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L I T E R A T U R E

Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 2009. Vol. 58. No 3. pp. 215–219.

Kocsis, K. and Schweitzer, F. (eds.): Hungary in Maps. Geographical Research Institute 
Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 2009, 211 pp.

The latest, third volume of a series of atlases published by the Geographical 
Research Institute presents the geography of Hungary. The fi rst volume presented a region, 
South Eastern Europe and the Balkans (2005, 2007), and the second Ukraine (2008), one 
of the largest and most populous countries of the continent. The new member of regional 
atlases, a comprehensive overview of a comparatively small country, Hungary, is the most 
voluminous of them. This publication can really be called an atlas as the descriptions and 
analyses on more than 200 pages are illustrated by 172 full-colour maps and diagrams. In 
addition, 52 tables accompany the clear and authoritative explanatory notes. On average, 
each page of the atlas contains at least one colour fi gure or a statistical set. The volume 
consistently follows a clear editorial philosophy in content, structure, outward appearance 
and execution (size, cover, paper quality, lett er types, page sett ing, and illustrations. This 
is a unique publication combining the best features of a book and atlas. No such work was 
published in Hungary in the past few decades. 

The Hungarian geographers always thought it important to present their country 
for foreign readers. Aft er World War I, several geography books and lots of maps were 
published on Hungary and its geographical environment. They were published fi rst of all 
in French, English and German languages, and they showed the catastrophic eff ect of the 
peace treaty (1920) on Hungary and the Carpathian Basin. Later, since the 1960s, aft er a 
break of two decades, the studies and two national atlases concentrated on presenting the 
large scale changes in the socialist society and economy. They were published in Russian, 
German and English. 

Twenty years aft er the great political changes and the second edition of the 
National Atlas of Hungary in 1989, it was high time again publishing a concise book or atlas 
to refl ect the current state of the country in English. According to the editors, this project 
served as a preliminary study for the new, third edition of the National Atlas of Hungary 
to be co-ordinated by the Geographical Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of 
Sciences. The two editors and their excellent staff  have tested their capacity of collecting 
the data from Hungarian and international sources, writing the detailed explanations and 
organizing a huge scientifi c project. As an outcome of these eff orts, a distinguished team of 
more than thirty contributors presented the results of their research in almost all the fi elds 
of earth sciences. An impressive amount of information in the maps and graphs supported 
with textual comments make the atlas a comprehensive handbook. Although the emphasis 
is largely placed on contemporary Hungary, important sections are devoted to the historical 
development of the natural and human environment as well. 

The work is divided into fi ve parts, two shorter introductory and three longer 
analyzing chapters. The fi rst, short chapter positions Hungary, its geographical location 
and geopolitical situation in the world. The subsections briefl y describe the stability and 
change in the ethnic and state territory in the past 1100 years, administrative divisions, 
and give an overview of the changes in the international relations and economic develop-
ment aft er 1989. The comparative fi gures also reveal the dramatic scale of transformation 



216

of some European economies at the turn of the 20th and 21st century. The second, shortest 
chapter is an outline of the history of the Hungarian state since the very beginning to the 
past years, when Hungary became a member of the European Union. An excellent map 
series on the states in the Carpathian Basin between 1000 and 2009 accompanies the story 
of the Hungarians. 

The third chapter follows with the topographical and physical-geographical de-
scription of Hungary. This analysis of the natural environment comprises almost a third 
of the total pages of the volume. Compared to the former atlases in the series, this part is 
given a major att ention. The relatively detailed description demonstrates that the study 
of the geography of Hungary has been traditionally strongly rooted in understanding the 
natural conditions of the land. The subchapters begin with addressing the topic of geo-
physics (tackling the earthquakes in the whole Pannonian Basin) and – relatively shortly 
– geology. The part on the relief and landscape types is richly accompanied by maps. The 
subchapter dedicated on climate includes long-term trends, which are of great importance 
for the agriculture in Hungary. A section on hydrography follows, which convincingly 
demonstrates that the scientifi c study of waters, the drainage system and the water man-
agement is of crucial importance for the urgent fl ood control in Hungary, a country set in 
the middle of a large basin. Another subchapter explains why the fertile soils of Hungary 
form a major asset of the national wealth, though land degradation has been endangering 
their quality. The parts on the fl ora and fauna analyze the question in a broader perspective 
both in time and space. The state of nature conservation and environmental protection in 
Hungary is extensively presented in two subchapters not forgett ing about the international 
environmental confl icts. 

