Hungary is located in central Europe and it covers about 93,000 square kilometers. It is bounded to the north by Slovakia, to the east by Ukraine and Romania, to the south by Yugoslavia and Croatia, and to the west by Slovenia and Austria. Most of the eastern part of the country is flat, but the northwestern area has rolling hills and low mountains. Almost 55% of the land is suitable for cultivation, allowing the country to be nearly self-sufficient in food. The capital city is Budapest which lies on both sides of the Danube River. One-fifth of Hungary's population resides in this city. The climate is continental, with cold winters and warm, pleasant summers. There are four distinct seasons. The average temperature in winter is 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and in the summer, within 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
             Western Hungary became part of the Roman Empire in 14 b.c. as the province of Pannonia, but the east remained in the hands of Germanic and other tribes. In the fifth century, Magyars began migrating from the east. By the end of the ninth century, the Magyars had conquered the resident Moravians and begun permanent settlement. Christianity was introduced in the late 10th century. King Stephen was Hungary's first king in 1000 A.D. who converted the people to Christianity.
             The official language is Magyar, or Hungarian. Magyar is part of the Finno-Ugrian group of the Uralic family of languages, which includes Estonian and Finnish. There is a large Romany community, numbering between 500,000 and 700,000 people, along with Croat, German, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovene and Jewish minorities. About 98% of the population speak Hungarian, but most minority groups also speak their own languages in addition to Hungarian.
             The average Hungarian family has three people. Urban families tend to be smaller than rural ones. The cost of living is high in cities and housing is often limited. The father maintains the ...