|
Hungary RESOURCE BASE
Geologically, Hungary is composed primarily of young
sedimentary rock that is generally poor in minerals and
other raw
materials except bauxite, soft coal, and small deposits of
uranium, natural gas, oil, iron ore, manganese, and
copper.
However, Hungary has large tracts of fertile land, a
favorable
climate, and some forests. The country's general lack of
raw
materials has necessitated foreign trade, a concern that
has
dominated the economic policies of Hungarian governments
since
1918, when the country lost much of the territory it held
prior
to World War I
(see Trianon Hungary
, ch. 1). Raw
materials,
semifinished products, spare parts, fuels, and electricity
accounted for 64.2 percent of imports in 1986 and cost
25.9
percent of Hungary's gross domestic product
(GDP--see Glossary).
The Soviet Union was Hungary's principal supplier of raw
materials
(see Foreign Trade
, this ch.).
Data as of September 1989
|