The chapter on the population and sett lements is somewhat underrepresented in 
the atlas compared to the extent of similar chapters in the former two publications. This is 
certainly explained by the fact that the population of Hungary is much more homogeneous 
than that of the Balkans or Ukraine. However, the maps and tables and the explanations on 
relatively fewer pages give a comprehensive overview of the demographic features of the 
country: the size and distribution of the population, the population movement in historical 
perspective, and internal and international migration. Intriguing topics are discussed and 
presented here: the general population decline, ageing, increase in unemployment, the 
Roma population at home, the situation of Hungarian minorities abroad, and new trends 
in urban development. The subchapter on ethnicity and religion is another part of the book 
that will raise a great interest among foreign readers although the latest data (from 2001) 
are relatively old. The national census planned for 2011 will surely provide the editors 
with up-to-date data on the ethnic and lingual patt erns as well as on church and religion. 
The subchapter on sett lements is more detailed and gives current data on the sett lement 
system and urbanization of Hungary. 

The fi nal, and – just like in the other atlases in this series – by far the most extensive 
chapter deals with the economy of the country. Aft er an outline of the economic history 
of Hungary, important passages describe the transition to a market economy (including 
the privatization and the controversial economic and social consequences as a result of the 
transition) and the main features of the new economic structure, not leaving the subject of 
the massive infl ux of foreign direct investment. A time series of maps illustrates the regional 
processes of the past three decades. A detailed analysis of economic sectors follows: agri-
culture, mining with the perspectives on the exploitation of mineral resources, problems in 
the energy supply and electricity generation, industry and transport. Telecommunications 
and the banking network with an increasing spatial concentration of services focused on 



217

Budapest as well as the internal trade and capital exports each received a subchapter. The 
fi nal part deals with tourism in Hungary. 

It is a great asset of the atlas that the maps and fi gures clearly orientate the reader 
to discover the regional patt erns and diff erences within Hungary. Unfortunately, the dark 
colours of symbols block the reading of some maps, while in some other cases the colours 
are too much reduced. Although the use of geographical names is not always consistent, the 
maps always help identify the objects or places mentioned in the explanations. The graphs 
and tables of international indicators help the interested to place the economy of Hungary 
fi rst of all in a European dimension. Most of the data are surprisingly fresh – due to the 
computers that can wait until the last days to process the latest data either in table or map 
form and to the scientists who interpreted the data and the trends. 

A book like this is surely an important source of information for geographers 
and other earth scientists. Although writing this volume did not need direct international 
cooperation, the publication will surely generate an echo outside Hungary. I wish that 
Hungary in Maps become a popular publication with the international readers: this book 
may also serve as a nice and useful gift  for visitors including not only the professionals of 
the scientifi c community, but also businessmen, politicians or the sophisticated readers. It 
also satisfi es the interest of those readers who wish to learn about the land and inhabit-
ants of the Hungarian state and want to have a reliable guide to the modern image of the 
country in a European context and on a global scale. The price of this professional guide 
is most advantageous! 

This atlas makes Hungary even more att ractive to visit. 

Gábor Gercsák

OECD Environmental Performance Reviews Hungary. Organisation for Economic 
Co-operation and Development, Paris, 2008, 226 p.

The review of public policies and country performance is a core function of the 
OECD, whose aim is to help member countries improve their individual and collective 
performances in environmental management and sustainable development. OECD also 
reviews environmental performance of key non-Member countries. To date, OECD has 
completed reviews of Chile, China and of the Russian Federation.

The Environmental Performance Review of Hungary, published in 2008 in 
English, French and Hungarian examines Hungary’s progress since the previous OECD 
Environmental Performance Review in 2000, and the extent to which the country had met 
its domestic objectives and international commitments. The OECD report also reviews 
Hungary’s progress in the context of the OECD Environmental Strategy for the First Decade 
of the 21st Century. Some 46 recommendations were made that should contribute to further 
environmental progress in Hungary. It addresses the combined eff orts of government and 
civil society (including industry, labour, households and environmental NGOs).

The fi rst environmental review of Hungary assessed the progress made between 
1990 and 2000, a period marked by Hungary’s accession to the OECD (in 1996). It was 
very timely to release the second report, covering the period since 2000, aft er accession of 
Hungary to the EU and aft er more than 10 years of co-operation with OECD. Since 2000,