The Hungary Book
The most important knowledge needed for Hungarian citizenship: the country's geography, history and statehood, as well as the text of the Anthem, the Appeal and the citizenship oath — with classic Hungarian recipes, famous Hungarians, the sights of Budapest and Hungarian celebrations.
Location and borders
Hungary lies in Central Europe, in the middle of the Carpathian Basin. Its area is ninety-three thousand and thirty-six square kilometres. To the north it borders Slovakia, to the northeast Ukraine, to the east Romania, to the south Serbia and Croatia, to the southwest Slovenia, and to the west Austria.
Capital and larger cities
The capital is Budapest, which lies on both banks of the Danube: Buda and Pest. Budapest has a population of nearly two million. The larger cities are: Debrecen, Szeged, Miskolc, Pécs, Győr, Nyíregyháza, Kecskemét and Székesfehérvár.
Rivers and lakes
The most important river is the Danube, which cuts across the country from north to south. The Tisza is the other great river, flowing through the Great Plain. The largest lake is Lake Balaton, the largest warm-water lake in Central Europe — often called the Hungarian Sea. In the west lies Lake Fertő.
Regions
The country is divided into three main regions: Transdanubia west of the Danube (where the Bakony and Mecsek hills lie), the Great Plain east of the Danube (a flat lowland), and Northern Hungary in the north (where the Mátra, Bükk and Börzsöny mountains rise). Hungary's highest point is the Kékes in the Mátra, eight hundred and fifty-seven metres high.
Climate
Hungary's climate is temperate and continental. There are four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Summers are warm, often above thirty degrees. Winters are cold, often below freezing, and snow also falls. The annual average temperature is about eleven degrees.
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