29: Physical Features
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A. AUSTRIA
AUSTRIA (Ger. Österreish) is bounded E. by
Russia and Rumania, S. by Hungary, the Adriatic Sea and Italy, W. by Switzerland,
Liechtenstein and the German empire (Bavaria), and N. by the German empire (Saxony and
Prussia) and Russia. It has an area of 115,533 sq. m., or about twice the size of England
and Wales together. Austria does not form a geographical unity, and the constituent parts
of this empire belong to different geographical regions. Thus, Tirol, Styria and Carinthia
belong, like Switzerland, to the system of the Alps, but these provinces together with
those lying in the basin of the Danube form, nevertheless, a compact stretch of country.
On the other hand Galicia, extending on the eastern side of the Carpathians, belongs to
the great plain of Russia; Bohemia stretches far into the body of Germany; while Dalmatia,
which is quite separated from the other provinces, belongs to the Balkan Peninsula.
Coasts. - Austria has amongst all the great European
countries the most continental character, in so far as its frontiers are mostly
land-frontiers, only about one-tenth of them being coast-land. The Adriatic coast, which
stretches for a distance of about 1000 m., is greatly indented. The Gulf of Trieste on the
west, and the Gulf of Fiume or Quarnero on the east, include between them the peninsula of
Istria, which has many sheltered bays. In the Gulf of Quarnero are the Quarnero islands,
of which the most important are Cherso, Veglia and Lussin. The coast west of the mouth of
the Isonzo is fringed by lagoons, and has the same character as the Venetian coast, while
the Gulf of Trieste and the Istrian peninsula have a steep coast with many bays and safe
harbours. The principal ports are Trieste, Capodistria, Pirano, Parenzo, Rovigno and Pola,
the great naval harbour and arsenal of Austria. The coast of Dalmatia also possesses many
safe bays, the principal being those of Zara, Cattaro and Ragusa, but in some places it is
very steep and inaccessible. On the other hand a string of islands extends along this
coast, which offer many safe and easily accessible places of anchorage to ships during the
fierce winter gales which rage in the Adriatic. The principal are Pago, Pasman, Isola
Lunga and Isola Incoronata, Brazza, Lesina, Curzola and Meleda.
Mountains. - Austria is the most mountainous country of
Europe after Switzerland, and about four-fifths of its entire area is more than 600 ft.
above the level of the sea. The mountains of Austria belong to three different mountain
systems, namely, the Alps, the Carpathians and the Bohemian-Moravian Mountains. The
Danube, which is the principal river of Austria, divides the Alpine region, which occupies
the whole country lying at its south, from the Bohemian-Moravian Mountains and their
offshoots lying at its north; while the valleys of the March and the Oder separate the
last-named mountains from the Carpathians. Of the three principal divisions of the Alps -
the western, the central and the eastern Alps - Austria is traversed by several groups of
the central Alps, while the eastern Alps lie entirely within its territory. The eastern
Alps are continued by the Karst mountains, which in their turn are continued by the
Dinaric Alps, which stretch through Croatia and Dalmatia. The second great mountain-system
of Austria, the Carpathians, occupy its eastern and north-eastern portions, and stretch in
the form of an arch through Moravia, Silesia, Galicia and Bukovina, forming the frontier
towards Hungary, within which territory they principally extend. Finally, the
Bohemian-Moravian Mountains, which enclose Bohemia and Moravia, and form the so-called
quadrilateral of Bohemia, constitute the link of the Austrian mountain-system with the
hilly region (the Mittelgebirge) of central Europe. Only a little over 25 % of the
area of Austria is occupied by plains. The largest is the plain of Galicia, which is part
of the extensive Sarmatic plain; while in the south, along the Isonzo, Austria comprises a
small part of the Lombardo-Venetian plain. Several smaller plains are found along the
Danube, as the Tulner Becken in Lower Austria, and the Wiener Becken, the plain on which
the capital is situated; to the north of the Danube this plain is called the Marchfeld,
and is continued under the name of the Marchebene into Moravia as far north as Olmütz.
