater, playing sports, or just staying home to watch TV or surf the internet.

Recently, English has become the most valued second language among younger people in Hungary, particularly those with entrepreneurial ambitions and in academic, the sciences, and various businesses and services. Interestingly, Hungarian youth also have come to like to use the English word “hello” as slang for “goodbye!”