Budapest is the capital city of Hungary and the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial and transportation centre. Budapest has approximately 1.7 million inhabitants, down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with the amalgamation on 17 November 1873 of right-bank (west) Buda (Ofen in German) and Abuda (Old Buda or Alt-Ofen) together with Pest on the left (east) bank. It is the ninth largest city in the European Union.
Hungary, officially in English the Republic of Hungary, (literally Hungarian Republic), is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Hungary has been a member state of the European Union since May 1, 2004.