Along the other principal rivers there are also plains of more or less magnitude, some of
them possessing tracts of very fertile soil.
Rivers. - Austria possesses a fairly great number of rivers,
pretty equally distributed amongst its crown lands, with the exception of Istria and the
Karst region, where there is a great scarcity of even the smallest rivers. The principal
rivers are: the Danube, the Dniester, the Vistula, the Oder, the Elbe, the Rhine and the
Adige or Etsch. As the highlands of Austria form part of the great watershed of Europe,
which divides the waters flowing northward into the North Sea or the Baltic from those
flowing southward or eastward into the Mediterranean or the Black Sea, its rivers flow in
three different directions - northward, southward and eastward. With the exception of the
small streams belonging to it which fall into the Adriatic, all its rivers have their
mouths in other countries, and its principal river, the Danube, has also its source in
another country. When it enters Austria at the gorge of Passau, where it receives the Inn,
a river which has as large a body of water as itself, the Danube is already navigable.
Till it leaves the country at Hainburg, just before Pressburg, its banks are pretty
closely hemmed by the Alps, and the river passes through a succession of narrow defiles.
But the finest part of its whole course, as regards the picturesqueness of the scenery on
its banks, is between Linz and Vienna. Where it enters Austria the Danube is 898 ft. above
the level of the sea, and where it leaves it is only 400 ft.; it has thus a fall within
the country of 498 ft., and is at first a very rapid stream, becoming latterly much
slower. The Danube has in Austria a course of 234 m., and it drains an area of 50,377 sq.
m. Its principal affluents in Austria, besides the Inn, are the Traun, the Enns and the
March. The Dniester, which, like the Danube, flows into the Black Sea, has its source in
the Carpathians in Eastern Galicia, and pursues a very winding course towards the
south-east, passing into Russia. It has in Austria a course of 370 m., of which 300 are
navigable, and drains an area of 12,000 sq. m. The Vistula and the Oder both fall into the
Baltic. The former rises in Moravia, flows first north through Austrian Silesia, then
takes an easterly direction along the borders of Prussian Silesia, and afterwards a
north-easterly, separating Galicia from Russian Poland, and leaving Austria not far from
Sandomir. Its course in Austria is 240 m., draining an area of 15,500 sq. m. It is
navigable for nearly 200 m., and its principal affluents are the Dunajec, the San and the
Bug. The Oder has also its source in Moravia, flows first east and then north-east through
Austrian Silesia into Prussia. Its length within the Austrian territory is only about 55
m., no part of which is navigable. The only river of this country which flows into the
North Sea is the Elbe. It has its source in the Riesengebirge, not far from the
Schneekoppe, flows first south, then west, and afterwards north-west through Bohemia, and
then enters Saxony. Its principal affluents are the Adler, Iser and Eger, and, most
important of all, the Moldau. The Elbe has a course within the Austrian dominions of 185
m., for about 65 of which it is navigable. It drains an area of upwards of 21,000 sq. m.
The Rhine, though scarcely to be reckoned a river of the country, flows for about 25 m. of
its course between it and Switzerland. The principal river of Austria which falls into the
Adriatic is the Adige or Etsch. It rises in the mountains of Tirol, flows south, then
east, and afterwards south, into the plains of Lombardy. It has in Austria a course of 138
m., and drains an area of 4266 sq. m. Its principal affluent is the Eisak. Of the streams
which have their course entirely within the country and fall into the Adriatic, the
principal is the Isonzo, 75 m. in length, but navigable only for a short distance from its
mouth.
Lakes. - Austria does not possess any great lakes, but has
numerous small mountain lakes situated in the Alpine region, the most renowned for the
beauty of their situation being found in Salzburg Salzkammergut, Tirol and Carinthia.
There should also be mentioned the periodical lakes situated in the Karst region, the
largest of them being the Lake of Zirknitz. The numerous and large marshes, found now
mostly in Galicia and Dalmatia, have been greatly reduced in the other provinces through
the canalization of the rivers, and other works of sanitation.
