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Discover the unique attributes of Hungary's landlocked terrain, Czech Republic's agricultural prowess, and Slovakia's post-Communism challenges. Learn about the historical and economic aspects of these Central European nations.
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Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks Chapter 7 Section 2
Hungary (1) • The size of Indiana • Landlocked • Depends on the Danube River for trade and transportation. It flows 1,776 miles, before emptying into the Black Sea.
Hungary (2) • The East has excellent soil and relies on farming • The Carpathian Mountains rise in the North • Hungarians vacation near Lake Balaton, on of Europe's largest lakes.
The Economy • Farmers grow corn, sugar, beets, wheat, potatoes, and grapes. • Natural resources include coal, petroleum, and natural gas. • Manufacturing: food, beverages, tobacco, machines, chemicals and metals.
Hungarians • Magyars came to the Danube area from Central Asia about 1,000 years ago. They were nomads. Eventually they set up a large kingdom and adopted Christianity. • In the 1500s the Ottoman Turks and the Austrians ruled Hungry. • In 1867 Austria and Hungry formed one empire. They were defeated in WWI. Hungry lost territory and became the landlocked country it is today.
Nomads • People who move from place to place, often with herds of animals.
The Czech Republic • A landlocked country • Enjoy a high standard of living • Large fertile areas make Czech Republic a major agricultural producer.
The Czechs • Slavic groups settled in the Czech region around A.D. 400. • By the 900s the Czech had adopted Christianity and formed a kingdom, called Bohemia. It became part of the Austrian Empire. • The Czechs and Slovaks formed Czechoslovakia. • Czechoslovakia came under the Soviet rule • Today the Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy.
Slovakia (1) • Carpathian Mountains tower over the northern region • Rich in iron ore, lead, zinc and copper • The southern region has rugged peaks, thick forests and blue lakes. • Farmers grow barley, corn, potatoes, sugar, beets and grapes.
Slovakia (2) • After the fall of Communism, Slovakian leaders set out to privatize business. Setting up a free market has been difficult • Some government officials acted corruptly, giving advantages to themselves and friends. This made few foreign companies willing to start new business here.
Privatize • Factory ownership transfers from the government to individual citizens.