Hungary in numbers

• Area: 93,030 km2
• Population: 9,7 million people
• Capital and largest city: Budapest
• Language: Hungarian
• Currency: Hungarian Forint (HUF)
• Number of scouts: 14.000
• Foundation of the Hungarian Scout Association: 1912

Hungary is a country located in Central Europe, situated in the Carpathian Basin. It is traversed by the second-longest European river, an important waterway, the Danube. Hungary has diverse landscapes, including plains, hills, and small mountains. Budapest is the capital and largest city of Hungary. Budapest is known for its stunning architecture, including the iconic Parliament building, Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, and the Chain Bridge. The capital city is divided by the Danube River into two parts: Buda (the hilly side) and Pest (the flat side).

Hungarian Scouting

The Hungarian Scout Association (Magyar Cserkészszövetség) is the national scouting organization in Hungary, that was founded in 1912 and is one of the oldest youth organizations in the country. It was banned in 1948 for more than 40 years until 1989 during the years of communism, but operated illegally at home and in the Hungarian diaspora abroad . It has a rich history and plays a significant role in shaping the lives of Hungarian youth. After more than a hundred years, following the path set by Baden-Powell: the (Christian) religion, activities in nature, community service, adventure and self-development still has a prominent role in Hungarian scouting. Uniquely, Hungarian scouting also puts great emphasis on preserving and promoting Hungarian cultural and folk traditions, songs, customs. Currently, Hungary has more than 200 scout troops with more than 14,000 scouts all over the country. 

Hungary hosted the 4th World Scout Jamboree in Gödöllő, Hungary, from August 2 to 13, 1933. The jamboree attracted around 25,792 participants from 54 countries, making it the largest World Scout Jamboree up until that point, and it is still to this date the largest ever scout camp held in Hungary. The Jamboree not only had a profound impact on Hungarian scouting, but also contributed to its recognition in the country.

There are also Hungarian scouting groups and organizations outside Hungary. Hungarian Scout units can be found in various countries, where larger Hungarian communities exist. There are many groups in neighbouring countries with a larger Hungarian minority (Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Ukraine, Croatia), but also in several cities in Western Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland and the UK), in the US and Canada, in South America and Australia..

Fun facts about Hungary:

• The Hungarian State was established more than 1000 years ago, by King Saint Stephen. Hungarians celebrate the “birthday” of Hungary on his feast day,  August 20 with various cultural and religious activities, concerts, and some spectacular fireworks in Budapest  over the Danube.
• Hungary has been the birthplace of several notable inventions and innovations, such as the Rubik’s Cube, which was invented by Hungarian architect Ernő Rubik; but the inventor of e.g. the ball-point pen (László Bíró) and the hologram (Dénes Gábor), among many other things, are also Hungarians.
• Hungary is home to numerous natural hot springs and thermal baths: Budapest alone has a dozen, such as the Széchenyi and Gellért Baths, but you can find them all over the country.
• Hungarian, the official language of Hungary, is a distinctive language with no direct linguistic relation to other major European language groups. For example, its alphabet has 44 letters (compared to the 26 of standard English), where o, ó, ö, ő (just like e, é, a, á, u, ú, ü, ű) all signal different sounds, and if used incorrectly, may change the meaning of a word.
• Lake Balaton, located in western Hungary, is the largest lake in Central Europe. It is a popular tourist destination known for its natural beauty, beaches, cultural sites, food and drink traditions, and recreational activities, like water sports or many summer festivals and concerts. Lake Balaton is often referred to as the „Hungarian Sea.”