Mineral Springs. - No other European country equals Austria
in the number and value of its mineral springs. They are mostly to be found in Bohemia,
and are amongst the most frequented watering-places in the world. The most important are,
the alkaline springs of Carlsbad, Marienbad Franzensbad and Bilin; the alkaline acidulated
waters of Giesshübel, largely used as table waters; the iron springs of Marienbad,
Franzensbad and of Pyrawarth in Lower Austria the bitter waters of Püllna, Saidschitz and
Sedlitz the saline waters of Ischl and of Aussee in Styria; the iodine waters of Hall in
Upper Austria the different waters of Gastein; and lastly the thermal waters of
Teplitz-Schönau, Johannisbad, and of Römerbad in Styria. Altogether there are reckoned
to exist over 1500 mineral springs, of which many are not used.
Climate. - The climate of Austria, in consequence of its
great extent, and the great differences in the elevation of its surface, is very various.
It is usual to divide it into three distinct zones. The most southern extends to 46° N.
lat., and includes Dalmatia and the country along the coast, together with the southern
portions of Tirol and Carinthia. Here the seasons are mild and equable, the winters are
short (snow seldom falling), and the summers last for five months. The vine and maize are
everywhere cultivated, as well as olives and other southern products. In the south of
Dalmatia tropical plants flourish in the open air. The central zone lies between 46° and
49° N. lat., and includes Lower and Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola,
Central and Northern Tirol, Southern Moravia and a part of Bohemia. The seasons are more
marked here than in the preceding. The winters are longer and more severe, and the summers
are hotter. The vine and maize are cultivated in favourable situations, and wheat and
other kinds of grain are generally grown. The northern zone embraces the territory lying
north of 49° N. lat., comprising Bohemia, Northern Moravia, Silesia and Galicia. The
winters are here long and cold the vine and maize are no longer cultivated, the principal
crops being wheat, barley, oats rye, hemp and flax. The mean annual temperature ranges
from about 59° in the south to 48° in the north. In some parts of the country however,
it is as low as 46° 40' and even 36°. In Vienna the average annual temperature is 50°,
the highest temperature being 94° the lowest 2° Fahr. In general the eastern part of the
country receives less rain than the western. In the south the rains prevail chiefly in
spring and autumn, and in the north and central parts during summer. Storms are frequent
in the region of the south Alps and along the coast. In some parts in the vicinity of the
Alps the rainfall is excessive, sometimes exceeding 60 in. It is less among the
Carpathians, where it usually varies from 30 to 40 in. In other parts the rainfall usually
averages from 20 to 24 in.
Flora. - From the varied character of its climate and soil
the vegetable productions of Austria are very diverse. It has floras of the plains, the
hills and the mountains; an alpine flora, and an arctic flora; a flora of marshes, and a
flora of steppes; floras peculiar to the clay, the chalk, the sandstone and the slate
formations. The number of different species is estimated at 12,000, of which one-third are
phanerogamous, or flowering plants, and two-thirds cryptogamous, or flowerless. The crown
land of Lower Austria far surpasses in this respect the other divisions of the country,
having about four-ninths of the whole, and not less than 1700 species of flowering plants.
As stated above, Austria is a very mountainous country and the mountains are frequently
covered with vegetation to a great elevation. At the base are found vines and maize; on
the lower slopes are green pastures, or wheat, barley and other kinds of corn; above are
often forests of oak, ash, elm, &c. ; and still higher the yew and the fir may be seen
braving the climatic conditions. Corn grows to between 3400 and 4500 ft. above the level
of the sea, the forests extend to 5600 or 6400 ft., and the line of perpetual snow is from
7800 to 8200 ft.
Fauna. - The animal kingdom embraces, besides the usual
domestic animals (as horses cattle, sheep, swine, goats, asses, &c.), wild boars,
deer, wild goats, hares, &c.; also bears wolves, lynxes foxes, wild cats, jackals,
otters, beavers, polecats, martens, weasels and the like. Eagles and hawks are common, and
many kinds of singing birds. The rivers and lakes abound in different kinds of fish, which
are also plentiful on the sea-coast. Among the insects the bee and the silkworm are the
most useful. The leech forms an article of trade. In all there are go different species of
mammals, 248 species of birds, 377 of fishes and more than 13,000 of insects.
