Hungary

a kingdom of southeastern Europe. It has been united with Austria since 1867 in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The two countries manage their foreign and military affairs in common and have a common monarch. Otherwise Hungary is entirely independent. The two states have the same coinage, weights, and measures. In addition to Hungary proper, the kingdom includes several provinces, as Transylvania, Croatia, and Slavonia. The total area is not far from 125,430 English square miles. The population at the beginning of the century was reported at 19,254,559, rather less than half of whom are Hungarians. The rest are Germans, Slavonians, Roumanians, Croatians, Servians, etc. The prevailing religion is Roman Catholic. The adherents of the Greek Church are next in number. There is religious liberty for all. A system of public schools has been established. Education was made compulsory in 1868. There are three universities and numerous high schools. About half of the population can neither read nor write.

AGRICULTURE. The plains of Hungary are noted for their fertility. They occupy a vast tract in the vicinity of the Danube in an amphitheatre formed by the Alps on the west and the Carpathian Mountains on the east. The mountain systems come together on the south, where the Danube breaks its way through a passage known as the Iron Gate. Agriculture is the chief industry. Sixty-eight per cent of the population is engaged in tilling the soil. The crops raised are those common in Central Europe, including the cereals, the sugar beet, and the grape. Forests occupy rather more than a sixth of the country.

PRODUCTION. The production of oak, beech, and pine timber is considerable. There are mines of gold, silver, iron, coal, and lignite. The chief manufactures are foodstuffs, machinery, earthenware, glass, cloth, leather, and chemicals. In 1902 there were ninety-five breweries and 66,830 village distilleries. The manufacture of tobacco is a state monopoly. Budapest, on the Danube, is the capital. Commerce is carried on by means of the river and by rail. The railroads are owned by the state. The chief imports are tobacco, sugar, leather, clothing, and cloth. The exports are of an agricultural nature,--flour and grain, cattle, horses, pigs, eggs, and wine.

POPULATION. The Hungarians proper, or Magyars, are thought to be a Scythian race. They are a high-spirited, warlike, generous people. They are proud, and are fond of elegant dress and of entertainment rather than of work. They are believed to be related to the modern Turk, to whom, however, they are incomparably superior. Their first king, Stephen, accepted Christianity. He was made a saint by the pope, and was presented with a crown. The crown of St. Stephen, as it is called, has been used at the coronation of every Hungarian king to the present day. Whatever their race affinities may be, Europe owes much to the Hungarian for barring the entrance of the Turk through the Iron Gate. Under their celebrated general, Hunyady, one of the great soldiers of Europe, they held back the Turks singlehanded. They cooperated with Prince Eugene and took Belgrade after a siege remarkable in history. The Hungarians are not happy in their relations with Austria. In many respects they are more progressive. It is quite possible that a separation may take place at some future day.

STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest to be had from trustworthy sources: