The Little Hungarian Plain (Kis-Alf451d) lies in the western part of the country upon the islands and both sides of the Danube front Pressburg (Pozsony) to Gran (Esstergom); it is exceedingly fertile and has an area of about 5,000 square miles. Coming through the passes of the Danube at Vicz from the small plain, we reach the Great Hungarian Plain, lying in the centre of the )and and bounded by the Carpathians on one side and the lower Danube on the other, occupying some 30,000 square miles. Its greatest length is traversed by the river Tisza (Theiss). The undulating surface is covered with salt marshes, sand dunes and rows of mounds. During recent years much of the monotony of the territory has been lessened by cultivation; great pastures and luxuriant meadows have been broken by fine forests and orchards; broad roads and railways intersect the former lonely tracts, and the immense pasture-grounds are filled with cattle, horses, sheep and swine. The villages are large and populous, but are generally long distances apart.
Hydrography.— The Danube (Duna) is the principal waterway of Hungary, and most of the rivers belong to it. Only two streams rising in the High Tatra flow to the Vistula. Traversing the country for nearly 600 miles, the Danube contains several large islands, the principal ones being Csal101thz and Szigetkoz between Pressburg and Komorn; above Buda pest lies the island of Szent Endre and below that of Csepel. The Danube is navigable by steamships from Vienna to the Black Sea. Tributary streams of the Danube on the left side are the Morva, Vag, Garam, Ipoly, Tisza and Temes; on the right the Lajta (or Leitha), Raba, Kapos, Drave and Save. The Mura flows into the Drave. The Tisza rises and ends in the country. Four silver stripes in the Hungarian coat-of-arms represent the Danube, the Tisza, the Save and the Drave. The two largest lakes in Hungary are the Balaton or Plattensee and the Ferto or Neusiedler See. Both lie in that part of the country which ex tends along the right bank of the Danube, the Pannonia of the Romans. Balaton is 46 miles long from N.E. to S.W., has an area of 230 square miles and stands 420 feet above sea level. Its banks are flanked by watering places, and the surrounding hills covered with rich vineyards. Ferti:i Lake has an area of 110 square and its surface — which is not permanent —ts 370 feet above sea-level. Al though many canals have been projected in Hungary, there are few in actual existence; the Ferencz Canal between the Danube and the Tisza, and the canal at the Iron Gates, both old constructions, are still the most important.
Climate.— Though the whole territory of Hungary is situated within 44° and 49° (lati tude) North, i.e., within the temperate zone, yet there are great divergencies between the various parts of the country in respect of mean, minimum and maximum temperature. The winter is in general very cold, especially in the great plain and in the inner basin of Transyl vania; the summer is hotter than in western Europe in the same latitude. The average tem perature ranges between 42° and 58° F. The average monthly temperature in January falls to 40 and 42° F. In January the temperature is highest in the western half of the country and lowers gradually toward the east. In July, on the other hand, it is highest where Hun garian territory approaches the Adriatic, and in the district between the southern frontier and the centre of the country on both banks of the Tisza. The climate is very variable in the highlands, but snow does not lie in summer, except in some hollows of the High Tatra. The rainfall varies considerably in different parts.
At the foot of the northwestern Carpathians the annual average is 59 inches; in the moun tainous Karst district near the Adriatic the average is about 79 inches; whereas in the Small Hungarian Lowlands it is only 20 inches and in the Great Hungarian Lowlands about 25 inches. Spring is the cloudy season; in the summer the delibeb, or Fata Morgana, rises about noon on warm, tranquil days and spreads like a shimmering sea over the heated plain. Despite its climatic variability Hungary is one of the healthiest countries in Europe.
Natural While most of the soil of Hungary is productive, more than half is arable land. The Carpathians present many varied physical features of geological structure. The wild granite rocks of the Tatra exhibit scenes of savage grandeur and stand out in sharp contrast to the broad flat sandstone ridges of the Carpathian Waldgebirge. The whole region of the north Hungarian moun tains between the upper part of the Tisza and the Danube is noted for its mineral wealth, which has been worked from very early times. The northern counties of Szepes (Zips) and aniir, to the southeast of the Tatra, abound in iron ores. Kassau (Kaschau), to the east, is the largest town in northern Hungary and the centre of a district containing metals and the only opal mines in Europe. To the south west, in the basin of the Gran, he Schemnitz and Kremnitz, noted for the production of the precious metals, especially silver. Lignite is mined among Tertiary rocks in several of the valleys. Salt abounds in the valley • of the upper Tisza. The mountains of Transylvania produce gold; varying quantities of silver, copper, mercury, zinc, nickel and lead are also found, and much salt. Other parts yield coal, petroleum, cobalt, antimony, sulphur, soda, salpetre, alum, vitriol, arsenic, marble, peat and remarkably fine chalcedony. The alluvial and diluvial deposits in the plains form excellent soil for wheat, rye, barley and maize, of which large quantities are exported. Most of the mountainous districts are covered with forests; the woods occupy 30 per cent of their area, as against from 1 to 5 per cent of the plains. There is a valuable export trade in timber, principally oak, poplar and acacia. Fruit trees are widely cultivated and much fruit is ex ported, while the wine production is of great magnitude. The most celebrated s% is made in the Tokay district, and that which goes by the name of Carlowitz is well known. Vibe yards cover more than 30,000 square miles. The great moors and forests provide ample game for the sportsman, the hear, wolf, lynx, wild cat and boar still roam, as well as stags and chamois. The vulture and the eagle soar above. The Danube and the Tisza abound in wild fowl, and the plains are plentifully stocked with hares and partridges. No other European country rivals Hungary in the wild and profuse luxuriance of fauna and flora. Vines. maize, almonds, figs, olives and apples flourish in abundance. Hungary is also endowed with a wealth of medicinal waters. Cold mineral and thermal springs are to be found almost every where. Budapest is rich in medicinal springs, and a whole series of hot springs containing lime and sulphur rise out of the volcanic hills on the right bank of the Danube. Sulphuric hot springs of remarkable healing properties for the treatment of rheumatism, gout and diseases of the bones are plentiful. There are 38 important watering places with hot springs in the country and 52 climatic health resorts. The famous medicinal water called Winyadi Janos is exported to all parts of the world.