Divisions. - Austria is composed of seventeen
"lands," called also "crown lands." Of these, three - namely, Bohemia,
Galicia and Lodomeria, and Dalmatia - are kingdoms; two - Lower and Upper Austria -
archduchies; six - Salzburg, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Silesia and Bukovina - duchies;
two - Görz-Gradisca and Tirol - countships of princely rank (gefürstete Grafshaften);
two - Moravia and Istria - margraviates (march counties). Vorarlberg bears the title
simply of "land." Trieste, with its district, is a town treated as a special
crown land. For administrative purposes Trieste, with Görz-Gradisca and Istria
constituting the Küstenland (the Coast land) and Tirol and Vorarlberg, are each
comprehended as one administrative territory. The remaining lands constitute each an
administrative territory by itself.
B. HUNGARY
Hungary (Hungarian Magyarország) is bounded E. by Austria
(Bukovina) and Rumania S. by Rumania, Servia, Bosnia and Austria (Dalmatia); W. by Austria
(Istria, Carniola, Styria and Lower Austria); and N. by Austria (Moravia, Silesia and
Galicia). It has an area of 125,402 sq. m., being thus about 4000 sq. m. larger than Great
Britain and Ireland. Hungary, unlike Austria, presents a remarkable geographical unity. It
is almost exclusively continental, having only a short extent of seaboard on the Adriatic
(a little less than 100 m.). Its land-frontiers are for the most part well defined by
natural boundaries: on the N.W., N., E. and S.E. the Carpathian mountains; on the S. the
Danube Save and Unna. On the W. they are not so clearly marked, being formed partly by low
ranges of mountains and partly by the rivers March and Leitha. From the last-mentioned
river are derived the terms Cisleithania and Transleithania, applied to Austria and
Hungary respectively.
General Division. - The kingdom of Hungary in its widest
extent, or the "Realm of the Crown of St Stephen," comprises Hungary proper (Magyarország),
with which is included the former grand principality of Transylvania, and the province of
Croatia-Slavonia. This province enjoys to a large extent autonomy, granted by the
so-called compromise of 1868. The town and district of Fiume, though united with Hungary
proper in respect of administration, possess a larger measure of autonomy than the other
cities endowed with municipal rights. Of the total area of the kingdom Hungary proper has
108,982 sq. m. and Croatia-Slavonia 16,420 sq. m.
Mountains. - Orographically Hungary is composed of an
extensive central plain surrounded by high mountains. These mountains belong to the
Carpathians and the Alps, which are separated by the valley of the Danube. But by far the
greater portion of the Hungarian highlands belongs to the Carpathian mountains, which
begin, to the north, on the left bank of the Danube at Dévény near Pressburg (Pozsony),
run in a north-easterly and easterly direction, sways round south-eastward and then
westward in a vast irregular semicircle, and end near Orsova at the Iron Gates of the
Danube, where they meet the Balkan mountains. The greatest elevations are in the Tátra
mountains of the north of Hungary proper, in the east and south of Transylvania (the
Transylvanian Alps) and in the eastern portion of the Bánát. The highest peak, the
Gerlsdorf or Spitze or Gerlachfalva situated in the Tátra group, has an altitude of 8700
ft. The portion of Hungary situated on the right bank of the Danube is filled by the
Alpine system, namely, the eastern outlying groups of the Alps. These groups are the
Leitha mountains, the Styrian highlands, the Lower Hungarian highlands, which are a
continuation of the former, and the Bakony Forest. The Bakony Forest, which lies entirely
within Hungarian territory! extend to the Danube in the neighbourhood of Budapest, the
highest peak being Kõröshegy (2320 ft.). The south-western portion of this range is
specially called Bakony Forest, while the ramifications to the north-east are known as the
Vértes group (1575 ft.), and the Pilis group (2476 ft.). The Lower Hungarian highlands
extend between the Danube, the Múr, and Lake Balaton and attain in the Mecsek hills near
Mohács and Pécs an altitude of 2200 ft. The province of Croatia-Slavonia belongs mostly
to the Karst region, and is traversed by the Dinaric Alps.
