Hungary ðŸ‡ðŸ‡º
Hungary is a country in Europe with a population of 9,967,308. Its capital is Budapest. The official currency is HUF, and the main languages are Hungarian.
Quick facts
- Capital: Budapest
- Continent: Europe
- Population: 9,967,308
- Area: 93,028 km²
- Density: 107 people per km²
- Currency: HUF
- Languages: Hungarian
- ISO code: HU
Where Hungary sits
Hungary ðŸ‡ðŸ‡º is one of 46 countries in Europe, with its capital at Budapest. It covers 93,028 square kilometres — 108th in the world — and is home to about 9,967,308 people, 94th globally.
The countries it shares a continent with include Russia, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy. If you are learning geography region by region — which works far better than alphabetically, because memory for places is spatial — those are the ones to learn alongside it.
How Hungary compares
Raw figures are hard to hold on their own, so it helps to anchor them. In population, Hungary sits closest to Tajikistan and Papua New Guinea. In land area, its nearest counterparts are Portugal and Jordan.
At 107 people per square kilometre it is somewhat above the world average of 59.4. It ranks higher by population than by area, so it is more crowded than its size alone suggests.
Hungarian is listed as official in Hungary alone. The HUF is used by Hungary and no one else.
To see Hungary next to every other country, sort the country rankings by population, area or density; its currency and languages are listed alongside every other country's in world currencies and world languages.
How to remember Hungary
Budapest is two names joined together: hilly Buda and flat Pest face each other across the Danube, and they were united as one city (with Óbuda) in 1873. For the flag, think of a strawberry on a plate of cream and lettuce: red, white, green from the top.
The flag of Hungary: red, white and green
ðŸ‡ðŸ‡º The flag is three horizontal stripes of red, white and green. Old folklore gives each colour a virtue: red for strength, white for faithfulness and green for hope. Another explanation is red for the blood spilled for the country, white for freedom and green for the land.
Region and neighbours
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe, covering much of the Carpathian Basin, with the Danube and Tisza rivers flowing through it. It shares land borders with 7 countries: Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. Hungary is landlocked, with no coast on the open ocean.
- Austria 🇦🇹 — capital Vienna
- Slovakia 🇸🇰 — capital Bratislava
- Ukraine 🇺🇦 — capital Kyiv
- Romania 🇷🇴 — capital Bucharest
- Serbia 🇷🇸 — capital Belgrade
- Croatia ðŸ‡ðŸ‡· — capital Zagreb
- Slovenia 🇸🇮 — capital Ljubljana
Three facts about Hungary
- Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe.
- The Rubik's Cube puzzle was invented in 1974 by the Hungarian sculptor and architecture professor Ernő Rubik.
- The Parliament building in Budapest is the biggest building in Hungary, at 268 m long.
Sources: Wikipedia: Hungary, Wikipedia: Flag of Hungary, Wikipedia: Budapest, Wikipedia: Lake Balaton, Wikipedia: Rubik's Cube, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Hungary
- European capitals quiz — match Hungary to Budapest
- European flags quiz — spot the Hungary flag among its neighbours
- Landlocked countries quiz — Hungary has no sea coast
Quizzes that include Hungary
Three angles are worth covering for any country — where it is, what its flag looks like, and what its capital is. For Hungary those are:
- Europe map quiz — place it on a blank map
- Europe flags quiz — identify its flag among its neighbours
- Europe capitals quiz — match it to Budapest
- Hungary capital quiz — five quick questions starting with Hungary
- Daily Map Challenge — five countries to find on a blank world map, the same five for everyone each day
Doing all three for one continent before moving on is far more efficient than learning flags globally, then capitals globally, then the map.
Read more about Hungary
- Capital of Hungary: Budapest — the capital in detail, with size and density rankings
- All 46 countries of Europe
Nearby countries
- Albania 🇦🇱 — capital Tirana
- Andorra 🇦🇩 — capital Andorra la Vella
- Austria 🇦🇹 — capital Vienna
- Belarus 🇧🇾 — capital Minsk
- Belgium 🇧🇪 — capital Brussels
- Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦 — capital Sarajevo
- Bulgaria 🇧🇬 — capital Sofia
- Croatia ðŸ‡ðŸ‡· — capital Zagreb
- Cyprus 🇨🇾 — capital Nicosia
- Czechia 🇨🇿 — capital Prague
- Denmark 🇩🇰 — capital Copenhagen
- Estonia 🇪🇪 — capital Tallinn
Frequently asked questions
What are the colours of the Hungary flag?
The flag of Hungary is three horizontal stripes of red, white and green. Old folklore gives each colour a virtue: red for strength, white for faithfulness and green for hope. Another explanation is red for the blood spilled for the country, white for freedom and green for the land.
Which countries border Hungary?
Hungary shares land borders with Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.
How can I remember the capital of Hungary?
Budapest is two names joined together: hilly Buda and flat Pest face each other across the Danube, and they were united as one city (with Óbuda) in 1873. For the flag, think of a strawberry on a plate of cream and lettuce: red, white, green from the top.