– Alberta Relations

This map is a generalized illustration only and is not intended to be used for reference purposes. The representation of political boundaries does not necessarily reflect the position of the Government of Alberta on international issues of recognition,

PROFILE DID YOU KNOW? ECONOMY Capital:  In April 2011, Parliament passed a  Hungary’s entry into the EU has new constitution that entered into entrenched an economic system Population: 9.99 million (2011) force on January 1, 2012. based on private ownership and Language: Hungarian competitive markets with free access  Hungary held the six-month rotating to Western European markets. Government: Parliamentary Republic presidency of the (EU) for the first-time from January  As a highly export-oriented country, : President Pal Schmitt to June 2011. The Hungarian Hungary will benefit from the (elected for a five-year term by Parliament Presidency played an important role continued liberalization of world trade in June 2010) in the EU’s fight against the and closer economic integration with economic crisis. On June 30th, the EU. Head of Government: Prime Minister 2011, the last day of the Hungarian Viktor Orban (since May 2010; the next Presidency, the EU completed  The Hungarian market is relatively parliamentary election will be held in 2014) negotiations with Croatia, which is small and mature. The standard of living for many has Currency: , expected to join the economic and improved over the past few years. CDN$1.00 = HUF191.42 (June 2011) political partnership in July 2013.  From 2007 to 2011, Alberta’s exports GDP: US$138.7 billion (2011)  Otto von Habsburg, the last heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire to Hungary averaged CAD$6.4million GDP (PPP): US$195.5 billion (2011 est.) passed away in July 2011. per year, consisting mainly of machinery, pet food, and iron or steel GDP per Capita (PPP): US$19,580 (2011  Hungary has been a member-state products. est.) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development  During the same period, Alberta’s GDP Growth Rate: -0.6% (2007-2011 direct imports from Hungary avg.) (OECD) since 1996, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty averaged CAD$8.4 million per year, Inflation: 5.4% (2007-2011 avg.) Organization (NATO) since 1999, including machinery, furniture and and is one of the ten countries that bedding, and electrical machinery. Unemployment: 11% (2011) joined the EU in May 2004. This figure does not include goods sold in Alberta that have arrived via Key Industry Sectors: mining, metallurgy,  The Republic of Hungary held its distribution hubs in other provinces. construction materials, processed foods, first multiparty elections in 1990. textiles, chemicals (especially  The stock of Canadian direct pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles  Hungary accelerated the collapse of investment to Hungary stood at communism across Eastern Europe CDN$12.1 billion in 2010. by dismantling the fence along its border with Austria in 1989.

January 2013 | Input provided by Alberta Ministries of: Agriculture and Rural Development, Education, Energy, Enterprise and Advanced Education, Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Alberta's Exports to Hungary 2002 ‐ 2011 Alberta's Merchandise Exports to Hungary 2007‐2011 9 (Total Average CAD$ 6.4 Million) 8 7 $6.1 Other Machinery 18% 6 33% 5 Electrical Machinery Millions 4 9%

CAD 3 2 Iron/Steel 1 Products Pet Food 0 13% 27% 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 ENERGY COMMUNITY  In 2002, Olds College partnered with  Hungary is a relatively small energy Alberta-based Rio Alto Ranch supplier, with oil reserves of 20 million  There are approximately 48,665 International and the University of barrels (bbl) (2009) compared to Albertans of Hungarian descent. Kaposvar in Hungary to improve beef Alberta’s 171.3 billion bbl (2009). As a  The Canadian-Hungarian Cultural Society production. CIDA has provided funding result, Hungary is greatly dependent on of Edmonton, initially established in to develop training programs in oil imports, mostly from Russia. 1945, provides cultural, educational and Hungary to support this initiative.  The country is largely dependent on social programs to the local Hungarian OFFICIAL VISITS imported energy, particularly from community. Russia. Hungary’s primary energy  April 2007: Official visit of the  The Society has participated in supply is sourced from gas, oil and President of Hungary, Mr. Lazlo Solyom, Edmonton’s Heritage Festival coal. Its share of renewable energy and the Hungarian Minister of Education celebrations every summer since 1979. falls below the European Union & Culture, Dr. István Hiller. average.  CKER-FM broadcasts across Alberta in  March 2007: Official visit of His many different languages, including  According to the International Energy Excellency Pal Vastagh, Hungarian Hungarian. Agency, Hungary has taken steps to Ambassador to Canada. enhance energy storage capacity, EDUCATION  October 2004: Mr. Péter Medgyes, diversifying cross-border capacity and Deputy State Secretary for International creating new supply routes.  In April 2007, Alberta’s Minister of Education and Hungary’s Minister of Relations, Hungarian Ministry of  In 2009 Hungary consumed 158,220 Education and Culture signed a Education visited Alberta. barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2009. Its oil Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to  March 2004: Participation of the imports were 122,650 bbl/d. facilitate teacher and student exchanges, Secretary of the school twinnings and knowledge and  Hungary consumed 426 billion cubic Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the expertise sharing between the two feet (Bcf) of natural gas in 2010. Of “Changing Face of Europe” conference jurisdictions. this, 332 Bcf was imported. hosted by the University of Alberta’s  In March 1998, the University of Alberta Wirth Institute for Austrian and Central  In July 2009, an inter-governmental (U of A) and the Governments of European Studies. agreement between Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary and Austria was  April 2003: Official visit to Alberta by Slovenia, Slovakia and Poland signed an signed to build the Nabucco gas Hungarian Ambassador, His Excellency agreement that established the Wirth pipeline which will transport gas from Denes Tomaj. Institute for Austrian and Central the Middle-Asian region and Middle East European Studies. DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION into Europe. The construction of the pipeline is scheduled to begin in 2013  In September 2003, the Wirth Institute  His Excellency László Csaba Pordány is and expected to be in operation by established the Berdin Hungarian the Ambassador of Hungary to Canada. 2017. Language Initiative, a five-year project aimed at developing a sustainable  The Canadian Ambassador to Hungary AGRICULTURE program at the U of is Ms. Tamara Guttman.  In 2010, Alberta agri-food exports to A.  The Honorary Consul of Hungary in Hungary were valued at CDN$2.68  The Wirth Institute is exploring potential Calgary is Mr. Arthur M. Szabo. million, consisting primarily of pet food partnerships, such as faculty and student (CDN$2.32 million). Alberta is  The Hungarian Honorary Consul in exchanges, with the Eötvös Loránd Hungary’s top supplier of pet food Edmonton is Mr. Alexander S. Szenthe. (ELTE) University and the Central outside the EU (71% of Hungary’s pet European University in Budapest. food imports outside the EU originate

from Alberta).  The U of A has an agreement with the Hungarian Ministry of Education and  There is significant opportunity for Culture to fund a Doctoral Research Alberta based beef cattle genetics, Fellow at the Wirth Institute. production technology and training in Hungary. There is high market demand for cattle breeding stock and good potential for a cattle feeder to finishing industry.

For more information, contact: Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations

Phone: 780-427-6543 Fax: 780-427-0699 albertacanada.com international.alberta.ca