The People's Republic of Hungary lies in the central Danube Basin. With 92,103 square kilometers of territory, it is the sixteenth largest European nation. The nation's terrain consists largely of plains and hill nation and is separated into three major geographic areas: the Great Plain, covering the central part of the nation, the Transdanube in the west, and the Northern Hills along the northern border. The climate is mild and continental, although great contrasts in temperatures can occur.

In the late 1980s, the bounds of permissible expression in Hungary suddenly had become wide by East European standards. Authorities had lifted most orthodox prohibitions. Opposition groups were able to function legally. accordingly, the nation experienced a quickening and enlivening of cultural and intellectual life.