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Hungary Table of Contents

Hungary

High Technology

Hungary has developed a small but viable computer industry since the late 1960s. The Videoton electronics firm, which was one of Eastern Europe's most aggressive computer manufacturers, developed several computer models in the 1970s and has exported its computer products to West Germany, Austria, Finland, and the Comecon countries. Economic reforms in the early 1980s cleared the way for state firms, research institutes, private partnerships, and even individuals to manufacture personal computers. Hungary possessed impressive software-producing capability, and many Western countries have purchased Hungarian programs or subcontracted with Hungarian designers to develop software. Unfortunately, the microelectronics industry suffered a major blow in 1986 when a fire gutted its most important plant, located in Budapest. In 1986 the high-technology industry produced 5,128 small computers, 145,717 semiconductors, and 20,690 integrated circuits.

Data as of September 1989