Plains. - The mountain systems enclose two extensive plains,
the smaller of which called the "Little Hungarian Alföld" or "Pressburg
Basin," covers an area of about 6000 sq. m., and lies to the west of the Bakony and
Mátra ranges, which separate it from the "Pest Basin" or "Great Hungarian
Alföld." This is the largest plain in Europe, and covers about 37,000 sq. m., with
an average elevation above sea-level of from 300 to 350 ft. The Pest Basin extends over
the greater portion of central and southern Hungary, and is traversed by the Theiss
(Tisza) and its numerous tributaries. This immense tract of low land, though in some parts
covered with barren wastes of sand, alternating with marshes. presents in general a very
rich and productive soil. The monotonous aspect of the Alföld is in summer time varied by
the déli báb, or Fata Morgana.
Caverns. - The numerous caverns deserve a passing notice.
The Aggtelek or Baradla cave, in the county of Gömör, is one of the largest in the
world. In it various fossil mammalian remains have been found. The Fonácza cave, in the
county of Bihar, has also yielded fossils. No less remarkable are the Okno, Vodi and
Deményfalva caverns in the county of Liptó, the Veterani in the Bánát and the ice cave
at Dobsina in Gömör county. Of the many interesting caverns in Transylvania the most
remarkable are the sulphurous Büdös in the county of Háromszék, the Almás to the
south of Udvarhely and the brook- traversed rocky caverns of Csetate-Boli, Pestere and
Ponor in the southern mountains of Hunyad county.
Rivers. - The greater part of Hungary is well provided with
both rivers and springs but some trachytic and limestone mountainous districts show a
marked deficiency in this respect The Mátra group, e.g., is poorly supplied, while
the outliers of the Vértes mountains towards the Danube are almost entirely wanting in
streams, and have but few water sources A relative scarcity in running waters prevails in
the whole region between the Danube and the Drave. The greatest proportionate deficiency,
however, is observable in the arenaceous region between the Danube and Theiss, where for
the most part only periodical floods occur. But in the north and east of the kingdom
rivers are numerous. Owing to its orographical configuration the river system of Hungary
presents several characteristic features. The first consists in the parallelism in the
course of its rivers, as the Danube (Duna) and the Theiss (Tisza), the Drave (Dráva) and
the Save (Száva), the Waag (Vág) with the Neutra (Nyitra) and the Gran (Garam), &c.
The second is the direction of the rivers, which converge towards the middle of the
country and are collected either mediately or immediately by the Danube. Only the Zsil,
the Aluta and the Bodza or Buzeu pierce the Transylvanian Alps, and flow into the Danube
outside Hungary. Another characteristic feature is the uneven distribution of the
navigable rivers, of which Upper Hungary and Transylvania are almost completely devoid.
But even the navigable rivers, owing to the direction of their course, are not available
as a means of external communication. The only river communication with foreign countries
is furnished by the Danube, on the one hand towards Austria and Germany, and on the other
towards the Black Sea. All the rivers belong to the watershed of the Danube, with the
exception of the Poprád in the north, which as an affluent of the Dunajec flows into the
Vistula, and of a few small streams near the Adriatic. The Danube enters Hungary through
the narrow defile called the Porta Hungarica at Dévény near Pozsony (Pressburg),
and after a course of 585 m. leaves it at Orsova by another narrow defile, the Iron Gate.
