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General Information
Republic of Hungary - Magyar Köztársaság
Landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.
Flag |
Coat of arms |
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Anthem
"God, bless the Hungarians" - "Isten áldd meg a magyart"Capital
BudapestOfficial Language
Hungarian - MagyarGovernment
Parliamentary republicAccession to the European Union
May 1, 2004Area
Total - 93,030 km2 (35,919 sq mi)Time zone
Greenwich Mean Time + 1 hourU.S. Eastern Standard Time + 6 hours
Religion
54.5% Roman Catholic, 21% Reformed (Calvinist) Protestant, 6% Evangelical (Lutheran), 18.5% otherElectricity
230V 50HzHzElectric Plug Details
European plug with two circular metal pins
Currency
Hungarian Forint (HUF)Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 HUF.
Bank notes: 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 HUF.
1 GBP = approx. 310 HUF (April 2009).
For up-to-date currency exchange rates check: www.xe.net
Credit Cards, Debit Cards and Checks
Major credit cards (AmEx, Visa, Mastercard, Diners, Cirrus) can be used in the member shops and businesses. Look for the logo displayed at the entrance.ATMs operate 24 hours a day. Major credit cards and banking cards are accepted.
There is usually a commission of 1% for cashing travelers cheques at banks. Please note that most stores will not accept travelers checks.
You can use your bank or credit card to get cash at post offices throughout Hungary. More than 3200 post offices nation-wide provide this service.
Banks, Currency Exchange
Banks are usually open between 8.00 - 16.00 on weekdays. Some banks are open on Saturday, but all are closed on Sunday. ATM and currency exchange offices are available throughout the country.Telephone, Fax
Hungary country code 36Budapest area code 1 (+7-digit number)
International pre-dial
00 + country code + local number
Domestic long distance pre-dial
06 + area code + local number
Cell-phone numbers are 9-digit, after dialing 06, the first two numbers depend on the telephone company: 20, 30 or 70.
Important telephone numbers
Ambulance 104Police 107
Fire department 105
Directory Assistance 198
International Directory 199
International Emergency Call 112
Public phones
Require 10, 20, 50 or 100 Forint coins, or a pre-purchased phone card (sold at newsstands, supermarkets, hotels and post offices).Fax machines
Are available for tourists in main post offices and in many city hotels' Business Centres.International collect calls
Can be made from a private line or public payphone. A coin or phone card has to be inserted to initiate the call.International operators:
AT&T 00 8000 1111
MCI 00 8000 1411
SPRINT 00 800 0 1877
Tipping
Restaurant prices in Hungary generally do not include a service charge and it is therefore customary to give a tip, generally equivalent to 10-15% of the bill. For all other tipping, follow the guidelines used in the UK.Public Holidays
Public Holidays in 2010
| January 1 | New Year's Day |
| March 15 | National Holiday |
| April 4, 5 | Easter Sunday & Monday |
| May 1 | Labour Day |
| May 23, 24 | Pentecost (Whitsun) |
| August 20 | St. Stephen's Day |
| October 23 | Anniversary of the 1956 Revolution |
| November 1 | All Saint's Day |
| December 25, 26 | Christmas |
Climate
Continental, with the average temperature (listed in Fahrenheit):
| January February March April May June |
29F 39F 50F 62F 72F 78F |
July August September October November December |
80F 80F 74F 61F 46F 39F |