1. World History Notes Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks / 1 In the center of Eastern Europe are Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. All three countries became communist under Soviet control after World War II.

2. World History Notes Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks / 2 Hungary, almost the size of Indiana, is landlocked. Hungary depends on the mighty Danube River for trade and transportation. Its vast waters flow 1,776 miles before emptying into the Black Sea.

3. World History Notes Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks / 3 About 90 percent of Hungary’s 10.1 million people are descended from the Magyars. The Magyars were nomads who came to the area from Central Asia about 1,000 years ago and used the grassy plains for their animals.

4. World History Notes Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks / 4 Almost all of the 10.1 million people of Hungary speak the Hungarian language. About two-thirds are Roman Catholic, while another one-fourth is Protestant. Budapest is the capital and the largest city in Hungary.

5. World History Notes Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks / 5 The Czech Republic is also a landlocked country. The Czechs enjoy a high standard of living because of their fertile land for food production and their factories which produce manufactured goods.

6. World History Notes Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks / 6 The Czech Republic also have important natural resources which include limestone, coal, and kaolin, a fine clay used for pottery. Two-thirds of the 10.2 million Czechs live in cities, many in crowded apartment buildings.

7. World History Notes Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks / 7 The Slovaks have a language and culture different from the Czechs. Most Slovaks are Roman Catholics, nearly 60 percent of Slovakia’s 5.4 million people live in modern towns and cities.

8. World History Notes Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks / 8 Slovakia has had difficulty changing to a free market economy because of older technology and the government corruption which discouraged investment by foreign companies.