Where it enters Hungary the Danube is 400 ft. above sea-level, and where it leaves it is
127 ft.; it has thus a fall within the country of 273 ft. It forms several large islands,
as the Great Schütt, called in Hungarian Czallóköz or the deceiving island, with an
area of nearly 1000 sq. m.; the St Andrew's or Szent-Endre island; the Csepel island; and
the Margitta island. The principal tributaries of the Danube in Hungary, of which some are
amongst the largest rivers in Europe, are, on the right, the Raab (Rába), Drave (Dráva)
and Save (Száva), and, on the left, the Waag (Vág) Neutra (Nyitra), Gran (Garam), Eipel
(Ipoly), Theiss (Tisza, the principal affluent, which receives numerous tributaries) Temes
and Cserna. The total length of the river system of Hungary is about 8800 m. Of which only
about one-third is navigable, while of the navigable part only one-half is available for
steamers. The Danube is navigable for steamers throughout the whole of its course in
Hungary. Regulating works have been undertaken to ward off the dangers of periodical
inundations, which occur in the valley of the Danube and of the other great rivers, as the
Theiss, the Drave and the Save. The beds of these rivers, as well as that of the Danube,
are continually changing, forming morasses and pools, and rendering the country near their
banks marshy. Notwithstanding the work already done, such as canalizing and regulating the
rivers, the erection of dams, &c., the problems of preventing inundations, and of
reclaiming the marshes, have not yet been satisfactorily solved.
Canals. - Hungary is poorly supplied with canals. They are
constructed not only as navigable waterways, but also to relieve the rivers from
periodical overflow, and to drain the marshy districts. The most important canal is the
Franz Josef canal between Bécse and Bezdán, above Zombor. It is about 70 m. in length,
and considerably shortens the passage between the Theiss and the Danube. A branch of this
canal called Új Csatorna or New Channel, extends from Kis-Sztapár, a few miles below
Zombor, to Újvidék, opposite Pétervárad. The Béga canal runs from Temesvár to
Nagy-Becskerek, and thence to Titel where it flows into the Theiss. The Versecz and the
Berzava canal, which are connected with one another, drain the numerous marshes of the
Bánát, including the Alibunar marsh. The Berzava canal ends in the river Temes. The Sió
and the Kapos or Zichy canal between Lake Balaton and the Danube is joined by the Sárvíz
canal, which drains the marshes south of Sopron. The Berettyó canal between the Kõrös
and the Berettyó rivers, and the Kõrös canal along the White Kõrös were constructed
in conjunction with the regulation of the Theiss, and for the drainage of the marshy
region.
Lakes and Marshes. - Hungary has two large lakes, Balaton or
Platten-See, the largest lake of southern Europe, and Fertõ or Neusiedler See. The Fertõ
lake lies in the counties of Moson and Sopron, not far from the town of Sopron, and is
about 23 m. in length by 6 to 8 m. in breadth. It is so shallow that it completely
evaporated in 1865, but has filled again since 1870, at the same time changing its
configuration. It lies in the marshy district known as the Hanság, through which it is in
communication with the Danube. In the neighbourhood of this lake are very good vineyards.
Several other small lakes are found in the Hanság. The other lowland lakes, as, for
instance, the Palics near Szabadka, and the Velencze in the county of Fehér, are much
smaller. In the deep hollows between the peaks of the Carpathians are many small lakes
popularly called "eyes of the sea." In the puszta are numerous small
lakes, named generally Fehér tó or White Lakes, because they evaporate in the
summer leaving a white crust of soda on their bed. The vegetation around them contains
plants characteristic of the sea shores. The largest of these lakes is the Fehér tó
situated to the north of Szeged.
As already mentioned large tracts of land on the banks of the
principal rivers are occupied by marshes. Besides the Hanság, the other principal marshes
are the Sárrét, which covers a considerable portion of the counties of
Jász-Kun-Szolnok, Békés and Bihar the Ecsedi Láp in the county of Szatmár; the
Szernye near Munkács, and the Alibunar in the county of Torontál. Since the last half of
the 19th century many thousands of acres have been reclaimed for agricultural purposes.
