A small country with a great history, Hungary is located in the heart of Europe. The history of the Hungarian state goes back more than eleven centuries. Today Hungary has a population of 10 million in an area of 93,030 km2.

Hungary is a parliamentary democracy. Hungary has been a full member of the European Union since 1st May 2004. Its capital Budapest is a metropolis with nearly two million inhabitants and it is considered by its many visitors as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Other Hungarian cities are easily accessible from the capital by motorway or rail. Hungarians are famous for their hospitality and cuisine. Culture and sports are also important features of Hungarian life including first-class opera, theatres, museums, exhibitions and concerts as well as world tournaments in various sports. The largest pop-festival in Europe, ‘Sziget’, is held annually on one of the islands in the river Danube in Budapest.

Hungary is a market economy. In the last twenty years, Hungary has become an attractive country for investors. Numerous major international corporations have set up their regional centres in Hungary. In recent years, several Hungarian companies have achieved a leading role in the region.

Hungarian higher education has a long history, with the first university founded in 1367. Hungary’s modern higher education system consisting of universities and colleges emerged in the 20th century. Hungarian diplomas are highly regarded worldwide. The programmes are of a high standard, yet tuition fees and living costs are quite reasonable.

Hungary’s huge contribution to the world’s intellectual heritage includes many Hungarian-educated Nobel Prize winners, famous Hungarian inventions including the ball-point pen (Biro), phosphorous matches (Irinyi), the electric train (Kandó) and the telephone exchange (Puskás), not to mention a long list of famous composers, painters and artists, including Zoltán Kodály, Béla Bartók, Victor Vasarely and Jenő Ormandy.