Climate. - Hungary has a continental climate - cold in
winter, hot in summer - but owing to the physical configuration of the country it varies
considerably. If Transylvania be excepted, three separate zones are roughly
distinguishable: the "highland," comprising the counties in the vicinity of the
Northern and Eastern Carpathians, where the winters are very severe and continue for half
the year; the "intermediate" zone, embracing the country stretching northwards
from the Drave and Múr, with the Little Hungarian Plain, and the region of the Upper
Alföld, extending from Budapest to Nyíregyháza and Sárospatak; and the "great
lowland" zone, including the main portion of the Great Hungarian Plain, and the
region of the lower Danube, where the heat during the summer months is almost tropical. In
Transylvania the climate bears the extreme characteristics peculiar to mountainous
countries interspersed with valleys, whilst the climate of the districts bordering on the
Adriatic is modified by the neighbourhood of the sea. The minimum of the temperature is
attained in January and the maximum in July. The rainfall in Hungary, except in the
mountainous regions, is small in comparison with that of Austria. The vast sandy wastes
mainly contribute to the dryness of the winds on the Great Hungarian Alföld.
Occasionally, the whole country suffers much from drought; but disastrous floods not
unfrequently occur, particularly in the spring, when the beds of the rivers are inadequate
to contain the increased volume of water caused by the rapid melting of the snows on the
Carpathians. On the whole Hungary is a healthy country, excepting in the marshy tracts,
where intermittent fever and diphtheria sometimes occur with great virulence. The
following table gives the mean temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall (including
snow) at a series of meteorological stations during the years 1896-1900:
| Stations. |
Feet above
Sea. |
Mean Temperature (Fahrenheit). |
Relative
Humidity. |
Rainfall
in Inches. |
| Annual |
Jan. |
July. |
| Selmeczbánya |
2037 |
46.2 |
27.9 |
64.8 |
79 |
35.29 |
| Budapest |
502 |
50.9 |
30.9 |
68.8 |
76 |
24.02 |
| Keszthely |
436 |
52.5 |
30.0 |
71.4 |
78 |
26.67 |
| Zágráb |
534 |
52.3 |
34.4 |
70.5 |
72 |
34.32 |
| Fiume |
16 |
56.9 |
43.6 |
72.7 |
75 |
70.39 |
| Debreczen |
423 |
50.2 |
28.6 |
70 |
79 |
22.26 |
| Szeged |
312 |
51.6 |
31.1 |
71.1 |
80 |
25.58 |
| Nagyszeben |
1357 |
48.9 |
25.9 |
69.1 |
79 |
28.66 |
Fauna. - The horned cattle of Hungary are amongst the finest
in Europe and large herds of swine are reared in the oak forests. The wild animals are
bears, wolves, foxes, lynxes, wild cats, badgers, otters, martens, stoats and weasels.
Among the rodents there are hares, marmots, beavers, squirrels, rats and mice, the last in
enormous swarms. Of the larger game the chamois and deer are specially noticeable. Among
the birds are the vulture, eagle, falcon, buzzard, kite, lark, nightingale, heron, stork
and bustard. Domestic and wild fowl are generally abundant. The rivers and lakes yield
enormous quantities of fish, and leeches also are plentiful. The Theiss, once better
supplied with fish than any other river in Europe, has for many years fallen off in its
productiveness. The culture of the silkworm is chiefly carried on in the south, and in
Croatia-Slavonia.
Flora. - Almost every description of grain is found,
especially wheat and maize, besides Turkish pepper or paprika, rape-seed, hemp and flax,
beans, potatoes and root crops. Fruits of various descriptions, and more particularly
melons and stone fruits, are abundant. In the southern districts almonds, figs, rice and
olives are grown. Amongst the forest and other trees are the oak, which yields large
quantities of galls, the beech, fir, pine, ash and alder, also the chestnut, walnut and
filbert. The vine is cultivated over the greater part of Hungary, the chief grape-growing
districts being those of the Hegyalja (Tokaj), Sopron, and Ruszt, Ménes, Somlyó
(Schomlau), Béllye and Villány, Balaton, Neszmély, Visonta, Eger (Erlau) and Buda.
Hungary is one of the greatest wine-producing countries in Europe and the quality of some
of the vintages, especially that of Tokaj is unsurpassed. A great quantity of tobacco is
also grown; it is wholly monopolized by the crown. In Hungary proper and in Croatia and
Slavonia there are many species of indigenous plants, which are unrepresented in
Transylvania. Besides 12 species peculiar to the former grand-principality, 14 occur only
there and in Siberia.
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